Keeping yourself and family healthy during the winter months is completely achievable. This winter season alone I have heard of several viruses and illnesses such as the flu, Norovirus and Strep throat that have made a great number of adults and children sick, many of our closest families and friends.
I am grateful that our family is very healthy and I am thoroughly convinced it is due to the following steps we complete each day. All three of our children have never been to the doctor outside of their well child check ups (and our baby has been in childcare since six weeks)! I am definitely grateful for doctors when needed but I would rather save my co-pays if I can strengthen my family's immune system at home. I believe our bodies are meant to be strengthened and naturally stay strong when given the right things.
Please note that I am not a medical professional. These are my personal experiences and observation on how my family’s immune system stays strong throughout the year.
1. Speak Life Over Bodies
Everyday I confess and believe the following affirmations over our bodies:
Our bodies and immune systems are strong.
We have divine health.
No weapon formed against us will prosper.
Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.
Sickness will not come to our household.
Confessing and believing is key! If you believe that you will get sick, you will likely get sick.
If you believe health, you will likely stay healthy.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.”
Proverbs 18:21 AMP
2. Low Sugar, Minimally Processed Diet
It is wonderful to speak scripture but you must work with the word. If you are constantly feeding your family processed and high sugar content foods our bodies aren’t being fueled with the proper nutrition to build a strong immune system and fight viruses and diseases. Even low amounts of sugar counteract the bodies natural immune response.
This means minimal or no cookies, juice or crackers for the little ones. Even on our children’s birthdays we limit their sugar intake. It’s either cake or ice cream. They will thank me later.
Typical Kids Lunch
Peanut Butter and jelly on gluten free bread or Spaghetti in thermos
Hard boiled egg
Shredded cheese
Organic tortilla chips
Apple, banana or orange
Water (no juice! - it’s liquid concentrated sugar even if it 100% juice and organic)
3. Supplements
I was not a believer in supplements until we met our current nutritionist who recommended our current supplements and dosage. Once we were consistent in taking them (there’s a lot of them) I had sustained energy throughout the day and less occurrences of a stuffy or runny nose, tickle in throat, etc. Overall I observed that everyone’s health skyrocketed. Here are the supplements we consume daily:
Adults
Multivitamin
Vitamin D3
Vitamin C
Magnesium
Folic Acid
L-Lysine
Probiotic
Children
Multivitamin
Elderberry/Echinacea blend
Vitamin D3
Probiotic
Baby
Vitamin D3
Briar Rose
Probiotic
4. Essential Oils
Essential oils have been the rave the past few years for a reason! They work! I diffuse oils and place them on our spines, neck and soles of feet daily. Our baby was congested for over one week when she was six weeks old. Our pediatrician recommended placing tea tree oil on her back and eucalyptus oil on the soles of her feet and within a few hours she was smiling and back to her normal self! If I feel a tickle in my throat I up my Vitamin D3 and place either tea tree or eucalyptus oil on my neck and usually within the hour the tickle is completely gone!
Daily Uses
Tea tree on spine and eucalyptus on soles of feet (repeat every three hours if under weather)
Peppermint and lemon oil in diffuser
Lavender on spine for fevers
*Please note that it is best to dilute oils in a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut oil.
I hope these daily strategies work for your family as they do ours! Again, I am not a medical professional and always use discernment and seek guidance from your personal physician.
Chrystal
