Eat Paleo & Don’t Get Sick
If you’re already following the Paleo diet and have been Paleo for a while, you may have noticed that you’re not getting sick with the flu during what is known to many as ‘the cold season’.
Coincidence?
Not so much.
Why?
Simple. When your body is alkaline, after eating a net alkaline diet, (Paleo), you’re far less likely to be a good host (or hostess) to many of the bacteria, viruses and yeasts than an acidic body, thanks to a diet rich in grains, dairy, legumes and sugar.
In addition to following the Paleo diet, here’s my top ten list of ways to keep healthy while those around you are dropping like flies. Yes, some of the tips are going to come across as no-brainers, but, being the uberclean Virgo that I am, I’d feel remiss not listing them!
1)Wash your hands.Often & with warm, soapy water. Sanitizers do not cut it. Do it again after shaking hands and before eating.
2) Use disinfecting agents on community surfaces, such as door knobs, counter tops and office equipment.
3) Touch as little as possible in community areas, as well as at home if family members are ill. Use a paper towel to open public doors and your foot to shut the restroom stall door.
4) Keep your body alkaline- the stronger your immune system, the less likely you’ll fall ill. Huge amounts of fresh veggies, raw garlic and even more water than normal. . Stay away from sugars & refined foods which not only create an acidic pH in the body, they serve as food to bacteria and viruses, prolonging sickness.
5) Use serving utensils for any shared office foods-like a fresh fruit plate, and don’t touch anything you are not going to eat.
6) To help combat dry air, an all too common by product of forced heat, use a humidifier. By preventing your nostrils and throat from
drying out, you’ll allow one of your body’s natural defense fighting mechanisms (increased mucous production) to be as powerful as possible. Germs can attach to dry nasal passageways far more easily than healthy, lubricated ones.
7) Don’t fight your own body’s efforts to fight off cold and flu bugs. Most OTC products do nothing more than suppress your symptoms, not the cause. The symptoms (runny nose, coughing etc.) are the results of your immune system doing its job. Stand in its way and you’ll do nothing more than increase duration & severity, as well as set yourself up for possible dehydration, constipation and stomach upset, amongst other unfortunate side effects.
8)f you must take something, go with homeopathic remedies that support the immune system, rather than fight it. Even better, go with foods that provide healing benefits, like Vitamin C (green bell peppers are highest), Zinc (best sourced from oysters) and turmeric, a natural anti inflammatory spice.
9) Rest when you can. Taking a couple days off exercise, if the body rather than just from the head up are feeling ‘off’, in favor of a few extra hours of sleep can make the difference between a fleeting scratchy throat and a three week flu.
10) At the same time, if your body feels fine and you’ve just got a head cold, exercise and sweating can help expedite the cold’s passage. Sweat it out!
