GYM VLOG #16

Author: Julia Dulgerova

DISCLAIMER: Speak to your doctor before you implement herbs into your medicinal routine as herbs and prescribed medications can mix and cause side effects

It’s nearing the end of October, and the colder weather is creeping upon us all. Cold weather comes with cozy sweaters, warm boots, and steaming tea, but inevitably we will face some not so cute obstacles like colds and flus. Thankfully, I have curated a guide that will help you outsmart these illnesses.

Preparation and Pre-exposure Tips

It is best to build your immunity before you catch anything that way your body won’t be affected as much. Starch and sugars suppress immunity so you will want to stay away from those. 

Besides the fact that sugar is behind many chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease, sugar also affects your body’s ability to fight off infections and viruses. Your body needs white blood cells to fight off infections and they are highly affected by sugar. The white blood cells aren’t able to do their job and destroy bad bacteria or viruses and so the immune system doesn’t work well. It takes about 75 grams of sugar to weaken the immune system and once the white blood cells are affected your immune system is lowered and ill functioning for the next 5 hours. This means that while you may be exercising and taking supplements, if you consume soda or sweets, you are seriously damaging your immune system. Starch goes through glycolysis which is a process that turns it into sugar therefore starch has the same immune system suppressing effects as sugar. 

Instead, eat a hearty chicken stock that will heal and seal your gut wall and keep your microbiome healthy and strong! Also, implement lots of fermented foods into your diet as they are full of live probiotics that will fill your body up with good bacteria’s so you can fight off the bad ones. This could be sauerkraut, kefir, sour cream, kimchi, barrel fermented pickles, etc. 

Once Exposed, Here’s How to Heal

Our first instinct is to run to the doctors to get a prescription, or to go to a local pharmacy to pick up some medicine. But did you know that while medications may seem to make you feel better, they can often actually cause harm? Cough syrups contain lots of sugar and the risk i explained above, as well as red. 40 dye which is derived from petroleum and has been known as a cancer-causing substance. Lots of modern medicine started out as herbs that were chemically processed and mixed with other substances. Because of this, the pharmaceuticals strip us of vitamins and make us vitamin deficient. So, it is best to consume herbs whole and in their natural state to get the beneficial health effects without the negative side effects.

Herbs: Black Walnut

Black walnuts come from the black walnut tree and this time of year you may notice large green tennis ball sized nuts scattered across the grass under trees. These are black walnuts! When you make tincture using black walnuts you separate the husk from the interior and use the husk for the tincture. The husk contains a key active component called juglone. Juglone is amazing for expelling parasitic worms from the body because juglone is highly toxic to them but safe for humans. Black walnut also contains antifungal and antimicrobial properties and the juglone alone can potentially inhibit 3 negative enzymes that cause gastrointestinal disease.

Herbs: GoldenRod

Goldenrod often is thought to be ragweed and the cause of seasonal allergies, but goldenrod does not release its pollen! The pollen is very heavy and sticky, so it doesn’t float up and often it flowers at the beginning of fall. Matter of fact, goldenrod can be used to calm ragweed allergies. It is antiseptic and antimicrobial which makes it great for soothing sore throats and for expelling mucus easily from the lungs. Goldenrod tea is full or rutin which is a powerful flavonoid that supports circulation for the cardiovascular system, and it also increase capillary strength. It is also antifungal because of saponins.

Homeopathy: Honey and Garlic

Honey and garlic have been used medicinally for thousands of years and can be traced back to Egyptian pyramids and Stone Age paintings. Both honey and garlic have many health benefits. Garlic contains a very powerful antioxidant and has many anti-inflammatory properties. Raw honey contains potent flavonoids and phenolic acid that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. Fermenting the garlic and honey take it to another level of power and healing.

Homeopathy: Elderberry syrup

Elderberries are one of the best-known homeopathic treatments for cold and flu and it has been used in traditional medicine as a wonderful remedy. The dark purple color of elderberries comes from anthocyanin which also gives it its powerful anti- inflammatory and antioxidant abilities. Anthocyanin also reduces the damage of oxidative stress when free radicals get metabolized in the body.

Building a strong immune system with healing foods and using herbal medicines are amazing options when cold and flu season come upon us as well as in preparation for cold and flu season. It’s important to be healthy and ready and outsmart colds and flus!