With the cold and flu season upon us, I thought it would be timely to consider how real medicine, vegetables and fruits, really help us prevent those trips to the doctor (for ourselves and our children!). If that tired, achy feeling has you down, do not underestimate the power of plain, old, broth. Broth? Yes. Broth. Bouillon. Call it whatever you want, you know what I’m talking about!
That’s right, just like your grandmother says, hot broth will soothe your soul. That tasty cheeseburger isn’t going to help you recover, but the broth will! Not only do you stimulate your natural defenses with the power of vegetables, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, but you can take care of the alkaline levels in your body with hot tea, or hot water with lemon.
Sometimes things stick with us because we learned them from our mother or grandmother, so we believe them in our adult lives. Sometimes these make sense and other times they do not.
Here are my top 5 things that your grandparents did that could save your life…
1. Grow your own food. By planting your own garden, you’ll make sure there are no pesticides sprayed on your food. Your garden can be natural and organic, you know what you grow, because it’s your own. Now is the time to start thinking about your garden. So many people have told me they cannot eat certain fruits because they are allergic to them. Allergic to fruit? Try buying organic and washing the fruit thoroughly with soap to wash the pesticides off. Watch this short video for more on how to properly wash your fruit and vegetables. Most people do not wash their produce properly. You have got to wash the pesticides off….maybe you’re allergic to the pesticide, and not the actual fruit.
2. Cook at home. Think of the typical meal when you go out to eat, are you ordering a burger and fries or are you ordering whole grains and vegetables? By cooking at home, you can really be sure what you eat is fresh and you know how it is prepared. Instead of a coating in olive oil, you can sautee in braggs or vegetable broth to make sure it’s a healthy option.
3. Get outside often. This is true even in the cold winter. There is something magical about being outside in nature, and if you can get just 10 or 15 minutes in for a walk, it will do wonders for your well being.
4. Make your own cleaning products. Lets get America back to being green and re-discover the power of natural cleaning products. Did it ever occur to you that the chemical carcinogens present in the odor of those cleaning products is making you sick? It is. Period. That smell translates into toxins in our body that we spend time eliminating. The body has to work hard to eliminate all those toxins. How is your immune system going to protect you from a cold and flu if it’s too busy working on those other toxins that you do have some control over?
5. Take frequent breaks to de-stress. This is one of the most over-looked but essential parts of your day. Our cortisol levels raise significantly and stay elevated with high levels of stress. That translates in to less patience when it comes to that which matters most, our family, our children. Stop taking out your job stress on your family and you’ll be amazed how much better you’ll feel.
Pick up a copy of my book for more tips, recipes, and inspiration! http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Cure-Back-Yard-provocative/dp/0985997206/