It's cold and flu season again

As we are all starting to enjoy the refreshing cold winter air, we realise that cold and flu season has arrived…but that doesn’t mean we have to suffer.

There are several ways to strengthen your immune system, decreasing your chances of getting sick and reducing the intensity and duration of a cold.

Immune Boosting micro-nutrients:

• Vitamin C: Liposomal forms are absorbed into your cells the best and will have the greatest impact on your health and recovery. (Gorton and Jarvis, 1999)

Prevention: 1000mg a day

Onset of cold or flu: hourly doses of 1000 mg of Vitamin C for the first 6 hours and then 3 times daily thereafter.

Duration of cold or flu: 3 times daily

• Vitamins D. A fat-soluble vitamin, plays an essential role in immune health. It is the sunshine vitamin, and in England we don’t see a lot of the sun, especially during winter when our body's stores may become depleted. It can be found in small amounts in some foods; eggs, cereal, and fatty fish.

Recommended daily supplement: 1000iu daily Betteryou D3 spray. This spray form is easily absorbed for optimal use.

• Selenium. Selenium helps to balance and regulate the immune system.

Recommendation: 1 Brazil nut a day can provide the daily recommended dose of selenium.

• Zinc. Zinc is another immune-boosting nutrient that many people don’t get enough of.

Recommendations: Oysters, they are your best bet for meeting zinc needs through diet. Other sources include, meat, shellfish, legumes.

Fresh Ginger Tea

What could be more soothing than a warming cup of tea? One that helps your body to fight off that nasty cold.

Ginger is a potent anti-viral substance that prevents the adhesion of viruses to the upper respiratory mucosa.

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger

2 cups filtered water

1 Tbsp. raw honey

½ lemon, juiced

Method:

1. Grate the ginger, this releases the flavour.

2. If you are using a saucepan, bring the water to a boil, add ginger and turn off heat. Put the lid on it and let it steep for 10 minutes.

3. If you are using a teapot, add ginger in the teapot and pour boiling water in it. Let it steep for about 10 minutes.

4. Add honey and lemon juice

Enjoy, Rest and Recover

References

Gorton, H.C. and Jarvis, K., 1999. The effectiveness of vitamin C in preventing and relieving the symptoms of virus-induced respiratory infections. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, 22(8), pp.530–3.