​When it comes to staying healthy, I believe in prevention first. By prevention I don’t mean vaccines and screening tests. I believe in cultivating true health from the inside out by adopting healthy habits such as proper diet and exercise, an enjoyable family and social life, and a personal spiritual practice.
Yet, even healthy people sometimes get sick. And with “cold and flu season” approaching I want to share some of the best ways I know to stay healthy naturally and some natural ways you can treat symptoms so you can recover quickly if you do get sick.

10 Ways to Avoid Getting Sick

1. Keep your gut healthy. In the cooler months, it can be tempting to load up on comfort foods. And I’m all for nourishing yourself emotionally, but it’s important not to forget healthy eating habits altogether. Remember, 80 percent of your immune system is in your gut microbiome. The best way to improve your microbiome is through your diet. So, be sure to eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including lots of dark leafy greens, berries, onions, and raw garlic. You may also want to add fermented foods that contain probiotics and prebiotics. This is an easy way to seed your gut with beneficial bacteria. Adding spices such as ginger, cumin, turmeric, oregano, and cinnamon to your food can help to improve your digestion, and they have the added benefit of boosting your immune system because they have antibacterial properties. When you want to indulge in rich foods, try high-quality dairy, nuts and seeds, organic meats and fatty fish, and healthy fats.
2. Take vitamin D. Getting your vitamin D levels in optimal range (between 50 and 100 ng/mL) can help prevent disease, including seasonal affective disorder (S.A.D.), multiple sclerosis, and even breast cancer! In the winter, it can be hard to get enough sunlight for your body to create vitamin D. So, ask your health care practitioner to order a 25-hydroxy vitamin D to determine your levels. Or better yet, go to Grassrootshealth.net and order a home test kit. (You don’t need a doctor’s prescription.) If you have low vitamin D, take 5,000 IU per day of a high-quality vitamin D supplement, and continue to monitor your levels. Remember, it’s still important to get as much natural light as you can. This will help you maintain a positive attitude, which will help boost your immune system.
3. Wash your hands. Washing your hands is the easiest way to prevent colds and flu and to keep from spreading them. The proper way to wash your hands is to rub them together for at least 30 seconds with hot water and plain old soap. Be sure to get the backs of your hands, in between your fingers, and under your nails. Then dry your hands thoroughly. Don’t go overboard with the antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer, and don’t allow yourself to get all “germ obsessed.” When your immune system is healthy, it will protect you.
4. Take a multivitamin mineral supplement. In addition to taking vitamin D, a good multivitamin mineral supplement can help boost your immune system and keep you feeling good. Be sure to look for a high-quality supplement that contains vitamins A and C, along with the minerals zinc and selenium and the amino acid L-carnitine. Glutathione is an important immune-enhancing antioxidant that has been shown to help support your liver, the organ primarily responsible for detox in your body. Turmeric is a great free radical scavenger and does double duty to improve joint and cardiovascular health. If you are under stress, you may want to add an adaptogen, such as ashwagandha, to your supplement routine. And don’t forget to take enough magnesium. Remember, vitamins are not magic bullets, but they can help support your body when used properly. Take the supplements that feel right for your body, and remember that what is right for you now may change, so trust your intuition.
5. Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep is important for your brain and every organ in your body. When I feel like I am getting sick, sleep is my number one remedy because it allows my body to repair. As the days get shorter, take your cue from the sun and go to bed earlier. (You can benefit from doing this even if you are not feeling sick.) Limit caffeine, avoid alcohol, and turn off the television, computer, and phone at least 1 hour before going to bed. Here are some more ways to get a good night’s sleep.
6. Clean your cell phone. Cell phones, computers, and other surfaces you touch frequently can harbor bacteria and viruses, such as rhinoviruses, for up to 48 hours! You can easily clean your phone with an antibacterial microfiber cloth and spray cleanser suited for your device. Also, don’t use other people’s devices if you can avoid it.
7. Keep your sinuses moist. Dry air can cause dry sinuses, and this can certainly be uncomfortable. Keeping your nasal passages moist can help prevent symptoms such as pain and nose bleeds and can even help prevent colds. An easy way to keep your sinuses moist and healthy is to use a saline nasal wash every day. You can buy saline nasal rinses and sprays such as NeilMed Sinus Rinse or Xlear Nasal Spray over the counter. Or you can use a neti pot and make you own saline solution with Himalayan neti salt and warm water. Another way to keep your sinuses healthy this winter is to use humidifiers to keep the air in your environment moist.
8. Move your body. Regular exercise strengthens your immune system. It also makes you feel good. If the winter months make you less likely to get outside for exercise, try doing an indoor workout. There are so many at-home workouts that you can do without owning any gym equipment. Just look on YouTube or other websites for inspiration and routines. You can also try group exercise classes, which not only will keep you moving but will help you stay connected to others and is another great way to strengthen your immune system.
9. Take a sauna. Saunas have many health benefits, and some studies show that regular saunas can reduce your chance of getting a cold by 30 percent. In addition, infrared saunas have even been shown to help prevent a cold from getting worse. One of the reasons is that a sauna-induced fever may stimulate the immune system to increase production of white blood cells and antibodies.
10. Exhale. This is not science but common sense. If you see someone coughing and sneezing around you, don’t inhale. Try to slowly exhale until you are well out of range of the possible contaminants—about 10 feet.

Natural Ways to Speed Recovery If You Get Sick

When I get a cold or the flu, it’s usually because I’ve been overdoing things and not getting enough quality sleep. The first thing I do if I become sleep deprived is to allow my body the time to recover. In addition to getting much-needed rest, I like to use the remedies I can find in my kitchen rather than take medicines if I don’t really need to. And you can, too. For example, the B.R.A.T. (bananas, rice, apple sauce, toast) diet is good if you are recovering from an upset stomach or diarrhea. And adding spices to your food can help ease nasal congestion. These are just a couple of ways you can feel better faster.
Here are 9 more easy ways you can recover naturally from common ailments:

1. Try homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies work with your body to help it heal on a deep, energetic level. For colds and flu-like symptoms, try oscillococcinum. This works whether or not you have been officially diagnosed with the flu to relieve some of the worst symptoms, including fever, congestion, sore throat, and body aches. You can find oscillococcinum at Whole Foods and many drugstores. I also recommend having a homeopathic emergency kit on hand. You can find these online at www.a2zhomeopathy.com. Usually, the 30C kit is all you need.
2. Load up on vitamin C. Vitamin C can do wonders to help you recover from a virus. In fact, IV vitamin C was once used to treat polio, which it cured in some cases. I keep 1,000 mg capsules of ascorbic acid in my home at all times and take it the minute I feel a sore throat or runny nose coming on. I recommend taking 1,000–2,000 mg every hour or so until you reach what is called “bowel tolerance.” At this point, you begin to have loose stools, which means your body is saturated with vitamin C. The amount of vitamin C it takes to get to this point varies.
3. Try echinacea. Echinacea (purple coneflower) has been used for centuries, and studies show it can reduce the duration of a cold. In addition, echinacea may help prevent the common cold.
4. Drink tea. Drinking green tea throughout the day can boost immune function. Add lemon to help thin mucus and honey to soothe a sore throat and fight bacteria that cause infection. Elderberry tea (or elderberry extract in water) is high in antioxidants and can help fight flu symptoms and shorten the duration by several days. If you don’t have any tea or elderberry, you can simply boil some pure water, add a little grated ginger, and take “hot sips” regularly throughout the day.
5. Eat mushrooms. . Mushrooms have been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for centuries to treat a variety of illnesses, maintain health, and prevent disease. Mushrooms are a true superfood. They are prebiotic, so they can improve your microbiome. In addition, mushrooms are a great source of vitamin D. And certain mushrooms are high in antioxidants, such as ergothioneine and glutathione. Some of the best mushrooms to add to your diet to boost immunity include porcini, golden oyster and oyster, pioppini, lion’s mane, maitake, and shiitake. But adding just about any edible mushrooms to your diet can help improve your health.
6. Sip soup. Chicken soup is not only good for the soul, but it can also be good for your body. Chicken soup contains an amino acid (L-cysteine) that can ease bronchial symptoms much like acetylcysteine, a drug used to treat bronchitis, asthma, and other lung diseases. It also contains electrolytes and other nutrients.
7. Gargle with salt. Gargling with salt can ease your sore throat and may actually kill viruses and bacteria in your throat.
8. Do nothing. There are times when you should not treat symptoms. For example, fevers can clear your body of viruses and bacteria. If you have a fever under 102°F, avoid the urge to treat it. You may be uncomfortable for a day or two, but allowing your body to work the way it was designed is often the best thing. Plus, many women will treat a fever then go about their day as they normally would. Avoid doing this! Your body needs rest to recover from illness.
9. Take a nitric oxide supplement. Nitric oxide is the miracle gas molecule that affects nearly every organ and system in your body, and some studies show that nitric oxide may play an important anti-inflammatory and antiviral role in preventing colds and improving cold symptoms. For example, one study indicated that higher levels of nitric oxide are associated with fewer cold symptoms and more rapid clearance of viral infections.

Supplements to Prevent and Treat COVID-19

In addition to everything I have mentioned above, there are some specific ways you can protect your immune system to help prevent COVID-19 infection.

As I have already mentioned, optimal vitamin D levels can help prevent acute respiratory infections. This includes both influenza and COVID-19. One possible way vitamin D strengthens the immune system is by regulating cytokine production.

Keeping a healthy gut microbiome is also an important factor in preventing COVID-19 infection as well as other illnesses. A less-than-optimal gut microbiome is associated with proinflammatory cytokines that could predispose you to severe COVID-19. The good news is your gut microbiome responds quickly to what you feed it. So, changing your diet to support your gut microbiome is an easy way to improve your immunity and stave off COVID-19 and other infections. Taking a high-quality probiotic is also a good way to improve your gut microbiome.

Zinc deficiency has been associated with more severe COVID-19 illness. Zinc deficiency can be caused by malnutrition, chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, and even some medications that increase the body’s loss of zinc, such as diuretics. Taking a zinc supplement alone or in combination with a zinc ionophore (such as hydroxychloroquine) has been proven effective in both preventing and treating COVID-19, especially in the early stages. Some experts do not recommend long-term use of zinc supplements because too-high doses over a long period of time can cause copper deficiency and subsequent hematologic and neurologic issues. However, zinc supplements and nasal sprays containing 50 mg of zinc are safe for daily use, especially if you feel a cold coming on. I like Vimergy liquid zinc. I take a small amount daily and more if I am coming down with a cold. You can also get adequate levels of zinc by eating meat, shellfish, chicken, nuts, and lentils.

Another supplement that is instrumental in helping to fight off coronavirus infections is quercetin. Quercetin is a flavonoid that has antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties. There is a large body of research showing that quercetin can help fight obesity, type 2 diabetes, circulatory dysfunction, chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, and mood disorders. It has also been found to trigger tumor regression and begin the process of apoptosis. In 2003, when the SARS epidemic broke out, research showed quercetin provided broad-spectrum protection against the SARS coronavirus. In June 2020, a study showed that quercetin interfered in multiple steps of pathogen virulence, virus entry, virus replication, and protein assembly and recommended its use against SARS-CoV-2, in combination with vitamin C because of their synergistic effects. You can take 500 mg of quercetin twice per day. Supplementing with vitamin C will enhance the effect.

Finally, melatonin is shown to help support immune function and prevent severe COVID-19 infection. Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic reported that patients who were taking melatonin had a nearly 30 percent lower likelihood of testing positive for COVID-19 after adjusting for age, race, smoking history, and various disease comorbidities; the likelihood of testing positive for the virus increased from 30 to 52 percent for African Americans who took the supplement. The usual dose is 0.5–3 mg taken 1 hour prior to bedtime. However, some doctors recommend 3–6 mg. Children should not take melatonin.

Over-the-Counter Treatments to Prevent COVID-19The CDC has now admitted that fully vaccinated people are not necessarily protected from contracting the Delta variant and can spread it. (This is known as viral immune escape, which immunologists should be talking about!) In fact, some studies show that vaccinated people can have up to 1,000 times more viral load in their noses and mouths than unvaccinated, and therefore can (and are) passing this much higher viral load to others—vaccinated and unvaccinated alike.

One easy way to help protect yourself from contracting COVID-19 is to take measures to reduce the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen load in your own respiratory and nasal secretions. Using a simple povidone iodine (brand name Betadine) mouth rinse and nose spray is an easy way to do this. You simply take a few drops of Betadine in water, swish it in your mouth, gargle and spit it out. For your nose you can either use a dropper or sprayer, spray the same diluted solution into each nostril and snort it out. Do this twice per day.
​
Iodine has been used for a long time as a safe and effective antimicrobial. You probably remember your mother putting it on scrapes when you were a child. However, if you are allergic to iodine or cannot use it for some other reason, you can use diluted hydrogen peroxide.  Some over-the-counter mouthwashes, such as Listerine, may also be effective for gargling. A placebo-controlled clinical trial testing 4 antiseptic mouthwash/gargling solutions is currently underway. -Shared from ​Christiane Northrup, M.D.

​A Land Remembered is a best-selling novel written by author Patrick D. Smith, and published in 1984 by Pineapple Press. It is historical fiction set mostly in pioneer or "cracker" Florida. The story covers over a century of Florida history from 1858 to 1968.

​A young businessman wakes up in a locked hotel room next to the body of his dead lover. He hires a prestigious lawyer to defend him, and over the course of one night, they work together to find out what happened.

​A lone scientist in the Arctic races to contact a crew of astronauts returning home to a mysterious global catastrophe.

​A rich Indian family's ambitious driver uses his wit and cunning to escape from poverty and rise to the top as an entrepreneur.

​A socially awkward 16-year-old meets her mother's fiancé, a man whose charm, intelligence and beauty seems too perfect to be human.

​A bloodthirsty grizzly bear stalks two estranged brothers (James Marsden, Thomas Jane) in the Alaskan wilderness.

​2018 | TV-14 | 55m | Documentary Films. This documentary on actress and television producer Betty White traces her decades-long career as a woman breaking new ground in entertainment. Starring:Betty White, Valerie Bertinelli, Georgia Engel

​Filmmaker Helena Coan examines the remarkable life and career of actress, fashion icon and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn.

​Elite snipers Beckett (Chad Michael Collins) and Miller (Billy Zane) are tasked with guarding a gas pipeline. A ghost shooter seems to know exactly where they'll be at all times, and they begin to suspect he's being aided from within.

​When Michael Harding (Penn Badgley) returns home from military school, he discovers that his mother (Sela Ward) has a new man, named David (Dylan Walsh), in her life. Though David makes Michael's mother very happy, Michael cannot seem to shake feelings of distrust. He becomes increasingly suspicious of the man and wonders if the pleasant exterior hides a sinister side.

​Sent to live with his estranged father for the summer, a rebellious teen finds kinship in a tight-knit Philadelphia community of Black cowboys.

​When a prisoner transfer van is attacked, the officer in charge must fight those inside and outside while dealing with a silent foe: the icy temperatures.

​Commuter Rachel Watson (Emily Blunt) catches daily glimpses of a seemingly perfect couple, Scott and Megan, from the window of her train. One day, Watson witnesses something shocking unfold in the backyard of the strangers' home. Rachel tells the authorities what she thinks she saw after learning that Megan is now missing and feared dead. Unable to trust her own memory, the troubled woman begins her own investigation, while police suspect that Rachel may have crossed a dangerous line.

​When Effie Gray becomes the wife of distinguished writer John Ruskin, it soon becomes apparent that Ruskin regards her as a muse rather than a wife, and the stifling atmosphere of their home soon takes a toll on Effie's health.

​A Parisian aristocrat, quadriplegic since a paragliding accident, hires a young man to be his live-in caretaker. Although very different the two men bond and develop a close friendship.

​Always feeling like they have to say "no" to their kids, Allison and Carlos decide to give their three kids a "Yes Day," during which the kids have 24 hours to make the rules.

​Fiction and reality begin to blur when a struggling writer hires a woman to watch over her twin children.

​California entrepreneurs Ben (Aaron Johnson) and Chon (Taylor Kitsch) run a lucrative business raising marijuana and share a one-of-a-kind love with beautiful O (Blake Lively). Life in Laguna Beach is idyllic for them, until Elena (Salma Hayek), the merciless leader of the Mexican Baja Cartel, moves in and demands a piece of the action. However, Elena underestimates the trio's unbreakable bond, and with the help of a shady DEA agent (John Travolta), Ben, Chon and O go to war.

​Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen), his wife Leslie and their six children live deep in the wilderness of Washington state. Isolated from society, Ben and Leslie devote their existence to raising their kids -- educating them to think critically, training them to be physically fit and athletic, guiding them in the wild without technology and demonstrating the beauty of co-existing with nature. When Leslie dies suddenly, Ben must take his sheltered offspring into the outside world for the first time.

​A trial of faith unfolds at the apex of World War I, when secrets are revealed to three courageous Portuguese children through a series of apparitions, while their doubting family and aggressive government officials try to silence them.

​You may have heard about the sea moss “superfood” recently. It’s being touted by celebrities as an immune-boosting, skin-healing, digestive aid, but like most declared superfoods, sea moss has actually been consumed for centuries.

Although the research on sea moss is limited, there are reports of the seaweed possessing brain-protecting, immune-boosting and digestion-aiding properties. Plus, we know that seaweed is an excellent source of health-promoting nutrients.

So is sea moss all it’s cracked up to be? Let’s find out.

What Is Sea Moss?Sea moss, also known as Irish moss, is a red seaweed with the scientific name Chondrus crispus. It’s been consumed by humans for thousands of years, found mainly on rocks along the North Atlantic Coast.

Today, it’s planted and processed in several coastal countries, including the U.S., China and Ireland, and used for its carrageenan content.
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Carrageenan is commonly used as a food additive for its binding, thickening and stabilizing effects. It’s used in food products including almond milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, creamers, yogurt, canned soups and frozen pizzas.

Carrageenan is also an active ingredient in some conventional medicine solutions.
Sea moss is also valued for its algal polysaccharide, which is extracted from carrageenan and has medicinal and health-related properties. Studies propose that algal polysaccharide aids:

• immunity enhancement
• antioxidant effects
• antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities
• tumor inhibition
• hypertension prevention
• high cholesterol prevention
• blood sugar control

In addition to its carrageenan and algal polysaccharide content, sea moss is also rich in:

• proteins
• peptides
• amino acids
• lipids
• pigments

The potential health benefits of this red algae are linked to its neuroprotective and immune-boosting constituents.

BenefitsThere are some potential benefits of sea moss, but the studies evaluating these effects have been done in labs or on animals. There certainly isn’t a clear understanding of how Irish moss may improve the health of humans, but the nutrient content in the seaweed is promising.

1. Aids Digestion

Irish moss works as a prebiotic, allowing it to influence the composition of our gut microbiota. It’s also a mucilaginous food that has a sticky texture and helps stool move through the gastrointestinal tract more easily.

In a study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, rats fed Irish moss showed significant improvements in gut microbiota composition.

Researchers suggest that, based on these findings, sea moss may help improve gut health and immune modulation. It was able to increase the population of beneficial bacteria and decrease harmful bacteria, including Streptococcus pneumoniae.

2. May Boost Neurological Health

Studies suggests that red seaweed may have neuroprotective effects because of its ability to alleviate oxidative stress. For this reason, researchers indicate that C. crispus may be a promising ingredient in pharmaceutical applications for potential novel anti-neurodegenerative drugs for humans.

3. Boosts Immune Function

Research published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology indicates that red seaweed enhances host immunity and suppresses the expression of what’s called “virulence factors,” or molecules that are produced by bacteria, fungi and viruses.

This study was conducted in a lab, but researchers concluded that its results suggest that components of C. crispus may play a health-promoting role in animals and humans.

4. Increases Satiety

When combined with liquids, Irish moss has a gel-like texture that is thick and sticky. It acts as a soluble fiber that helps keep you full longer.

Adding Irish moss to meals may increase satiety and, therefore, possibly cut down on the amount of calories you consume. There isn’t scientific evidence to back this up, but the idea is that sea moss works similarly to chia seeds and aloe in this respect.

5. May Have Anti-Tumor Effects

There are some lab studies suggesting that Irish moss has anti-tumor effects that are due to its algal polysaccharide content. Researchers don’t have definitive answers about why this occurs in lab trials, but they indicate that it may be due to polysaccharide’s ability to enhance the body’s immunity and improve its antioxidant activity.

6. Rich in Iodine

A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that iodine in C. crispus is high and bioavailable. Both low and high iodine intake levels can increase the risk of disease, so it’s important to consume the right amount.

Iodine-rich foods support thyroid function, healthy metabolism and brain health. Your thyroid, for instance, must have high enough iodine levels to make thyroxine, a key hormone that works to regulate important, everyday biochemical reactions.

Thyroid disorders that may arise from low-iodine levels can lead to symptoms like sluggish appetite, heart issues, mood changes, weight fluctuations and appetite changes.

7. May Boost Skin Health

Sea moss is used in skin care products because of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s also rich in nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A and magnesium.
Using sea moss topically may help hydrate and soothe your skin, while fighting damage and infections. There isn’t any scientific research on the benefits of Irish moss for skin, but its vitamin and mineral content alone is promising for promoting healthy aging.

How to Use

You can find sea moss in raw, dried or gel form. It’s also available as a powder or capsule, and it’s used as an ingredient in some skin care products.

You may have a hard time finding sea moss at your local grocery store, so purchasing it from a reputable company online is another option.

Irish moss is pretty much flavorless, so it can easily be added to smoothie, juice and soup recipes. Remember that it works as a thickener, so it also works well in sauces and even baked goods.

Like algae, you have the option to supplement with sea moss pills and sea moss powder. However, keep in mind that the science on humans is lacking, so check with your health care provider first. This is especially true if you have hypothyroidism.

Risks and Side Effects

When consumed in normal amounts, sea moss is generally safe and may have health benefits. Excessive consumption of Irish moss, however, can mean that you’re ingesting too much iodine.

Too much iodine can cause thyroid disorders, so you need to be careful not to take in too much of the nutrient. If you have Hashimoto’s, thyroiditis or other issues related to hypothyroidism, speak to your doctor about limiting iodine foods.

One of the most frustrating components to the illness is the condition of Fibro Fog.  Fibrofog is a term given to a variety of cognitive problems that many fibromyalgia sufferers face from time to time.  Fibrofog encompasses memory loss, difficulties using language, and difficulties with learning.  These symptoms tend to descend in a haze or "fog," around the sufferer.  Fibrofogs can occur at any time and can vary in intensity when they do occur.  Fibrofogs tend to be at their most severe during flare ups. Fibrofog affects about both women and men who have fibromyalgia pain, though it tends to hit women more often.  Women between the ages of 30 and 50 are most likely to be affected by fibrofog.  Episodes of fibrofog typically last only a few days, though sometimes severe fibrofog can last for weeks or even months.

Fibro Fog Symptoms Include:

* short term memory loss
* difficulty remembering where you put things
* difficulty remembering plans
* difficulty with language, including trouble holding conversations
* difficulty finding the "right" word to use in conversation
* trouble remembering simple numbers
* transposing letters and numbers
* trouble concentrating and focusing
* trouble retaining new information

Anyway you can ease up major brain functioning during this time can be an added blessing to ward off stress. Simple lists to attack daily needs can enable a sense of confidence when the day is through.  Do be aware of how much you can physically undertake.  Making lists that are multi-tasked and loaded with a major task load should be avoided or split over several days.

When fibro fog hits, be gentle on yourself.  Don't push these days; wait for the fog to pass.  You can always make up chores on good days when you are feeling better.  Pushing yourself only leads to compound anxiety that fuels flare-ups.

One major tool I've implemented is the use of pill boxes.  No more worries if I've remembered to take that pill or supplement.  And there is nothing more that heightens anxiety than wondering if you took an extra pill, or forgot to take one.  I have a large pill box for supplements. On Sunday evening I can easily set out my vitamin supplements for a week.  Since I can't take several doses at once, I can easily take them throughout the day until my section remains empty.  Taking several doses prompts slight flare ups which I've learned to avoid.  Any medications go into a smaller pill box.  This allows me to stretch doses so that my body is not overwhelmed.  I have medicine sensitivities so I have fewer pills and don't feel comfortable mixing them with other daily supplements.