4 Easy Ways to Boost Your Immunity

It’s the year of Covid and we’re entering flu season—double whammy. Here’s my favorite and most interesting ways to boost immunity:

Neti Pot & Gargling

The tried and true method of salt water is a great preventative. Many people are afraid to try the neti but once they do, they become converts. Salt water hydrates, soothes, heals, and maintains mucosa. It has antibacterial and antiviral properties. It’s also great at keeping your vocal cords supple.

Copper Zap

I promised interesting—a copper instrument that you stick into your nostrils. Back in 2016 I was updating my science classes at MCTC and my microbiology instructor talked about the research her team was conducting looking at copper’s ability to fight infections from bacteria. A year or two later I learned about the Copper Zap and decided to try it. Now it’s part fo my biweekly regimen. I also use it when I feel depleted or overtired. Here’s a study from another research team.

Wet Socks

I learned about this several years ago and started practicing it weekly during winters. Take a pair of wool socks and wet thoroughly with as cold water as you can. Put those on and cover with a pair of dry socks to prevent your bed from getting wet. In the morning you’ll wake with dry feet and a boosted immune system. Your body has to work a little harder to pump blood to dry and warm your feet (a little like a tiny fever), causing an immune boost. It’s an old home remedy that’s absolutely brilliant.

Fire Cider

I’ve written about this before because it’s such a nourishing way to keep healthy. Many cultures around the world use this tonic regularly. I make my fire cider every October and have the jars sitting in my kitchen on display for the winter season—they’re decorative and functional. Fill your jars with jalapeños, chilis, garlic, turmeric, tamarind, chives, ginger, lemon or lime peel, radish, horseradish, star anise, rosemary, thyme. I caution against using onions as they can make the resulting liquid sickly sweet. Pack the jars as full as you can with phytonutrients then pour Bragg’s apple cider vinegar over it, covering all the vegetables. It’s important that the veggies be completely covered so that they don’t mold. The apple cider vinegar needs to have the mother (the bacteria/yeast particles) on the bottom; filtered ACV won’t do. Place your jars on a shelf for a month. You’ll see the colors drain from the veggies as the vinegar leeches the nutrients. After a month, it’s ready for use. Most people take a teaspoon to a tablespoon several times a week in hot water or tea. If a cold is coming on, then take several times a day. Fire cider boosts immunity, aids and enhances digestion, promotes beneficial bacteria in the intestines, is anti-inflammatory, and shifts the pH balance a bit toward the acidic. All that in a teaspoon! You can have fun playing with the recipe (there are thousands of recipes all over the internet), making it up as you go. Just be sure to use fresh, organic produce.

Fever remedy

This is soooo cool. I found this on Namaste Health Center's website. It is weird but makes so much sense. Traditional medicine has gems like this that should be resurrected:

Magic Wet Sock Treatment
We love to recommend this old-time nature cure remedy that anyone can do at home. It involves using the principles of hydrotherapy to boost the immune system for both acute illnesses and prevention. All you need is two pairs of socks and a bowl of ice water! Grab a pair of thin cotton or polyester blend socks and put them in a bowl of ice water by your bed. If you are feeling chilly or feet are cold, take a warm bath or at least warm your feet first. Take the socks out of the ice water and wring out until barely damp, then place on your feet and put dry wool socks over the top and get in bed. While you are sleeping, your body is increasing circulation and lymphatics to dry the damp socks, which can also make a low grade fever much more productive to kick out even stubborn viruses! You will likely wake up sometime during the night and your feet will be hot and socks are dry, at that point you can take off the socks…the whole process of warming the socks is what will boost the immune system. Sounds weird, but it works!

What is the difference between colds & flu?

So, other than being caused by different viruses, what are the differences between having a cold and having the flu? How can one tell by one's symptoms?

 Colds and flu can present with similar symptoms, but flu is distinguished by body aches and fever. A cold can produce a low-grade fever (under 100*F) but flu will produce the real thing (over 100*F). Both are contagious for about the same amount of time, with variance depending on the particular virus.

From the CDC website:

The period when an infected person is contagious depends on the age and health of the person. Studies show that most healthy adults may be able to infect others from 1 day prior to becoming sick and for 5 days after they first develop symptoms. Some young children with weakened immune systems may be contagious for longer than a week.

And according to Dr. Sears, the famous pediatrician:

In general, a cold is contagious from about 24 hours before onset of symptoms until about 5 days after onset.