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Recipes to Nourish

Gluten-Free Real Food & Natural Living

September 5, 2011

Holistic Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy

I may receive commissions from purchases made through links in this article. Full disclosure.
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More than 50 easyย Holistic Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy plus support your immune system naturally! Boosting your immune system is important if you want to stay healthy plus lessen your chances of getting sick.

Fresh apples cut in half, fresh sage and herbs, cinnamon sticks, garlic bulbs and lemon slices on a cloth towel. this RECIPE

When the end of summer hits, people are headed back-to-school and the cold and flu “season” tends to be around the corner.

That means the holidays are quickly approaching and the commercial industry starts bombarding stores with processed candy and desserts.

Nutrition and decreasing our stress load is the key to health.

When the season changes and people start consuming large quantities of sugar-laden foods, immune systems weaken and become overworked.

Boosting your immune system is important if you want to stay healthy. A healthy immune system will lessen your chances of getting sick. If you do get sick, the duration of illness will not last as long and you will recover quicker.

Now is the time to plan for the season change!

Holistic Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy

Fresh apples cut in half and sliced, cinnamon sticks, fresh sage and herbs, garlic bulbs and lemon slices.

Stock Your Kitchen with These

  • Organic Lemons โ€“ Supportive for cleansing and immune boosting.
    Organic Garlic โ€“ Naturally antimicrobial, both antiviral and antibacterial, supportive for the immune system.
  • Raw Honeyย โ€“ Naturally antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal (NOT for babies).
  • Coconut Oilย โ€“ย Known for strengthening the immune system, it’s naturally antimicrobial and has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.
  • Organic Ginger โ€“ Known to support digestive issuesย and support the immune system (if pregnant, consult your health care practitioner).
  • Organic Cranberries โ€“ Known as a seasonal preventative, as bacteria cannot thrive with cranberry.
  • Dried Thyme โ€“ Naturally antimicrobial, make as a tea to help support the immune system, known to help support the respiratory system and with digestive issues.
  • Organic Shiitake Mushrooms โ€“ Known to have medicinal, immune boosting properties.
  • Elderberry Rose Hip Syrup โ€“ Known as a preventative and overall immune system support, plus known for helping prevent the flu and/or lessening the duration of illness.
  • Organic Sea Vegetables like Kombu, Kelp, Nori, Wakame โ€“ Full of vitamins and minerals, very nourishing, add to soups, beans, grains, vegetables.
  • Seasonal Organic Vegetables & Fruits for Juicing โ€“ Very cleansing, full of nutrients that are readily available for your body.
  • Lacto-Fermented and Cultured Foods โ€“ Great for your gut, loaded with natural probiotics, supports digestion and helps boost the immune system.
  • Bone Broth or Homemade Stocks โ€“ Very nutrient-dense and nourishing.
  • High Quality Probiotics โ€“ Important for your gut, keeps your gut healthy. You can find high quality ones here, hereย and here.
  • Organic Unfiltered Raw Apple Cider Vinegar โ€“ Known as an old school remedy, naturally antiseptic and antifungal, and known for being very healing.

Jar tipped over full of dried hibiscus blossoms.

Stock Your Holistic & Herbal Wellness Chest with These

  • Organic Olive Oil (high quality) ย โ€“ To make rubs, salves and oils.
  • Pascalite Clayย or Bentonite Clayย โ€“ So many uses, a must have for wellness kits.
  • Dried Organic Herbs & Flowers โ€“ Nettle (a MUST have), Rose Hips, Elderberries, Red Raspberry Leaf, Fennel Seed, Chamomile, Catnip, Lemon Balm, Oatstraw, Peppermint, Spearmint, Slippery Elm Powder, Dandelion Leaf, Calendula Flowers, Lavender โ€“ Herbs are greatย for making herbal infusions, loaded with vitamins and minerals that are readily available to your body.
  • Dried Astragalus Root & Tincture โ€“ Known for being immune boosting.
  • Echinacea Tincture โ€“ Known for being immune boosting, and it’s naturally antimicrobial.
  • Goldenseal Tincture โ€“ Very potent, a natural antibiotic. Make sure to take in conjunction with probiotics to help restore good gut flora.
  • Calendula Tincture โ€“ Known for being very healing, naturally antiseptic.
  • Elderberry Tincture or Extract โ€“ Known as aย preventative and immune support, plusย known to help with preventing the flu.
  • Cranberry Tincture, Capsules or Concentrate โ€“ Supportive during illness, known to help help lessen duration of illness since bacteria cannot grow/thrive with it.
  • Bioplasma Cell Saltsย โ€“ 12 essential cell salts that the body needs, many benefits, very healing, increase w/ illness.
  • Vitamin Dย โ€“ย from sources like this, thisย and thisย {or food based sources like pastured egg yolks, certain fish like wild-caught salmon and sardines and raw grass-fed milk}.
  • Collagen & Gelatinย โ€“ย Known to help support gut health, dental health, joint health, bone health, build and restore muscle and so much more. It’s easy to digest and dissolves easily in cold or warm liquids. My favorite source for gelatin is this grass-fed gelatin. You can also find my favoriteย grass-fed collagenย here.ย BONUS: I have aย 10% OFF collagen/gelatin coupon code just for my readers! Just follow the link here and enterย NOURISH10ย at checkout for 10% off your entire order.
***A Note on Tinctures: Glycerin based tinctures are known to not work as well.***
Young Living essential oil diffuser with amber glass essential oil bottles, cinnamon sticks, cloves, herbs and fresh lemon halves.

Natural Healthy & Wellness Tips for Your Home

  • Change your filters every 1-2 months, especially when the season changes. Replace withย high quality filters, not the cheap ones that barely catch anything. You want to use filters that filter mold, viruses, dander, etc.
  • Clean ceiling fan blades at least every season.
  • Use natural/โ€greenโ€ cleaning products, and if you’re buying something store-bought, make sure to read ingredient labels and avoid chemicals.
  • Use True HEPA air filtration portable units (not HEPA-Type). I use this one in my daughter’s room and this one in our bedroom. Look for one that works best for the size of the room.ย 
  • Vacuum your home at least once a week, every other day if possible. Look for a HEPA vacuum like this.
  • Add indoor house plants to the home to clean the air (only if you don’t have a moisture/mold problem in your home).
  • Use Nebulizer Diffusers withย pure therapeutic-grade essential oilsย (like Thieves or Purificationย essential oil) to purifyย the air. The body will absorb the essential oils too.ย I only use therapeutic-grade essential oils {you can learn more about them andย buy them here}.ย Whatever oils you chose, make sure to look for pure, high quality essential oils โ€“ many store-bought oils are not pure {you can learn more about thatย here}.
  • Remove ALL commercial-grade scented candles or air fresheners from the home. They are full of toxic chemical and carcinogens. Diffuse these holiday favorites or other blends instead.
  • Open your windows as much as possible to allow fresh air into the home. Outdoor air quality is almost always better than indoor air quality.ย 

Dried sage smudge bundle, Young Living lavender essential oil and Stress Away essential oil roll-on bottle, and lots of crystals like rose quartz and amethyst.

Health & Wellness Tips for Your Mind, Body & Spirit

  • Remember that your body believes what you tell it and it will act accordingly. Talk to your body (seriously!) and tell it want you want to occur and/or thank it for getting your attention. Be positive when talking to your body and be grateful for the messages it sends you.
  • Daily Self-talk โ€“ Flood your mind with positive thoughts, peace, joy, happiness and comfort.
  • Do your best to keep balance and harmony with all things.
  • End the day with positive messages to yourself. If you have children, this is an excellent time to talk to them and give them positive messages to sleep with. Tell them that tomorrow will be a happy day, tell them how grateful you are, tell them the things you love about them, tell them that they are happy, healthy, strong, loving and whole. Say the same things to yourself too!
  • When you can, get outside and enjoy the fresh air. If there is sun shining, make sure you enjoy it and soak up the vitamin D. Be out in nature as much as possible. Your body will thank you.
  • Get some form of exercise, our bodies are not meant to be sedentary.
  • Make sure to get plenty of rest. If you do get sick, honor your body by resting and sleeping as much as you need to.
  • Practice SELF CARE! It’s so important and we all need to do more of this! It can be as simple as making yourself a lovely warming drink or a cup of calming tea. If you have more time, about 30-40 minutes, consider pampering yourself with a detox bath.

Homemade slippery elm cough drop balls in a bowl and on a plate with a spoonful of honey.

Holistic & Natural Remedies

  • Raw Organic Garlic + Raw Honey โ€“ This excellent remedy comes from my midwives. As soon as you feel illness coming on, mince 1 clove of raw garlic into 1 tablespoon of raw honey, take orally, swallow and chase with a drink if necessary. The garlic is naturally antimicrobial, both antiviral and antibacterial and the raw honey is naturally antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal. This remedy isย safe for pregnant moms.
  • Garlic Oil โ€“ Known to be supportive respiratory and ear infections.
  • Bone Broth โ€“ Loaded with nutrients, and supportive of the immune system.ย 
  • Cranberry Compote โ€“ Great way to get cranberry into your body. Bacteria cannot grow when consuming cranberry.
  • Vitamin C Tea โ€“ Full of vitamin C as well as other vitamins and minerals which are all readily available for your body.
  • Thyme Tea โ€“ Naturally antimicrobial, strengthens the immune system, and known to help prevent recurrent illness.
  • Herbal Infusions โ€“ Make herbal tea infusions with various dried herbs and flowers. Typical infusions steep for a minimum of 30 minutes to overnight. Loaded with vitamins and minerals that are readily available for your body, better than a vitamin/mineral supplement. Seeย here for my Nourishing Herbal Tea Infusionย and Nettle Cinnamon Herbal Tea Infusion recipe.
  • Hot Garlic-Ginger Lemonade โ€“ Super supportive for the immune system, drink hot and often preventatively and during illness.
  • Elderberry Rose Hip Syrup โ€“ Take as a preventative daily. Increase dosage with illness. Known for helping prevent the flu and lessen the symptoms.
  • Echinacea Tincture โ€“ Great preventative, boosts your immune system. Take during illness to lessen the duration of illness.
  • Thieves Essential Oilย โ€“ Place in carrier oil (like olive oil, jojoba or coconut oil) and rub on bottoms of feet before bed and in the morning after bathing. Use in a Nebulizer Diffuserย Nebulizer Diffuserย to help purifyย the air in the home.ย I only use therapeutic-grade essential oils {you can learn more about them andย buy them here}.ย Whatever oils you chose, make sure to look for pure, high quality essential oils โ€“ many store-bought oils are not pure {you can learn more about thatย here}.
  • Raw honey โ€“ Naturally antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal.
  • Breastmilk โ€“ Known for being very healing and full of beneficial properties. Midwives and old school remedies use drops in the eye/ear for infections, drops in nose for congestion, gargle for sore throat, etc.
  • Juicing โ€“ Brings balance to the body, very cleansing. Looking for a high quality juicer? Check out this and this.ย 
  • Slippery Elm “Candies” for Coughsย โ€“ย ย Great for pesky coughs. Slippery elm is known to help soothe irritations, moisten dry throats and calm coughs.

Sliced apples, lemon slices, garlic bulbs, cinnamon sticks and fresh sage and herbs.

Remember, nutrition is key and our body reacts to what we put in it.

Do your best to eliminate or at least limit processed foods and refined sugars. When you buy food, try to buy organic or food that has been grown using organic practices. You donโ€™t want your body loaded up with pesticides, herbicides and GMO foods.
Check out local farmers markets and get to know your farmers. If you need help finding some in your area, to find a local farmer or a CSA box delivery, check here: Eat Wild and Local Harvest.
Nourish the mind, body and soul.
Be well.

LEARN MORE ABOUT NATURAL LIVING + JOIN MY FB GROUP

Join myย Recipes to Nourish โ€“ Natural Living Facebook Groupย โ€“ aย learning communityย focusing on Natural Living, Self Care, Wellnessย + Vibrant Health. Topics include DIY recipes, natural body care, real food recipes, non-toxic living, essential oils, supporting the body, chemical free home + much more.

Find outย how to buy essential oils at wholesaleย {24% off retail prices}.

Are you onย Pinterest? I pinย lots of yummy real food recipes, natural living tips + more there. I have a board just for Holistic Health + Remedies too! Come follow along.

The Art of Great Cooking With Your Instant Pot Cookbook - 80 INSPIRING GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES MADE EASIER, FASTER AND MORE NUTRITIOUS IN YOUR MULTI-FUNCTION COOKER | Recipes to Nourish // Instant Pot Recipes | Pressure Cooker Recipes | Gluten Free Recipes | Healthy Recipes | Real Food Recipes
The Art of Great Cooking With Your Instant Pot Cookbook - 80 INSPIRING GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES MADE EASIER, FASTER AND MORE NUTRITIOUS IN YOUR MULTI-FUNCTION COOKER | Recipes to Nourish // Instant Pot Recipes | Pressure Cooker Recipes | Gluten Free Recipes | Healthy Recipes | Real Food Recipes

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Disclaimer:ย ALL information you read onย Recipes to Nourishย is purely for informational and educational purposes only. I love to share and share with love, but I amย notย a health care practitioner. Information is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease. Statements within this site have not been approved by the FDA, meaning information and statements regarding health claims on this blog have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. All blog posts are solely my personal experiences and opinions and should not be interpreted as an attempt to offer a medical opinion. If you have questions about food, diet, nutrition, natural remedies or holistic health, please do your own research and consult with your health care practitioner. For more information please see all of myย disclaimers andย disclosures.ย 

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Filed Under: Most Popular, Natural Living Tagged With: Bone Broth, Colds and Flu, Elderberry, Essential Oils, Garlic, Ginger, Herbal Tea Infusion, Immune System, Lemon, Nettle, Rose Hips

About Emily Vidaurri

Emily Vidaurri is a chocolate- and sweet treat-loving, holistic-minded wife and mom of 4. She's a 4-time cookbook author -ย The Art of Great Cooking withย Your Instant Pot {ranked in Amazon's top 10 new releases - gluten free recipes}, Amazing Mexican Favorites with Your Instant Potย {ranked as a #1 New Release BEST SELLER!!}, Low-Carb Cooking with Your Instant Potย , The Big Book of Instant Pot Recipes, food photographer, homeschooler and the founder of Recipes to Nourish, a gluten-free blog focusing on real food and natural living. She works to empower her readers by showing them that there is a healthier way to eat and live. Her passion is to make healthy, natural living as uncomplicated and enjoyable as possible.ย Find Emilyโ€™s latest recipes and natural living tips atย Recipes to Nourish. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram,ย Pinterest, Twitterย and YouTube plus grab her free eBookย Holistic Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy. Read more >>ย About Emily.ย 

LEARN MORE ABOUT NATURAL LIVING + JOIN MY FB GROUP

Join myย Recipes to Nourish โ€“ Natural Living Facebook Groupย โ€“ aย learning communityย focusing on Natural Living, Self Care, Wellnessย + Vibrant Health. Topics include DIY recipes, natural body care, real food recipes, non-toxic living, essential oils, supporting the body, chemical free home + much more.

STANDARD FTC DISCLOSURE:
I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note that I only endorse products that are in alignment with Recipes to Nourishโ€™s ideals and that I believe would be of value to my readers. Recipes to Nourish is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and/or information are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.ย For additional information, please visit my Disclaimer page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Healthy Mamma says

    September 6, 2011 at 4:55 pm

    Excellent post!!! I do many of the things on this list and thank you for so many other great ideas.
    I use tea tree oil for several natural cures and ailments. I have a complete article on my blog if your interested.

    Reply
  2. Emily Sunwell says

    September 6, 2011 at 6:05 pm

    @ Healthy Mamma, thanks! ๐Ÿ™‚ Yes, thank you, I’ll have to go check it out. Take care and be well.

    Reply
  3. The Every Day Extraordinary says

    September 7, 2011 at 4:21 am

    Bookmarking!!! My son was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and keeping him healthy is paramount! Thanks for the great info!

    Reply
  4. Emily Sunwell says

    September 7, 2011 at 4:47 am

    @ The Every Day Extraordinary, thanks, I hope this helps some. Take care. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  5. Roberta says

    September 10, 2011 at 2:55 pm

    I love this post! I am just learning about using some of these herbs so it was very helpful. Thanks!

    Reply
  6. Emily Sunwell says

    September 10, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    Thank you so much Roberta! That’s great to hear. Take care.

    Reply
  7. NaturalFamiLea says

    September 12, 2011 at 2:37 am

    Great information!

    Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasure’s Whole Health Weekend Link-Up.

    Check back on Friday when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  8. Emily Sunwell says

    September 12, 2011 at 5:17 am

    @ NaturalFamiLea, thanks so much! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  9. Unknown says

    September 14, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    How often and how do you use kelp granules and kombu?

    Reply
  10. Emily Sunwell says

    September 15, 2011 at 3:46 am

    @Unknown, I use kelp granules almost daily and kombu whenever I’m making bone broth, soups, chili, pot roast, basically I put it in anything that has liquid in it that I’m cooking.

    Reply
  11. Barb says

    October 4, 2011 at 8:51 pm

    Thank you for so much info! I’m pinning it so I can start adding items to my grocery list.

    Reply
  12. Emily Sunwell says

    October 4, 2011 at 9:12 pm

    Hi Barb, thanks! Hope it helps some. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  13. Christy says

    January 16, 2012 at 2:26 pm

    What a wonderful informative post – I rarely print anything out but I am printing this to keep in the kitchen!

    Reply
    • Emily Sunwell says

      January 16, 2012 at 4:52 pm

      Thank you Christy! I hope it is helpful. Be well.

      Reply
  14. Smith Jones says

    May 17, 2012 at 11:19 am

    Thanks for including as well as Cod Liver Oil & High Vitamin Butter Oil in your tips. Because those things are used very rarely.

    Reply
  15. Natural Gumption says

    August 15, 2012 at 5:30 am

    Informative! Loads of good info, almost overwhelming but with so much to say I guess they have to be long! Thanks for passing out great info!

    Reply
  16. Charles Brawnyson says

    May 14, 2013 at 2:56 am

    I feel like holistic health care is one of the best ways to make sure you stay healthy and don’t need to use other medicines or surgery. I know it has helped me out a lot.

    Reply
  17. Jack says

    September 2, 2013 at 11:20 am

    Thanks for the information!

    Reply
  18. linda spiker says

    October 24, 2017 at 12:16 pm

    Great tip after great tip! Love it!

    Reply
    • Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri says

      November 6, 2017 at 3:54 pm

      Thanks Linda! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  19. The Food Hunter says

    October 25, 2017 at 9:06 am

    This is a great post. I love the part about talking to your body….so important!!

    Reply
    • Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri says

      November 6, 2017 at 3:54 pm

      Thanks so much! It’s a good one to remember and so easy to forget. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  20. Alyse says

    February 7, 2022 at 3:43 pm

    Very interesting and helpful article with great holistic tips. Thank you.

    Reply

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