1.  Avoid processed  sugar – I do this on a daily basis, but I REALLY do this when I feel a cold coming on since sugar weakens the immune system.

2.  Soak your feet – Another thing I pretty much do daily. It’s such a relaxing and detoxifying habit. I add some of my herb soak salts to very warm water and let my feet soak for about 10 minutes.

3.  Moisturize your feet – After a foot bath is the perfect time to put a therapeutic balm on your feet and some nice comfy socks.  Some of my favorite balms to use include Buddha Nose’s  I Booster Salve and Waxelene (“The Petroleum Jelly Alternative” with SO many uses). I notice I always sleep especially well when I do this before bed.

4.  Sleep well  – There’s nothing like high quality sleep to help you overcome a battle with a bug. I think the advise of 7-9 hours seems about right, but everyone is different.

5.  Consume lots of hot liquids – Green tea, plain hot water with fresh lemon juice and homemade chicken soup are my favorites.

6.  Eat garlic – I always love to eat garlic, but I definitely up the ante if I’m not feeling well. Garlic is nature’s antibiotic.

7.  Have some honey – Another superb natural germ fighter. Add a teaspoon to tea for a sore throat or a tablespoon to the juice of one lemon for a natural cough remedy (see previous post).

8.  Oil your nostrils – It sounds weird, but it’s an excellent way to keep germs out of your nose. To prevent your nasal passages from getting dry just put a little olive oil or sesame oil on a Q-tip/clean finger and coat the inside of your nostrils. This is an especially good practice before traveling on a plane.

9.  Keep the heat down – I am very big on not putting the heat too high during the winter because I hate how it makes my sinuses feel dry/stuffy.  I prefer putting on another layer of clothing before cranking the heat up to anything above the low 70s.

 I really hope these recommendations help you during cold season and throughout the year. Be well! :) ~Annie

KEY INGREDIENTS:

• Active Charcoal: millions of super sponges that trap and soak up virtually all impurities that pass through them.
• Zinc: fights acne-causing bacteria, helps skin heal, and lessens inflammation.
• Juniper Berry (certified organic): has a tonic and cleansing effect on oily skin.
• Sage (certified organic): astringent action on the skin and helps rebalance oiliness.

1. Peel a one-inch piece of fresh ginger
2. Place ginger in freshly boiled water
3. Steep for five minutes
4. Add some fresh lemon juice (optional)
5. Enjoy!

This is a great tea to reduce water retention, increase metabolism and support the immune system.

Trying steaming some whole artichokes with dinner tonight or add some marinated artichoke hearts to a salad — your liver will surely thank you! ;)

Photo Credit: maddieaboutfood.wordpress.com

Adapted from http://life.gaiam.com/

These are some of the times to treat yourself to a relaxing foot bath:

• When your feet are sore
• When you’re stressed
• When you’re cold
• When you’re rundown
• When you’re sick
• When you just want to do something relaxing!

For a foot bath you can either just fill your bath tub up with enough water to submerge your feet OR you can use an actual foot bath (you can find foot baths at Target, Walgreens, etc.).

Some of my usual mixtures to include in the very warm water:

• For relaxation: a few drops of lavender oil & 1- 2 tablespoons of sea salt
• For a cold: a few drops of eucalyptus oil &  mustard seed powder (detoxifying)
• For tired feet: 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and/or a few drops of lemon juice & 1-2 tablespoons of epsom salt

**You can always simply use warm water and still being doing something healthy and relaxing for yourself.

Try a foot bath today or at least, this week!