It’s back to school season which means colder weather and lower immune systems.
To kick off a new series, #WellnessWedneday – a series with a focus on health and wellness – I headed to The Raw Chemist, one of my favourite juice and smoothie bars in the city to talk to my friend Jessica about health and the best ways to boost your immune system.
| JUICES |
Juices are a great way to boost your immune and overall health. Most juices are loaded with nutrients we may not get everyday and super foods that will keep the common cold away.
I love juices this time of the year and especially love any with ginger and lemon. First because I love how they taste, and second because they actually make me feel better.
Side note: I used to work in a restaurant. Any time I started to feel slightly sick or had a tickle in my throat, the guys in the kitchen whipped up concoctions with fresh ginger, lemon, honey and anything else they thought would help; it always worked. Not one for taking medicine and having had natural ways of curing my ailments, I always take the natural path first.
Keep Well Juice. Ingredients and Benefits.
| GINGER |
Ginger has the ability to boost the immune system as it helps illuminate toxins in the body which often weaken your immune system. It’s a natural antiviral and anti bacterial which is great for the common cold. The main bioactive in ginger is called gingerol which is where it’s powerful anti -inflammatory and antiviral effects come from. It also inhibits the growth of bacteria, so the next time you have a sore throat or a respiratory virus, take a shot of some raw ginger juice.
|TURMERIC |
Turmeric is known to be a very good anti-inflammatory agent. Reducing inflammation in the body can help build your immune system naturally.
| CAMU CAMU |
Camu camu is a berry that offers the highest natural vitamin C density of any plant in the world. Vitamin C deficiency can reduce your bodies ability to fight off pathogens.
| SMOOTHIES |
Smoothies are also a great way to build your system and get all the nutrients in liquid form. I have been making smoothies for a few years now and usually mix a ton of berries (which are high in antioxidants), bananas and other super foods; it keeps me full for a few hours, it’s loaded with anti-oxidants and it’s great for at home or if you’re on-the-go. Adding boosters like ginger and echinacea strengthen your system and subsequently prevent you from getting sick!
Berry Green Smoothie. Ingredients and Benefits
| KALE |
Kale is a leafy green packed with vitamins and nutrients. It is also a powerful antioxidant. One serving of kale provides Vitamin C, Vitamin A (plays a key role in immunity) and Vitamin K.
| MIXED BERRIES |
Mixed berries are loaded with antioxidants which can help keep your memory sharp and lessen the effects of aging on the body.
| BANANAS |
Bananas are loaded with many vitamins (B6, Vitamin C & potassium) and nutrients that can moderate blood sugar and improve digestive health.
| RAW CHEMIST IMMUNE BOOSTING POWDER |
Raw Chemist Immune Boosting Powder is an all natural blend of herbs that have been proven to help you maintain your health and shorten the duration of a cold. It can be added to your smoothies or in teas as a booster. We added it to the berry green smoothie.
| BOOSTERS |
| ASTRAGALUS |
Astragalus is an adaptogen meaning it helps the body deal with stress. It is great for boosting the immune system. It is Anti inflammatory and antiviral which we know helps prevent and lessen the effects of a common cold.
| GINGER |
Ginger eliminates toxins from the body therefore allowing the immune system to become more efficient. It has strong antiviral, antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties.
| ECHINACEA |
Echinacea has a compound called phenols which have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help fight free radicals in the body. It also contains alkylamides which help boost the immune system naturally. Researchers from the university of Connecticut school of pharmacy concluded through research, ” that echinacea could reduce a persons chances of catching a cold by approximately 58%. They found that the herbal remedy also reduces the length of time of the last by 1.4 days “.
Jessica is a wealth of knowledge and her juices and smoothies are incredible! Make sure to check out The Raw Chemist at 2984 Dundas St. West and if you want to get your hands on her booster powders head to www.therawchemist.ca
Happy Wellness Wednesday.
KM