Autumn and immune support

As halloween approaches, I find that kids get sick the day after! I am a teacher and I was wondering if you could recommend some herbal or other support to keep us healthy.

I said before, we all know that starting the school season = increased stress and exposure to pathogens. It’s also the time of year when the days shorten and the weather cools down, thus reducing our sun exposure and body’s ability to make vitamin D, an important immune system vitamin. Add in Halloween with all the sugar and staying up late and we create the perfect terrain in our body for a cold or flu to take hold!

Make sure and maintain the basics including regular hand washing, going to bed by about 10pm, eating well (lots of fruits and veggies!), getting adequate exercise to keep the lymph flowing and staying hydrated. Avoid sugar as much as possible since it certainly does not support immune health! Some kitchen herbal approaches that are particularly helpful include making and consuming bone broth regularly (check out the Weston Price recipe) and adding astragalus and medicinal mushrooms such as shiitake to your broth. Mushrooms are immune supporting superstars! High quality bulk herbs and mushrooms can be ordered from Mountain Rose Herbs or Pacific Botanicals. Some other wonderful herbal supports include Elderberry as a tea or syrup – Gaia Herbs or Honey Garden Elderberry syrups can be found in many local natural stores. If you do succumb to a cold or flu, check out Traditional Medicinals’ line of cold care teas.