Avoid that Late Winter Cold.

Avoid Late-Winter Colds.

Sigh…it's that time of year…again!!
So many friends are coming to class with a head cold.
It's not allergies people - the trees are barely giving up their sap for syrup-ing.
There is NO pollen in the air.

But what happens this time of year - in the transition from mid-Winter to late-Winter is this:
THERE IS MUCH MORE MOISTURE IN THE AIR.

We see this in the midday when Winter starts to thaw. The snow melts.
If there is precipitation it comes in a "Wintery Mix" of snow-sleet-rain…and that all adds up to
SLUSH.

Not just on the ground, but in your body, cells and tissues!!
Extra moisture in your body can create a condition where your body has to, wants to must get rid of that excess liquid in order to stay healthy.

So what happens?

Your body squeezes that extra moisture (from the melting snow & moist air) out of you.
The fastest way is in the form of a nasty head-cold.

But hold on here…this is a health blog!!
Is there a good way to avoid, mitigate or lessen the effect of this Winter to Spring transition?
Absolutely!!

Here's how:
Switch your diet with the seasons!!
This time of year is is important to eat more bitter, astringent and pungent foods.
These foods help rig your body of excess mucus and liquid, and act as a tonic to the tissues.

Pungent root vegetables are great:
Beets, parsnips, all radishes (daikon, red, watermelon radish), turnips, burdock to name a few.

Beans are a must!!
Any type of bean - black, navy, lentil, kidney, aduki, cannellini, red, mung…
Beans absorb water - that's what they do. So start fresh with dried beans.  Soak 'em over night and cook in fresh water with a little kombu seaweed. When tender add salt to taste.

Green Leafy:
All green leafy have a bitter quality  - even if they taste pungent, sour, bitter, or sweet.
The darker the better!! For amazing results add them to your beans at the very end and let them wilt in.

Cut out ALL snot producing foods - like dairy, wheat and sugar - for a few weeks. Eat much less whole grains for a few weeks or choose ones like buckwheat and corn that suck water out.
And voila - you'll walk right around that old cold germ from which everyone else is sneezing.

Want to know how to stay healthy with the seasons?
Join my iLEAP: Into Life Empowered & Present Wellness Course and I'll show you how.