Drop-Kick That Cold’s Butt: Some Tips for Fighting those Germs My Kids Bring Home from School

Yesterday I felt terrific. I was glowing and feeling healthy. I asked my husband to take a photo of me. 2 days before, I looked quite different (‘sickly’, which, for me, means looking dehydrated and ashy, with dark circles under my eyes)

Dr. A. Breeze Harper. September 2015. Muir Beach, CA.

I had beaten an oncoming cold that my 22 month old had given me (who got it from her siblings from school). I used ginger, garlic, nettles, catnip, and cat’s claw herbs to fight it off. I swear by these herbs for me. Other things I like to do and recommend:

Take the sugar and coffee out of your diet. Replace with mostly high quality plant-based proteins and lots of greens like kale.

Sugar weakens the immune system so take it out. I removed the sweets and replaced most of my meals and snacks with mostly dark leafy greens and protein. Viruses love caffeine, so take it out of your diet. Below is the super green smoothie I drank with my breakfast and lunch. Using a high-quality blender, like a Vita-Mix, is highly recommended to finely grind the kale and ginger root. Ginger is essential to boost the immune system, but it also helps most of us digest raw or lightly steamed cruciferous vegetables like kale.

¾”-1” cube of fresh ginger root.
½ bunch of raw Dino kale
1 tsp of Organic Hawaiian based Spirulina
30 oz of water
1 grapefruit
1 apple (optional to make it sweeter)

Elderberry.

I made Elderberry tea and drank it 3 times a day. Elderberry is a superb anti-viral and immune system-boosting berry. I buy my organic Elderberries in bulk because the syrup they have in the stores are pricey. Be sure to decoct your Elderberries for at least 20 minutes, as sometimes Elderberries can cause illness if they are eaten raw. I always use organic Elderberries. However, if you prefer to use a high quality Elderberry syrup over making your own tea, that is fine too and a little more convenient.

500 mg of Vitamin C per Day.

I took 500mg of vitamin C each day.

Goldenseal.

I took a Goldenseal tincture 3 times a day. Like Elderberry, it’s a superb immune system booster and anti-viral herb. My brand of choice is Herb Pharm. I prefer the glycerite, as alcohol-based tinctures tend to make me feel sicker.

Apple Cider Vinegar.

I drank 1tbsp of apple cidar vinegar mixed with 8 ounces of water, 3x a day. Apple cider vinegar helps to prevent the virus from replicating any further, once it enters your body. You must use apple cider vinegar and not any other form.

With the oncoming cold season, what are your favorite herbs and food to boost your immune system?

Good luck and happy wellness to you and your family!

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