Let your body have its best defense going into this cold and flu season. Apply these 10 Tips to Boost Immunity Against Colds this season.
Tips on how to avoid three important areas that sabotage our immune system! Plus how to use essential oils to ward off sickness.
This post may contain affiliate links with Amazon Associates and Thrive Market.
Elderberry syrup is a popular and easy way to boost your immunity. Check out Immunity Boost with Elderberries for a DYI syrup recipe.
Nobody likes to feel miserable. Sickness tends to break your routine, makes you miss work or school, and in general not feel good!
Is it Necessary to Boost Our Immunity?
Yes! Our bodies function better when we protect it from environmental aggravations and attacks. Just imagine the perks to having a healthy immune system! It protects your body from infections, disease and the latest virus.
When your body feels better, you tend to have a better attitude. Our attitude towards sickness and health plays a part in the effectiveness of our immune system. Strive for a positive attitude!
Our bodies, specifically our white blood cells, are always fighting off viruses and bacteria for us. Why not support it and give it fighting power?!
Tips to Boost Immunity Against Colds – Back to School
Whether it’s collage, high school, elementary school or pre-kindergarten, you can build your body to resist and fight disease and illness. It seems kids and adults have germs to share in a classroom setting.
Students and Teachers need to boost their immunity! They encounter various types of viruses and harmful bacteria on a daily basis. People do not like to stay at home “just for a sniffle or cough” so those students go to school and share germs to classmates and teachers.
Do your best to apply these 10 Tips to Boost Immunity Against Colds and you’ll be off to a great start for this new school year.
10 Tips to Boost Immunity Against Colds/Flu
- Drink Elderberry Syrup. Elderberries are rich in essential minerals and are best known for strengthening our immune system. They also protect our bodies from bacteria and infection. I find this recipe simple and easy: 3 Ingredient Elderberry Syrup.
- Decrease sugar intake. This is a tough one but one of the most effective. Sugar suppresses our immune system. The goal is to stay away from refined sugars and limit our fructose intake.
- Use Essential Oils. You have seen them everywhere! Even school teachers are defusing germ fighting oils into the classrooms. Stock up for the cold and flu season! Essential Oil Use for Teens with oil recommendations by teenagers.
- Green Tea and Matcha Green Tea boost our immune system. This article explains the health benefits and difference between the two; Matcha Green Tea versus Green Tea.
- Increase Vegetable Intake. Feed our bodies the nutrition it needs to protect itself against illness. We tend to increase the sweets and completely forgot about the power of vegetables!
Amazon Link: Tazo Peachy Green Tea Organic- 20 Bag (Pack of 2)
Add Garlic & Herbs To Your Diet
- Sleep Supports our System. This is huge!!! The amount of sleep we need depends upon our age. I have found this Sleep Chart by Mama Natural to be a helpful guide. Adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep for a properly functioning immune system.
- Take Supplements. Give your immune system a boost with a Probiotic for healthy gut flora, Vitamin C to decrease inflammation, and Vitamin D3 is essential for our body to function properly.
- Drink Homemade Chicken Broth. It’s easy to find studies done over the last century on why chicken broth strengthens our immune system. Chicken broth contains essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals that make our bodies stronger.
- Plan to exercise your body 4-5 x’s a week. It could be in the form of walking, running, yoga, biking, and/or weight training.
- Add Garlic to your meals. Garlic contains compounds that aid our immune system in fighting germs. It can be eaten whole or crushed.
5 Health Sabotages to Avoid
- Sugar. Sugar weakens and suppresses our immune system from working properly. (Yes, natural unrefined sugar has many health benefits, just aim to keep it around 16-18 grams a day.)
- Dirty Hands. Spend adequate time daily washing your hands.
- Antibiotics. When we take antibiotics for a virus, it actually weakens our gut and immunity. Consider taking a daily probiotic for better gut health.
- Alcohol. Alcohol interferes with our bodies production of white blood cells.
- Stress. Normal stress is healthy, however chronic severe stress takes a toll on the body. Learn 18 ways to manage your stress here.
Take the Low Sugar Consumption Challenge to a start on reducing one of the health sabotages.
Use Essential Oils to Fight Off Sickness
Essential Oils for Fighting Illness & Relieving Colds:
- Thieves germ fighting Blend. (Apply this oil to your pulse points on your wrists and/or the bottoms of your feet daily.)
- Lemon Essential oil
- Purification oil Blend. (Use this oil on backpacks, carseats, and other surfaces that may carry unwanted germs.)
- Eucalyptus Essential Oil
- Frankincense Essential Oil. (The “super power” of essential oils.)
- Raven essential oil Blend.
- Lemongrass Essential oil.
- Lavender Essential Oil
Tip: Any of the above oils can be placed in a roller bottle (like the one pictured above) or in a small glass spray bottle for easy application. Many essential oils require a carrier oil like Fractionated Coconut Oil for safer and effective application.
Practical Use for Essential Oils
One suggestion is to have one spray bottle for everyone in the family. Just one spray on the bottom of their feet before putting on socks will go a long ways in fighting germs. Buy from Amazon: 6, Cobalt Blue, 4 oz Glass Bottles, with Black Fine Mist Sprayer.
Add a carrier oil before applying: Majestic Pure Fractionated Coconut Oil – Relaxing Massage Oil, Liquid Carrier Oil for Diluting Essential Oils – 16 fl oz
Would you like the specifics on Raven, Peppermint and Purification? Living with Essential Oils.
It is strongly recommended that you buy quality essential oils for the best results. I have found that their are a few ethical companies that sell pure quality essential oils. One company I like is Young Living. Contact me for ordering and more information. Or you can place a customer order on your own at www.YoungLiving.com
Join Together In Fighting Sickness
We are busy people making it very important to be mindful to give our bodies a boost so it can fight colds and flu. What if we joined together to remind each other and support each other in preparing to build up our immunity?
We can encourage friends and family to serve food that is nutritious and not high in refined sugars. Regularly wash hands with soap and warm water. It takes a bit of thought, but we can support each other.
Begin right now with stocking up on dried elderberries, supplements, essential oils and even making homemade chicken broth available in your freezer. The best price on Frontier Elder Berries Whole Organic – 1 lb.
Personally, I take a daily probiotic, make homemade chicken soup once a week, and enjoy elderberry syrup and/or homemade elderberry gummies. I hope you are encouraged on how to boost your immunity this season!
Pursing Better Health Together,
Arun says
Thanks, Michelle, for the useful tips. My son gets cold on and off, and this was frustrating. This post is a life-saver. I must reduce his sugar intake and try out the other immunity-boosting tips. The post made me understand that a healthy change in our lifestyle can improve the overall immunity of our body.
Michelle says
Thanks, I hope you see a big improvement in his immunity.