photo above courtesy of bing 

Have you been struggling to stay warm? I don’t know what the weather has been like in your neck of the woods or country but let me just say “IT’S BEEN A BUMMER HERE!” in North Carolina. I mean, it’s April already and while there is that famous quote, “April showers, bring May flowers” I didn’t read anything in those lines that said……April’s cold weather, brings on the May sweaters! okay, so that didn’t make a lick of sense, although it did rhyme a little bit – anyway, you get my drift right?

I mean, with the weather not making up it’s mind if it wants to be HOT, COLD or IN-BETWEEN it’s been a real deal breaker with my closet. One minute, you can wear your sleeves out, the next minute you can’t – should I wear boots today? or shouldn’t I, do I need a scarf? or don’t I…..I mean, it’s been crazy to say the least.

However, with all of this UP and down weather we’ve been having, I’ve noticed that sickness has also been on an all time high. Everyone’s allergies have been up and down and the flu/pneumonia/cold season has been having a field day with everyone’s bodies; people have been down for weeks with colds, the doctors offices have been getting filled up with old and new patients, all complaining of the same thing, stating it’s “The Weather” and by golly they’re sooooooooo right!

I even got sick for a week or two and I hadn’t ever been the one to let a sickness get me down, but it did and it felt HORRIBLE! so with that being said, I thought I’d share a couple of go-to’s that I use to keep my body somewhat healthy and make that simple cold go bye-bye quicker. This seems like a crazy post to write in the middle of April but with the weather playing it’s cards like a true champion – I thought some of these tips would help.

Please keep in mind, that these tips are just for a simple cold; if you feel your condition is worse even after taking meds, please – please go see a doctor….Roshonda’s Orders! 

BRING ON THE SOUP! – WONTON THAT IS…

I absolutely love, love, love wonton soup when I’m feeling under the weather – it’s hot, tasty and putting the wonton strips in it, makes it even better. I don’t know but for some reason every time I drink it, it makes me feel a little better and with garlic, ginger and some scallions in the mix, it’s a true winner for me every time.

Wonton soup is a thin but yet, filling broth. One cup is about 223 grams, it has 0.6 grams of fat and 0.1 gram of unhealthy saturated fat, however the soup is shock full of heart healthy unsaturated fat in which is very good for your body. It’s also very cheap, a large pint is only $3.95; I also noticed that if I drink wonton soup everyday that I have my cold? – it seems to shorten its longevity by a day or two.

DID YOU SAY BONE BROTH??…

I had never heard of bone broth before until about a year or two ago; I had never tried it until this last time I got sick, I thought I would give it a whirl outside of my regular “go-to” and it was actually delicious, sort of tasted a little awkward at first as it didn’t have any type of seasoning in it but after a little dash of salt and pepper, it jazzed right up.

According to the gossip regarding this broth; bone broth is full of necessary nutrients such as calcium, protein, magnesium, phophorus, vitamin D, C, K, A and B. It also has iron in it in which is even better for the body. It’s rich in minerals and supports the immune system with healing agents such as collagen, in which heals you stomach lining and reduces inflammation in your intestines, Sounds like a winner huh! Well, if you want to get well quick – it really is.

MEDS? I HATE SYRUPS!

I do not like taking medicine, especially if its syrupy and yucky tasting – just give me a pill (that’s easy to swallow) and I’ll shove it before I drink it….okay? However; my favorite capsules to take are a Family Dollar brand entitled Family Wellness Multi-symptom Cold & Flu Relief.

It’s a box that contains both daytime and nighttime gel capsules. I love these because they’re easy to swallow and they really do work, if you take them as the instructions state in which for daytime it’s every 4 hours and nighttime every 6. When I drink my soup and take these babies? Oh yeah, I feel as though I can concur the day, because within like 30min they are working their magic and I don’t have to worry about feeling drowsy or terrible during the day – but motivated and energized.

FLUIDS, WATER, FLUIDS, WATER – DID I SAY FLUIDS??

YESSSS!! If you’re like me, I hate drinking water when I’m sick buttttttt, water is a great choice to drink because it’s not filled with sugar or caffeine. Instead it’s clear, fresh and will help push that yucky sickness out of your body along with any toxins it’s helping to build up. Drinking water will also help alleviate that cold as well and get you back on the road to feeling like yourself again.

MY PORES ARE OPEN!!

Okay, so when I was younger my mother used to always make us take baths at night; when we woke up in the morning, we would do a good wash up and proceed with the day. Mama used to always say, if we took showers in the morning – our pores would be open and we’ll get sick; especially going out in cold weather.

Well, as I got older I didn’t stick to that mantra, as I opted to take my showers in the morning – every morning. While this is good for the summer time, the winter time – not so much. Getting a shower in the morning, jumping out and leaving the house without my hair drying all the way and my body’s pores still open, did lead to me getting sick most of the time. So now, because I do still take showers in the mornings – I make sure I’m in the house at least for a good 20-30min before exiting the house, just to give my body time to get back to it’s right temperature. I even put on a scarf, just to be on the safe side. Mama knew Best!!

I failed to mention that I also have taken Thera-flu and sometimes drink herbal teas as well. The following tips were simple but hopefully they gave you a little sample of some small things you can do to stay out of harms way with the weather.

Nobody likes to be sick, not even for a day – so cheers to getting well and staying WELL!

 

Do you have any Wellness tips that you do that work? Share them in the comments!

 

Roshonda N. Blackmon – Creator of A Blog, A Magazine. It’s JustsumInspiration, Author, Speaker & Encourager