There’s lots of ways to help stave off those dreaded winter colds and flu’s this year and the team at New Leaf Store and Holistic Centre in Percival Street, Kanturk and Main Street Charleville is always on hand to offer advice and tips to customers.
Here are just some ways to give yourself and your family a boost this winter:
The Benefits of Taking Vitamin D3
Winter is filled with the beauty of transi- tion from one season to another as trees change colour and frost and snow arrive, but cold weather, long dark days and nights might leave some feeling sad and unwell.
For some people this grey feeling can have serious symptoms such as depression, fatigue, lethargy, needing more sleep, food cravings. Seasonal Affective
Disorder or SAD is rec- ognised as a genuine condition affecting many Irish people.
Recent research sug- gests that there may be a connection between vitamin D deficiency and SAD. Vitamin D has a hormone like action that is manu- factured when our skin is exposed to the sun but in this part of the world we don’t get enough sunshine.
Vitamin D helps with mood disorders (SAD), blood sugar balance, calcium absorption, bone health, high blood pressure, weight management and im- mune health. New Leaf recommends “Better You Vitamin D” which is an easy to use oral spray which is ab- sorbed directly into the bloodstream through the mucous membrane around and under the tongue, rather than relying on our digestive system, the efficiency of which is an increasing problem for those of us with Western diets.
Pukka Elderberry Syrup
Elderberry is a great to treat colds /flu and upper respiratory infections and New Leaf recommends Pukka Elderberry Syrup, a naturally sweet blend of organic elderberry, manuka honey, ginger and thyme. Along with the other herbs in this syrup, they have long been used to support the respiratory system and seasonal health. It has a deliciously sweet taste which is 100% natural.
Click here to buy Pukka Elderberry Syrup online
Supplements
A wide range of sup- plements are avail- able at New Leaf Health Store and Holistic centre or on newleafonline.ie
New Leaf’s Top 10 Supplements to keep your immune system at optimum level over the winter are:
• Quest Kyolic Garlic 1000 mg
• Pukka Elderberry Syrup
• Higher Nature Immune Plus
• A.Vogal Echinacea (chewable also available for under 12s)
• Better You Vitamin D
• A.Vogal Sinuforce Nasal Spray
• Beta Glucans
• Terra Nova full Spectrum Multivitamin Complex
• Terra Nova Anti-oxidant Complex
• Sigma Instant Immunity Tea.
Eat Well This Winter
Porridge is a great way start to your day as it releases energy slowly and keeps you going until lunch. Kilbeggan is organic brand of por- ridge and tastes great. Try adding seeds or nuts for extra nutrition. Linwood’s do a great range of flaxseeds etc all milled and organic.
Superlife is a bril- liant new Irish product containing chia seeds, mulberries, lightly roasted organic cacao nibs and gogi berries filled with super food
omega 3 and minerals. Try and have a snack every three hours as this will keep your blood sugar levels balanced and nuts or seeds are packed full of goodness.
Eat lots of soups, stews and casseroles and use herbs like tur- meric and ginger which are great for the im- mune system, digestive system and circulation. Warm drinks and food like ginger and chilli are warming and also enhance circulation.
Look out for Pukka’s Three Ginger Tea.
Get your iron checked by your G.P. if you are cold because low iron can lead to anaemia which enhances your sensi- tivity to the cold. Eat plenty of dark green vegetables or try products like Pukka Clean Greens, Sara’s Choice Spirulina.
Avoid smoking as it encourages plaque in your arteries to build up and this will impair circulation.
The best way to prevent germs is to wash your hands or use a spray such as Higher Nature Colloidal Silver.
100 grams (8 tsp) of sugar is equal to one can of soft drink. Sugar reduces the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by 40% and is an immune- suppresser. Good alternative to sugar are Xylitol (xylo-brit good brand) also Agave Biona Organic. These are naturally occurring sugars and are safe for diabetics also.