Staying healthy

Sometimes, despite our good intentions and work, we just get sick anyway. I have been suffering from an upper respiratory track infection for the past few days.

Yoga Tips for Fending Off Colds and Flus This Fall
Anna Montage, Health and Wellness Editor

RECIPE: Spicy Ginger Tea

Ginger is especially good during cold and flu season. It helps clear the sinuses, relieves congestion headaches, and reduces fever. It’s also an expectorant that expels mucus from the lungs and throat. The most effective way to take it for colds and flu is ginger tea.

Here's a simple recipe:
Ingredients:

* 2 cups water
* ¼ cup diced fresh ginger
* 2 tsp. honey
* Lemon juice (optional)
* Cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil the water, then add the ginger and simmer for about 20 minutes.
2. Strain into a cup and add 2 teaspoons of honey (or to taste).
3. If you like, you can add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the pot to increase the stimulating, heating effect.
4. Let us forewarn you now, though: This tea is fiery! Sip it—don't gulp it down.

Source: Wai Lana Weekly Messages

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“AH –CHOO!” That sound becomes all too familiar this time of year; as the beauty and crispness of the autumn season arrive, so do colds and flus. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to make this fall and winter healthy. Even if you do catch a cold or flu, the right remedies can help make it as short and painless as possible.
Preventing Sickness

1. Avoid Getting Run Down – Feeling tired and run down is a big risk factor for getting sick. Sometimes family and work responsibilities may seem overwhelming. This is a good time to take stock of what’s truly most important and trim down everything else. Prevention is the best medicine. Getting the proper R & R that your body and mind need should be just as much a priority as everything else. Not only will you be less stressed, but you’ll also be more effective in everything you do.
2. Eat a Yoga Diet – A yoga diet, with the emphasis on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and dairy products, naturally provides your body with both the nutrition and the antioxidants that your immune system needs to function optimally. One of the biggest dietary hazards for cold and flu season is too much sugar and other sweeteners. Fresh fruit and unprocessed honey are the best sweeteners to use. Too much sugar in your diet (whether it’s from white sugar, corn syrup, etc.) literally slows down your immune system, making your white blood cells too tired and sluggish to adequately fight infection.
3. Take a High-Quality Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement – There have been enough studies strongly in favor of supplementation that it just makes sense to give yourself that daily dietary insurance. The best supplement to take is one that is made from natural whole food sources as this helps to ensure that your body will be able to absorb the nutrients. Liquid multivitamin and mineral supplements are also good for absorption. Visit your local health food store for help in finding the best supplements for your needs.
4. Practice Yoga – Yoga not only stretches, strengthens, and tones your muscles, but it also invigorates your immune system and internal organs, helping to keep sickness at bay. Yoga also provides stress relief, which is vital for wellness. If you feel a cold coming on, try doing the Lion pose a few times a day. This pose brings fresh blood to your throat, helping to chase away the germs.
5. Wash Your Hands – You’ve probably heard it a million times before, but it is a fact that regular hand washing really does help prevent sickness.
6. Avoid Sick People When Possible. While a certain amount of exposure to sickness is inevitable in our daily lives, it can help to avoid obviously sick people. For example, if you notice that the cashier at the grocery store is sniffling, coughing or sneezing, just move to another line.

What to Do If You Get Sick

1. Try to Get Plenty of Extra Rest and Sleep – Sometimes it may not be possible to completely stop work, school, or other activities when you feel sickness coming on, but you should make it a top priority to get as much rest as you can. It’s tempting to keep going, but this will just let the virus get a stronger foothold in your body, prolonging your illness.
2. Try a Juice Fast or Eat Minimally – If you feel you are getting sick, this is the perfect time to try a juice fast. Fasting for 1 to 3 days at the first sign of illness is a great way to nip it in the bud. Wai Lana’s Favorite Juices has delicious fresh juice recipes that you can try. Even fasting on vegetable broth and diluted store-bought juice (no corn syrup or other sweeteners) is far better than not fasting at all. Fasting allows your body to concentrate its energy on combating the virus rather than on digesting and assimilating food. However, if you have a health condition or take prescription medications, it’s best to talk to your doctor before beginning a fast.
3. If you don’t quite have the willpower to fast or are unable to for health reasons, try to minimize your food intake and focus on light foods, such as broths or other vegetable soups. This is a good time to avoid dairy products since they can increase mucus production when you’re sick. Also try to avoid refined foods, like sugar and white flour products. These foods sap nutrients from your body and stress your immune system.
4. Try Strong Ginger Tea – This easy home remedy is quite spicy, but it really helps relieve cold and flu symptoms. Try Wai Lana’s own ginger tea recipe for effective cold and flu relief.
5. Supplements Can Help – A trip to the health food store can be a little overwhelming if you’re looking for supplements to help a cold or flu, so here are some suggestions:
* Elderberry Extract – Elderberry is one of the few supplements scientifically proven to have antiviral properties. If you know you were exposed to a sick person or feel you may be coming down with something, try dosing up on elderberry for sickness prevention. If you do become sick, elderberry will help lessen both the length and the severity of the illness.
* Vitamin C – The best variety to use is Ester-C or some other buffered form. For acute sickness, take 1000 mg every 3 hours. If you’re fasting, you may want to take a powdered version that you can mix in juice or water.
* Homeopathic Remedies – If you’re not familiar with homeopathy, it’s best to try a homeopathic cold remedy or flu remedy that has a mixture of different remedies in it. From a homeopathic perspective, there are different remedies for a cold or flu depending on the prominent symptoms, so some homeopathic companies make mixtures of remedies for people who don’t know which specific remedy to take. Homeopathy is very safe and many people have found it helpful for both colds and flus.
* Garlic – Besides being a popular seasoning, garlic is also a powerful medicinal plant. It helps to combat cold and flu viruses and cleanse the body of toxins. Fresh is best, but if you don’t like the smell or taste, there are garlic supplements that minimize the odor.

I’m sure you’ll find these natural remedies both effective and economical for helping ward off those nasty colds and flus!