Surviving the Flu Part 3 | Fight the Fear and Flu with Food
I was in California visiting my parents last weekend and before leaving them, I went to the grocery store and stocked them full of veggies and fruits to keep their immune systems as optimized as possible. Here is what I bought:
1) Organic CITRUS—oranges, lemons, and grapefruits— that they can blend into smoothies, incorporating the RIND for extra Vitamin C.
TIP: I asked my mother to dehydrate whatever citrus rinds that she didn’t immediately use to have on hand for future use.
2). Organic BERRIES. My parents already have a freezer full but I noticed that they were not eating fresh fruits and vegetables and wanted to make sure they got plenty of antioxidants right now, after being exposed to me, a frequent flier. Berries also are less likely to elevate blood sugar than sweeter fruits. I made a berry and fruit smoothie every day for us and incorporated spoonfuls of freshly ground FLAX seed to top them off. Flax seed is a good source of omega three fats, which are also antiinflammatory.
3). Organic TURMERIC and GINGER. These have powerful antimicrobial and anti inflammatory effects. I try to get turmeric every single day, whether it is a few teaspoons of the powder that I use on my food or by making a tea with the root itself.
4). Organic GARLIC and ONION. Before leaving, I made an ANTIINFLAMMATORY TEA by simmering a few cloves of garlic, two onions, a couple inches of turmeric root and ginger in a large pot of water. I added just a pinch of REAL salt to give a nice flavor and asked them to drink the broth throughout the day. All of these ingredients have antimicrobial and anti inflammatory effects.Onions can be used as powerful poultices and the poultices are very helpful for respiratory problems. It is also very anti inflammatory to eat, whether raw in your salad or cooked in a broth. Garlic is a powerful aid for infections. I blend a clove or two with some freshly squeezed lemon juice and drink at the first sign of a cold.
5) Lemongrass. I cut up a stalk of lemongrass and simmered to make a tea of this as well. Lemongrass has antimicrobial and anti inflammatory effects as well.
6) I had already given them some OREGANO oil so I didn’t have to buy any on this trip. We use oregano for inhalations to get the antimicrobial effects into the respiratory tract. I wrote about this in part two of this series.
7) Organic GREENS. I made us all a green smoothie every day that incorporated some kind of green leafy vegetable, celery, cucumber, green onion, garlic, onion, and avocado, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. It tastes best when you use basil or cilantro, but I use whatever I have.
These are powerful foods and there is plenty of scientific literature about the benefits of these superfoods for improving health and fighting disease, so I won’t expand on that in this blog. Rather, I’d like to share with you what I think about when I eat these foods. Perhaps it will bring comfort for you during this time of uncertainty and fear.
My parents live a two hour plane ride from me in California, and I see them every few months or so. It may be because I have been alone for so many years, but it is extremely comforting for me to feel the love of the special people in my life. One of the ways my parents show love is by fussing over my weight and how much I eat. My mother will make food and then sit and talk with me while I eat. I love to eat and I eat with extra special relish just so that she knows how much I appreciate her. I’m in my 40’s now, but it still makes me feel special to see how much she enjoys spending time with me and doing these simple things for me that make me feel so cherished.
When we say our good-byes and “I love you”‘s, something else we do is that we tell each other to eat well and to stay healthy. My parents tell me to eat more and to gain some weight. I tell them not to eat sugar, gluten, and to make sure that they get more fresh fruits and veggies into their diets. We all know that these dietary instructions are how we are telling each other, ”I love you; please be here and healthy when I come back again”.
I guess that it is a universally human thing to do, to express love by being concerned about the well-being of those that you love. I think that it is a way of expressing love that God Himself passed down to us. For those of you interested in diet and nutrition from an anthropological point of view, the Bible tells us that when the world was created, greens were for the animals to eat and humans were designed to eat fruits, seeds, grains, and nuts. In Genesis 3:18, we read about a change in the human diet that occurred after sin entered into the world.
When sin entered into the world, humans no longer had access to a tree that helped with longevity (called the Tree of Life) and humans were given SPECIAL instruction to eat greens (in addition to other plant foods they had been given).
I can’t imagine the broken heart of God to think of Adam and Eve and what they would need as they began living in a totally different world than that which they had been created for. I can almost hear Him at their last good-bye, saying with tears in His voice, sounding kind of like my parents, “Make sure you stick to the laws of health according to which I designed you and stay healthy. Make sure you eat those greens; you will need them especially now.”
When I eat healthy, plant-based foods, I eat them with a grateful heart because I see the love of a God who cherishes me and has thought of everything that I would need—including the best diet—to keep me healthy. And as I think of my parents who are so concerned for my well-being, I know that God, the source of that love, loves me infinitely more. According to the Bible, He cares for all humankind and is coming back to take us home to a world that will never be affected by sin or pandemics again. And so even today, when I am tempted to be fearful, I can know that “perfect love casts out all fear”. I know that I am never truly alone and that I can trust God to care for me through even the most trying circumstances, no matter how bleak the circumstances, and no matter the outcome.
In upcoming blogs, I will write about other principles of WHOLENESS that you need to stay well. WHOLENESS is an acronym. Every letter stands for a law of health that needs to be in place for the human body to function properly.
W ater —proper hydration
H abits —of eating, sleeping, living.
O xygen —fresh air, sleep apnea, posture
L ove —relationship with God, self, others
E nvironment —chemicals/toxins in food, environment
N utrition —antiinflammatory healing foods
E xercise —at the right time, pace and especially outdoors
S leep—one of the most powerful remedies
S unlight —another underutilized remedy but so necessary and helpful for the flu too!!
Remember that this is health education and not medical advice. Follow the advice given by health organizations for hygiene, avoiding unnecessary gatherings/travel, do all you can to build up your immune system, and most importantly, keep the faith.
Feel free to let me know in the comments below how you are doing. Are you building up your immune system, are you staying calm, and learning to trust in God? Hope these blogs are a blessing for you!
