Bring it on Cold & Flu Season

Written by: Idalisa

With cold and flu season well on its way & the new Enterovirus going around, I’ve really wanted to share some of the things that I do to keep my family healthy. I have always taken a multi-vitamin & tried to stick to “clean” eating habits.  My big boys take their daily multivitamin and baby Nicolas breastfeeds and takes Vitamin D supplements.  We also try to juice or make a green smoothie every day. 

After months of research, these are 3 things that I have added to my family’s regimen in order to keep those nasty illnesses away & boost our strength:

#1 Fermented Cod Liver Oil

Cod Liver Oil is something that people have been taking for generations.  I clearly remember my fish breath after my mom and grandmother would make me drink this stuff! The taste fits in the same category as apple cider vinegar but is well worth it because of the health benefits. Those ladies were on to something!

Cod liver oil, SPECIFICALLY fermented cod liver oil, is a great & simple way to keep your body healthy.  It retains high levels of fat soluble vitamins A and D, as well as Omega-3’s, which we all know are very beneficial for our body to function at its optimal level. Lucky for our kids, they have flavored fermented cod liver oil, so your breath is not as fishy.

 *I purchased regular cod liver oil before learning about fermented cod liver oil. Oops!  It still has great benefits; just lower levels of everything due to the heating process. *

#2 Elderberry Syrup  

Elderberry syrup is exactly what it sounds like.  It's a concentrated syrup made from black Elderberries (sambucus nigra).  Elderberry syrup helps boosts the immune system and is a great source of vitamins A, B and C.  It has also been known to help avoid and reduce flu symptoms.

You can get elderberry syrup at health stores or online, or even make your own.  We opted to purchase ours this time around, but will make our own next year.  It seems fairly simple and straight forward, and is more cost effective.  Most recipes out there consist of black elderberries, water, honey, and spices such as cinnamon and clove. Here is an elderberry Gummy Bear Recipe !

Elderberry syrup is used differently by different people.  Some take it daily as a preventative measure, while others take it when they start to get symptoms of illness.  Some do both, which is what we do.  We take a daily dose and then increase it when we experience symptoms of illness.  I try to give this one to the kids after the fish oil since it tastes MUCH better! 

and lastly 

#3 Probiotics

I used to take probiotics back in college when I had all sorts of “tummy problems.”  I know, TMI!  Don’t worry, I’ll spare you the details! When I think back, my stomach issues were most likely caused by my totally unbalanced college diet consisting of an assortment of baked goods, late night pizza, and ice cream.  After a few weeks of adding consistent probiotics, my tummy troubles were all gone and haven’t come back since. 

Why, you ask?  Probiotics help maintain gut health by providing us with the bacteria we need to have optimal intestinal function. It even helps babies with "colic" symptoms! Check out this Study done on babies with colic- What does this have to do with fighting a cold or the flu? Well, if we have a healthy gut, it usually means our body is in pretty good shape. If you don't believe me, check out this peer reviewed article : Bacteria May Be Best Defense Against Nasty Germs.

With the weather starting to change, my kids and I will be spending lots of time outside & around other families so hopefully these natural preventatives will give us that extra boost we need to fight off those icky germs and to have that energy to run, play and enjoy more beautiful fall days!

What are your natural cold and flu season preventative measures?  Any generational remedies work for you? We would love to hear about them!