Wellness Tips to Keep
Your Mind, Body and Soul “in the Green”

By Michelle LaBrosse with Erica Edmond

Health is one of those things that we often take for granted until we’re fitting a virus or suddenly dealing with a healthcare issue.  While many illnesses cannot be avoided entirely, there are many ways people can save themselves the aggravation of being knocked out for a few days or more. 

After going through a couple of health scares myself, I’ve been reading up on the best ways to stay healthy through natural remedies and proven acts of wellness, and changing my habits. Here are my favorite “Mind, Body and Soul Wellness Tips" that have helped me the most:

Mind

• Stay positive, negativity will deplete your energy. Stay away from stressful triggers like the news, work and even certain family people.

• If you have the energy, go out for a short brisk walk in the fresh air. A low level of exercise will boost your immune system. Just 15 to 20 minutes will do the trick.

Body

• Be aware of what you are putting into your body.  If you are drinking and eating things that contain ingredients that your great-grandmother wouldn’t be able to identify, chances are you should avoid it at all costs. 

• One of my favorite sections in “Wired Magazine” is called “What’s Inside?”  This monthly deconstruction of ingredients often includes additives placed in food to make products last longer.  A while back, they examined the Hostess Fruit Pie. One such stomach-turning ingredient listed was Modified Cornstarch.  It was determined to be produced with FDA-approved chemicals including hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, and sodium chloride.  Of course, you can imagine how ingesting such an ingredient can harm the body and keep it from performing well.

• Drinking plenty of fluids, especially good old water, will flush your system of unwanted and nonessential matter traveling through your body.  The more water you can ingest each day, the better you’ll feel, look and operate.

• If you are ill, consider Ginger root tea. Ginger root is a natural anti-inflammatory. Since many illnesses like the flu virus cause inflammation, this alleviates many aches and pains. I slice up fresh ginger root and boil it in water or mix with decaffeinated green tea.

• Eat chicken noodle soup.  Making the chicken broth from the bones of the chicken releases an anti-viral powerhouse. I make my own - it is very simple. You first roast the chicken. Then, you take most of the meat off and refrigerate, and toss the carcass in a large pot of water. Put in several tablespoons of whole pepppercorns and a couple stalks of celery. Let it simmer all day (you’re home and sleeping anyhow). Strain out all the ingredients. Chop up the refrigerated meat, put in a whole chopped onion and the top half of a stalk of celery coaresly chopped. Put in about a cup of whole -wheat pasta noodles and salt to taste. Eat this several times a day.

• Accompany the soup with a fresh berry salad. We all know the anti-cancer properties of berries and this can be useful for everyday viruses, colds and flues. If you are unable to buy fresh, organic berries all year-long, purchase a bag of frozen berries from a local health food store to have on-hand.  I mix up strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and toss in some chopped walnuts and sprinkle the whole thing with cinnamon. The cinnamon helps to regulate your blood sugar so you don’t feed those nasty flu viruses.

Soul

• Take a hot bath - at least once a day. Put epsom salt in it as well. Elevating your temperature kills a virus faster.  It’ll also help you relax faster and get into a meditative state.  Many illnesses are triggered by stress, so if you are in a zen zone, you have a greater chance of being on the mend.

• Get lots of sleep.  This is a priority. If you have small children, secure childcare even if it’s for a couple of hours while you nap. Think of the airplane emergency protocol, put the oxygen mask on yourself first and then you can help your children.  Allowing your body to move away from the daily wear and tear and enjoying some peace and quiet is good for you mentally, physically and spiritually.

You may have noticed that all of these tips provided are also in line with living an eco-friendly or green lifestyle. In both cases, you are using -- and benefitting from -- natural ingredients.  Chicken soup is an anti-inflammatory, so maybe you do not need for an over-the-counter pill. Eating organic, locally-produced foods fuel you with illness-fighting nutrients, so why the need (or want) for products containing counterproductive ingredients like chlorine? 

I have found that by making some significant changes, such as putting my health as a top priority, I am leading a much healthier lifestyle filled with increased energy, decreased levels of stress and an abundance of feel-good activities that make me happy day after day.  I hope you are inspired to test some of these out.

Read other articles and learn more about Michelle LaBrosse.

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