How To Holistically Heal When You Feel Under The Weather
7 Simple Tools That Help Me Heal Fast
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7 Simple Tools That Help Me Heal Fast 〰️
Miami and I, have both, inconveniently been “under the weather.” It has been storming here in Miami pretty dramatically, which reminds me of the dramatics I throw when I wake up and don’t feel 100%.
Similar to the release of rain from the clouds I know I need to start purging my body of toxins and radicals that have slipped past by immune system and have started to show themselves as different symptoms of sickness.
Feeling “off” is not only just annoying but can make you feel anxious as you self-analyze the severity of the symptoms you are experiencing, especially in today’s climate. Sometimes it can be as simple as over-working or as severe as an infection. As your body begins to give you these signs, the best thing you can do for it immediately is slow down and tune in. It is never too late to start any one of these holistic healing tips to aid your body along as it works tirelessly to fight off whatever is happening internally.
I know that when I start feeling sick, I feel like I can “push through it,” but that is not always the right call to make. I feel like a lot of people can relate that if they don’t get that workout in or chapter read or business call made, we feel like we wasted a day or precious time that could have been utilized. These feelings are symptoms of over-working and stress and need to be held back as the body heals.
To do this, you need an infusion of both positive, healing thoughts and energy. These are easily obtained through these 7 simple tips that I do for at least an entirety of week, even if I start feeling better, to really boost my immune system and mentally shift from stressed and anxious, back to homeostasis and calm.
7 Simple Holistic Tips to Help Your Body Heal
1. What I Eat:
I infuse my body with greens, fruit, and other foods with naturally healing properties.
Every morning I have a green juice or green smoothie. One of my favorite green smoothie recipes will be available below. Throughout the day it is all about more vegetables and fruit. As a vegan, I naturally consume a lot these, but during these days of sickness it is imperative to consume extra servings. I want to give my body more Vitamin C so that might look like snacking on an orange or making an orange juice with carrots and turmeric for more of those anti-inflammatory properties. It is important to eat as clean as possible, munch on a colourful salad at least once a day, and completely avoid alcohol and any heavily processed foods like chips, fried food, popcorns, dairy, and anything else found in a bag. I make sure I up my cruciferous vegetable intake by consuming these pathogen fighting plants including kale, arugula, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, and swiss chard. I also snack on nuts which are very nutrient dense. When you give the body what it needs in abundance, it will inherit the weaponry to fight off any pathogenic substance.
Click here for green juice inspo!
Power Greens Smoothie:
- 1/2 cup of pineapple
- 1 cup of kale leaves
- 1 cup of spinach leaves
- Handful of parsley
- 1 cup of coconut water
- ½-1 cup of water
- ½ frozen banana
- ½ lemon juice
- 1 celery stalk
- ½ thumb of turmeric root
2. Light Movement:
This does not mean a workout!
At this time, raising the body’s heart rate aerobically is not going to stimulate healing. The body is currently putting allll of its focus on creating more white blood cells and waking up sleepy antibodies. It does not want to be burning precious energy in the form of exercise when the ATP can be used elsewhere. Now this also doesn’t mean to completely sit around, (unless you are 100% sure that is what your body is asking for which it sometimes does !) but instead, try to go for a light walk, or do some easy flowing yoga. Yoga has poses meant to specifically stimulate the immune response and they are easy to do and hold for a few minutes to really get their benefits. I like to do a slow yoga practice at any point during the day when I feel called to get moving, a lot of the time that is not the morning because just waking up when you’re not feeling well doesn’t make you want to move a lot most of the time.
Yoga poses to try:
Sukhasana and Pranayama: Sukhasana is the sitting meditation pose and allows for the lungs to fully expand getting maximum oxygen retention which supports energy production in the body. Pranayama is the breathwork you can practice to relax and reduce stress hormones in the body.
Half-Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana): this spinal twisting posture nourishes the spine and helps with the internal functions like the immune system. Sometimes improper digestion causes toxin build-up and can create infection or inflammation. You can help these digestive issues by gently compressing and twisting the torso.
Forward Fold (Uttanasana): this pose brings blood flow and prana to the sinuses which can help ease congestion. Sinuses and mucus membranes are our body’s first line of defence against infection so keeping them healthy can boost our immune system function.
Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani): this is one of the most relaxing yoga poses for the whole body. It allows lymph drainage, blood circulation to even out, releases pressure from your back, and helps you feel grounded. It also turns on that parasympathetic nervous system which allows the body to rest and digest and therefore, heal.
3. What I drink:
Other then my green juices and smoothies I consume a lot of different liquids.
Liquids help everything stay moving and filtering which therefore, increases the chances of my body eliminating the virus or toxin. Of course I drink constant water. But I also consume ginger at least twice a day. This can be from a homemade ginger shot, store-bought ginger shot, or ginger and honey tea in the evenings. This tea is simple to make you just cut up some ginger root and add it to hot water with a tsp of honey. Ensure the honey you are buying is manuka or another high -quality brand. A low- quality brand of honey is just literally processed sugar and typically stripped of its natural occurring healing properties. I like chamomile tea at night and green or peppermint teas throughout the day for throat pain relief. I also add apple cider vinegar (2 tbsps) to my morning water because ACV’s acidic properties balances your body’s PH which can prevent germs from settles in your chest or naval cavities.
4. Sun Exposure for 20 minutes:
Vitamin D.
This essential vitamin helps control infections and reduces inflammation. It is critical for the healing formula. If you eat a diet already diverse in lots of vegetables and fruits then you probably don’t have a deficiency but if you don’t, then you are definitely deficient. If you live in Florida as well, I would suggest sun exposure directly to your face for about 20 minutes (good time for a 20-minute meditation). But if you do not live in Florida, then a supplement may be required.
5. Sending Healing Energy:
Often times when we feel sick, we feel it all over but sometimes it is targeted to a specific spot like stomach or head pain.
It is vital you keep your brain just as involved in the healing as your body. Bless the food you are eating with healing energy and ask it to enter your body with love and aid in the fight your body is going through. Practice a guided meditation intended to help you picture healing white light entering and filling your body as pain, disease, and negativity seeps out of your pores in the form of dark smoke. This type of meditation is very powerful and helps keep your conscious brain focused on relaxing and less on stress. This can be paired with some healing binaural frequencies that you can play in headphones throughout your day or at night when you’re sleeping. You can find these frequencies easily on YouTube.
6. Sleep:
Like I said resting is so important and sleep the most.
If you don’t normally get 8 hours strive to get between 8-10. Your body could really use those extra hours in resting and healing mode at night when we are finally lying down and unable to move or think too much. You can use sleep sounds or even aromatherapy to enhance your sleep and help get deeper into that REM cycle where healing really begins. Complete darkness is best for optimal sleep so consider turning the TV off and closing your blinds because even the faintest bit of light is known to disrupt sleeping patterns.
7. Aromatherapy:
If you haven’t tried aromatherapy yet this is your sign to get into it. Two scents I can’t live without when I’m feeling sick or even just want to feel relaxed are lavender and eucalyptus. I have dried lavender and eucalyptus all over my house. Not just the scent, but visually they bring me back to baseline and chill me out. You can buy these scents as tiny essential oil tinctures and apply directly to pressure points of your skin or put in a diffuser. These scents also help a lot with congestion which can be really uncomfortable when you are sick.
I hope something in these 7 Simple Tips caught your eye to try next time you can feel a cold coming on or maybe you are experiencing something mild right now like me and just need to send some support to your always-working immune system. Remember that showing kindness to your body first is always the ultimate healing modality; if you love your body it will love you back.