HEAVEN on EARTH

I remember as a kid, I would always get so scared whenever one of my friends ended up sick with a sore throat or the flu. Every year, as the cold weather started to hit, more and more kids would be staying home sick from school, and all I would worry about is whether or not I was next!

It felt scary thinking about how my body could get so sick and there was nothing I could do to stop it or make it end quicker! I felt like a victim sometimes- just waiting for the sickness to hit me. What a horrible feeling that is, being so out of touch with your body. If only I knew back then: it was all preventable! And I'm not talking about the flu shot. There are some good reasons why I do not support flu shots.. If you ever do get sick, there are "magical" ways to make yourself feel better.

Okay, so its not magic. But back in my childhood, these remedies would have definitely felt like magic! Actually, even as an adult, the results really do seem so magical. Let me explain...

Two days ago, I felt the onset of a sore throat. I was sitting at my desk, busy as work, when gradually I noticed my throat feeling swollen and achey. I immediately knew what that was- I was starting to get sick! In my old ways of thinking, I would have went straight to the pharmacy and grabbed some cough drops or even some cold medicine. I am SO happy I have found a 'new' way! I will never go to the pharmacy to buy these things ever again!

Yeah, it'll sure save me money, and probably time. But thats not why Im doing it. I have found natural, homemade remedies that will not only cure you quicker, prevent future problems, and make you feel better faster- but there's also no harmful chemicals being put into your body while doing so! This is extremely important.

Instead of going to the pharmacy, I went to my local grocery store.  Over the past few years, I have done plenty of research on plant-based nutrition. Basically, the only medicine I buy is FOOD! Not only will it help you to feel better when sick, but it will keep you healthy and prevent future illness! If you or a loved one are feeling ill, make sure you have these items handy at home:

• lemons
• ginger root
• cinnamon
• garlic
• honey (raw, local)
• apple cider vinegar 
• filtered water
• sleep, relaxation

So, sleep is obviously not something you buy. But it is just as important- if not the most important on the list. The first rule is to get PLENTY of sleep. Good sleep. The kind of sleep where you wake up 8 hours later feeling refreshed. Your body repairs itself quickest while it is asleep. Also, when you are awake, take it easy on yourself! RELAX. Seriously- your body is only sick because you need to pay more attention and care to it. You do not need to pay doctors or pharmaceutical companies!

Next, drink water. Bring water with you everywhere you go. Keep sipping on water throughout the day. It is SO important. Actually, most Americans are dehydrated (which I will also explain in another article), and this leads to a whole ton of other illness and problems. The single most supportive thing you can do for your body and brain is to drink WATER- especially when you are feeling sick or tired! Your body is made up of about 70% water. Luckily, most of the world is made of water too  Now, this is not the article to get into the tap water/bottled water issue... but any water is better than no water (generally speaking). So, if you have filtered or reverse osmosis water- perfect! But if not, tap water will do the job for now- although I recommend investing into a filter or reverse osmosis system, as it will be well worth the money!!! You never want too much of anything, but it is definitely going to help to stay hydrated while sick.

Now to supercharge your water.

Simply adding sliced lemons to your water will do wonders for your body. The Vitamin C and minerals from the lemon will boost your immune system. It will also flush out toxins from your body and balance your body's pH levels.

Everyone knows that hot beverages will help soothe a sore throat. What I didn't know is that hot water with lemons and ginger slices will not only soothe you, but it will heal you! Ginger eases nausea & upset stomach, cures migraines, reduces pain, cramps & inflammation, cures heartburn, and relieves fever, runny nose and coughing symptoms! It actually does a lot more than that, and there are many spices you may already have at home that are very beneficial! The easiest way to consume ginger is to heat water to near-boiling, then add a few slices of fresh ginger root to your cup. Enjoy your warm ginger tea with honey and/or lemons to taste. Honey also soothes sore throats, increases white blood cells (which boosts your immune system), and is a natural cough suppressant. 

If your throat is REALLY hurting you (like mine was), then gargling some salt water, or apple cider vinegar will do the trick! I diluted some apple cider vinegar with a little bit of water, and gargled the mixture for as long as i could stand, about 20 seconds. Repeat this a few times, trying to let the vinegar reach to the back of your throat. This will kill the harmful bacteria that is causing your throat to hurt. After you gargle and spit, you will notice the phlegm. It is gross, but at least its out of your body now! If you can stand it, drink a shot of apple cider vinegar to get the most benefit.

Cooking with garlic while you're sick is extremely beneficial, as garlic is naturally anti-viral, anti-biotic, anti-microbial and anti-parasitic. It really does work!!! Add cayenne pepper for even more flu-fighting effect!

If you have a bad cough- do not buy DayQuil or any cough syrup! Pineapple juice is FIVE times more effective than what you would buy at the pharmacy (and safer..and cheaper). Pineapples contain bromelain (an enzyme with anti-inflammatory properties), and will fight infection and kill bacteria. Make a pineapple smoothie (with real pineapples) and enjoy!

As I'm writing this article, I'm still not feeling 100% back to health yet. I'm not saying that eating well and keeping your immune system up means that you'll never get sick again. But I do believe that with healthy eating, daily exercise, a positive mind, great sleep, and genuine care for yourself- the rare times that you do get sick, it will pass by so quickly that it will feel like you are never sick! Your body is capable of healing itself!

So can the flu, or other sicknesses really be "in season"? 

I don't believe so. The only problem during "flu season" is the body's inability to adapt- due to less sun exposure and many other factors (including stress, sugar, dehydration, and unhealthy diet). Remember, your body just needs some rest and care. Make some chicken noodle soup, curl up in bed with some tea, watch a funny movie, or simply take a nap- and soon enough you'll wonder why you ever complained about being sick! Get well soon <3