'Tis the season.... of cold and flu!!! 
We've gotten a few emails this past week of illness going around my daughter's school.  At least 10 people we know around us are sick or have been sick in the last couple of weeks.  My husband have been complaining about not feeling "great" and being tired, but luckily have been fighting "whatever-is-that-wants-to-hit-him" off. Yesterday my daughter was a bit whiny and seemed tired and given that Christmas is a week away- we are in IMMUNE BOOSTING MODE! It is like WAR ZONE at my house! (Ok, I'm exaggerating a bit ; )

Here's the DRILL:

#1- RECOGNIZE THE FIRST SIGNS OF SYMPTOMS
This is KEY because you can fight off disease at the BEGINNING of it much easier than when you're already in it.  Home remedies are also MUCH more effective at the first signs of symptoms. For yourself, symptoms can be: achy body, feeling colder than normal, slight sore throat, sleeplessness.  You know your body, so recognize them and ATTACK!
For children is tougher because they don't communicate well. BUT... I do see my daughter sometimes get unusually whiny, crying and getting upset easily, restless and interrupted sleep, lack of appetite, tired...etc Again, you know your children better but, these can be common.

#2- ELIMINATE SUGAR
This is the FIRST THING we do and one that my daughter knows and is very clear about.  I simply talk to her and tell her very gently that "there is a lot of illness going around school and sugar is bad for the warrior cells that want to fight disease and thus we must not have ANY for a few days, we don't want to be sick for Christmas right?"... Works like a charm! and she totally understands.
Viruses, bacteria and yeast LOVE sugar and they THRIVE on it. So DON'T feed those nasties!

#3- LEMON WATER DRINK
I know you've heard me talk about this one but... I can't help it! It is SOOO powerful!
Simply drink, first thing in the morning upon waking, a cup of warm or hot water with juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar, a dash of cinnamon and a dash of sea salt.
Lemon has loads of vitamin C and is very alkalizing.  Viruses and bacterias do not like an alkaline environment. Also, apple cider vinegar has MANY anti-vital and anti-bacterial properties not to mention how great it is for digestion- the key to good health!

#4- OUR "GO TO" SUPPLEMENTS
So, right now we are ALL taking: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Elderberry syrup, Echinacea (my daughter in children's drops; we do the herbal tea) and occasionally suck on Zinc lozenges.

#5- GET YOUR Zzzzz's AND REST UP!
This is a big part of getting better or fighting off illness, especially the first few days! Get as much rest as you can because this is when the body recovers and repairs. Literally.  Think about it. If the body is trying to fight something and you are using more energy, it will shut down and won't be able to fight it. Have your child relax when back from school, watch a movie together, take a long bath, go to bed early, stay home.

Get more tips on boosting your immune system, herbal remedies, food as medicine and even my favorite chicken soup recipe with my FREE e-book "Boost Your Immune System for Cold and Flu Season".  Click here to get it!

Hope you all stay well and healthy! and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
XO,

Between the recent article in Wall Street Journal on artificial sweeteners and all the hoopla on how bad sugar is (see FedUp yet?) I figured it was time to talk about it.

If sugar is bad for you, then should we use artificial sweeteners?

My advice is NO.  Many people turn to artificial sweeteners as a substitute for sugar. We learned to use these as a way to save calories and thus not gain weight, right? The problem is artificial sweeteners have many downsides, like...

Increased Sugar Cravings & Increase appetite:
In an article by the researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, the authors note that artificial sweeteners may increase sugar cravings and enhance appetite.

The human brain responds to sweetness with signals to eat more. By providing a sweet taste without any calories, however, artificial sweeteners cause us to crave more sweet foods and drinks, which can add up to excess calories.

At the University of California-San Diego, researchers performed functional MRI scans as volunteers took small sips of water sweetened with sugar or sucralose. Sugar activated regions of the brain involved in food reward, while sucralose didn’t.  It is possible, the authors say, that sucralose “may not fully satisfy a desire for natural caloric sweet ingestion.”  So, while sugar signals a positive feeling of reward, artificial sweeteners may not be an effective way to manage a craving for sweets.

Glucose Intoerance and Diabetes
The recent article in the Wall Street Journal (gotta love the media... sometimes!) talks about a study in mice, were artificial sweeteners were found to alter their gut bacteria leading to glucose intolerance.  This means poorer regulation of blood sugar and higher blood sugar levels. The authors present evidence from mouse and human studies that artificial sweeteners may be responsible for increasing the obesity epidemic, the exact thing they were developed to fight! This is yet another contributor the mounting evidence against artificial sweeteners.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recommends avoiding sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame K.

So... should we go back to sugar?

In my opinion, it doesn't have to be an either/or... there are OTHER healthy options!

• Snack on fruit (high in fiber, vitamins and minerals!)
• Add dates to your oatmeal or cereal
• Use good quality Stevia for your tea or coffee.  I like Sweet Leaf.
• Squeeze some lemon or orange in your water for flavor (and nutrients!)
• Substitute raw honey or maple syrup in your baking.

Lastly, it all comes down to MODERATION, even with these healthy alternatives. If you find yourself craving sweet all the time, something is out of balance.  Let's talk! I can help you ditch the sugar cravings!