Nourishing a Balanced Immune System

That lovely chill is in the air! Autumn is officially here. I have bust out the fingerless gloves, started putting away t-shirts, and am pulling out flannel plaid button-ups. I just love this season. It is also the time to start pulling some of those immunity-building herbs from the shelf and start brewing some teas!

We tend to think that people that work with other germ-sharers in close quarters are the ones that should really get their immune systems up and running. Pre-school teachers, cashiers, etc. But people that work in indoor environments where fresh air is limited should also be sure to get those immune systems strong! Office workers need to get their tea on just as much as the rest of us.

There are those of you out there who might think you don't need to build your immune system because you just never get sick. While this may seem healthy at first glance, it is actually a vital function of a good immune system to get rid of toxins from our bodies via a runny nose, fever, or some sort of symptom of sickness. If you never get sick it means you are never fully ridding your body of toxins. Nourishing your immune system will help it work more effectively at flushing your system of pathogens and toxins.

Nourishing your immune system is about balancing your system so it will effectively rid your body of any pathogens or toxins but not be too sensitive to everything it encounters. You can take immune building throughout cold and flu season.

There are a few herbs that are great at nourishing the immune system without overstimulating it. Astragalus root is one of the best herbs for building the immune system. It is super effective at building up a strong and balanced immune system. You can take this herb everyday as a tincture, tea, or capsule. However, this is not an herb to take when you have a fever since it will make it difficult for your body to naturally try to lower your fever. I often throw astragalus into soup broths and add it into rice or quinoa as I cook it. I tend not to eat the root after it is cooked, but I know of people that do. It has a pleasant, slightly sweet taste.

All of the adaptogen herbs also help build immunity. Eleuthero, tulsi, schisandra, ginseng, and ashwagandha are all great at gently nourishing the immune system. The medicinal mushrooms are also great immune system builders: reishi, maitake, shiitake. All are wonderful herbs to take as a tincture, tea, or capsule. The medicinal mushrooms make wonderful soup broth. Add shiitake or maitake to your dishes and you have a savory, tasty, and healing dinner!

Healing Soup Broth:

Throughout the summer I tend to freeze the scraps of veggies I don't use in gallon freezer bags. Carrot greens, kale stalks, garlic and onion peels all go into the freezer. When I am ready for soup season, I take a bunch of these veggie scraps and put them in a soup pot along with a spoonful of astragalus root, a few slices of reishi and maitake mushrooms, a few garlic cloves, burdock root, and a little ginger root. I add a piece of kelp for extra mineral and vitamin richness and for some thyrid support. It is also a nice substitute for lots of salt. For some extra nourishment I might add some organic meat bones to the mix. I simmer all of this on the stove for about an hour. I then strain out the veggies and herbs and have a wonderful, tasty, and nourishing broth ready to make all kinds of awesome soups! For some extra healing and scrumptiousness, when you have finished cooking the soup and are about to serve it, add a spoonful of miso paste per bowl of soup. Slurp to your health!

Dealing with Allergies Naturally

The flowers and leafy trees are finally here! However, for some people the growing green means the arrival of allergy season.

Two herbs that are wonderful for dealing with the symptoms of allergies are Nettle and Goldenrod. Nettle is a super plant which many mistakenly just view as a common weed with a bit of a bite because of its stingers. Nettle helps you deal with allergies, nourishes your kidneys, helps with arthritis, provides tons of vitamins, minerals, and chlorophyll to your body, and is even a source of protein. It's a wonder herb that is super nourishing. When I drink a cup of nettle tea I feel as though every cell in my body is just being rejuvenated. I most enjoy taking the dried leaves of nettles as a tea.

Goldenrod is a beautiful herb that grows everywhere where there might be a decent plot of dirt. Goldenrod tends to bloom at the same time as ragweed so there is a false belief that goldenrod is partially responsible for hay fever. However, it is just the opposite. Goldenrod is a wonderful herb that helps deal with symptoms of allergies and helps balance any other upper respiratory issues.

A number of other herbs might be helpful for the symptoms of allergies. Osha root taken as a tincture is one of my favorites to clear out congestion. Eyebright could help with itchy eyes. Just prepare a tea and then use the tea as an eyewash.

Incorporating raw local honey into your diet also helps you deal with allergies. By eating local raw honey you are bringing into your body all the naturally occurring pollens in your environment in a way that allows your body to acclimate. Bee pollen is also helpful, either sprinkled into a smoothie or food or taken as a capsule.

Allergies also mean that your immune system is in overdrive, treating particles in the environment like attackers. It is important to nourish and revive your immune system during allergy season to ensure you don't tucker it out! Reishi, Maitake, and Shiitake are all wonderful mushrooms that will nourish the immune system and also have some anti-inflammatory properties, so they will also alleviate some allergy symptoms. Astragalus root is another powerful immune system helper. Mushrooms are easy to include in your diet either by directly adding them to dishes or by using them to make a soup stock.. If you buy mushrooms dehydrated they are much cheaper. You can also take medicinal mushrooms and astragalus as a tincture. The medicinal mushrooms can also be purchased as a powder to sprinkle in your food or smoothies.

Finally, make sure to take care of yourself. Use a neti pot frequently. Avoid foods that cause mucus build up, such as dairy, wheat, and meat. Eat lots of vegetables and drink lots of water to flush your body.

Allergies can create a bit of a war between ourselves and the beautiful world we are living in. The outdoors with all of its greenery and wild growth becomes an enemy that must be either suffered or conquered. What better way to create a bridge into the natural world than by incorporating natural healing into your path.