Health Tips - Cold and Flu

1. To fight off a cold or flu use warming socks. Get a knee-high pair of cotton socks and a pair of wool socks. Soak the cotton socks in cold water, wring them out and then put them on your feet. Put the wool socks on top and then go to bed. The body will respond by warming the feet, thus draining the congestion from the head.

2. When you are coming down with a cold or the flu get plenty of rest and relaxation. Allow time for your body to heal. Eat warm, cooked food and drink plenty of warm liquids. Avoid dairy and sugar.

3. To reduce a fever drink a couple of glasses of water, apply cold wet compress to the forehead and chest and take a long tepid bath or sponge bath. Rest, drink plenty of fluids and limit food intake until the fever breaks. Fevers below 39C (102F) are seen as “friendly” and a reaction of the body to eliminate toxins.
Remember: fevers are one of the most important defenses our body has against disease. The intention of a fever is to raise the temperature of the body to create uncomfortable living conditions for bacteria and viruses (i.e. “to cook the bugs”).
In order to build a healthy and strong immune system, it is extremely important to support the body’s natural immune defenses – fevers should be encouraged, not suppressed.

4. To aid the elimination of toxins through the skin induce perspiration by taking long hot baths, using an infrared sauna or steam room. Increasing perspiration through the skin is one of the safest and most effective ways of eliminating toxins.

Dairy free Me: Creamy Romaine Salad Recipe

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 medium heads romaine lettuce, outer leaves discarded
• 1 bunch young dandelion greens, if available
• 1 medium tomato cut into eighths
• 
  
• Dressing:
• 3 TBS chopped fresh basil
• 3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 TBS prepared Dijon mustard
• 1 TBS honey
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• 4 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 4 oz silken tofu
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• *a little water to thin if needed

The silken tofu makes it creamy without dairy giving your salad a rich taste without a lot of fat.
Directions:

1. Blend all dressing ingredients in blender adding oil a little at a time at end.
2. Chop, rinse, and dry romaine and dandelion greens. If you have a salad spinner it is best. If not, pat rinsed greens with paper towels so dressing doesn't get diluted.
3. Toss greens with tomato and desired amount of dressing.
   Serves 4
   

Healthy Cooking Tips:
Make sure you blend this dressing well so the sunflower seeds are ground. Stop your blender and test for smoothness. When the seeds are ground well they will make your dressing nice and creamy.