How to bolster our Immune Systems

Cold and Flu season helpers 

We all need some extra help in the flu season and the winter months - I'm always a fan of eating your vitamins, but sometimes you need a bolster to ensure we stay well, and these have been my saviours over the years.

I brandish them at the first sign of anything, and touch wood, we haven't had regular snottiness, loads of colds YET!

Here's to nature's herb cabinet and unleashing it on the kids: Beat those winter bugs and keep immune systems charged and ready to fight off flus and colds with these major immune kickers. Either buy 'em, make them or both! I mix it up and have all of these on the go at some point.

 

ELDERBERRIES 

Super high in antioxidants and antiviral properties, the elderberry has been a long standing staple in herbal remedies in flu season. I had a variant of this grape coloured nectar in my cupboard for years, and seeing how effective it was in protecting us, I created a version I wanted to use, without the stickiness and with all the extra vitamins I wanted my children to be taking. 

 

BE WELL my brand new berry drink to keep us all well.

 

I love this brand, and this is a variation on the theme with added manuka honey, ginger and liquorice root

From Age 2 yrs and up: Pukka Herbs Organic Elderberry Syrup Bottle, 100 ml

 

MY ELDERBERRY RECIPE

 

A simple simmering wintry, festive flavoured tonic that my three can't get enough of. It's simple to make, using easily found cupboard staples and it's cheaper as well.

All the greatness of elderberries with every other antiviral, vitamin C booster added to the pot.

• 3 Cups Boiling Water
• 1 Cup Fresh Elderberries, rinsed OR: Elderberry & Echinacea Tea bag Pukka Herbs Elderberry & Echinacea with Elderflower 20 per pack (or similar) 
• 1 inch ginger finely sliced
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1/2 orange zest and juice
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 1/4 cup raw honey

Add water, tea bag, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and peeled zest of i/2 an orange to a small saucepan.

 

On a low heat, simmer gently for 20-30 minutes until roughly half volume. Leave to cool slightly, when warm stir through honey and lemon and orange juices.

Place in a glass jar or bottle and store in fridge for up to 3 months.

Administer 1 tbsp per child over 2 per day, Approx 1 tsp for under 2s, and not for the under 1's because of honey included. If ill, take 3/4 times a day.

SEE ALSO ROSEHIP SYRUP made from the hedgerows: http://lizzieloveshealthy.com/rosehip-syrup/

 

EUCALYPTUS BATH

If you've succumbed to the dreaded flu, feeling snotty, achey and rubbish, this lovely Eucalyptus Bath is really effective, and a really luxurious way to treat yourself if you're not feeling fab:

Kneipp Cold Season (Eucalyptus) Bath Salts

You can make your own too by adding these to a hot bath and lying back to soak for 30 minutes:

COLD REMEDY BATH SALTS

2 cups Epsom Bath Salts Lucy Bee Epsom Salts 1 kg

5 drops Eucalyptus Oil Tisserand Eucalyptus Organic Essential Oil 9 ml

1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda Swirl into your hot bath and lie back taking deep breaths.

RAW MANUKA HONEY

My favourite thing to add to anything that is really potent, tastes delicious and full of enzymes and anti viral that are active and effective.

My absolute favourite is from NZ, a family run business with the best honey on the market:

Steens UMF 15 Raw Unpasteurized NZ Manuka Honey 340 G

If you don't want to splurge, there are other Manuka's around:

Manuka Doctor Manuka Honey 24+ 250 g

HONEY THROAT SPRAY:

Best way out of a painful throat without resorting to drowsy making cough medicine:

Comvita Propolis Oral Spray 20ml

DECONGESTANTS - night time diffusing of oils can work miracles: Once you're in deep and you want to save your kids from a sleepless night, ease the runny noses and coughs that can be particularly brutal at night time, I've found the most effective thing is to plug a vaporiser into their room and add some oils that will do the job for you and hopefully get you a night's sleep too: If you don't have a diffuser (I use mine all over the house with different oils to make the house small amazing and me feel brighter, so its not just for illness!) InnoGear Real Bamboo Essential Oil Diffuser 160ml Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Diffusers Cool Mist Humidifier with 7 LED Colorful Lights and Waterless Auto Shut-off

Snuffle Babe has been road tested on tinies as well and works wonders:

Snufflebabe 10 ml Vapour Oil

this Albas Oil is lovely and works a treat: Olbas oil for children 10ml EVERY DAY STAPLES: I always bang on about these but the two things that your kids (and you!) need to be topped up on to keep immune systems at full strength, and that I supplement every day (almost, I aim for every day any way!...) VITAMIN D - Immune defence boost, really key to have a daily dose of this as you can't get enough from your diet or the sun in the winter months. Minty Spray that my kids love: Dlux 15 ml BetterYou Junior Daily Oral D3 Spray And the adult version that I take every day: BetterYou DLux 3000 - Vitamin D Oral Spray - 15ml MULTI VIT + PROBIOTIC - First line of defence in the gut needs a top up It looks pricey, but it lasts for 3 months, and is worth every penny: Zita West MyBaba Childrens Multivitamin & MultiBiotic Berry Flavoured Powder - 3 month supply

EASY RECIPES

For immune boosting, don't think you just have to gobble greens - although that is clearly helpful there are plenty of other goodies: HERBY HASSELBACKS

1. 

Garlicky goodness and herbs this is such a good one http://lizzieloveshealthy.com/hassle-free-herby-hasselback-potatoes RAW CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE BROWNIES Don't think treats are out. Cocoa is a dense giver of great antioxidants and goodness. And along with Vitamin C from the fresh orange this is a decadent velvety brownie with a kick. http://lizzieloveshealthy.com/raw-chocolate-orange-iced-brownies/ IMMUNE BOOSTING PESTO Super easy whizz up that is extra potent as its all raw. Anti bacterial and antiviral this is gold. And it goes wth pasta WIN WIN! http://lizzieloveshealthy.com/immune-boost-pesto/ SWEET POTATO , SPINACH & RED ONION BHAJIS With tons of Vitamin C from the dark green leafy spinach and beta carotene galore from the gorgeous sweet potatoes, these crispy beauties are an all time favourite: http://lizzieloveshealthy.com/sweet-potato-and-spinach-bhaji/ SWEET GREEN SMOOTHIE Super simple and an easy way to add in lots of fruit and veg to anyone's day http://lizzieloveshealthy.com/sweet-green-smoothie/