‘Tis the season and whether you live in Northern WI or Southern FL, sickness always seems to accompany the holidays. Everyone has a passed down remedy for a sore throat or a cure all food to ward off a cold. These are usually things from your childhood that lapse into adulthood until they can be given to the next generation. Along with these come your own practices to get well.
When I woke up yesterday feeling under the weather, I found myself doing what I always do and I wanted to share those things with you:
Tea
Black tea or green tea with a pinch of cinnamon, cayenne pepper, some honey and fresh lemon. Speaking of lemon..
Lemon
Lemon. And more lemon. On everything. In everything. Lemons have antibacterial and antifungal properties making fresh lemon juice the stuff of health.
Essential Oil Bath
I love a bath anyhow but there is nothing like slipping your sore and achy sick body into the warmth and stillness of a bath. There are typically three things I add to a bath:
Apple Cider Vinegar- Good for your skin health including balancing the pH and killing the fungus and bacteria on your skin
Epsom salt- Also good for your skin and helps soothe sore muscles (great for the fitness lover in me=)
Essential Oils- I love Young Living Essential oils for everything in life, especially the bath.
Tea Tree Oil contains antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic and antiviral properties and is gentle on your skin. I added Lavender and Stress Away (my favorite blend!) as well.
Tip: Add the oil drops to your salt before adding to the bath water, this ensures the oils won’t bother your skin. (I’ve never had a problem adding the oils on top of the water but you can never be sure)
Water
We all know that drinking water is as important to life as breathing. 55-60% of an adults body is made up of water. When you’re sick, staying hydrated will make you feel better and keep things moving as well.
No Sick Soup
You didn’t think you’d get through this without a recipe, did you? Haha. This is my “No Sick Soup.” Made with fresh vegetables, fresh garlic and chicken broth, this soup is calming and filled with goodness.
No Sick Soup
- 1 baking potato, washed and sliced
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 1 stalk of celery, diced
- 5 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock
Add everything in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until you can easily insert a fork into each type of vegetable. Scoop into bowls and add fresh pepper and a pinch of salt. Enjoy and feel better!
Feeling sick is a pain and will slow you down for sure. Make sure to rest when you need it and fuel up on nutritious and healthy foods and drinks so that you can feel better fast!