HEALTH REPORT
Health hacks A s the sounds of sneezing and coughing fill the air,
Eat a rainbow When it comes to supporting immune health, the more varied your fruit and veggie intake, the better. Eating a wide range of produce increases your chances of receiving a variety of nutrients, especially the immune-enhancing antioxidant vitamins A and C which fight the free radicals that trigger inflammation and disease in the body.
but it does a sterling job of strengthening immunity - taking just one spoonful a day will help keep you safe from colds and flu. Echinacea was long used by Native Americans and consequently by early American settlers and doctors, and it continues to grow in popularity in modern times as a safe and powerful immune booster to fight colds, flu and other infections. Add vitamin C This vitamin is probably better known and more widely used than any other supplement. Not only does it enhance immunity and minimise the duration of a cold’s symptoms if you do catch one, it is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body to fight disease and speed wound healing; plus, it assists the absorption of iron, which is critical to immune health. Studies show that low levels of this vitamin are linked to cancer and heart disease; supplementation has also been shown to be protective against cataract formation. If you think your diet is deficient then pop in to Go Vita and check out effervescent vitamin C options which can help with hydration as well as support energy production and immune function. Go for garlic Traditionally, garlic has been used to treat everything from parasites to haemorrhoids. Today, researchers are
it’s time to support and strengthen your immune system. The ‘always switched on’ mantra of our busy modern society means that catching a cold or flu is not just bad for our health; it is also inconvenient, with mountains of work piling up and causing us further stress when we should rest. These simple health hacks can
Sip bone broth Grandma was right: simmering bones with
vegetables, garlic and apple cider vinegar for a long period of time means that all the nutrients leach into the liquid, resulting in a rich broth. Make your own or try Best of the Bone ready-made real bone broth
be easily slipped into the busiest schedule, and will help to get you through the cold and flu season unscathed. Rest first
Getting sick is almost always a sign from your body to say, “Take it easy!” If you are run-down
concentrate available at Go Vita, and use it to make warming and nourishing soups, stews and casseroles - or simply enjoy it as a hot drink. Best of the Bone broths also available with Organic Italians Herbs & Garlic, Organic Turmeric & Ginger, or with Biofermented Coconut Lemon Myrtle & Turmeric. Pick a herb Several herbs can help to provide a boost to the immune system when it needs it most. These include astragalus, which helps to fight respiratory infections, and andrographis, which is used to treat colds and flu in both Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. Olive leaf extract’s taste may not be everyone’s favourite,
and stressed to start with, this will depress your immune system and cause disrupted sleep and digestive problems, which will all conspire to make you more susceptible to any nasty bugs doing the rounds. So, rather than waiting for your body to reach that burnt-out stage where you fall prey to cold and flu viruses, take the initiative and get in first, diarising rest times every week to build up your reserves. And if, despite your best intentions, you do succumb, then getting enough rest will at least help to shorten the duration of the illness and stop it from turning into something worse.
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ISSUE 54 • 2019
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