Written by Kari, Contributing Writer

This is a transitional time of year for almost everybody out there. School has started up again, summer is almost over and the cooler months are on the way. All of this means that we are going to have to pay more attention to keeping our immune systems strong so those ever present germs and bugs don’t have a chance to wreak havoc inside our bodies!

Even healthy families and houses can experience the sniffles, coughing and that ‘yucky’ feeling, but do we have to resort to the Cold/Flu aisle at the local grocery store to get us through these times?

Absolutely not!

I can’t tell you the last time I bought OTC medication for my family when those runny noses, sore throats and coughing made an appearance. I made a decision eight years ago, after my daughter was born, to take care of these issues in a better and more safe way. First and foremost my husband and I pray over our children and ourselves and speak healing scriptures over us. That is always our main defense – then we attack the natural symptoms in the body so we don’t have to just ‘wait it out’. We usually get things nipped in the bud quickly and these symptoms never go longer than a day or two.

Often times adults and children alike have weakened immune systems due to a myriad of reasons, including antibiotic use, poor nutrition, lack of activity and exercise and stress – just to name a few. Along with addressing these issues, there are several things that are in my go-to ‘health arsenal’ that are natural and safe and I feel comfortable in giving my family knowing they are beneficial to our bodies and not harmful or toxic.

How To Keep Your Immune System Strong and Treat Symptoms Naturally

1. A  healthy diet

This is extremely important. If your body isn’t getting nutritious food that support the functioning of the body, your natural immune defenses will be down and this makes it so much easier for germs, viruses and bacteria to enter in and take root. So, eliminating or decreasing processed foods, eating fresh and living foods, drinking plenty of water and eating a good variety of macronutrients (healthy carbs, healthy fats and protein) is a sure way to keep the immune system strong. We also like to make our own ‘Spa Water’ around here that livens things up a bit while adding some healthy goodness to our water intake.

2. Vitamin D

When sunshine decreases in your area and you’re not spending as much time under those beautiful rays – then supplementing with Vitamin D3 is a must. Now, D3 is a fat soluble vitamin and is better assimilated by the body when taken with a fat. This is why it’s best to take Vitamin D3 with Cod Liver Oil (which contains concentrated vitamin D, vitamin A and is the #1 source of EPA and DHA). As an added note – we also lay off the sunscreen for the most part. Unless we’ll be outside in 100 degree weather for hours on end – we don’t use sunscreen. We welcome the healthy sun to do it’s job and give us natural Vitamin D! Instead we just use coconut oil or a special oil blend I make specifically for time in the sun.

3. Probiotics

The health of your gut can determine your overall health. It’s important to keep our gut populated with good bacteria and eating probiotic-rich foods is the best option. Full-fat yogurt, dairy kefir, coconut kefir, amasai, summer sun pickles, water kefir, kombucha, kimichi and beet kvass are good examples of cultured food alive with good bacteria. If needed, supplementing with a high quality probiotic is the next best option.

4. Herbs

Used since the beginning of time, herbs are amazing and there are so many things you can make with them that strengthen your immune system or attack the bad invaders if they’ve already settled in. A few of my favorite recipes that we use all the time are Elderberry Syrup, Safe Cough Syrup, Natural Remedy for Sore Throats and Immune Strengthening Herbal Tea Blend. I also like to incorporate essential oils for even better results. Even simply combining eucalyptus, rosemary and lavender essential oils with some almond oil makes a good rub when you have congestion and a stuffy nose.

5. Juicing

I am a huge advocate of juicing and for many reasons. I have experienced nothing but positive results with my family ever since we began juicing 5 years ago. Regular juicing removes toxins, cleanses on a cellular level and gives your digestive system a break! If you need to treat symptoms you see coming on – add ginger, garlic, beets, parsley or wheatgrass! Here are some of my day to day recipes we like in our house.

Choosing to make our own products has not only saved us a lot of money, but I also believe it has saved our bodies from untold amounts of damage. I have always valued the remedies of years gone by that were used by old-time grandmothers from the farm, civilizations that only had the substance of the earth to rely on and just good old common sense!

There’s no reason to fall prey to these transitional symptoms that try to show up this time of year. Start with a solid foundation of a good diet and include the other beneficial goodies as a way to keep your immune system strong and to treat symptoms naturally!

Take charge with your family’s health and make a quality decision to only take care of them using safe and natural methods! Doing this is a long term investment that pays off with long and healthy lives!

Make yours a LIFE WORTH LIVING and be confident in the fact that it is possible when you realize the reality of HEALTH MADE EASY!

Some good points to remember:

In what ways are you creating your families health arsenal?

*this post is linked to: Encourage One Another, Titus 2sdays, and WFMW*

The post Create Your Own Health Arsenal: Build A Strong Immune System & Treat Symptoms Naturally appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Kristin, Guest Post

I am a native of Florida. I should be used to summer heat. I should naturally love and embrace 101 degree heat waves like a pro. August in Florida is just plain old hot! I am still working on the embracing part.

Even with the heat, life must go on as normal. My children love the outdoors and being kept in the house for more than a couple hours can lead to absolute chaos. Playtime outside is a must.

We also have four new hens in our backyard. We have been busy prepping our yard for hens, cleaning waste, restocking hay, scattering feed, and searching for highly desired eggs.

Much of our outdoors time has also been spent prepping our soon-to-be Fall garden. I have been a bit neglectful to our garden this summer which means a lot more work.

Note to every gardener: do not let your garden go in between planting seasons, you will soon come to regret such a decision. Pulling weeds in August, in Florida, is  hot!

With all this summer work and play, I have learned, staying hydrated is critical.

Before our real food days, this meant Gatorade, Powerade, and store-bought specialty drinks like powdered lemonade and instant tea. I thought I was hydrating my body, but at the end of the day I felt tired, sluggish, and in great need of something more. My body still yearned for hydration.

Since turning to real food, our family chooses to beat the heat naturally. An approach that quenches the body’s desire for hydration and leaves us energized ready for more work and play.

Five Simple Ways to Beat the Heat Naturally:

1. Water

Water is your best friend in the summer heat, yet many of us just don’t get enough. Lack of water can quickly drain you of essential energy and cause that sluggish 3pm nap-time feeling. I have found the best way to keep myself drinking water is to carry a water bottle everywhere I go! Find a cute water bottle, one you will want to carry and drink from. If you aren’t a fan of plain old water, add a flavor infusion, naturally. My personal favorites are: strawberries, mint leaves and cucumber slices, lemons and cucumbers, and blueberries.  Simply add your flavoring to your water (in either a water bottle or a pitcher) and allow to sit in the fridge overnight. By morning you will have a delicious, naturally-flavored water to help keep you hydrated all day.

2. Juice

Seven years ago, my husband and I purchased our first juicer. At the time we weren’t quite sure what to do with it. We started experimenting with various fruits and veggies and later greens and even herbs. All these years later, I still love that juicer! I particularly love it during the summer, when after hours of being in the heat, I am looking for a quick, nourishing, refreshing treat. In a matter of minutes, I can make a perfectly satisfying drink packed full of nutrients. My kids (3 and 1) love to help pick out fruits and veggies to juice and place them through the chute. Here are two of our favorite summer juices:

Strawberry Lemonade:  1 lemon (peeled), 2 apples, 1 cup strawberries. Run strawberries through the juicer then add lemon and apples.

 Summer Green Juice: 1 cucumber, 1 handful kale leaves (or any green), 1 apple, 1 lemon (peeled), 3 celery stalks. Run the kale through the juicer wrapped around the cucumber, add the lemon, apple, and celery.

 Watermelon Cooler: 1 lemon (peeled), 2 limes (peeled), 2 apples, 5-6 watermelon slices. Run everything through the juicer. (You can also add mint leaves through the juicer to add a mint twist.)

3. Coconut Water

Coconut water is derived from young, green coconuts. It is a clear liquid with a sweet taste. Coconut water is a perfect substitute for sports drinks as it contains potassium and electrolytes as well as essential naturally-occurring  sugars.  Coconut water can be purchased in cartons on grocery and health food store shelves or can consumed fresh by purchasing young, green coconuts.

 4. Smoothies and Popsicles

Smoothies are a perfect summer treat as they pack loads of fruits and even veggies along with hydrating liquids such as water, fresh juices, kefir, and coconut water. After hours playing outside, a smoothie can both refresh and refuel the body providing essential vitamins and minerals. Smoothies also make the perfect popsicles! Pour any smoothie blend into popsicle molds, place in the freezer, and hours later enjoy a refreshing summer treat. Super kid-friendly! Need summer smoothie recipes? I love this smoothie recipe round-up from Wellness and Workouts. You can find my favorite Beet-Strawberry Smoothie here.

 5. Soup

Soup may not be the first thing to come to mind when thinking about summer and beating the heat. Generally, when I think of soup I think of sweaters, jackets, and mittens, however, soup is a perfect summer dish. Soups with a broth base provide essential vitamins and minerals to the body which is are easily lost in the heat of summer. I am not a big fan of heating my kitchen up in the heat, so I turn to my trusted crock pot during hot summer months. Placing a few ingredients in the crock pot in the morning means our family will come home to a delicious, nourishing soup to satisfy our tired bodies at the end of the day. Two of my favorite summertime crock pot soups are: Poor Man’s Chicken Noodle Soup and Black Bean and Vegetable Soup . If you just can’t bring yourself to enjoy a hot soup, a simple cold Gazpacho is a wonderfully refreshing summer dinner.

Spending only a few minutes each day, in my kitchen, I can naturally help my family beat the heat. This means we have more energy and are ready for hours of outside time, enjoying all the fun of summer.

How do you beat the heat naturally?

The post How to Beat the Heat Naturally appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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