Wellbeing expert, Lynne Cardy shares her top tips and tricks to fight off a recurring cold as well as give your immune system a boost this season.
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Every winter brings sniffles that can often come in the form of a recurring cold or bout of flu, that sometimes lasts until spring. Lynne believes that when it comes to boosting your immune system, it’s important to try what appeals to you, because if you’re drawn to it, it probably works.
Here are a few ways to fight off a recurring cold and stay as healthy as possible:
Take a prebiotic
80% of our immunity starts in the gut and friendly bacteria are at the heart of it. A prebiotic is what the good bacteria feed on, encouraging them to grow and multiply. Natural sources are high fibre foods too. It’s also a good idea to eat more probiotics – which keep your gut, and therefore your immune healthy.
You can also try a probiotic supplement with added vitamin C to boost your vitamin levels.
Sip a tonic
A winter herbal tonic can help boost your immunity throughout the cold and flu season. Elderberry, astragalus and olive leaf (which is 400% more powerful than vitamin C) are the ingredients of choice. Try Nature Fresh Olive Leaf Tincture, R79 for 50ml
Spoon some honey
But not just any honey. Natural ingredients in Manuka honey, for instance, have been found to help the immune system fight off infections thanks to the compound, methylgloxal. Honey also has proven antimicrobial properties. There’s also some evidence to suggest that Manuka honey can help to prevent chronic sinus infections and stimulate immune cells in the body. Try Manuka Masters Honey Lemon R399.95 for 200g. It’s pricey but might help to stave off those antibiotics.
Here are a few more ways to keep those recurrent colds at bay:
Don’t touch your mouth, nose and eyes if you are around someone with a cold, or if you’ve been touching surfaces in a public area.
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It’s no myth that if you keep getting mouth ulcers, it could be because you’re run down. Try a strong vitamin B complex to help counter stress, enhance the immune system and re-energise a depleted body. Try Vitamin B Complex 60 Capsules for R189.
If you suffer from sinus problems, drink up! Boosting your water or herbal tea intake will help thin mucus and encourage drainage but try to avoid alcohol as it can make sinus swelling worse.
With these quick tips, tricks & goodies, you’ll fight off that recurring cold in no time.
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