Germs for colds, flu, tummy bugs, and even SARS-COV 2 (the virus that causes Covid). These are not welcome new friends!
Especially after the last year or so, you don’t want your kids – or you – to get sick, requiring them to take off school and you to take off work in addition to everyone feeling awful.
Some people fear that after being exposed to fewer viruses in the past 18 months, kids are going to be sick more than ever.
So today, I’m going to give you tips to prevent all of these illnesses and keep your immune system strong!
But it’s also worth pointing out that exposure to germs and infections, especially at a young age, actually seems to prime the immune system to be able to defeat threatening microbes like strep, candida, and other viruses and infections in the future.
Leading geneticists will tell you all of those germs they come into contact with at school and on the playground are excellent for your children’s immunity.
And if you think their little bodies are pristine, bacteria-free zones that enter the school building only to be treated to a barrage of germs, think again. Each of us has thousands of different species of bacteria inside and on our bodies at any given time. Estimates put the combined sum of all of those bacteria at a total of 3 to 5 pounds of our body weight!
In fact, did you know that you have 10 times more bacteria in your gut than you have total cells in your body? All of that bacteria is doing your kids some good.
You might have heard that kids who grow up on farms experience less asthma than kids who live in the city. And it’s not just because of air quality. On the contrary, the animals, insects, and dirt seem to affect whether or not certain good bacteria develops in the gut.
While the virus may be the complicating factor when you get sick, it’s NOT the cause. If it were the cause, we’d all be sick all the time.
Being healthy and preventing illness is about the TERRAIN. If a fish gets sick, we don’t treat the fish, we change the water, and you are no different. If you know someone who catches every cold that comes their way, you know what I’m talking about.
Let’s keep you healthy, and guess what? The cold, flu, or strep can’t take a foothold in your body. So the best thing you can do to keep yourself or anyone you love from getting sick is to arm your immune system to fight all of those germs.
My 6 Best Tips for Preventing Colds and Other Illnesses
Even if the actual germs kids come into contact with at school are good for strengthening their immune systems, that doesn’t mean you want them sick of course. These tips will help keep you and them from becoming ill – they are good for all ages.
- Eat foods that support your immune system.
Eating nutrient-rich foods is the most important thing you can do to support your microbiome – the center of illness-fighting inside your body – because the foods you eat either fight disease or fuel it.
- Vegetables – leafy greens, carrots, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, squashes, and seaweed
- Good fats– avocado, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, raw nut butters, and wild-caught Pacific salmon
- Plant-based proteins– tree nuts, seeds (chia, flax), beans, lentils, and quinoa
- Herbs and spices– turmeric, ginger, basil, oregano, cilantro, thyme, and herbal teas are powerful illness fighters
- Whole alkaline fruit– lemons and limes in water, grapefruit, and pomegranate
You might notice that nearly all of these foods are alkaline as well. That’s no accident. Acidic foods destroy the microbiome, while alkaline foods nurture it. With all of these foods, it’s best to buy organic because chemical pesticides harm the microbiome as well.
- Avoid foods that weaken your immune system.
At the same time, you want to minimize the foods that weaken the immune system response:
- Gluten
- Fruit juice, soda, and carbonated water
- All dairy products
- Sugar
- Artificial sweeteners
- Peanuts
- Processed foods with preservatives
- Shellfish
- Take a quality probiotic.
There’s one thing I want to make clear, especially when it comes to kids, and that is that you can’t substitute “probiotic foods” for a good probiotic supplement.
Yogurt, kombucha, and other foods that are sold as probiotics don’t provide the same amount or quality of good bacteria that a refrigerated probiotic supplement does. And they are often filled with YEAST, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other junk that bad bacteria love.
- Supplement with quality sources of magnesium.
Did you know that getting plenty of magnesium supports a healthy immune system and it’s clinically proven to open up restricted airways to ease breathing and improve lung function?
So by starting your kids’ days with a scoop of Acid-Kicking Greens in water or a smoothie, you’re not only getting a dose of the most powerful, alkaline food on the planet. You’re also helping to prevent colds and other illnesses.
By ending your whole family’s days with Acid-Kicking Minerals mixed with water every night, you’re ensuring that you get enough magnesium, as well as the right balance of calcium, potassium, and sodium bicarbonate, all from quality sources unlike most other supplements.
- Be Ready With Natural Cold Remedies
At the first sign of a cold or other illness – or when you’re feeling warn out and more susceptible to viruses – try our recipes for Turmeric Ginger Lemon Detox Tea, the Cold Kicker Smoothie, or this powerful immunity booster that tastes like lemonade (the kids don’t have to know)!
Lemon Cold Soother
Ingredients (2 Servings)
1 lemon
1 piece fresh ginger
16-20 oz. filtered water
1-3 drops organic liquid stevia
Directions
Juice the lemon and ginger in a juicer. Bring the water to a boil and add the juiced lemon and ginger.
If you don’t have a juicer, boil the water on the stovetop. Meanwhile, peel and dice the ginger into small pieces. Add the ginger to the water and squeeze the lemon juice in. Remove from the stove.
Either method, add the organic liquid stevia to your taste preference. Pour a serving into a mug and sip away. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Homemade Essential Oils Vapor Rub
You can also use this natural remedy that applies topical essential oils at the first sign of a cold to fend it off. However, always use caution when using oils on small children and babies and consult a physician or health care practitioner to ensure their safety.
Ingredients
2 tbsp. coconut oil
2 tbsp. shea butter (or extra virgin olive oil)
8 drops eucalyptus oil
6 drops peppermint oil
8 drops lavender oil
Lidded glass jar like a small Mason jar
Directions
Heat a saucepan on the stove with an inch or two of water to use as a double boiler. Add the coconut oil and Shea butter to the glass jar and place in the steaming water to melt. (If you’re using extra virgin olive oil, wait and add that once off the heat.) Once melted, remove from heat and stir in essential oils. Allow to cool until solid. Store in the glass jar and use approximately 1 tsp. on the chest and throat as needed.
- Take the Most Powerful Immunity Booster on the Planet!
Introducing our new Acid-Kicking Immunity!
It’s a doctor-formulated capsule with all natural superfood ingredients to strengthen and support your immunity, both today and long-term.
This simple supplement is the best way to guard yourself and your loved ones from germs, microbes, and bacteria that you encounter everyday to help prevent diseases ranging from the common cold to chronic illness.
I’ve combined 4 potent ingredients that together, keep your immune system primed and ready to fight:
- Chaga Mushroom – Known as the “mushroom of immortality” in Siberia, chaga is said to have the highest level of antioxidants of any food in the world.
- Elderberry – A powerhouse of immune-boosting antioxidants that allow you to better fight off infections, such as common viruses like the cold or flu.
- Vitamin C – Strengthens the body’s immune system by protecting white blood cells, your body’s defense against viral and bacterial pathogens, and may also help prevent certain cancers, stroke, and heart disease.
- Astaxanthin – One of the most powerful antioxidants in the natural world, astaxanthin slows down the aging process and protects us from damaging and pro-inflammatory free radicals with 550 times the antioxidant power of vitamin E.
If you’re ready to power up your resistance and prevent common viruses, you’ve got to try this new supplement and experience the results for yourself.
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GET OFF YOUR ACID!
Dr. Daryl