Detox your bodies

Everywhere I turn, I run into more families that are sick. Some tell me that "they've heard" that this is one of the worst sick seasons we've had. I seriously want to declare from the rooftops of my town all that our family has learned these last years, because the culmination of all of the healthy practices that we do results in a super fun winter of skiing, snowball fights, sledding, snowshoeing, snow camping, and cozy get-to-gethers with friends. Winter does not equal sick for us...it equates to cold, crisp fresh air; cozy tea each evening while reading books; thick sweaters; Dansko shoes; concentrated time with friends during the dark, long evenings; worshiping outside around a bonfire.

So, if you find yourself or have found yourself battling a couple of colds, kids with fevers, coughs that don't end, or even the flu during these last few months, try a cleanse. This could be simply eating fruits and veggies for as many days as you can handle it...or you could do a more extensive one that includes detox teas, psyllium fiber, and bentonite ( a clay that literally clings to toxins and helps rid the colon of all kinds of residue and toxins).

If you start to get a tickle in your throat, try what we do: squeeze a fresh lemon into a teacup, put some warmish/hot water in it, and put 2 T of raw honey into the lemon tea. I haven't had a tickle turn into a cold in years with this remedy. It's awesome for coughs for kids too. We never have used cough or cold medicine (and for good reason too: FDA now knows that it has caused quite a few kids to never wake up - read a comprehensive list of meds to avoid here: Cough and Cold remedies can kill Children).

This time of year it's especially important to limit sugar (we don't eat sugar during Jan - April).

Also, eat tons and tons of veggies and fruit and drink lots and lots of CLEAN water.

Get sunshine and exercise too.

When we do catch something, we don't go out and get 7-up and icecream to cuddle up together on the couch with...I instead stock up on things like Coconut water (super sweet and yummy and a perfectly balanced source of electrolytes) and let the kids get a lot of warm tea with raw honey and lemon in it. It's good to take an immune system supporter - look for products that have goldenseal, oregon grape root, pau 'd arco, oregano oil, and echinacea in it. Only take it for maybe 2 weeks, then take a month off (unless you are getting sick).

I take a cold seriously because we have had too many outstay their welcome, turn into secondary infections (bronchitis, ear infections, sinus infections) and I see it around us all the time - the cold that doesn't leave...mucous that lingers around wrecking havoc. This is the war strategy we impose:

1. Immeditatly stop eating wheat 100% until the cold is long gone
2. Immeditately stop eating sugar, 100% until it's gone.
3. Drink warm teas with lemon and raw honey
4. Increase vitamin C
5. Drink lots of smoothies with veggies and fruit in it
6. If necessary, take an immune system booster

If we do these things, we are done with the cold in 2 days flat.

Between these measures, you will not get sick as often and if you do, it might last 2 or 3 days at the most. This year we all caught 1 cold, first time in 3 years, and it lasted about 2 to 4 days. Strong bodies, supported by the stuff of God's amazing creation, can fight these bugs very effectively so you can get back to LIVING for HIM!!!

It works! I promise! It works!