Is your immune system ready for the Winter?

How do I get my immune system ready for the Winter?

The short answer is … cleanse. We must cleanse the system and remove waste from the body, starting with the gut. Removing waste from the gut will help heal the gut, cleanse the blood and cleanse and heal other organs in the body. We must eat whole foods to nourish the body and maintain a level of vitality. We must NOT eat unhealthy food. Practicing these do's and don'ts will allow your immune system to defend you when you need it to. 

If waste isn't removed it will continue to build up and clog you up (your collen, your arteries, etc)!

If you don’t cleanse, your body will force the toxins out of you when it has reached capacity and it won’t be pleasant. For example sweating while sleep, fevers, coughing, sneezing, rashes.

The Summer

I know the Summer is over but I want to give you something to think about for the next year.

The Summer is naturally a time of excretion. We sweat in the Summer heat, generally people are more active during the Summer releasing toxins through the big organ we call skin. We drink a lot of water or we should. How about the foods? The different melons, mangoes and other fruits that have a high water content grow in the Summer. For us to eat! For us to cleanse. Wash your insides with cantaloupe, watermelon, coconut water, soursop (if you can find some), plums and peaches. This season promotes cleansing the system which allows us to generate new healthy cells that are fresh and ready to take on the cold weather of late Fall and Winter. 

The Summer also is a time of barbecues and parties. Barbecues often have a spirit of overeating and eating lots of animal flesh. To mention one well known unhealthy bbq item, our people eat a concoction called hot dogs and to make it worse we eat them on nutrient deficient, indigestible white bread. Overeating, consistently eating animal flesh and eating white bread, white pasta, white sugar and white rice clog and dry up the system. These types of food require lots of attention from the body. If we have these habits our system doesn't have a chance to remove toxins. Be conscious of what you consume. 

Drinking alcohol is also frequent in the summer. Whether we are at a bbq, party or just chilling on the block, that bottle of Henny always seems to pop up. I mention the good and bad because the bad always outweighs the good, so try not to do too much damage on your system because it can lower your body's defense and leave you open for cold or flu during the Winter. Alcohol is super detrimental to your health! Fall back on the Yak (cognac).

Ways to Cleanse

-Detox via bitter herbs 

-Detox via fasting

-Drink lots of water 

-Exercise

-Build and maintain strong immunity via herbs

-All of the above   

Bitter Herbs

Help your body get rid of toxins by drinking or eating bitter herbs. There are lots of bitter herb tonics on the market and most are beneficial. The Herb tonics work best when they are paired with a clean diet, exercise and proper water intake. Herbs are not a miracle medicine that fix everything in 1 day. You will need to be consistent and have faith in what you are using. I suggest a minimum of 2 to 4 weeks of bitter herbs to aid your body's natural cleansing process. Over time you will feel results. 

FASTING

Fasting is the absolute best way to heal the body. There are many ways to fast. The main point of fasting is to allow your immune system to rest. What happens during a fast can get scientific but to keep it simple your body will rest, heal and get rid of waste. Damaged cells will be removed and healthy cells will generate. Your system will have a chance to deal with issues that it couldn't before because of the daily task of digesting food. We take digestion for granted but it is a major job for the body. That's why we get tired after eating, especially after overeating. After fasting you will feel refreshed and energized. Your body will be stronger and better equipped for the rigors of the winter weather. 

If you've never fasted, I would recommend starting with committing to a 3 day progressive plan. 

Keys to Fasting

1. Try to avoid stressful situations and stressful people.

2. Get at least 30 mins of direct sunlight.

3. Give your phone a break.

4. Sleep as much as you can.

5. Remember why you’re fasting and stay committed.

6. Drink a lot of spring water.

DAY 1

Breakfast - WATER then fresh fruit or fruit smoothie with no added sugar!

When you get hungry, stay focused and drink water.

Lunch - Eat your next meal after 12pm but before 6pm. It should be a full meal that consists of healthy items. So no fried foods, no meat and a lot of colorful vegetables.

Fight off your cravings best you can, drink water, water with seamoss, herbal tea or fresh juice for the rest of the day. 

Read a book, it occupies your mind and will help you fall asleep to make it to the next day.

Day 2

Breakfast - WATER then fresh fruit or fruit smoothie with no added sugar, no nuts or nut butters.

Main Meal - After 12pm but before 6pm. No cooked food. Eat a romaine or kale based salad. The dressing should be light. For example lemon juice and olive oil with salt and pepper.

Do not eat anything after this meal. Thug it out until you fall asleep.

Day 3

No food at all. Drink only water or water with seamoss. Water with seamoss and bladderwrack. If you start to feel too crazy have some coconut water or some fresh green juice.

If you can go another day without food, go for it!

When you are ready to break the fast, eat a small amount of fruit to ease your body back into your normal eating routine. Preferably fresh melon or berries. Do not eat a full meal of cooked food to break a fast.

Each day during the fast drink 1 gallon of spring water. You can add bitter herbs to help your body more efficiently remove waste.

Drinking a gallon of water everyday for the rest of your life is almost unrealistic but remember to stay hydrated. Water allows our body to function properly. Nothing happens without water. You wouldn't be able to blink properly if your eyeball was dried up.

Herbs for immunity

Stress on the body is at a high level especially if you live in the city. Air quality, pesticides on food, stress from work, family, daily commute, radiation from computer monitors, smart phones, big screen tvs, wifi, frequency towers, bluetooth headphones etc…

With that said, maintenance must be on a high level. I suggest using herbs 3-4 times a week to keep your immune system strong and body functioning properly. Educate yourself on a few herbs that you can keep in your kitchen. You may enjoy herbs as tea, mix into your smoothies or you may want to use them in pill form. Herbs can be gentle and used to aid natural bodily function. Healthy diet, good water, sunlight and peace of mind go a long way.

Ginger, burdock, elderberries, yellowdock, nettle, dandelion are a few of my favorite herbs that I use throughout the year.

Consult a physician before using herbs to treat any condition.