We ask clinical nutritionist and WelleCo formulator, Dr. Simone Laubscher for her top tried-and-tested immune system shortcuts.
Clinical nutritionist and WelleCo formulator, Dr. Simone Laubscher speaks the immune systems natural language and insists feeling good doesn’t have to be hard. Small tweaks like these offer us a sense of control -- over ourselves, our environment and our world -- and sometimes that’s all it takes to feel empowered and strong. Here are Simone’s top 16 immune-loving hacks…
1. Grandma’s goods
Make a bone broth or organic chicken soup with lots of vegetables and boil for at least six hours – drink this soup at least once per day. Add raw garlic, grated raw ginger, sauerkraut, cayenne pepper and green pumpkin seeds to garnish.
2. Hydration acceleration
Drink at least three litres of water a day so you accelerate hydration – have this warm, or at room temperature with warm lemon, ginger and manuka honey (if your throat is sore you can eat the manuka honey off a spoon as an anti-bacterial soother).
3. Sweat it out
When you are unwell and your body throws a fever, it is doing so with your best interests at heart. Fever iss designed to cook off the bugs and pathogens, quite literally! Saunas have a similar effect on your immune system and overall mind-body wellness – sweat knows best!
4. Smell your way well
Use immune-boosting essential oils like frankincense, lemon balm, eucalyptus, tea tree oil, lavender, clove, bergamot, and geranium and Olbas oil (a blend of pure plant oils).
5. Load-up on C’s
Take 2000mg of plant-based whole food vitamin C three times daily with each meal for three to five days, or untill you feel better. Plant-based vitamin C is antiviral and antibacterial. It should be plant-based and not synthetic for optimal absorption.
6. Schedule a Steam
The first line of defence in your body -- from bugs, viruses, pathogens and pollution -- is your nasal passages. After exposure, a virus tries to invade and multiply through your nasal passages, at least a day or two before you develop symptoms. A steam session with eucalyptus can work miracles to wash away viral particles before they have the opportunity to take hold and thereby prevent many infections, even sinus and lung infections, from happening in the first place.
7. Practice prana
Do breathing techniques to open up your lungs Wim Hoff has some excellent examples on YouTube.
8. Go greener
Have a 500ml veggie juice once per day with celery, cucumber, broccoli, romaine lettuce, lemon, lime and add a super greens powder like The Super Elixir™. An extra shot or two of wheatgrass will give this an extra healing kick too.
9. Salt solutions
Take an Epsom salt bath or at least a foot bath each day and soak for at least thirty minutes. One of the best minerals for the human body is sea salt. If you can't get to the beach, an epsom salt bath or foot bath is the next best thing.
10. Reduce inflammation
Stay off sugar, dairy, gluten and alcohol. Increase all warm foods, liquids, soups and add in the rye, spelt, quinoa or gluten-free bread if you really feel like you need the comfort of carbohydrate, but always choose organic butter or olive oil -- never margarine.
11. Belly laughs only
Watch funny movies to laugh and oxygenate your system at a cellular level. It helps displace bacteria and viruses.
12. Sleep sound
Sleep supports your immune system, preventing illness, disease and premature ageing. Poor quality or limited sleep on a regular basis is linked to poor immune function.
13. Tune into turmeric
The healing benefits of turmeric are well documented. It has the ability to support the immune system and is linked to healing cancer. Turmeric is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and a natural anti-inflammatory.
14. Shun sugar
Sugar feeds viruses and bacteria, as per above, so avoid sugar and opt for fresh fruits. Viruses and pathogens are opportunists, so don’t give them an inch, for they will take a mile!
15. Sun fun
Sunshine will boost your natural vitamin D and your healing capacity to fight off viruses. Get your major muscle groups out in the sun, like your arms and legs, to get the maximum conversion of vitamin D with the cholesterol in your skin.
16. Gargle& Spit!
Even if you don’t have a sore throat, you can feel a cold/flu coming on – gargle, for this will help kill off any bugs before they multiply an entire into the lungs. I love iodine, and you can use betadine throats gargle or a tablespoon of cloudy apple side vinegar in warm water.