BACK TO BASICS: PART 3 – NATURAL REMEDIES

By Dilshaad Bux      By Dilshaad Bux 

Growing up, we all had that one person – be it our grandmother, a neighbor, or a wise elder - who knew all the home remedies for every ailment. For me, it was both my mom and dad. They never missed an opportunity to feed me something that I was going to dislike them for later. 

Back then it felt as though I was being punished for getting the flu, bruising my knee, or being stung by a bee. Now, as a young adult, I am forced to admit that my parents were right. 

Almost all of the remedies that my parents were taught, by their parents, have at some point in recent years been proven by medical research to be effective. In many cases, these remedies prove more helpful than usual over-the-counter medication.

Thanks to my parents, I have always reached for the kitchen cabinet instead of the medicine cabinet, at the first sign of a common cold. Although skeptics may shake their heads, I choose to trust my parents (and modern research), and squash any negativity about my precious home remedies. 

Honey is my best friend. I can go days without speaking to my actual best friend, but I can’t go a day without my honey. 

The benefits of honey are too many to mention in just one post. It has numerous healing and antiseptic properties, is commonly used a key ingredient in natural beauty products, and has been my immune system’s main energy source for as long as I can remember. 

I mix a good dollop of honey in hot water, and add another magical ingredient – cinnamon, which brings the heat, giving my body what it needs to fight off a common cold.

Finally, ginger has always been a key ingredient in any home remedy for the common cold. It may not suit the taste-buds as much as honey and cinnamon does, but when brewed together, does a world of good, as it helps knock out the common cold culprits in our body. 

The good news is that just a little ginger goes a long way, so you don’t need to have too much to feel better. Add the rinds of an orange to your homemade brew, and you’ll have yourself a feel-good tea that not only combats the common cold with every sip, but tastes great too. 

The secret ingredient in natural remedies is rest. Pushing yourself to the maximum while you are unwell will not save you time. It will only make you feel less productive for longer, as your body battles to recover. 

Allow yourself to rest for a few days while you get back to basics, and you will return to your daily life sooner, fully recharged and ready to live again.

BACK TO BASICS: PART 2 - COLORS & GREENS

By Dilshaad Bux           Dilshaad Bux

When I say colors and greens, I’m not referring to hallucinogens and hemp. I’m talking about getting back to basics with good ol’ fruit and vegetables. From a cure for the common cold, to helping prevent cancer, the foods of the earth continue to amaze us with all the things they can do for our overall wellbeing.  

Fruit and vegetables are the ultimate definition of guilt-free eating. We can eat them all day, and trust that they are doing good for our body. At the very least, they boost our happyhormones, strengthening our immune system and making us feel good. 

As I mentioned in my previous post, the flu has had me off my feet this week, and it has given me time to return to what’s important, so that I can do what I need to do to regain my strength. Lately I’ve been neglecting my tummy by with unhealthy food, and not taking the time to enjoy preparing and eating my food. 

This week has brought me back to basics with eating fruit and vegetables, getting my immune system back on track with every marvelous bite. I’ve been munching on strawberries, apples, avocados, carrots and oranges. Not only do they make me feel good simply because they are delicious, but they also have just what I need to feel good again. 

Strawberries are full of vitamin C, which boosts the immune system; 

Apples help to reduce cholesterol, which is important for the overall health of your heart; 

Avocados, my favorite, have been proven to do all of the above, plus increase the amount of nutrients our body absorbs, which is especially good for when our body is trying to replenishnutrients lost to illness; 

Carrots contain all the vitamins and minerals we need – including vitamins C, B, and E, as well as iron, zinc and copper – to keep up a strong immune system. 

An orange, with its rinds, boiled in hot water, with honey and ginger – it’s not the classic way of eating an orange, but it helps kick the cold out of your body and really does taste good. 

Of course, these are not the only colors and greens that help boost our body’s defense mechanisms against illness and the like. Every fruit and vegetable has its benefits, and we shouldn’t wait for our body to hit rock bottom before we eat more of thesenatural foods. 

The more colors and greens we incorporate into our diet on a daily basis, the more well-rounded our health will be, giving us all we need to live this beautiful life to its fullest.