There have been mountains of articles and posts on how to stay healthy and practice social-distancing during this pandemic, but I’ve only seen a few articles on how to support our bodies’ immune systems to keep us healthy and resilient.
I will be sharing with you recipes, practices and information on how to utilize common foods, herbs and spices to make easy, nourishing, healing foods that support your health and vitality. When we are under stress, our immune system is challenged, making it even more important to incorporate healing and nourishing foods to stay strong, calm and healthy.
Nature has provided us with many foods, herbs and spices that boost and support our immune systems and gut. With at least 70% of your immune system in your gut, it’s critical to take care of your gut’s health as well as support your overall immune system.
In my last post, The Road to Health, I shared a list of foods that heal the gut and foods to avoid. Focusing on the foods to favor will help your gut to heal, reduce inflammation, and support your immune system. I even provide a smoothie recipe you can try, which is quick, yummy and uses easy-to-find ingredients.
Many culinary herbs not only enrich your meals but have powerful healing properties. They can support your immune and respiratory systems, aid digestion and boost immunity. Here are three that you likely already have in your pantry.
Thyme: long known for its healing properties, this culinary herb can help a sore throat, improve bronchitis symptoms, reduce coughing from upper respiratory infections, boost immunity, ease stomach distress, and reduce inflammation. Its oil is even used in mouthwashes to kill germs. It’s thought to have antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Lemon Balm: while culinary uses are varied, its traditional medicinal use was to lift the spirits by easing nervousness, anxiety, depression and insomnia. It can aid digestion and act as an antihistamine. It is also recognized as an antiviral and antibacterial herb.
Fennel: one of the more widely used culinary and medicinal plants, fennel is most commonly used to aid digestion and help the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal system. Fennel essential oil has been shown to contain more than 87 volatile compounds including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties.
You can make a healing tea* by steeping 1 teaspoon of each of the above dried herbs in 10-oz of hot water, letting them steep covered for 10-15 minutes to make the tea “more medicinal.” Adding a little raw honey when the tea is just cool enough to drink can boost the antiviral, antibacterial and antimicrobial benefits.
Raw Unfiltered Unpasteurized Honey: In this form, raw honey has many health benefits. It is filled with antioxidants which protect your body from cell damage by free radicals; it is antifungal, antibacterial and antiseptic. It has been used to treat wounds because it is an effective germ killer and aids in tissue regeneration, boosting healing time and reducing infection. It can even sooth a sore through and calm a cough. The best honey for you is the raw, unfiltered honey that is local to your area. It will contain the most beneficial complex of ingredients to support your health.
When purchasing your dried herbs, be sure and look for organic as that ensures they have not been irradiated. Many herbs, particularly ones that have been imported from other countries, have been irradiated, which if not destroys, can greatly reduce the efficacy of the herbs’ delicate essential oils, what gives them their flavor and aroma and, of course, their medicinal properties.
If you can’t find organic, look for ones with that carry the “non-radiated” label.
Additionally, store all your herbs in glass or stainless-steel tightly-sealed containers, out of direct sunlight as the volatile oils are susceptible to air. Even stored correctly, they are best used within 3 – 6 months of purchase.
I hope you enjoy this delicious and nourishing herbal tea. May it support your immune system and your health!
* “Thyroid Healing Tea.” Thyroid Healing: the Truth behind Hashimoto's, Graves', Insomnia, Hypothyroidism, Thyroid Nodules & Epstein-Barr, by Anthony William, Hay House, Inc., 2017, pp. 172–173.