We tackled decluttering the kitchen last year with POYEL so today instead of focusing on cleaning out, we’re talking about stocking up. Cold and flu season is officially upon us and Natalie’s here today sharing her secrets for keeping a well-stocked kitchen that’s ready to wage war on sick bugs. I’ve never been one to experiment much with home remedies but recently our babysitter suggested placing a quartered raw onion in S’s room when she had a cold – it worked wonders!
Were you sick over the holidays? Are you still getting over those nagging cold and flu symptoms? We may have entered a new year, but that doesn’t mean our immune systems get an automatic fresh start. While many of us are thinking about losing weight and changing our diets, we should be thinking about supporting our immune health through food, as well.
There are tons of healing foods out there and most of them are available at your local grocery store. By incorporating these simple foods into our daily diets and increasing them when we start to feel symptoms creep in, we can dramatically change how our bodies fight off germs and viruses. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and I AM NOT a medical professional. All of these foods are commonly known to fight cold symptoms, boost your immune system and support general health. If you have questions, please consult your medical professional before implementing food-based remedies.
My favorite remedies for colds specifically are these:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + 1 tablespoon raw honey. Mix together in a small bowl. Take directly off a spoon or stir into a mug of hot water or tea. (This is for adults and children over 1 year old. Do not give honey to children under 1.)
- water + fresh grated ginger + cinnamon sticks + fresh mint sprigs + lemon slices + honey. Put everything in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and steep. Drink hot or cold- add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or a splash of apple cider vinegar to clear the sinuses.
- garlic + onions + oregano + cayenne pepper. This combination can be added to just about anything savory- soups, stews, sauces, vegetable sautes, salads, you name it. To kick up the nutrients, combine with quality meat, eggs, leafy greens or carrots/yams/squash. You can also interchange the herbs and spices.
When shopping, choose organic and local whenever possible! Each food listed below will support your immune system – you don’t need to eat everything on the list, but try to incorporate as many as you can. You’ll see the nutrients that your body needs most when it’s in crisis mode: vitamins C and E, selenium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids and bioflavanoids.
Natural Decongestants/Expectorants
water/steam, oregano, onions, garlic, peppermint, ginger, honey, cayenne pepper, apple cider vinegar
Antibiotic/Antiviral/Antibacterial
garlic, onions, honey, fermented/probiotic foods, oregano, horseradish, lemon, ginger, high quality coconut oil, elderberry syrup
Antioxidants
tea (all kinds, but especially green), peppermint, turmeric, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, berries, beans
Vitamin C
citrus fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit), leafy greens, broccoli, pineapple, papaya, strawberries, kiwi
Selenium
garlic, meat, fish and shellfish, eggs, brazil nuts, legumes, mushrooms, whole grains, onions
Zinc
beef, turkey, lamb, beans, oysters, crab, peanuts and seeds
Vitamin E
nuts, seeds, paprika, chili powder, whole grains
Omega 3s
nuts, salmon, tuna, mackerel, flaxseed, high quality olive oil
Carotenoids
carrots, yams, leafy greens, winter squash, cilantro, thyme
Bioflavanoids
citrus, berries and grapes (especially black grapes), onions, garlic, buckwheat
Again, I am not a medical professional. Just a lady who prefers an ounce of prevention. Anyone have any foods or simple remedies they would add to the list?
This post is part of MPMK’s “Project Organize Your ENTIRE Life”. You can read all about it here, check out all of our projects here, and join thousands of POYEL facebook group members here.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
HI there! Thanks for this great list! I have personally tried bees honey and cinammon powder for a chronic and irritating cold which I suffered from for 3 weeks. I took i tablespoon of honey mixed with 1 tsp of cinammon powder , once a day for 3 days and at the end of this, my symptoms were reduced by 90%, Over the next few days it cleared up completely. Thanks for your great advice!
Great lists and tips! Another vitamin my doctor encourages our family to keep on top of, especially in the cold, rainy, dark months, is vitamin D. Its hard to get enough of it here in Vancouver in the winter, and hard to get enough in dietary sources, so we do vitamin D drop supplements.
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