Tis the season of cold and flu…and in my house that means getting a jump start on building up our immune system! A few years ago I had the ‘swine flu’ and I cannot tell you how sick I was, and with three kids to take care of. I just don’t know how I did it, it could have been worse if I didn’t know these tips that I will share with you today!
My kids would get sick all the time when they were younger, being that their immune system was weak due to their young age and picking up germs from school. I just couldn’t take it anymore, cause when they get sick I get sick, and who has to take care of them…me! So I got to learning on what builds up immunity naturally!
What you eat makes a difference! I make a lot of yogurt in the fall and winter, so that I can add it to my baked goods, soups and sauces. benefits-yogurt
Vitamin C! Naturally increase your vitamin C intake with citrus fruit, green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, kiwis, guava, mango, and pineapple.
Garlic as another natural ‘antibiotic’. Adding fresh garlic to yogurt makes a great and easy dipping sauce that you can enjoy with anything! Add in a tablespoon of mayonnaise if you wish and use that for your sandwich, not only will it make your sandwich tastier, it’s better for you too! I also add garlic to my chicken broth. I add garlic to a lot of my recipes, for health benefits and taste. For more info on garlic health-benefits-of-garlic.
Lemon tea. Lemon, naturally provides you with vitamin C add a slice or two of lemon in your tea and enjoy with honey or organic cane sugar, tea provides flavonoids Polyphenols_in_tea, health-benefits-tea. Mountain tea is another natural caffeine free tea that helps when you have a cold. mountain-tea is good, but can give you indigestion if you drink to much.
Hot cocoa. Dark chocolate is another item that contains natural antioxidants health/basics, skip the store bought! Get some real good cocoa and make it homemade, I like to make it in the morning before the kids head out to school! Nothing better than starting a cold winters day with hot-cocoa!:)
Honey!
- health-benefits-of-honey
- Honey is nature’s energy booster
- Honey is a great immunity system builder
- Honey is a natural remedy for many ailments
For thousands of years, honey has been recognized as one of the most natural remedies.
Also the verse in the Quran about honey:
And thy Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees and in (men’s) habitations….. there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for mankind. Verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought’.
(Translation of Quran 16:68-69)
The Prophet Muhammad Peace and Blessings be upon him said:
‘Honey is a remedy for every illness and the Qur’an is a remedy for all illness of the mind, therefore I recommend to you both remedies, the Qur’an and honey.’
(Bukhari)
Black seed oil. I give my children a teaspoon mixed with honey every morning, builds up the immunity. For more info on black-seed-oil-health-benefits (not recommended for pregnant women)
Mentioned in Hadith:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, ‘There is healing in black cumin for all diseases except death.’
Ginger. Ginger helps fight off fever and nausea naturally. For more info on health-benefits-of-ginger.
Ginger is also mentioned in the Quran.
‘And they will be given to drink there of a cup mixed with Zanjabil (ginger).’ (Qur’an, 76:17)
It was reported that the king of Rome sent a jar of ginger as a present to the Prophet Muhammad (saaw) who fed every one of his Companions a piece.
Soup. Soup is good for the soul and for your immunity! I have many recipes to choose from that are perfect for the winter months! Here is the link to my soups category. Broth and soup made from chicken bones to be exact. The natural gelatin that forms from boiling the chicken helps our bones.
I hope you enjoyed my tips on how to stay healthy in the winter, of course these are just tips…I am not a Dr or nurse, or even a nutritionist I am just a mom who wants my family to be healthy and strong during the winter months. These remedies will not protect you 100% but they will help build your immunity naturally.
You may still get sick with cold or flu, but at least these remedies will help you fight it off quicker! My kids and I still get sick, but not as often and with fewer symptoms <3 ~Donika
Garlic! I live on garlic for this same reason. When I first moved to Cayman I was sick ALLL the time. Then i started roasting garlic on the weekends and stocking up on local honey 🙂 Both fantastic ways to stay healthy.