Boost Your Immunity, Naturally - Our Botanicals Australia

Boost Your Immunity, Naturally

With the corona-virus outbreak wreaking havoc around the world, this is a really stressful time. Here at Our Botanicals, we feel one of the best ways we can support you and your loved ones during this pandemic, is by sharing what we know about boosting your immune system naturally.

First we’ll cover the top immunity boosting foods, best hygiene practices and the immunity boosting herb you’ll want to have front and center of your medicine cabinet.

Foods to Eat:

Vitamin C

Citrus fruits should be a top priority at this time, as their high levels of vitamin C help to increase the production of white blood cells, which are key to fighting infections. Fill your fruit bowls with grapefruits, oranges, mandarins, kiwifruit, papaya, lemons and limes. Red bell peppers are also fabulous sources of vitamin C, and are also packed with beta-carotene, which keeps your eyes and skin healthy.

Garlic and Ginger

Garlic and ginger should also feature prominently, so make room on your weekly meal plan for stews, soups and curries that use plenty of garlic and ginger. Hot ginger tea is a great beverage to make, especially if you add in squeezed lemon juice.

Turmeric Curcumin

Special mention must be made of turmeric, as it is a powerful anti-inflammatory and helps your body to detox effectively. Use it in golden milk, vibrant curries and take curcumin (what gives turmeric it’s distinctive yellow color) as a supplement.

Dark Green Vegetables

Dark green vegetables like broccoli and spinach are everyday superfoods! They’re packed with fortifying vitamins and minerals, like vitamin E – a powerful antioxidant that is important in regulating and maintaining immune system function. Vitamin E can also be found in abundance in sunflower seeds and avocados. Remember, the less you cook them the better!

Water Intake

We all know water is essential to life, but do we understand how it helps our immune system function? Water is important in detox as it flushes toxins out, and prevents build up. It also carries oxygen to your body’s cells, which keeps everything functioning efficiently. Being dehydrated has a negative impact on your immune system, make sure you are staying hydrated.

If you find drinking water boring, you can opt for infused water by adding fresh berries, cucumber slices or citrus juice. Sip on herbal, healing teas like Our Healing Tea instead of coffee, which will only dehydrate your system.

Hygiene Practices

During this coronavirus outbreak, authorities have been clear in their recommendations – wash your hands, self-isolate and avoid touching your face. For those of us with dry skin, the frequency of hand washing is a problem due to the necessity of hot water and alcohol based soaps and sanitisers.

We’ve found that keeping a high quality moisturising cream by each sink has helped immensely and prevents painful cracks. We can highly recommend this Hand and FootRx Moisturizing Cream from Oncoderm Labs. It was formulated by dermatologists for sensitive skin and is clinically proven to soften and repair severely dry, rough, cracked fingers and heels. We love it because it has no fragrance, parabens or artificial dyes. Check it out here.

Supplement Guide:

We recommend fortifying your immune system with licorice root. Here’s why:

Licorice:

Our Licorice Root tincture is a great way to combat coughs, colds, viruses and the flu. It also helps to expel respiratory mucus or phlegm. It helps to build immunity by boosting levels of interferon, which is a key immune system chemical that fights off attacking viruses. In a 2003 study published in Lancet, glycyrrhizin was the most potent of 5 antiviral compounds tested in inhibiting replication of the SARS coronavirus xii. Check out Our Licorice Root here.

How To Take Licorice?

We recommend taking 1 dropperful 2-3 times per day. You can mix the dropper in water or juice if you find the taste is too strong for you, although I prefer to take mine ‘straight’. If you are using multiple tinctures together in your protocol then you can mix the dosages into a ‘shot-glass’ to take if you wish.

Please note Licorice Root shouldn’t be taken regularly, so limit use to 4-6 weeks at a time.

**Practioner disclaimer: Do not use licorice root if you have high blood pressure. Instead, consider trying a different option for the adrenal glands like ashwagandha. Or look into the “deglycyrrhizinated” version of licorice, or DGL licorice, which won’t affect blood pressure levels.

Health disclaimer

This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.

If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that have read on this blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.

The opinions and views expressed on this blog and website have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, health practice or other institution.

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