Katelyn is passionate about helping others live well and enjoy their life by educating them on how to naturally take care of their bodies.
She loves being active - hiking, biking, and playing tennis are a few of her favorites - and she is quite the sports fan, which she attributes to growing up with three brothers. She also enjoys shopping and fashion. And her favorite place to be is tucked away in the mountains.
Winterizing Your Immune System
"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eye lashes
Silver white winters that melt into spring
These are a few of my favorite things!"
Winter is absolutely one of my favorite things! I enjoy cold weather and all the fun that
comes with it! On the other hand, winter can sometimes take a toll on your immune
system so in today's post we are going to talk about a few practical things you can do to
keep your immune system strong all through the winter months.
1. Strengthen Your Digestive System
Would you be surprised if I told you that having a strong digestive system could help
you avoid colds and flus this winter?
Shocking, but true. Digestion is the bodies first line of defense against these yucky
viruses that we come in contact with everyday.
Think about it. Viruses can enter the body in a number of ways....it can be on the foods
you eat, in the water you drink, or on your hands that touch your face throughout the
day, just to name a few of the avenues. But having a strong stomach will break down
these little guys before they can get distributed throughout your body.
How can you support your digestive system naturally? Try making this warm drink:
8oz hot water
2 tsp organic, raw apple cider vinegar (I recommend the brand Bragg's)
1-2 tsp raw honey
You can also try adding few drops of peppermint oil to your drinking water. Not only will
it aid digestion, it will also put you in a holly, jolly mood this Christmas season :)
2. Avoid Sugar
The next step to winterizing your immune system is to cut back on the sweets. Yes, I do
realize that the holidays are in full swing with Christmas parties, Christmas cookies, and
your grandmas famous pumpkin pie! But did you know that eating sugar will weaken
your immune system? And in a state of weakness is when the unfriendly viruses will
attack.
So, if you are cutting out sugar then it's always good to have a healthy alternative to
replace it with, which is why I recommend raw honey. You can substitute honey in
almost any recipe that calls for sugar, just cut the amount in half and your good to go.
1 c sugar = 1/2 c honey
It's very important that you buy raw, local honey. Most honey sold in stores is heated
and pasteurized. This processing destroys the enzymes and beneficial compounds
that make raw honey so nutritious. In its natural state, honey contains pollen, enzymes,
antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your health. In fact, people
have used raw local honey to treat allergies for years. It's also know to aid digestion and
treat upper respiratory infections.
3. Implement Immune Boosting Foods into your Diet
In no specific order, here are a few immune boosting foods to include in your holiday
cooking:
- Garlic
- Berries
- Broccoli
- Bell peppers
- Tomatoes
- Turmeric
4. Aim for 8 hours of sleep each night
We all need our beauty sleep, but who knew how important it was to our immune
system! While you are sleeping, your body is working; it's repairing and regenerating.
The production of certain hormones that are released when you sleep promote the
production of white blood cells know as macrophages and leukocytes, which are both
critical to a strong immune system.
Tips to a good night sleep:
- Keep your room as dark as possible
- Avoid checking your phone or looking at a tv or computer screen right before bed (the
light emitting from these displays is anything but restful)
- Eat a small portion of protein. Note the emphasis on small. I'm not a huge proponent
for eating late at night but it may be the thing you need if you normally find yourself
waking up. The protein will help stabilize your blood sugar so you can sleep straight
through till morning. Examples: 1 tablespoon of almond or peanut butter (check the
label and make sure it does not have any added sugar), handful of walnuts, slice of
hormone/nitrate free turkey meat, or 1/2 cup yogurt (again check the label for sugar)
- Read a good book
5. Decrease your stress level
Stress can decrease your white blood cell count and compromise your immunity. So
instead of getting wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of this seasons, remember to
relax and enjoy your time with friends and family as we reflect on the greatest gift of all,
Jesus!
With love,
KK
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