Immune Boost Winter Punch

Author: Natalie White @natnuthc – Naturopathic & Nutritional Health Care

It’s that time of year when you and the family pick up those nasty little viruses and colds.  So why not make yourself a homemade herbal brew to help boost the immune system and ward off any viruses.  This herbal brew has all the flavours of Christmas, while also supporting your immune system.

Carefully designed by Worcester Park & Epsom, Surrey based Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist and functional medicine test expert, Natalie @NatNutHC, this immune boost recipe is sure to help your system through the winter season.

Our immune system boost punch has numerous health benefits.  These include:

• Seabuckthorn a nutrient powerhouse with antimicrobial & antiviral properties. It also helps support the liver and the brain, and is high in vitamin C, beta-carotene, as well as B vitamins, Magnesium & Zinc.
• Hawthorn another nutrient powerhouse, with antibacterial and immune boosting properties. It is high in antioxidants including vitamins A & C, as well as magnesium, copper and zinc.
• Rosehip for its vitamin C and antioxidant content.
• Rose petal for its vitamin C, iron, calcium and antioxidant content.
• Elderberry can help reduce oxidative stress and is high in vitamin C. It is a powerful antioxidant and can act as an anti-viral.
• Hibiscus for its vitamin C and antioxidant content.
• Clove for its antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiviral properties.
• Cinnamon with antimicrobial, antifungal and antioxidant abilities.
• Star Anise is an expectorant, meaning it can help loosen mucus in the respiratory tract. It is also antiviral, antimicrobial and high in antioxidants.

On the plus side, many of these ingredients also support a women during her perimenopause years, here’s how:

• SeaBuckthorn to support vaginal atrophy, mucosal integrity and overall improved vaginal health.
• Hawthorn to support vascular function including reduced blood pressure, improved exercise tolerance, reduced cholesterol, anti-inflammatory, and vascular protective.
• Rosehip for its vitamin C and antioxidant content.
• Rose petal for its vitamin C, iron, calcium and antioxidant content.
• Elderberry to reduce oxidative stress, protect against vascular dysfunction, to lower LDL cholesterol, and increase HDL cholesterol, for its vitamin C and antioxidant content and to act as an anti-viral.
• Hibiscus for its vitamin C and antioxidant content, to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, to reduce blood pressure, to reduce triglycerides, reduce inflammation and help balance blood sugar.

 

The reason it’s important to support cardiovascular health as you go into your perimenopause is because oestrogen is cardio-protective, and thus as your oestrogen levels drop then so does the cardiovascular protection that oestrogen delivers.

We have supported numerous clients throughout London and the South of England especially those living in Worcester Park & Epsom, Surrey as well as in Cobham, Weybridge, Woking, Hersham, Oxshott, Kingswood, Twickenham, Esher, Epsom, Kingston, and also in Hove in East Sussex and along the A3, M3, M23 and M25 corridors including Basingstoke, Hickstead, Horsham, Crawley, Burgess Hill, Guildford, Godalming, Haywards Heath, Brighton and Hove.  This has resulted in numerous health benefits for our clients including reduced migraine frequency and severity, reduced perimenopause symptoms, improved sleep, improved mood, reduced cold & flu symptoms, reduced anxiety and depression, reduced weight, better managed premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and improved blood markers in our cardiovascular and cancer patients.

Ingredients:

 If you’d prefer a free pdf download of our recipe, please select here..

• 4x tsp Seabuckthorn Berry
• 3x tsp Hawthorn Berry
• 2x tsp Rosehip
• 1x tsp Rose Petal
• 3x tsp Elderberry
• 3x tsp Hibiscus
• 1x whole fresh orange cut into wedges (leave on rind & skin but wash thoroughly)
• 1x cinnamon stick
• 5x cloves
• 1x star anise

Method:         

• Put all ingredients into a large stainless saucepan.
• Add 1xL of freshly filtered water.
• Cover, bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, and leave to cool for 30 minutes, ensure the lid is left on during this time.
• In the meantime, sterilise an empty wine bottle or other 1L size glass bottle using boiling water. Let the bottle cool.
• Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the liquid into another stainless saucepan to remove all the excess herbs (these can be discarded in your compost pile or with your household food waste).
• Using a sterilised funnel, decanter the liquid into your empty and sterilised glass bottle.
• Drink cold from the fridge or warm in the pan. Will store about 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

 

The result is a nourishing earthy, grounding  yet fruity tonic.

Ensure all your ingredients are organic.  If you are based in the UK, we recommend purchasing from www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk or www.baldwins.co.uk.

 

Disclaimer:

Due to the powerful effects of many of the herbs in this recipe they may have an additive effect on certain pharmaceutical medications.  They may also be contraindicative with some pharmaceutical medications.  It is therefore important that you seek medical advice from an appropriate trained practitioner before consuming this beverage.  We at NatNutHC are trained to provide such advice and ensure you mix natural medicines safely with pharmaceutical medications.

 

If you would like more information on the best diet for your particular needs, how to reduce your perimenopause symptoms, how to boost your immune system and want help with other health concerns such as a cancer diagnosis, cardiovascular disease, reducing the recurrence of colds & flus, or simply want to be proactive and take a preventative approach to your health risks get in touch today via: info@natnuthc.co.uk  or follow us on Instagram or facebook @natnuthc.

 

If you liked this post, you may also like:

DUTCH Testing can provide valuable insight during Perimenopause to support informed decisions about HRT

Iron Supplementation for Increased Energy: A Naturopathic Nutrition & Functional Medicine Perspective!

Naturopathic Nutrition Tips for Managing Perimenopause Symptoms with Ease

 

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