Written by Connie Rogers
What do you think about when you’re sick? Usually, I find most just want a cough syrup, pill, or antibiotic to fix it! We all just want to feel better faster. But, is this way of thinking a lasting solution?
The answer to wellness lies in our home. It’s about eating plenty of healthy foods, drinking pure filtered water, keeping intestinal pathways clear and alkalizing the body to protect cells.
In the process of eliminating as much toxic exposure as possible, we must limit our daily exposures from chemicals in our laundry room, addictive OTC medications, dyes and synthetics in foods, heavy metals, pesticides, and environmental toxins.
Pollutants not only increase risk for illnesses, but they are a contributing factor in the obesity epidemic! Learning to prevent and reverse illness means being aware of toxicity in all areas of life.
The Science
Studies suggest illness can be from the buildup of toxins in the body reducing cell oxygenation; causing inflammation, oxidative stress, susceptibilities to more serious disease and cell mutation. Oxidative stress is a significant contributor to all inflammatory disorders including the influenza virus, asthma, IBS, neurological disorders, alcoholism, smoking-related disorders, and many others.
The good news is, foods rich in antioxidants can help reduce oxidative stress, as well as contribute to enhanced quality of life. I believe prevention and reversing oxidative stress is part of sick-proofing your family all year long. This simple step requires looking at food choices in your home right now and mitigating their effects.
Case-control studies and have tested the hypothesis that there is an association between a high carbohydrate diet causing a high glycemic load and illness. And recently, there are studies popping up focusing on the use of foods and super foods to prevent illness.
Suggested super foods to consume that are high in antioxidants!
*Pineapples contain enzymes that fight inflammation, especially in strep throat. Drink smoothies with the family made with organic fresh pineapple, (high in vitamin C) organic coconut water, and a fresh squeezed lemon.
*Eat your broccoli, kale, asparagus, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane, a super food, loaded with vitamins and nutrients.
*As humans we thrive on sun exposure, in the summertime, for brain and whole body health. In the winter enjoy Vitamin D rich foods such as; organic shiitake mushrooms, sweet potatoes, sunflower sprouts, and fenugreek. Additionally, ingesting organic vitamin D rich foods also contain anticancer properties.
Avoid fortified or enriched foods with vitamin D. The words, enriched or fortified, can mean these foods contain harmful synthetic vitamins.
*Increase Fermented Foods. Fermented foods include organic raw sauerkraut or fermented raw carrots. Improved gut micro biome can be part of sick-proofing your family all year long. Probiotic protective bacteria builds immunity and good gut micro biome. Antibiotics kill good and bad gut micro biome. Our gut micro biome is the seed for wellness and/or illnesses. It’s up to you to take care of it.
*Wheatgrass is considered a detoxifying medical herb. Health benefits include improving red blood cell count and neutralizing environmental pollutants within the body. You can use wheatgrass by juicing it daily in 2oz shots.
*Parsley is a super food used to treat a wide variety of conditions and help prevent oxidative stress. Quercetin is a plant pigment found in green leafy herbs such as parsley, berries, and broccoli. It contains antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anticancer properties, and fights free radical damage.
*Ginger root and turmeric root contain anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric has proven as effective as 14 different medications. Ginger helps relieve pain and aids in digestion.
*Spirulina is found to be high in protein and rich in B, C, and D vitamins, calcium, antioxidants and used for detoxification and increasing energy. Spirulina lowers inflammation in the body.
*Echinacea is one of the most widely used alternative medicines in the world. It is said to fight viruses and inflammatory conditions.
*Raw Organic Honey is a super food provided to us by mother nature and her bees. “Honey is a by-product of flower nectar.” It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, but most of all, it’s a natural probiotic.
*Ditch toxic scents polluting your indoor environment and diffuse organic eucalyptus essential oil instead. You’ll be glad you did.
Author: Connie Rogers is a Certified Integrative Nutritional Holistic Health Coach, Certified Brain Health Coach, Published Author, Gluten-Free Practitioner, Reiki Master, Natural Wellness Blogger, Professional Researcher, Expert in non-pharmaceutical applications to chronic illnesses for endocrine, metabolic and skin health.
Connie believes health and wellness are established with proper nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness. Connie takes a natural and holistic, common sense approach to rebuilding well-being from the ground up.
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