Best way to get rid of a cold or flu is to prevent it!

It's that time of year again where everyone around you is sick and even your next door neighbor is offering you a flu shot. I never got a flu shot and I plan to keep it that way for the rest of my life.  However, I have learned that I need to maintain a healthy immune system all year round to avoid getting any kind of virus.  The most common cause of a flu or cold is viruses and getting antibiotics when you have a virus is not going to help you kill it nor will it make you get better any faster.  Antibiotics should only be used to treat a bacterial infection it does not cure a virus unfortunately.  The first 48 hours is crucial to control and reduce the length of your cold and symptoms therefore you can try home remedies as soon as you feel any symptoms. Trick is to boost your immune system and make it stronger. Here are a few home remedies:

One of my favorite remedies is vitamin C as we all know- but you want to make sure you get the correct amount.  Daily dose of vitamin c should be 4,000 mg a day but when your body is in stress it can double or triple that amount needed. 

Drink lots of fluids and Echinacea tea or green tea helps decongestion and can shorten length of cold.

Eat potassium rich foods and garlic :)

Vitamin B and D - D3 to be more specific helps immunity

Probiotics - for the long run will help you prevent a cold as well

Rest - sleep


Only reason I would visit a doctor is to make sure my vitamin dosages are in tact which will help your immune system.  And no, being exposed to cold temperature will not get you "sick" as every mother might think or say :)

xo
M

Benefits of Sea Salt

Believe it or not sea salt is very good for your health and majority of people are lacking this mineral.  It helps the immune system and digestive system therefore it can also aid in weight loss and prevent a cold.  Sea salt contains essential minerals that regular iodized salt does not have because it is not processed or harmful since its naturally obtained from the sea.  I like to have a lot of the things I eat to be salted for flavor but I'm glad I have a healthy substitute now which my body needs. I myself lack this mineral and aside from taking this mineral as a pill I try to get it through food.  One of my favorite snacks to munch on is roasted seaweed which contains light sea salt but still does the job when I have a hectic day.  I love seaweed in general but I love to grab this as a snack throughout my day.  It's very low in calories and does not contain gluten or msg-- totally vegan!