The human microbiome. Yes, that's right.
Optimise your microbiome and solve many health issues and chronic conditions and most importantly, prevent that cold from ever occurring.
Human microbiome is like a community of microbial life living in a human body, predominantly the gastrointestinal tract, but also the skin, organs, blood. A combination of these microbes, their genes, the environment they live in and the substances they produce is called the human microbiome. Its foundation is established within the first 6 months of our life. The microbiome communicates with the immune system and our nervous system, its involved with synthesising and making hormones, detoxification processes, micronutrients absorption. It helps to bolster our immune system response and fight off disease. Microbial life includes trillions of bacteria, viruses, fungi and even microscopic parasites. The bigger the microbial diversity, the better. So you can imagine how important it is to have as many good bacteria as possible. 70% of our immune system resides in the gut. Changes in the microbiome can happen quickly.
So how do we nurture our inner microbiome?
ADD (+) these foods daily:
Eat plenty of fibre- ideally about 150 grams of fibre a day.
Enjoy fermented foods, minimum of 1 tablespoon of raw sauerkraut, kimchi, live organic yogurt, kefir, tempeh, natto, apple cider vinegar. These live foods will help to culture different good bacteria in your gut. Eat organic whenever possible.
REMOVE (-) these foods as soon as possible:
Genetically modified foods (GMO)
Processed foods
Refined sugar ( reduce overall sugar intake to no more than 5 tbs of sugar per day)
Refined flour
Food additives
Reduce or eliminate coffee, black tea ( no more than 1 a day) and alcohol (no more than 3 drinks a week)
Minimise use of antibiotics
Remember- every time you use an antibiotic, you wipe out all the good bacteria from your gut. It must be replenished, or your immune and digestive system will suffer.
If your cold is already in progress, try the following:
1000-2000 mg natural vitamin C such as Amla fruit
Zinc- take 20 mg of zinc several times a day for the first two days
Oregano oil - take daily in water for about two weeks
Echinacea- take daily for 6 weeks
Combine 1tsp of raw honey, 1/4 of coconut oil, 1-2 drops of immune blend- have this as soon as you feel the cold coming, repeat two days later.
Drink Tulsi (Holy basil) tea daily
Get plenty of rest
*Immune blend- equal parts of lemon, pine, cinnamon leaf, clove, eucalyptus and rosemary organic essential oils
7 TIPS FOR PREVENTION OF COLDS
1. Ensure you have adequate levels of vitamin D and Zinc throughout the year
2. Limit your sugar intake in your diet to protect your immune system and immune response
3. 70% of immune response is connected to our gut- think fermented foods and prebiotic foods such as chicory root, banana, garlic, leeks, asparagus
4. Sleep- aim for 7-8 hours per night
5. Exercise- minimum of 5x a week for about 30 minutes
6. Stress- manage your daily stress with meditation, yoga, deep breathing, walk in nature
7. Take homeopathic Thymuline- 2 to 4 pellets once a week for 4 weeks, then once a month during autumn and winter months or year round for general immune support.
LIFE IS A JOURNEY, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.
Naturopathic medicine Holistic nutrition Systematic kinesiology Walthamstow