3 Winter Immune Helpers

Hey friends,

Last year's winter smashed me to smithereens and I was determined to fight the good fight this year and get my immune system in the best shape ever.

I am going to share '3 Winter Immune Helpers' below but there's been an accumulation of things that have definitely helped, like:

- I've been off gluten, dairy, refined sugars & alcohol because in March I had my Thyroid tested & results revealed I have Hashimoto's Disease. I've felt the best I have in years & supporting the immune disorder via my diet has also enabled me to withstand viruses & infections but by no means is this necessary for everybody.

- Staying on top of my supplements, which are all properly prescribed according to my individual bloods via my Naturopath Lawrey Calabro who I see via online consultations.

- Using the winter months to build muscle mass, it's said that increased muscle mass better equips an individual to deal with chronic viral load. The Strong & Empowered strength classes have been incredibly well received by the ACM community.

- The usuals I know you all know; better/more sleep (hard with young kids I know), more time out in nature, less stress (nervous system education helps with this) and less expectation to do it all (aka less social gatherings, big work goals, travelling or being that crafty mum who organises something fun & new for the kids every day)....sometimes ya can't have it all!

But alas, here are three things that I am LOVING this winter

1. Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa Herbal Cough & Throat Syrup

I was sick & alone in Byron Bay in 2012 when I first came across this stuff. I have zero idea what's in it, but don't question it, it's absolutely amazing. I've had a few days this winter where I've woken with a tender throat or cough and I immediately hit the Nin Jiom honey! You can google it & purchase online, but I found this stuff in the asian section of Coles the other day, word is getting out people, it's going viral.

2. Slow Cooked Lamb Shank Soup

Grab 2-3 Lamb Shanks (cut in halves) and brown them off a little on each side in a saucepan. Place them to the side, then sauté onion & garlic in olive oil, then add diced carrot, celery, fennel, potatoes & coat in the oil whilst adding Italian herbs or rosemary. Add the shanks back in, chuck in a can of tinned tomatoes and cover everything completely with water & stock, or alternatively use bone broth. If I don't have any liquid broth, I replace the powdered stock with Beef Bone Broth Garden Herb by Nutra Organics (I drink this stuff as a tea throughout the day too)

Turn the heat right down & let this goodness slowly cook for ages, once things are softening you can add zucchini and chopped kale. After 2-4 hours, the meat should be ready to slip n slide off the bone (I take the shanks out & do this in a seperate bowl so I'm not working over a hot stove) Add the meat back in & stir.

I swear the fattiness of the lamb, the benefits of the broth and the slow cooked veggies help me so much when I'm feeling run down. I'd even encourage you to have it for breakfast if you're really in the trenches!

3. Superfeast Tonics

During one of my calls with my naturopath a couple of months ago, I explained how anxious I was feeling leading up to winter with how hard we were all hit last year. So as the weather started to cool she put me on a Reishi protocol; Reishi tea 3 x per day for 3 weeks.

I personally contacted Superfeast and told them how much my husband & I we're loving it, the main improvement was our sleep quality & just feeling really grounded. Arielle from Superfeast encouraged us to use their Jing and Qi Vitality blend so we got some of that too!

FYI I used Ashwagandha capsules during the first 12 months of my postpartum with Jack, and I think ANYONE who is experiencing high stress or broken sleep will benefit from this herb, I love it so much.

So there you have it folks, '3 Winter Immune Helpers' I am absolutely loving this year. I heavily rely on the experts around me to help with anything immune related, so please I encourage you to seek advice before taking anything that may contraindicate existing medication, your individual health or breastfeeding.

Again, here is my naturopath Lawrey Calabro and my go-to for herbs Michelle Smith who is an AHPRA acupuncturist & Chinese Medicine Herbalist.

May your health always be your North Star

Amy xo