Prevention: 3 Ways to Stop Illness Before it Starts
Herbal Prevention
Getting sick used to feel like a surprise and a train wreck all at the same time. I'd just be going along "perfectly fine" and then wake up one morning groggy and achy or snotty or with a sore throat.
"Come on body, WTF??" Work, family, LIFE is waiting. I can't be sick, right now.
Feeling defeated, I'd call into work or even worse, I'd just push through. As a mom, in my early parenting days, it was usually the latter. We all tend to push through, especially the first day when we think we "just didn't sleep well."
Statistics say that up to 3 million sick days are taken each year. Personally, I'm all for not working so much anyway, but I'd like to feel good when I'm not working.
Read on to find 3 of the early signs of illness to help PREVENT getting full on sick and maybe taking a sick day will actually be a "wellness" day.
Early signs of illness
Number 1 (and the sneakiest):
You're tired. I know, I know. Maybe you argue you're always tired. This is a different tired. Like headache-y, full behind the eyes, limbs don't want to leave your side, can't get out of bed tired. You may drink an extra coffee that day, just cuz you feel "off."
What to do: Take your vitamins. If you've been skipping them lately, today's the day to get back to it. Eat light. Drink 60+ ounces of water. Maybe drink bone broth or veggie soup (even if it's 102 degrees outside). Go to bed super early! Like 8:30pm.
Number 2: Your bowel habits are different. Sometimes this can be all that ends up happening as your body naturally take care of business. Detoxing any virus or something not-so-fresh you ate in the last 48 hours.
This is actually a good, healthy sign that your metabolism is working just right.
What to do: Drink extra water. Take a probiotic (or eat some probiotic foods like kimchi, kombucha, yogurt). Eat a nourishing FRESH meal. Again soups or cooked veggies are a great idea. **If you regularly have bowel issues you might a have a food sensitivity**
Number 3: Headaches. This might seem obvious, but if you don't normally get headaches, getting one means you may be dehydrated or creating mucous that hasn't surfaced yet.
What to do: REST. Get electrolytes and minerals. Drink tea. Easy to assimilate nutrients. Headaches might tell you mental stimulation is really in overdrive. Walk outside, allow some mental space.
Home Remedies
Check out My Cold and Flu Recipes
Come by and visit us at Calyx Wellness Studio for some Nourish Tea to keep in the cabinet.