In the previous article in this series I mentioned supplements, diet, and making positive lifestyle changes such as exercise and the effects that this has on strengthening your body so that you can fight back better against whatever comes. Now let’s talk about natural herbs which are a very powerful tool to heal and protect ourselves.
Here are some of my favorites:
Curcumin has an orange-yellow color and is a component of turmeric which is often found in curry powder. It is a well researched herb with well known anti-inflammatory properties and it can help improve immunity as well.
Milk Thistle has the active ingredient silymarin which acts as an antioxidant and also helps with the body’s detoxification process. Research shows that it can also be effective on strengthening the immune system and fighting infections.
Dandelion has many benefits besides supporting the body’s immune system. It is also a very powerful antioxidant and it contains beta carotene as well which plays a vital role in reducing cell damage.
Nettle stimulates the immune system, improves the reaction to allergies, improves digestion and has many other benefits. I like to drink nettle tea every day.
Burdock Root is a very powerful antioxidant and helps to cleanse the body. It also helps the body to fight infections too.
Calendula has been shown to improve immunity and help the body fight off infection. It is also antimicrobial and can slow down infection and prevent infection from spreading as well.
Red Raspberry Leaf is a great support for immunity, and in leaf tea form is delicious as well.
Marshmallow Leaf and Root are used for inflammation and respiratory health problems such as dry cough and are also very effective for strengthening the immune system too.
Cayenne Pepper helps in removing toxins from the body and it can also help reduce pain, improve digestion and fight infections, especially colds. You can add it to your meal during or after cooking, or you can mix it with apple cider vinegar and hot water and drink it to reduce cold symptoms and help clear your sinuses.
Of course, so many other herbs can help in strengthening the immune system and preventing diseases, far too many to go into detail on in this short article. Just if you would like to try any of these herbs then please do make sure to check if there are any interactions with any medication that you are taking. You can also start by just drinking the herbs in tea form or consuming as a culinary additive with your meal, such as turmeric. If you would like to learn more about the herbs that I have mentioned here then I have listed references at the end of this article with some very helpful information.
Of course, nothing that we can take externally is as powerful as our mind. We are way stronger than we think!
I understand that we can not always control everything. I wish we could… But you may have heard stories even talking about spontaneous healing, where the person’s body healed itself, and we can not explain how? You probably already know the power of thinking positively to support the healing process, especially when dealing with serious disease. So being grateful, happy, and full of love helps us to stay connected with our body. It is the first step in molecular healing. So even if you already have some health issues it can certainly be very positive to look at your life and see what you can improve to help yourself feel better.
“Thoughts and feelings less than Love are mutations of the perfect design or the perfect potential. The real causes of disease are negative thoughts are feeling created by a soul who is out of balance”
— Dr. Richard Anderson, ND
If you think about it, it is impossible to be angry and at the same time to be grateful. You can not be happy and at the same time be sad. So we always have a choice to make.
We can choose to intentionally be sad for a while, and this is a completely normal state, however if we stay in this state for too long then we may have to face the consequences.
Consuming the correct foods, and the correct quality of foods, doing regular activity, daily meditation, thinking positive thoughts as much as possible and being aware in each moment are the biggest supports that we can give our body.
Because if one of these is not working, we may have health issues. Remember our body is the only place that we have to live…
References:
• Cleanse & Purify Thyself by Richard Anderson, ND
• https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-do-thoughts-and-emotions-affect-health
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17569218/
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320362#ten-health-benefits-of-milk-thistle
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12444368/
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324083#10-possible-health-benefits
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5879320/
• https://www.healthline.com/health/burdock-root
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320035#health-benefits
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6739258/
• https://chestnutherbs.com/blog-herbs-for-the-immune-system/
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324860
• https://www.rxlist.com/marshmallow/supplements.htm
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267248
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Ayda Ersoy, Nutritionist (Dip.C.N., Dip.S.N.), Master Trainer (CPT ACE, NCSF, CanfitPro), Registered Yoga Teacher, Founder, Health Angel Nutrition, Fitness and Wellness, Founder, SMS (Stability, Mobility Strength) Intuitive Training System.
