Battling My Cold This Winter - Strategies For Immune Support

• When feeling sick with a cold use magnesium spray, echinacea and propolis tincture, vitamin C supplements, chicken soup, and probiotic foods to help recover.
• These methods are effective because they help boost immunity levels, reduce symptoms of a cold or other immune-related illnesses.
• It is important to care for yourself through nourishing food, rest, and relaxation so your body has the resources to heal itself.

Yesterday was one of those days when a nasty cold had taken over and I wasn't feeling good. I had a headache, aches all over, stuffy nose and I must have used two tissue boxes. It seemed like it'd never end – but with some mindful choices, determination, and the right kind of nourishment, I was able to fight it off.

The first thing I did towards recovery was rubbing some magnesium spray onto my achey muscles. Magnesium is so important for our bodies; it helps with hundreds of biochemical reactions and relieves tension, muscle pain and headaches. Rubbing it on definitely eased my discomfort.

Then I took a healing tincture of Echinacea and Propolis which has immense benefits when it comes to immune support. Numerous studies cite the antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties of echinacea, and it’s even been shown to stop respiratory issues in colds and flus from progressing. Propolis also has many healing properties – in the research, propolis has been demonstrated to have antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.  There is scientific evidence to show that taking them can significantly shorten the length of time a person is suffering from a cold or other immune-related illnesses.

Next up was drinking plenty of water throughout the day – warm water with lemon juice if possible! The antioxidants found in lemons help to boost your immune system whilst also hydrating you naturally. Not only this but water helps cleanse your body from toxins which can cause sickness – so making sure that you’re properly hydrated is essential for recovery.

I took vitamin C supplements and ate oranges which are a great source of vitamin C due to their flavonoids that are filled with antioxidants which really gave me an energy boost until I felt better again. I also made sure to get sun exposure walking in my food forest and was able to snack on acerola cherries picked from my garden which added an extra immunity-boosting punch thanks to their high concentration of vitamin C. In fact, many food-based vitamin C supplements are made from acerola cherries.

Most importantly, I wanted to eat nourishing meals. My wife slow-cooked a meat dish with turmeric and I had some chicken soup that was full of immunity-boosting ingredients such as garlic, and ginger which can help fight a cold. Chicken broth has actually been a pillar of healing diets for centuries now. It contains minerals like calcium and potassium, which helps to replenish electrolytes in the body. It also contains collagen and amino acids, which have been found in studies to reduce inflammation in the respiratory system, among other benefits. On top of that, it is filled with vitamins and minerals like magnesium and zinc which can help strengthen our immune systems. All these benefits make chicken broth a nourishing powerhouse that is great for fighting illness!

Probiotic foods like fermented vegetables were also added to replenish my gut bacteria for overall improved wellbeing before going to bed early so I could let my body heal.  

All these little steps combined helped me take the necessary steps towards recovery despite feeling under the weather– sometimes the simplest things can be incredibly powerful! Taking care of yourself through nourishing food and relaxation is so important no matter what situation you’re in; have faith and be intentional in your actions so your body has the resources to heal itself.