Ancient Methods for a Modern World

Ancient Methods for a Modern World 

                           (for your Immune & Gut Health)

Let's be real here; it's been a rough year. Covid or Corona Virus 19 definitely made a lot of us look at our lifestyles differently.  We learned crafts, how to homeschool our kids, how to be self sufficient and how to work from home.  But how many of us focused on our health?  Not just the physical, outward appearance, but our whole body?  Soul, gut, immune?  If you did, that's great! You may already know some of the tips I have below.  For those that didn't and want to make changes as the world is opening up, keep reading! 

Ancient Chinese or western medicine is starting to make way in this modern medicine world.  Remember grandma's wisdom of chicken soup and orange juice when you were sick as a child?  There's a reason for that.  That soup had magnesium, protein and antioxidants.  The orange juice, especially if grandma squeezed it by hand, was full of vitamin C.  These methods still work because our body's cellular make up is still the same as it was dating back to Adam & Eve. 

What changed then?  What we eat; and what our lifestyles are. Before fast food restaurants, everything was made from scratch. Sure there was sugar and fat and white flour. But there also wasn't televisions or video games or computers to sit and stare at for hours. Most mothers didn't work out of the home.  Dinner time was family time.  Times change and adjust to an ever-changing culture.  It's not a bad thing, but our bodies don't change with the times.  The cellular make-up is still there.  Choosing convenience from the drive-thru or delivery, while you "Netflix & chill" isn't healthy for our cells.  They get lazy, instead of sorting out the fats and preservatives that are bad for us, the cells just stick them in the corner to deal with later. Often times, those corners aren't the fat you see on the outside, those corners are in your gut, weakening your filters and making it even harder for the body to absorb any good foods we do eat. Now, before I go to preachy, I am an observer of the "Netflix & Chill" nights.  I too, struggle to find the time to exercise without getting up at 3am.  Life should be all about balance. You can order in dinner, just don't do it every night.  You can have cake, or sweets, Just enjoy in moderation.  Same with alcohol. Reduce the sugar and preservatives in your diet.  

Boost your immune system 

Now, before the world opens up fully, let's boost that immune system that's gotten a little sluggish in the past year. 

My go to immune booster or covid fighting squad is the below:

1. Vitamin C- 75-100mg daily;  there are a few ways to get this into your system; either take as food based broccoli, bok shoy, cabbage; citrus, kiwi and strawberries or in supplements or tinctures

2. Vitamin D - 400iu - take as supplement or tincture, plus if you can 10-15 minutes of sunlight a day.  Remember you are a plant, you require sunlight to grow

3. Elderberry - this little berry packs a superfood punch for the immune system with unique antioxidants + vitamin C that is found in no other supplement

4. Magnesium - take as directed on tincture bottle.  start with half the recommended dosage until the body adjusts (about a week) and then increase to the whole amount recommended.  Each tincture sold is different in dosage.  Be sure you have a good product with only the mineral and it's carrier liquid. There should be no other additives.  *this is not something you want to buy at the gas station. 

5. Zinc - so underrated.  This mineral is the #1 immune system mineral; 50-60mg per day; food based forms: liver, pumpkin seeds, oysters (organically harvested/grown); look for enzyme-activated.

6. Probiotics-soil based organisms(SBO) or live culture; 90% of all probiotics never make it through your stomach acids; An SBO probiotic is resistant to stomach acid and heat - lasting longer and getting further into your digestive system; working better from your immune system.  If you can't find an SBO, look for a live-culture probiotic, in the 25 billion range. 

 

7. Echinacea & Astragalus - these have been around for thousands of years; Echinacea supports respiratory health. There's an adaptogen that supports endurance in the lungs.  Kind of like a protectant shield.  Astragalus is not well known in the US, it's more commonly used and grown in Japan.  It's one of the most powerful plants in herbal medicine.  Largely used for anti-inflammatory and anti-viral qualities.

Sunshine, Exercise and Gratitude

All those plus #8, or maybe this should be #1: Sunshine, exercise and gratitude. Reduce stress. This is the tough one for everyone.  Stress does not serve you in anyway except to weaken you. Visualize the negative or stress vaporing as you blow it out. Wait 3 seconds and inhale, visualizing all the positive and clean energy flowing in. 

Sunshine.  You are a plant. Soak it up. Absorb those vitamins. 10 minutes a day has so much more healing powers than you might think.

Exercise releases endorphins that not only help burn calories, and fat, but those endorphins strengthen the cells, making them harder to break down when there is a germ or bad bacteria in the body. 

Gratitude.  Life is not always easy.  Some days it's a challenge to find the positives. But you must.  Not only for your cellular and immune health but for your mental health as well.  70% of our immune system resides in the gut. When your gut isn't healthy, your mental, physical and immune systems struggle. Leading to depression, stress eating, anxiety, acne, hair loss, illness; to name a few. Gratitude is a 3 sylabal word.  Take 3 minutes 2-3 times a day, to find 3 things to be grateful for.  They should be anything that brings a smile to your face, peace in your soul or laughter to your heart. From little things to big things. 

Dance in the rain. Make a snow angel. Throw pebbles in the stream.  Buy yourself flowers.  Eat the cake. Do things that make you happy. Remember it's okay to take 5-10 minutes for yourself each day. Not only will your immune system thank you, but your soul will too.