| First of all, I want to remind people of something | | | | reason...get in touch with nature's patterns and she |
| that I think many have forgotten: The body is an | | | | won't let you down. |
| awesome self-healing mechanism! It's mind-blowing! It | | | | 2. Cut the crap. I'll keep it simple. Whole foods keep |
| upchucks poisons, sweats out toxins, works out | | | | you whole. Chemicals and preservatives in prepared |
| splinters, and creates new skin to seal up punctures | | | | and packaged "foods" and "drinks" will have you |
| and cuts just to name a few. | | | | reaching for the chemical-filled medicine cabinet. Not |
| And this fall, as kids go back to school, and workers | | | | good. Mother nature doesn't approve. |
| crawl into their tightly-sealed office buildings to work | | | | 3. Go Pro. Add probiotics (the good bacteria!) to your |
| through the winter, word has it that the swine flu | | | | eating regimen to support your gut integrity. The |
| virus is supposed to sweep over the land. | | | | better off your intestines are, the more it can fight |
| Now first of all, if you want to jump on that belief | | | | off all the junky stuff you put through the system. |
| band wagon, be my guest, but I wouldn't | | | | Start now so you're well prepared and running full |
| recommend it. If you've read anything by cellular | | | | steam ahead when you need it most. My suggestion |
| biologist Bruce Lipton, you'd know that your physical | | | | is to NOT get them from yogurt or other dairy |
| cellular biology (ie; stress hormones, immune | | | | products as they create mucus and dampness in the |
| response, etc.) is significantly compromised by such | | | | body, which creates a great place for the bad bugs |
| stressful thoughts and beliefs. He believes that stress | | | | to live. (Check out a health food store if you don't |
| (mostly from gunky thinking) is the world's number | | | | know where to get non-dairy probiotics.) |
| one killer, as it contributes to all diseases! I imagine his | | | | 4. Choose vitamin A over anti-bacterial soap. Taking |
| recommendation for de-stressing about the swine | | | | vitamin A daily strengthens the skin's protective |
| flue would start with a healthy dose of "Turn off the | | | | abilities and increases white blood cells that fight |
| news coverage about it and other negative and | | | | disease. Anti-bacterial soap is a type of |
| stressful events!" but that's strictly my opinion. | | | | pesticide...(which brings us back to #2's chemical |
| But stressful thoughts aside, I'm here to give you | | | | conversation.) |
| some great ways to help your body prepare for | | | | 5. Start educating yourself on herbs like echinacea, |
| anything this winter has to fling at you, swine flu | | | | codonopsis, crysanthemum, elderberries, astragalus, |
| included. Because in case you are unaware of it, your | | | | and homeopathic remedies that help get your body |
| body is CONSTANTLY defending itself against | | | | back in balance without chemicals. That way, if your |
| harmful agents all the stinkin' time. It just does such a | | | | body get a little behind on it's duties, you know how |
| great job of it, you are usually unaware of it. You | | | | to help it along. |
| think you've managed to keep yourself germ-free | | | | 6. Turn to the sun. Hey, we're all in our little huts |
| until those unlucky moments when you think it | | | | breathing artificially-heated air - we could use a little |
| betrayed you when you "get sick." I'm here to | | | | sunshine on our faces (vitamin D!) and fresh air in our |
| defend it and say, it probably kept millions of other | | | | lungs. No need to hang out all day, try for 15 minutes |
| possible illness attacks at bay. | | | | a day! |
| So, when you think of how good your body treats | | | | 7. Keep exercising. Your body could use the |
| you, can you say you treat it as well back? It's OK. | | | | movement to help it push out all those germs and |
| I'll wait while you put down that big gulp and | | | | toxins through a good sweat. |
| convenient store chili dog to think... | | | | 8. And if you do all this and you still get sick, at least |
| Alright, if you think there's room for improvement, | | | | your body will have something to work with to get |
| here's my starting list: | | | | you back to health. |
| 1. Get enough sleep. And if you say you don't have | | | | Remember, the band-aid doesn't heal the wound, the |
| the time, I'd ask yourself, "Do you have time to go | | | | body does. Your best bet is to treat your body well |
| to the doctor or be sick?" Drop and give me seven | | | | so it can return the favor. Now go turn off the news |
| and a half hours this winter (kids - go for more!)...then | | | | and go to bed. |
| continue this plan anyway. It gets darker longer for a | | | | |