What to eat when you’re not feeling great

    Feed a fever, starve a cold. Or is it Starve a fever, feed a cold…I can  never remember which it is but that’s OK because whether its a cold or fever its more about WHAT you are eating then when. When your body is fighting an illness the last thing you want to put into it is man made, over-processed junk. You want to support your bodies natural germ fighting abilities by giving it what it needs, whole, grown that way natural foods. Eat Clean and Eat Green. I heard this a long time ago and it forever changed the way I approached an oncoming cold or flu.

Eating clean is not anything new, a lot of people eat this way on a regular basis and a lot more don’t. The cleaner you eat the more efficient your body runs. It is better able to stave off illness and fight infections. Eating processed foods/fake foods will bogg your system down it will be so busy trying to figure out what it is and what to do with it instead of fighting off incoming threats. If your body doesn’t have to sort out all of the excess chemical dyes, flavorings, additives, hormones, antibiotics any and all things that do not belong it can focus more on distributing and utilizing all of the vital minerals and vitamins that it does need and can/does use. This means your body has the strength it needs where it needs it, when it needs it. All you have to do is provide it with the right tools.

Eating green is just an addition to eating clean. When you eat green foods (naturally green) your body is able to do amazing things. Your body thrives on green foods. Green foods are chuck full of vitamins A, C, E, K, B6, manganese, calcium, selenium, riboflavin, iron, niacin, zinc, copper, and potassium. Their health benefits span from helping to clear up chest congestion to preventing cancers. Real food is a powerful source for preventative health.

Before I started eating cleaner and listening to my body’s signals of approaching illness I was sick at least 6 months out of the year. I would get cold after cold and always felt run down. Most times my colds would go on and on beyond the average 7-12 days.  I currently have gone over a year (knock on wood) without catching a full on cold or flu. As soon as I start to feel a little run down I look at what I have been consuming and add in more green foods, foods with immune boosting nutrients and I eat cleaner.

I swear by green tea with fresh squeezed lemon and raw honey for oncoming respiratory issues or if I am feeling fatigued for no reason. I also restrict my caffeine intake for a few days (not an easy feat for me).  I love my big cup of coffee in the morning it is one of my guilty pleasures but it can wreck havoc on the adrenal system and weaken your immune response.

Garlic is another amazing food that is anti bacterial, anti fungal, anti viral and anti parasitic. Raw is more powerful but raw or cooked garlic will boost your immune system and help fight off colds and flus. There are many ways to use to prepare it. You can make a syrup of raw garlic and raw honey, and take a few teaspoons every hour.  You can make a roasted garlic soup and eat that a couple times a day. Roasted garlic cloves are a favorite of mine. You can even juice the garlic and add it to your regular juice.

Foods that help heal during a cold or flu: Citrus fruits, Garlic, tea, ginger, raw honey, yogurt, soups made with clean ingredients, hot/spicy foods.

Foods to avoid: Pastas, breads, chips, pretzels, fried food, dairy, alcohol, processed foods, packaged foods with artificial flavors or sweeteners, excessive sugar, caffeine, sodas, baked goods (cakes,cookies, etc).

Healing Green tea
1 Organic green tea bag
1 TBSP raw honey
1/2 to 1 whole lemon
1 cup boiling water

Pour boiling water over tea bag and let steep for about 5-7 minutes. Juice your lemon and add to the tea cup. Add the honey once the tea is cool enough to drink.

Garlic Honey Syrup

1 head garlic
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 – 1 cup warm water
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1/2 Lemon, juiced

peel and cut garlic cloves into large chunks. Wrap in cheese cloth and place in the bottom of glass jar that has a leak proof lid.  Mix the honey, lemon juice and water together in a separate container until combined well. Pour honey mixture over the garlic in the jar. Let steep in the fridge for at least 2 hours before using. After 2 days you can remove the garlic, this can be eaten for additional health benefit or discard. This should last for a while if kept in the fridge.

Lemon-Ginger Tea

1 to 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated.
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1 to 2 tsp raw honey
1 cup boiling water

Pour boiling water over ginger and let steep for about 5-7 minutes. Juice your lemon and add to the tea cup. Add the honey once the tea is cool enough to drink.

Garlic Soup

8 cloves garlic
1 large onion
3 cups water

Mince garlic and onions. Add to a pot with a little water to keep them from sticking and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the water and simmer for 20 minutes. If you want a creamier soup, whisk together in a small dish 1 TBSP chickpea flour and 2TBSP water. Add this to the soup and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
If you want a spicier soup add a finely chopped jalapeno pepper at the beginning with the garlic and onion.