Fall Immunity - Top Five Tips | Herbal Goodness

Top Five Tips For your fall immunity this year we have found the top five tips most natural health providers are recommending this year! Boosting your immune system proactively is the best way because then you don't have to work so hard when something does hit your body. You will be sicker less and the times when a cold or flu does get through you can reduce that length of time.

  1. C-Boosters: Papaya Leaf & High Vitamin C Foods High vitamin c foods like papaya and papaya leaf are full of vitamin c and antioxidants. These little guys help you get rid of free radicals and dead cells. They take out the "trash" within your body. Imagine little garbage collectors if you will! Other high vitamin C foods include: papaya, potatoes, citrus foods, berries, dark leafy greens, cruiciferous vegetables, and most melons. Vitamin C helps you absorb iron which is great for your hair, skin, nails and energy. In combination take Vitamin A and E which help Vitamin C absorb better. Guess what? Papaya has E and A too! A-mazing for your fall immunity!  

2. Anti-Virals: Oregano Oil and Olive Leaf Using this as an oral supplement or finding this in an essential oil is a must have in your medicine cabinet. You can rub on your feet or spine or take orally. This oil is great for fighting candida in your body, boosting your immune system and has anti-viral properties. If you can't find Oregano, olive leaf is it's great substitute.

3. Clean Water: All H20 is not alike I can't say this enough for your fall immunity. WATER is so important. Drink at least half your body weight of water in ounces. The first thing you should do, after washing your mouth out, when you wake up is drink 8 oz of water (before you coffee please). Filtered water and RO water is great but distilled (like cloud water) is the best. It's pure H20. It is "hungry" water and is great at getting the "bad minerals" and toxins out of your body. You don't have to worry about minerals in your water. You can purchase trace minerals or take a combination of iodized salt and celtic or pink salt. Getting minerals out of your food should be enough also. Make sure you have a natural anti-viral in your medicine cabinet. It's a great help for fall immunity.

4. Rays of Light: Sunlight or Vitamin D Ok summer is over. Hopefully you have enough vitamin D stored up from all that laying out at the beach. Most of us don't get enough sun during the summer though. So taking a D supplement, although I don't recommend taking vitamin supplements, is one that is recommended. D3 is the best. There aren't any D3 vegan sources and sorry folks but D3 is the best. D from mushrooms is great however those suffering from candida should shy way from this.

5. Mind and Body To make sure your body is ready for fall immunity, you must do these three things.

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1. Exercise Sweating out toxins and building strong muscle and bones is important for your immune system. 

2. Journaling, Meditation, or Prayer These three things have been shown to better your immune system when groups of individuals were polled. Twenty minutes a day of doing one of these things can improve your immune system. Why? When you let go of your worries, fears, and conflicts you are allowing your body to recover and your mind to be at ease.

3. Good Rest Getting at least 8 hours of sleep (or less for some people) can improve your immune system. At night your body and mind repair itself on a cellular level. Make sure you are getting rested. 

Here is a great study on the matter. Taking charge of your fall immunity should not be overwhelming. Take baby steps and try putting new routines in one at a time.

Jessica Oren is a certified Birth Doula (CBI) and a Family Herbalist ~ graduate of The School of Natural Healing. Co-Founder Herbal Papaya. Founder of DAWN Foundation and North Texas Doulas. 

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