During Thanksgiving, ThanksMAS and the Seattle Snowpocalypse, I was exposed to sick people. On each of the three occasions, I started to develop slight symptoms the next day. Instead of surrendering to the sickness or running off to the drugstore to buy some potion that suppresses symptoms, I decided to fight back.
From my 8 Tips For Avoiding Sickness, I focused on these three.
- 8 Hours of Sleep MINIMUM. If I could sleep for 9 Hours, I would. The 4th REM cycle between hour 7 and 8 is the largest and is anti-viral.
- Garlic, Onion and Peppers. Put down the Tylenol and pick up your chopping board. A stir-fry loaded with garlic, onions and peppers is antimicrobial, antiviral and antiparasitic. Cold medicines aren’t.
- Tea. I always drink tea. I reduced my espresso intake and increased my tea consumption.
The result was I never got sick. For me this is huge. It has been many years since I’ve been able to fight off getting sick. My immune system has never felt stronger. Try these at the first sign you have been exposed to a cold and tell me if my Ninja method works for you.
TigerAl
Jan 7, 2009 — 3:49 am
I would add plenty of water to #2 (8-10 glasses at a minimum) or no one will come anywhere near you after the onion and garlic overload 🙂
TigerAl
Jan 7, 2009 — 3:54 am
Forgot to mention that the additional water makes you go to the restroom more often and wash your hands regularly. I don´t like onions and garlic so don´t eat them very often but the water regimen helps me keep healthy as also with #1 and 3 on the list.
MAS
Jan 7, 2009 — 7:13 am
I have a new thought on this topic. Stay tuned for a post on lauric acid.
chantepeta
Feb 22, 2009 — 12:36 pm
Onions, Garlic, and Peppers are a great natural way to ward off sickness during the winter months. I would also recommend using cayenne pepper, which contains massive amounts of vitamin C, is an anti-inflammatory, and helps the heart. If you are a wimp when it comes to spicy food, then you can also use apples, raw apple cider vinegar, bananas, pineapple, raw honey, oregano, and elderberry.
Also, plenty of sleep, Vitamin C, and lots of water are important. Emergen-C packets are great in water. Neti-pot, nasal sinus washing will also clean out mucus. Avoid sugar, unhealthy carbs, and heavy amounts of caffeine as well. Replace with natural honey, whole grain carbs, and lots of vegetables and fruits. I have asthma and severe sinus problems. Although I have struggled through the winter this year, I have not gotten bronchitis or had any serious lung problems. At the first onset of a cold, sleep, drink lots of water, and take vitamin C.
As with any medication or natural remedy, do your research and find out if it’s right for your health condition and in what amount. There are too many details to list here on the benefits of each of the above recommendations. Continue to see your regular physician, but definitely research the benefits of food and herbs to cure conditions naturally.