How I am supporting my immune system during these times

I have been wanting to share for a few days now.

I want to bring a message of hope.

I want you to remember a lot of people are recovering from COVID-19. I actually know a few. Granted we do not have widespread testing but when your cousin in Brooklyn just went through days of splitting headache, fever, chills and shortness of breath, and you have friends and associates who have experienced a range of the  same symptoms , it's safe to say that some of them did indeed have COVID-19. I would like for you to visualize on that for a minute. Despite the onslaught of morbid news, a lot of people are recovering from COVID-19. 

With that said, it's also important for us to note that when experts talk about flattening the curve, they are basically saying let's avoid a situation where we all get sick at the same time and overwhelm the hospitals.  We are essentially buying time for better procedures, more staffing, more equipment and more capacity for the system to care for those who get seriously ill. This also means that at some point in the future, many of us will actually get COVID-19. So what do we do to prepare in the meantime? 

First I want to prominently disclaim that this is not in anyway medical advice, let's leave that the medical professionals.

Now that we know a great majority of us might contract COVID-19, the only sensible course of action is to beef up our immune system now. I am not going to bore you with the eat right refrain. We already know that. We are dealing with enough stress to add a stringent diet to the mix. Do your best to eat well and stay away from processed food.  Here's what I am doing: 

1. I am not waiting to be  "sick"  to start taking multi- vitamins,  zinc and  vitamin C. I like Nature's Way zinc chewable tablets. I try to keep that up as much as possible. 

2.

I am limiting my alcohol intake to when I have zoom bday parties or hangouts with my girls! next one for my bday April 4th! Aye!!

3.

I take a LOT of tea. This is key and honestly should have been number 1. By a lot I mean I brew tea at LEAST twice a day. One thing to remember when it comes to infections and viral colds, the teas are not going to be the pleasant herbs like lemongrass and mint necessarily. You will have to train your palate to drink teas that have strong taste, some are bitter. Remember in times of sickness, what's bitter to the mouth is sweet to the blood. I obtained this kit of Yogi Tea - Cold Season (6 Pack) - Supports the Body During the Cold Weather Season - 96 Tea Bags Total prior to the COVID-19 avalanche and it's still holding me down. I also am taking lots of ginger, Sipacupa Ital Jamaican Neem Leaf Tea Bags and soracee tea. Neem and Soracee are very bitter but those are the teas used in Haiti and many carribean islands to treat fevers and the flu.  I leave a few different tea bags out on the counter and whenever I need fluid intake I brew some tea. I don't sweeten every cup of tea I drink in a day to reduce calorie intake. 

4.

I save 30-45 minute workout videos on my youtube library and get it done at least every 2 days. I put it on the big screen, pull out my mat and just do my best. I don't have a set time, sometimes I do it with Grace up and running wild, and some days it happens at 10 pm at night. Pop Sugar on YouTube has some decent ones. I walk every 2 days now. I used to go everyday but to reduce exposure of myself and child, we skip days. Outside air and sun is also a mood and immune booster. I practice social distancing, it's easy where I live as there are plenty empty residential streets. 

5.

I make immune boosting syrups. I have already shared the elderberry syrup that I make on IG. You can get the wildcrafted berries here Dried Elderberries | 100% Natural European Whole Wild Crafted Elder Berry (Sambucus nigra) 1 Pound Resealable Pouch . The pouch comes with easy 1-2-3 directions. 

 In my last batch I added a handful of cloves. Cloves is amazing at boosting the immune system, it reduces inflammation and helps to expel mucus.  I give Grace that syrup daily and get some for myself. Grace also will sip some cooled tea if it doesn't taste too strong. Must be from watching her tea drinking mama. Those who know how I used to have to hold that child down to squirt Tylenol in her mouth when she had fevers would be amazed on how life has turned around for us when it comes to her willfully taking medications! God is great!

You can also make an easy throat soothing syrup with honey, ground cinnamon, turmeric and nutmeg. I add black pepper to mine. It has loads of anti-inflammatory ingredients, helpful on those nights when a cough threatens to keep you awake. As for Grace, I give her pure honey.  A pediatrician once told me giving Grace honey is just as good as store bought cough syrups for children.

The last immune boosting syrup I will share is one sent to us by my 103 year old grandma currently living in haiti. It involves boiling crushed ginger and chopped leeks, once they are soft, add pure cane syrup and boil it until It foams, cool it down, and jar it. We made our batch today. It definitely doesn't taste like cupcake and rainbows but neither does this COVID-19!

5.

Remember we are all connected and our thoughts have power. Prayer, manifestation, positive thinking and meditation will do wonders for our collective calmness which will positively affect our body's response to anything foreign. We are all we got, let's take care of each other. 

In Love, Health and Presence of Mind

Ronnie_Deco