We are more likely to get the flu or a cold during the winter. Why?
I think there are a number of factors that contribute to this:
We get less sun light, we do less exercise
Breathing-in dry air indoor or very cold air outdoors is more demanding
for our lungs and noses
Our diets are less rich as fresh produce will come only from far away places
Many people are weakened for the above reasons and this has a cascading effect. Suddenly your immune system has to fight many more attacks and eventually
one of those attacks will succeed and you get sick too.
A few simple tips to remain strong during a long winter
If you keep fit you will not only have a chance to not get
sick, but even if you get sick you do much better and you
recover faster.
So here is how I get through a long Canadian winter season. I enjoy
the winters in Canada.
Go for a short 15-30min walk every day no matter how cold it is.
This keeps your body active and gets the blood flowing. Choose a nice
relaxing path for your walk through the nearby park or forest.
Take a vitamin D supplement.
There is not enough sun light in those northern areas and taking some
vitamin D orally makes a difference.
Take a spoon full of Rosemary Gladstar's famous Fire Cider every day
This is a simple apple cider herbal recipe made out of ingredients found
in every kitchen. It activates your immune system, helps digestion and
gets the blood flowing in your mouth and throat.
Rosemary Gladstar's Fire Cider recipe
You can watch Rosemary making Fire Cider on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU8U0bDmXks). Fire Cider is a
recipe that she created in the 1980's at the California School of Herbal Studies.
It is a herbal vinegar that can be taken specifically as a remedy for symptoms of cold, flu or sinus congestion.
You need:
1 part horseradish root
1 part garlic cloves
1 part onion
1/2 part ginger root
a tiny amount of cayenne pepper (you want a warm feeling not a hot burning mouth)
Apple cider vinegar
optionally: a bit of honey
Chop up the ingredients, give them into a jar and then cover them with apple cider vinegar. Note that you want a jar with a plastic lid or painted metal lid. A plain
tin lid will be corroded by the vinegar and you might end up with metal
salts in your fire cider.
You can use the fire cider already then next day after making it. The fire cider
is really ready after about 3-4 weeks and then you should decant it or pass it through
a cheese cloth.
Rosemary Gladstar's fire cider. Decant it in about 4 weeks. The actual fire cider is just the liquid.
If you keep fit you will not only have a chance to not get
sick, but even if you get sick you do much better and you
recover faster.
