Boosting the immune system with the changing seasons: My magic potion

I am not a health freak but I have felt terrible more than once. And one thing that drives one to not feel terrible is feeling terrible. When my daughter was little, surrounded by so many other children at school, she would bring home a cold or flu every other week in the winter.

My first line of defense is always Oscillococcinum a homeopathic flu remedy that works like a charm, but you have to take a dose, a vial of tiny sweet beads under the tongue as soon as you get that scratchy throat or that runny nose. It works like a charm. Shy away from any cold or flu remedies that contain aspartame as that stuff is so toxic. Read the ingredients!

Beginning September 1st every year I put “Boost Immune System” on my calendar. My regime consists of taking a probiotic on an empty stomach most days or when I remember. (I freely admit, I do not always take my vitamins every day although that is always my goal. I am far from perfect.) When fall comes I also increase my Vitamin C dosage from 2000 (one in the AM and one in the PM) to 4000 a day (2 in the AM and 2 in the PM). I make sure I take my Vitamin E, D3 and A, as well as my iodine regime. And I always have handy my tinctures as I mentioned in the last blog: Elderberry, Cat’s Claw, Echinacea, and Reishi.

If by chance I do get sick (like almost always over Christmas break), I take my tinctures three times a day, through the worst of it. I drink elderberry tea, always keeping a jar of dried elderberry around. Or I keep immune boosting tea such as Traditional Medicinals, Echinacea Plus with Elderberry, always drinking my tea with honey, Marshall’s Farm Honey being the best, as it is locally harvested from where I live, and around the San Francisco Bay Area, is unheated, unfiltered and has tons of healthy enzymes and minerals. Oh, and honey from your area helps with allergies too.

It always goes without saying, follow the directions on the bottle. Vitamin D is essential for strong bones and muscles and supports the immune system. But realize some vitamins in excess are toxic, such as Selenium and some are not, such as Vitamin C, as you just urinate the excess, what your body doesn’t need. Cod liver oil, now flavored lemon is just as healthy now as it was in 1965 when grandma recommended it. It is an excellent source of Vitamin D.

Boosting the immune system 2 to 3 times per day, when you are sick, I find cuts your suffering in half.

And when the weather gets warmer, I back off on the extra dosages, after the colds and flus begin to disappear and when plum blossoms, and blooming, yellow mustard begin to decorate the hillsides. Noticing the rhythms of the seasons and how they relate to illness and how you feel at different times a year is important. I feel like summer is when I tend to feel worse and so I need to detox before then to avoid the overwhelm of our toxic world. My mother tends to become ill in November. My dog is vulnerable in Spring. Pay attention to what you and your family members rhythms are. And then you can prepare for them or avoid the big reactions to sickness altogether. Detoxing 1 to 2 times per year is an excellent idea. More on that in a later blog.

Homeopathic cold and flu:

https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/boiron-oscillococcinum-12-dose-12-dose/bi-1374

Vitamin C:

https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/solaray-vitamin-c-1000-mg-250-capsules/so-1310

D3:

https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/nordic-naturals-vitamin-d3-gummies-1000-iu-60-gummies/ye-1092

https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/jarrow-formulas-vitamin-d3-5000-100-softgels/jf-1065

Selenium( do not take too much as it can be toxic) Follow the instructions on the bottle. When taking over a long period of time, get labs to check your selenium levels to make sure you are not taking too much:

https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/solaray-selenium-100-mcg-100-capsules/so-1229

Vitamin E:

https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/country-life-vitamin-e-complex-400-iu-90-softgels/cf-1452

Vitamin A:

https://www.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-Vitamin-A-25-000-IU-250-Softgels/382

Iodine:

https://www.iherb.com/pr/Optimox-Corporation-Iodoral-Iodine-Potassium-Iodide-90-Tablets/68249

Cod Liver Oil/Vitamin A:

https://www.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-Cod-Liver-Oil-1-000-mg-180-Softgels/53978

Herb Pharm is a brand I like for tinctures:

Cat’s Claw: https://www.iherb.com/pr/Herb-Pharm-Cat-s-Claw-1-fl-oz-30-ml/15007

Gaia is also a good brand: https://www.iherb.com/pr/Gaia-Herbs-Cat-s-Claw-Bark-1-fl-oz-30-ml/13269