Perking Up Your Immune System for the Holidays

Yesterday, I came across this article:

Flu Shot Effectiveness

Apparently, the flu predictions weren't very accurate this year.  Whether people chose to have the flu shot or not, we all need to enhance our immune system.  This is especially important with the holidays when we are busier than ever and want to enjoy it in full health.  We can perk up our immune system in a lot of ways.

Some things that might be hurting your immune system during the holidays include:

1.Skimping on Sleep

This is one that I am definitely guilty of quite often, even when it isn't December. I put my kids in bed and go back to work emails.  Mount Sinai School of Medicine has found that less than 7 hours of sleep causes sluggish T-cell (white cells that defend against infections).

2. Eating too Much Fat

I am not saying to cut fat out of your diet, it certainly has benefits.  However, high-fat diets make certain immune system cells more sluggish and functioning at a lower capacity.  Researchers at Tufts University studied the effects on the immune system of diets containing 38% fat (which is a typical Western diet) compared to diets with 28% fat.  People with the lower fat diet had enhanced T-cells, which is a type of white blood cells.

3. Stress Overload

This one, of course, is difficult to avoid. Bruce McEwan, PhD from Rockefeller University said "ongoing stress suppresses circulation of immune cells, as well as inhibiting the activation of the immune response, which is key to clearing viruses and bacteria."

4. Repressing Feelings

Quite a few people complain about spending time with their dysfunctional families.  I think family time is great.  I never get enough of it.  If family time is stressful for you, remember that repressing your feelings isn't healthy either. "Writing or talking about an unresolved trauma helps you put the event into perspective, organize it, and ultimately get through it" according to the author of The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us.  If discussing it with the person that you have the issue with doesn't help, talk to someone else or even write it down in your journal.  The author also said, "Afterwards, people sleep better, feel and think better, and have richer social lives."

5. Drinking too much alcohol

I don't happen to drink at all, so "too much" isn't a problem for me.  If you do, you might want to consider cutting back.  Besides the fact that it is never bad advice for down-playing your drinking at company holiday parties, there are also health benefits for not over-doing it.  According to the University of Massachusetts Medical School who reviewed studies from 2000 - 2008, "Too much alcohol can leave you vulnerable to infections, poor wound healing, and heart, liver, and pancreatic diseases."

In addition to avoiding the five things listed above, there are some proactive measure we can take using essential oils.  The Top 5 Oils I am using are:

1. Protective Blend

This oil blend contains wild orange, clove bud, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus radiata, and rosemary.  These oils have been studied for their abilities to combat bacteria, mold and viruses.  It is commonly used to support bladder function, cleansing, colds, coughs, gum issues, halitosis, mold, and more.

2. Respiratory Blend

This oil blend contains laurel leaf, peppermint, eucalyptus, melaleuca, lemon, and ravensara. These oils have been known to soothe the tissues of the respiratory system.  It is commonly used to support anxiety, congestion, cough, respiratory system, sinus issues, and more.

3. Holiday Blend

This blend includes wild orange, nutmeg, pine, cassia, cinnamon bark, and vanilla absolute.  It lifts your mood, which is good for your whole body.

4. Melaleuca 

This oil is more commonly called Tea Tree Oil.  It is commonly used for pimples, colds and flu, gum problems, skin disorders, and more.

One of the ways that I like to use it is for throat tickles. Just a drop in your mouth does wonders.  It tastes awful for a little over 60 seconds, but the taste quickly disappears. Every time we feel a little tickle in our throats in the evening, we put a drop in our mouths. When we wake up in the morning, there is no sign of a problem.  Despite the taste, my kids ask for it when their throats are scratchy.  

5. Grounding Blend

This is known as the grounding blend. It contains spruce, rosewood, blue tansy, frankincense, and fractionated coconut oil. This is primarily used for anxiety, attention deficit, hyperactivity, nervousness, and balancing hormones. Balance is definitely what we all need more of during the holidays!

Top Quality Essential Oils

A few days ago, I was at the mall and went into an incense/hippie type shop.  I like going into different places just to look around.  When I got to the back of the store, I saw the oil display above.  I couldn't help but smile (and of course take a picture).

Before discovering the difference in the quality of oils, I purchased a few oils from various places. I think the first one was tea tree oil.  Lice was going around the school and I heard that rubbing a drop on the back of kids' necks will keep them away.  I bought a bottle at our local health food grocery store.  It is a common brand that only costs about $7. I thought it smelled awful, but I consistently applied it every morning until the lice talk died down.  I even told 2 of my neighbors about it and they bought bottles from the store to do the same thing.  None of our kids got lice, so we were all thrilled.  When it was over, I put it away in my bathroom cabinet and decided I'd use it again for the next outbreak.

One of the first oils I bought from a top quality company was Melaleuca (aka tea tree) oil.  I still had the other bottle in my bathroom, but my friend had me compare it to hers.  Her oil was completely different.  It smelled better and I noticed that I was just drawn to it more.  After comparing them, I noticed that the one from the store smelled like it had rubbing alcohol in it.  I put a drop of each on my skin and was just as surprised by the differences.  I never looked back.

Several months later, my mom told me that she had a tickle in her throat.  I told her that a drop of Melaleuca under the tongue had done wonders for my kids and me. After talking, she decided that she wanted to test it out. She went down to the drug store and bought a bottle of whatever brand they had there. The next morning, she called me and told me that the second the drop hit her mouth she gagged and ended up puking.  She couldn't believe that the kids or I had done it.  I explained that this can only be done with high quality oils with a label listing it is for dietary use. She looked on her bottle and it said "not for consumption."  Since then, she has grown to love high quality oils too.      

These stories are important to tell because oils are not created equally.