With cold and flu season upon us, these natural alternatives to popular treatments and remedies can help you recover in the healthiest way possible. 

Spices, Herbs and Plants 

Ginger

When faced with an upset stomach, a common response is to reach for ginger ale. The carbonation in ginger ale can help comfort your stomach, but the sugar and artificial ingredients that often come with it can be avoided. Try ginger tea (make sure it’s caffeine free) instead, or add fresh ginger while cooking to get its affects. Ginger will help you when you are not feeling well in many ways, the first being that it is an anti-inflammatory so it will help calm you insides when you are feeling nauseous, and it also helps with digestion so you can get relief from what is making your stomach upset. It also helps relax the intestinal tract which will give you even more relief. Ginger also helps you relax overall by easing tension in your muscles that might cause cramps and blockage. 

Garlic

If you can stomach it, fresh garlic has incredible benefits. You can also use it in cooking and still receive the benefits. It can help prevent sickness before it comes, and boost your immune system when you become ill. It has powerful antibacterial, antiviral and anti fungal properties.

Tumeric, cloves and cinnamon are also packed with antioxidants that help boost your immune system. 

Tea

Any type of tea, as long as it is caffeine free, is great for when we have a chill or are feeling under the weather. Tea flavored with lemon and ginger are most popular. Chamomile is also great, especially in the evening to help calm and bring on sleep. Peppermint is another great option known for helping to ease upset stomachs. Elderberry is a little less common, but is a strong natural remedy. Elderberry is known as an anti-inflammatory, and it is also said that it can help you fight off sickness faster. It has a positive affect on lung health so it is commonly used for people with severe cough and bronchitis. Lastly, it is a body cleanser that will help prevent disease and flush out toxins.

Sinus Relief Drink

This drink it great for opening up your sinuses and relieving many internal symptoms. The cayenne pepper is also a strong anti-inflammatory, and the spicy kick will clear you up just by smelling it. Apple cider vinegar is an amazing drink with a long list of benefits, one of the best in this situation being that it boosts your immune system to help you recover. Lemon also has a long list of benefits, the most important being that it will help with bloating and queasiness, and because of its high levels of vitamin C it will boost your immune system and it also has antiviral and antibacterial properties. Even just a normal glass of warm lemon water can help immensely with chest congestion, sore throat and cough – but these added ingredients will give you even more benefits. 

To make it, mix all ingredients in a mug:

1/4 cup hot water

1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar 

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

Soup 

Chicken soup is usually the first meal we think of when we are sick. It’s great because the broth helps soothe sore throats and helps us stay hydrated, and the chicken and vegetables give us protein, vitamins and minerals we need to get better. Any low sodium, broth based soup is great for cold and flu season. 

Remember to always drink plenty of fluids and get the rest and sleep you need when you are under the weather, and visit a doctor when needed. Always make your health a priority, but don’t use a runny nose or minor cough as an excuse to backtrack. Be strong, stay in control as much as you can and take care.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

Ginger is a flowering plant that has been used for centuries as a spice and a natural remedy. Though many of us don’t incorporate ginger into our daily lives, its numerous health benefits should earn it a place in our kitchens. It is so easy to add ginger to our day – add slices of ginger root or ground ginger to a mug of boiling water, or ginger teas are a great alternative and come in many flavors. It can also be added as a dry spice to numerous recipes. Here are just a few reasons to give it a try. 

Prevention. When it comes to cancer prevention, ginger is an amazing and relatively unknown source of benefits. Ginger has been shown to help battle certain types of cancer, including ovarian cancer by destroying cancer cells and even causing the cells to then attack and kill each other. It may also prevent the growth of colorectal cancer cells according to recent research. Ginger can also help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease by helping to slow down the loss of brain cells. Ginger can also boost your immune system which means you will get sick less often and will help you recover faster when you do get ill. And a strengthened immune system means that when everyone around you is getting sick, you will be more resistant. 

Treatment. Ginger has long been used to help treat gastrointestinal issues. It has been known to help alleviate gas and it relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract, which can provide relief for people with IBS. This comes from its antioxidants, which has anti-inflammatory effects. People who suffer from arthritis have found relief with ginger – it can help with inflammation, swelling and pain. It is also a common treatment for nausea, and is even safe for pregnant women experiencing morning sickness. It can also help with motion sickness, vomiting, dizziness and cold sweating. 

Overall Health. Ginger is extremely soothing and healing for anyone suffering from a cold or the flu. It can also promote healthy sweating as a way to rid our bodies of toxins. It can also be a natural way to help open up airways for people who suffer asthma and can help alleviate other symptoms. Another great benefit of ginger is improved circulation, which can open your pores and make you feel energized. The list goes on and on – ginger can provide pain relief, clear your sinuses, heal frostbite, block acid heartburn and more. 

Weight Loss. While the numerous health benefits are enough of a reason to start incorporating ginger into our diet, the weight loss aspects make it even better. Ginger is a fat burner, and it ensures that when you are losing weight you are burning fat and not just losing water weight. It also stimulus your appetite and digestive system, so it can be a great way to boost your metabolism before a meal. Some research suggests that ginger can help keep blood glucose levels in check and keep us from crashing during that low energy afternoon time when we look for caffeine and snacks. It even helps with exercise by relieving tired muscles after a workout so you can stay active. One of the best aspects is that it helps your body absorb nutrients. When you are losing weight and making a healthy change, our bodies can really benefit from the maximum absorption.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018