AUTOIMMUNITY & VIRAL INFECTIONS
With winter comming knocking at your door, you need to prepare. There are things you can do or choose to eat or have on a weekly or even daily basis. I personally go first to the natural ingredients and then reinforce them with supplement form, if needed or just for an extra safe boost.
Multiple sclerosis happens because of a compromised immunity, meaning your natural defense mechanism overreacts, generating an autoimmune response. The irony is that you can’t over reinforce it, because in case of a white cell attack, the damage to the nervous system could be bigger. You can’t let it go to weak, because you expose yourself to getting a cold or other inflammatory “winter present” and that also could cause an immune response, attacking your brain.
So, balance is key. You have to take care of your health in a moderate way, fine-tunning your immune system in such a way that it keeps you away from illness and doesn’t overreact.
The classical way is through one of the disease modifiying drugs (DMDs) together with some antivirals and / or nesteroidian antiinflammatories such as Ibuprofen. But there are also cases when you don’t have access to DMDs, your immunity is already weakened by them, or you don’t want to upset your stommach with so many cold pills. What do you do?
Here’s nature at your service!
WHY NATURAL REMEDIES ARE GOOD FOR YOU
For many decades or even centuries, natural remedies have been used to help keep disease away. In the case of the common colds or other winter viral or baterial infections, people used mostly foods or herbs to maintain their health. Without having the information we have today, they had the knowledge to make themselves better through the foods they ate.
Drifting away from superstitions and unproven woo-woo stuff, here are the 8 natural antiviral and antioxidant remedies and the dietary sources so you know where to find each one.
- Selenium - helps dampen down any viral infection and makes it less dangerous to the body. Dietary sources: tuna, shrimp, sardines, salmon, turkey, cod, chicken.
- Probiotics - live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. They are known to increase the number of the natural killer cells, thus dealing with infections pretty quickly. Basically comming from dairy, you can also get them from sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), kombucha, kimchi and sour pickles if you choose the no dairy diet.
- Chicken soup - your grandmother was right when she gave you chicken soup when you were little. A powerful antiviral and cold-reducing remedy, it is as nutritious as it is tasty. Made out of chicken bones broth plus a few vegetables and water, it can do wonders for your health.
- Green tea - it contains flavonoids that block the virus from spreading throughout the cells of the body. Also known for its antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties, this beverage can do wonders for your health in winter time.
- Garlic - for 5000 years it has been cultivated for its amazing properties and help with influenza and the common cold. Alicin, the compound that produces the specific garlicky smell, is thought to kill the virus thus preventing it from getting you ill.
- Vitamin A - a powerful antioxidant, it helps the body get stronger and fight off infections. Dietary sources: sweet potato, carrots, spinach, kale, winter squash.
- Vitamin C - another antioxidant that keeps viruses away. Dietary sources: citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines), kiwis, bell peppers, caulliflower are good examples.
- Vitamin E - protective against free radicals and antioxidant, it strenghtens the inner lining of the cells, making them more resistant to external damage, such as a virus. Dietary sources: sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, avocado, peanuts.
On top of what food you eat, what supplements you take or what treatment you’re on or not on, also remember to dress according to the weather outside, wash your hands after each time that you touch a surface that has been touched by lots of people before. Use hand sanitizer and keep the heat in your home to medium. If it’s to hot, you’ll be more sensitive to the cold outside and prone to catching a cold.
But if you do get a cold, make sure you talk to your doctor and see what choices you have, medicine wise, to get you on your feet with the least damage as possible and within the shortest time frame. Aknowledge it, treat it and get on with life.
Pretty soon you'll hang around the Christmas tree (only six weeks left!) with a hot cup of green tea between your hands, eating some tasty oranges that fill the room with their fresh aroma and having some chicken soup next to some steamed vegetables and fish for lunch.
Keep yourself healthy. Keep making smart choices!
This was all for this week’s #HealthyThursday! Thanks for being here!
What are your favorite winter cold remedies? Tell me all about them in a comment in the box below. I would love to hear your story and help you in any way. Let me know you want to read more of what I write.
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With love,
Alexandra