I served a family at a funeral and a side of fries and tons more food to hungry boys and a starving man this week. And I served that man by serving our boys alone three nights of the week. Gloriously, I watched my laid back niece and nephew play with my rowdy ones and them all having fun as I occasionally refereed and heated plates to feed the whole bunch. I tried to sneak in pages to one of my good reads until the curious boys sought out a quiet mom and came to snuggle with me. As you can imagine, mama (and wife) is tired and I feel a tickle in my throat so this weekend I’m going to hang my “Do Not Disturb” sign to wind down with alone time and do whatever suits me. But first I’m going to pump myself full of this good stuff that I’m sharing to help you strengthen your immune system.
In addition to my daily regime of minerals and supplements, with the immune building and energy supplying vitamins C and B-Complex, manganese, magnesium and zinc, I have five that I go to in emergency situations (though it’s all right in most cases to use them daily):
Astragalus (AKA Huang Qi)—This root is nutrient-rich root is a powerful antiviral and antibacterial agent. I prefer to use this as a tincture but have also used it in a tea form.
Probiotics—My choice is Lactobacillus Acidolphilus. This probiotic (good bacteria) not only builds my immune system but also helps my digestive system and fights against yeast infections.
Pau D’Arco (AKA Lapacho and Taheebo)—The antiviral and antibacterial properties in this bitter herb (that I use as a tea) seem to be the most powerful for me, knocking out a number of issues simultaneously.
Elderberry—Similar to astragalus with its antiviral and antibacterial properties, I sometimes use this along with or alternate it with astragalus.
Ginger—I use a small wedge of fresh ginger in my fresh squeezed juices and as a tea. I’m still working on using the right amount of ground ginger in foods so that the taste won’t be overpowering.
As I stated when I started Friday Feature, I’m just sharing with you the natural methods I have used that have worked for me. Make sure you conduct your own research, including consulting your healthcare professionals. Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it can’t be harmful.
Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith
Sources: Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 3rd Edition, by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC and James F. Balch, M.D. and Dr. Reginald B. Cherry.
