Wouldn’t it be great to eaves drop, not in a perverted way, on a conversation between my “Health Coach” friends and I on our tips and tricks when we get sick?!
Some may call our hacks granola, hippie, or old school like grandma. I do think there is absolutely a place for Western medicine, but these tips I’m gonna share are super healthy, inexpensive and easy secrets that come with zero side effects and are proven to work at kicking your colds ass!
Let me introduce you to my gang! Four of my go to health expert friends for wellness advice and fun! Drumroll please…
Carol Coyne, Kim Ochwat, Wendra Reese and Jennifer Halverson!
Check out their awesome websites and follow on social at the end of this blog!
1) What is your go to holistic cold remedy when you get sick?
Every single girl, without hesitation, suggested the one thing that costs nothing…REST!! Carol sleeps as much as she can. I’m with your girly!
Last year Jennifer checked in on me after 7 days of not feeling much better and she told me, “The body wants to heal and it needs a chance to do that. Lay down, rest and don’t get up! Taxing your body with regular activities, stresses and tasks inhibits the healing process and delays wellness.” This one tip makes a huge difference in recovery. Thanks Jenn!
Kim and Carol load up on water. Like, lots of it! As my lovely Mother in Law says, “Drink and pee. Drink and pee!”
Oh but Kim doesn’t stop there. She takes it up a notch with warm lemon water and Apple Cider Vinegar a couple times daily.
I take shots when I’m sick but these wouldn’t be served in the club. Kim, Carol and I are all fans of ginger/turmeric shots. Spicy AF leaving germs no chance! If shots are too intense for you (baby! Lol) cut it with orange juice or just add a few slices of ginger to your tea, smoothie or green juice.
Carol swears by Doterra’s Essential Oil On Guard capsules. Toss a few down the hatch when you feel the onset of something. Or Kim adds the oil in a drink or diffuser. Want more oils to drop into drinks? “Oregano Oil in an empty veggie capsule diluted with olive oil” says Kim. If you want to combine it with some self love, Carol suggests, “I put (diluted) oregano oil on the bottoms of my feet if I feel something coming on. It really helps with immunity.” Carol, will you come rub my feet when I feel a cold coming on?!
A warm bevy feels like a big ol hug! Well all love herbal immunity teas! I love the Decongest and Detox Ayurvedic Tea from Davidson’s Organics! (Save 20% with: JILL20), Wendra loves ‘Good Earth Sweet & Spicy’ saying, “Something hot is so comforting and I’m usually cold when I have a cold.”😄
Wendra keeps it consistent with the warm remedies with chicken soup. It has to be organic or she can’t eat it. And neither should you! Non-organic means meat and poultry are shot up with antibiotics, hormones, fed a genetically modified diet laced with glyphosate (linked to cancer) and killed in a sad and inhumane way. Cool, so we are now all on the organic page. Another great tip from Wendra, “I like to add fresh jalapeños which really helps if I have a sore throat.” My Italian Grandpa taught us to add Cayenne Pepper to just about everything!
2) Are there any secret supplements you swear by?
Kim- “Vitamin C , probiotics, adaptogens and Chaga mushroom tea, all great immunity boosters!”
Carol- Vitamin D big time! Fun fact: Most people are deficient in Vitamin D (get tested if you don’t know what your levels are). My levels were low and I started taking 5000 I.U.’s at the start of 2017 to get them back up. Now my level is stabilized and I think this had something to do with my avoidance of getting sick in the past year. Thumbs WAY UP!”
Wendra and Jennifer trust the magic of DoTERRA’s On Guard Essential Oil. Both say, “Take it the second you feel anything starting to come on. A drop in a cup of hot water. It kills any bacteria trying to attack your system and at the same time helps boost your immunity.”
3) Anything random & weird?
Carol, “Okay, this may seem weird but when I feel like I might be getting sick, I skip dinner and drink a lot of liquids like juice with ginger, hot tea, and water instead. This gives my digestive system a break, and gives my body the freedom and energy to heal where healing is needed overnight.”
Being 1/2 Italian I love to add garlic to EVERYTHING. But never took it this way until tipped off from Jennifer & Kim. “Crushed or whole raw garlic cloves… then swallow it like a pill. Garlic has powerful anti-bacterial properties.”
4) Anything you absolutely stay away from when sick?
This won’t come as a surprise but still sucks to hear…all five of us say NO SUGAR when you’re sick. Jennifer explains this perfectly, “If your body is fighting off infection and has caught some kind of bug, that bacteria or virus or whatever you have, is going to thrive off sugar, multiply and continue to wreak havoc in your body. Don’t feed the sickness what it wants! Avoid all sugary foods, including unsuspecting foods like salad dressing and pasta sauce. Even healthier sweeteners like maple syrup and dates should be avoided while sick.”
You want to stay hydrated but not with artificially colored and sweetened Gatorade, Pedialite or other toxin drinks. You’ll love Carol’s alternative, “I pack in the coconut water (it’s naturally sweet…and contains electrolytes!)”
5) Any other “granola” ways you recover?
Wendra- “Preventatively I do drink a green juice everyday. I add Four Sigmatic mushrooms to my coffee (mushrooms are great for immunity) and I do take a garlic supplement as well.”
Kim- “If I feel a sickness coming on, I see it as a way my body is letting me know I need to slow down so that’s why rest and self-care are so important. Plus it helps shorten the duration. I also love making homemade veggie soup since you get both nutrients and hydration in them, and a warm cup of soup is good for the soul 😊 “
Carol- “Epsom salt baths are great with lavender essential oil. Self care while sick is important! Oh, and cuddling with animals is so healing. My cats are really in tune with me and they know when I’m sick…so they are extra loving. Basically, if you don’t have a cute furry companion around ADOPT! No pressure, but do it. (lol)”
Jennifer- “Meditate. 10 minutes a day can do wonders for a speedy recovery. Often the reason we catch something in the first place- is because of stress. So take some time to breathe deeply (hard I know when you’re all sniffley and stuffy). Quiet the mind, stop thinking/worrying about all you have to do, take some time for yourself to be alone and still and allow your body to do it’s thing. Our bodies are healing machines. We need to step out of the way and give it that opportunity.”
- Carol Coyne: @2thepointhealth.com / @earthbakery/ https://coynecarol.wixsite.com/to-the-point-health
- Wendra Reese: www.WendrasWellness.com/ @wendraswellness
- Jennifer Halverson: www.JenniferHalverson.com / @jenericjun / @jenniferhalverson_inhc
- Kim Ochwat: @klohealthyliving/ @kimochwat / @earthbakery / https://www.theearthbakery.com
Which tip will you try to fight your colds?https://www.theearthbakery.com I’d love to hear. Tweet me or gimme a shout on facebook here: Jill Anenberg Lawrence
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