Before the cold weather really starts to hit you are best to get yourself prepared. You need to try and strengthen your immune system as this is the time of year that lots of nasty bugs float around. Your body is a complex machine but you should be ready to take time to understand it. Your body will be thankful for it and you can perhaps avoid being bedridden for a couple of days… it is what we all hope for!
1/ Lemon juice
There are so much components in lemon juice which can help strengthen our body’s immunity defenses and fight infections from citric acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids or even pectin and limonene. When getting prepared for the cold snap to begin, make sure to squeeze a few drops lemon juice into a glass of warm water to be taken on an empty stomach every morning. Your body will be thankful for it!
2 / Hot milk and honey
Once winter really has taken hold you can often succumb to a nasty bug. If you are suffering from swollen glands and a painful cough, we have the perfect solution! Drinking a mug of hot milk with a spoonful of honey will soothing the inflamed walls of your throat. Don’t be scared to take several cups per day as the calcium will also strengthen your bones and teeth. You could also try gargling salted water every hour. Perhaps not the tastiest but it is a very simple and effective way to reduce that tingling sensation. Savoury or sweet, the choice is yours!
3/ Essential oils
If you want to get better when you have caught a nasty cold the best thing to do is to rest and sleep. However when you are coughing, spluttering and sneezing it is sometimes difficult to feel relaxed enough to get to sleep. Simply drop of a couple of drops of lavender oil onto your pillow before going to bed at night. You will now be able to slip into a peaceful slumber.
4/ Drink cups of tea
Drinking tea 3 to 4 times per day can help to unblock your sinuses. Some of the best infusions when you have a cold are thyme, eucalyptus and lemon and ginger. If you love tea then your on to a winner!
5/ Egg yolk
In winter the dry air can make our skin dry and crack. Here is an extremely effective recipe to combat dry skin using a mixture of an egg yolk, a teaspoon of tea, a teaspoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of lanolin and juice of half a lemon. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Apply the mixture to the affected areas before going to bed. You’ll find that you’ll notice a difference in the morning!
6 / Do some exercise
In the winter with the long nights it is often hard to motivate yourself to do exercise, especially when it is cold and dark. However exercising is one of the best ways to strengthen your immune system. Make sure that you don’t over train as this will just have the opposite effect. Your body will be weakened and less able to defend itself against bacteria, viruses and infections.
7 / Air your house
When winter you can feel the chill. However it is strongly recommended that your air your homes when at least once per day. As well as helping to reduce moisture, it will also help to get rid of any microbes lurking inside your home. You should try air your rooms for about 15 to 20 minutes to renew the air circulation. We know it’s cold, but do yourself a favour and air your rooms a little!
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