What to do when you’re sick | Tips, exercises and a recipe!

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Hello everybody and welcome to another health blog post. Earlier this week I was battling a nasty head cold and, consequently, found some easy at-home remedies and techniques that allowed me to shake off the worst part of it *knock on wood.* So this week’s blog is all about getting well when you find yourself with a case of the common cold.

Getting sick is almost inevitable and it means that we have to adjust our schedules to find time to rest and heal. While medicine is one of today’s modern miracles, I generally prefer to go the natural route and turn to medicine in emergency cases only. If you have serious pain, diarrhea or a dangerously high fever, then by all means take advantage of the medicine that will ease discomfort and help you heal. If, however, you only have a head cold then I would suggest using the following natural tips to help you heal sans pills. You’d be surprised how quickly your body can heal if you give it the right tools.

The following tips are what I used this week to get better and can be done with things you probably already have at home:

1. Hydration. Between blowing our nose, sweating out a fever or peeing every hour from the herbal tea, our bodies lose a lot of water fighting off a sickness. I’ve listed one of my new favorite recipes for a tea down below to help soothe you when you’re fighting a cold though don’t feel limited to just that, any kind of tea or liquid is great for staying hydrated while sick- this includes soups too! Some of my favorites include: chamomile (to calm the mind), mint (to boost energy without the use of caffeine) and ginger tea (to soothes a sore throat and warm the body with its slightly spicy flavor). Staying hydrated allows the body to cleanse and rid itself of any unwelcome visitors. 

2. Refrain from training. This is a personal preference though I find it quite logical. If you’re not feeling 100%, don’t push your body to exert itself physically. If you are an active person, I understand the temptation to want to move your body and break a sweat though I would recommend resisting the temptation just for a few days. Fighting an illness requires a lot of your body’s energy so why not be kind to it and rest. If you really start feeling restless I would recommend light stretches or a walk outside in the fresh air. Both of the aforementioned activities relate nicely to the next tip which is often more effective at healing than exercise. 

3. Deep breathing. Breathing is one of the body’s best detoxifying methods which makes it one of the most important tips on this list. There are dozens of breathing techniques, especially in yoga, that benefit the body in different ways (e.g. stress management, energy renewal, detoxifying, calming the central nervous system, relieve congestion, etc). You can read more about four breathing techniques (PranaYami) commonly practiced in yoga here [1]. Note that some of the breathing techniques listed in the article suggest that you perform them on an empty stomach so it would be best to do right upon waking, whereas others help to calm the body and induce sleep.

4. Calming scents. This tip goes nicely with the former- if you choose to practice deep breathing you might as well breathe in something pleasant while you practice, eh? Personally, I love when my home smells nice so I am constantly lighting scented candles and incense to send a pleasant aroma throughout the place. Side note: baking is another fabulous way to achieve this and it comes with the added bonus of a delicious edible end result :). 

In the world of aromatherapy, one with which I am not entirely familiar (yet), scents can evoke different feelings and responses from the body. Personally, I use four scents at home to achieve different results. Before bed I light up my diffuser and add in a few drops of lavender because it knocks me right out. When working, I like to use a cinnamon-scented candle as I find I stay more focused on the task at hand. When I practice yoga I light up an incense stick (either cedar wood or one with a blend of different berries and chamomile) because it simulates the environment of a yoga studio and encourages a more meditative practice. Lastly, when I’m sick and suffering from a congested nose, I use tea tree and lemongrass essential oils to help clear out the sinuses and make my home smell crisp and clean. 

5. Sleep. This one doesn’t require much explanation. When you’re sick, make sure that you prioritize rest and sleep. The more quality rest you get, the quicker you will heal and the faster you will be able to return to your normal routine. If you’re interested in some tips to achieve deep and restful sleep, check out the blog post I wrote on it here. 

6. Fasting. As I mentioned in the tips above, healing requires a lot of energy from our body and one process that consumes about 10% of our overall energy is digesting. It is often said that our bodies have all the tools within to heal and live well. If this is the case, then one of the best things you can do for yourself when sick is to allow your body to work its magic.  Personally, I have found that in times of illness (especially food poisoning and a cold) abstaining from eating for longer windows works wonders. Often, when sick, hunger takes a back seat to fatigue. This is the body’s way of signaling what it needs so try to listen and serve it accordingly. If you’re tired, sleep. If you’re not hungry, don’t force yourself to eat. If you are achy and sore, don’t work out. Train yourself to listen for these cues, respond accordingly, and your body will become a strong and healthy machine. 

7. Eat foods that heal. When your appetite strikes, or returns as we mentioned in tip #6, make sure that you are reaching for food that will assist the healing process rather than hinder it. Foods that fight inflammation and promote a healthy gut are best and include things like: ginger, turmeric root, beef broth, sauerkraut/ kimchi, cinnamon, dark leafy greens, and berries. While I think it’s a good idea to include such foods in your normal non-sick diet, you can definitely up the amount when you’re under the weather. If you’re making a soup simply add in ginger, turmeric and herbs like rosemary, thyme, cilantro and parsley to boost the nutritional value. Bone broth is a great example of a soup that transforms all of these ingredients into a cold-fighting machine. I’ve included the recipe for my go-to bone broth, as well as many other anti-inflammatory recipes, in my e-cookbook Travel to Table which you can find here on my website.  

As promised, I’ve included a recipe for one of my new favorite beverages to enjoy while sick. I’m dubbing it “Get Well Tea” and it’s oh so simple to make. This tea covers tips 1, 4 and 7 above so try it out the next time you’re sick- which I hope is very far in the future :) 

“Get Well Tea”

Ingredients:

        • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

        • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

        • Large nub of ginger (about thumb size), chopped

        • 1 tsp organic wild honey *optional*

        • 250ml/ 1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in your favorite mug. Mix well.

2. Sip throughout the day, refreshing the water as needed. 

Recipe note:

The ingredients are good for more than one tea (about 2, max 3 cups) so I would suggest simply adding more boiling water as needed to freshen up your cup.

Thanks for stopping by this week, everybody. I look forward to seeing you all back here next week on the blog for a post on my 1 year yoga journey. I’ll share my biggest takeaways and some of the benefits I see in practicing yoga daily- some of which could apply to you :) 

Hope that you all found some of these tips useful and that they help you out the next time you find yourself a bit under the weather. 

Xoxo,

Alexandra 

Sources:

1. Hodge, Allison. “The Power of Breathing: 4 Pranayama Techniques Worth Practicing.” One Medical, 16 Nov. 2018, www.onemedical.com/blog/live-well/breathing-pranayama-techniques/.