What is impacting your family's immune system?

Winter is just about on us and it is never to too late to start building a strong, healthy resilient immune system.

 When the immune system is weakened is when it is open to invasions from bug, bacteria and viruses.

@kellysikkema

 We can positively support our children’s immune system by making better choices, so that they can bounce back quickly should a nasty come their way. Keeping in mind, it is not about them or you never getting sick, as that is how the immune system learns, but how resilient it is to bouncing back.

 So  much of their health and yours in largely in  your control should you wish to exercise that priviledge. At the core of immune health is the health of the gut where 70-90% of the immune cells reside.

Let’s start to look at what factors have a negative impact on the immune system:

• Refined sugar in the form of packaged cakes, sweets, biscuit etc,

• Any processed and packaged food in general,

• Trans fatty acids in the form of margarine, table spreads and processed foods

• Insufficient quality protein daily

• Prescription medication without repair work

• Lack of sunshine and exercise

• Living in an environment that is too sterile and clean

• Chemical cleaning products

• EMF radiation from electronic screens, mobile phones and power lines

 As you can see from above, some of the factors are hard to avoid, but there is corrective measures than can be taken

Simple steps to boost your family’s immune system:

1. Optimise digestion and improve gut health

2. Include healthy fats and proteins at each meal – by default that includes fat soluble vitamins such as A D, E & K

3. Plenty of broths and soups

4. Includes lots of onions, garlic, ginger and spices

5. The rainbow for vegetables, obviously seasonal

6. Include probiotic & prebiotic rich foods or drinks DAILY

7. Dirt - yes I did say that

8. Exposure to lots of sunlight and fresh air, especially during the winter months

As you can see, most of what is required is a healthy, wholesome clean diet which 100% in our control.

Keeping in mind, during sickness when we resort to the typical over the counter options, these are not supporting health or building a strong immune, they purely serve to manage a symptom. Which in a acute situation is OK, it is not want you want to be relying on too often, especially when there are so many better natural alternatives that work better and are safer.

 To get the deeper result you are after, i.e. less sickness and the resiliciency to bounce back quickly should they fall prey, you need to follow the above guidelines which are all just choices and a decision at the end of the day.

Understandably whilst simple, they could be difficult to implement in one go if you are a big leap away from the recommendations.

If that is the case and you need some assistance with the way forward, you can always reach out for a free 20 minute chat to help you move forward in the right direction FOR YOU. You can request that HERE.

Check out my work with me page and see which program will  be a right fit for you!

Chantal is an Accredited and Certified Nutrition & Wellness Coach with a very special interest helping busy and overwhelmed mums transform the health of their family using gut healing nutrition and transformational mindset practices.

Accredited Certificate of Nutrition & Super Nutrition, special focus on Childhood Nutrition - Cadence Health

- Certified Level 1 & 2 Wellness Coaching - Wellness Coaching Australia

- MINDD Forum Health Coach - Mindd Foundation

- Accredited Real Healthy Kids Facilitator having personally trained with Sally Gray ND

- Clinical Evidence Based EFT Practitioner - Evidence Based EFT

Getting the school year off to a FLYING start!

A number of years a go my mentor mentioned to me to look out for the week 3 crash of the new school year, that is when kids start to get sick. True to her word, I noticed my kids faltering during that time.

With this new information, I was able to be proactive rather than reactive and therefore their dips were either non existent or just little blips.

There is a very clear reason why this happens and it is STRESS. Stress has a very powerful effect on the immune system and I think as parents we need to recognise this, especially in today’s modern fast paced world.

credit: Element 5 Digital

 Every child may present this differently, so your observational skills here are paramount. At the end of the day, no one is going to know your child like you do.

 What we want to do, is be proactive and supportive. Whilst there are many ways to do this, nutrition is a powerful tool that can be used to bring everything back into balance, especially if standards have slipped over the holiday period. This applies to me too, so don’t think I’m exempt from this.

6 Nutrition Boosting tips to get the school year starting right:

1.       Greatly reduce refined sugar and processed food. Whole and real food ONLY

2.       Consume the rainbow in terms of vegetables and dare I say minimise the amount of fruit eaten, typically no more than 1-2 pieces of fruit a day.

3.       Include a protein and fat source at every meal

4.       Reduce the amount of bread and grains consumed. Try to limit to 1 meal a day ensuring they are properly prepared

5.       Ensure they are drinking adequate clean water daily. Not only is this needed to ensure hydration, but to help eliminate the rubbish that has been built up in the body.

6.       Include a healing nutrition daily in the form of fermented food/drink, broth, hydrolysed collagen

Now that we got the food element sorted, scientific research  informs us that our beliefs and thoughts drive our emotional wellbeing and thus our overall health.

Therefore, not only do we need to nourish their bodies physically with great nutrition, but also help nourish their mind by supporting them to develop an empowering set of beliefs and a healthy self esteem.

 The question I have for you, are you the living example? Our kids learn by observation, not by being told what to do. They will model what is shown to them. I learnt this the hard way. For a long time it was “my way or the highway”

 Are you physically nourishing your body?

Do you a have a healthy set of beliefs and self esteem that empowers  you reach your potential?

If not, and you want to put the oxygen mask on your face first, which is what I highly recommend, you may want to check out my Mums Mindset Rest Program.

 To further empower your toolbox, should your child get sick, there are so many options available that do not include over the counter. Keep a look out for my “Natures Natural First Aid & Medicine” Workshop. To get more details, email info@chantalkhoury.com.au.

Chantal is an Accredited and Certified Nutrition & Wellness Coach with a very special interest helping busy and overwhelmed mums transform the health of their family using gut healing nutrition and transformational mindset practices.

- Accredited Certificate of Nutrition & Super Nutrition, special focus on Childhood Nutrition - Cadence Health

- Certified Level 1 & 2 Wellness Coaching - Wellness Coaching Australia

- MINDD Forum Health Coach - Mindd Foundation

- Accredited Real Healthy Kids Facilitator having personally trained with Sally Gray ND

- Clinical Evidence Based EFT Practitioner - Evidence Based EFT

Winter Wellness - Medicinal foods in your garden, pantry and fridge

Winter is here. That means the season for coughs, cold, snot, ear infections, tonsillitis, upper respiratory sickness, croup, you name it! How well prepared are you??

The germ, bacteria, bug, virus, whatever you want to call it is not the problem, it is the host in which it is living. The germ can only thrive in the right environment, that is our immune system. When the immune system is not as strong and resilient as it should be, it will really struggle to fight off these bugs and more often than not will succumb to them.

There is so much goodness in our garden and pantry that is truly medicinal in nature and  have stood the test of time. Wouldn't it better to use these than feel helpless and use over the counter medication which do have a damaging effect on our eco system, the MAIN hub of the immune system?

With a little education and a little preparation, you can be fully prepared for whatever is thrown your way.

Harnessing the medicinal properties of readily available herbs:

• Rosemary – It’s aromatic smell has been known to help improve memory tasks. Great for upper respiratory tract infections and is anti-microbial

• Oregano – This herb is highly antimicrobial and is very effective at treating chronic & acute infections. Add it to food regularly or have as a medicinal tea with a little raw honey

• Lavender – who is not a fan of the smell of lavender, me actually, but that is a story for another day. Not only is the fragrant soothing and helps you fall asleep, it also contains anti-oxidants called polyphenols that fight belly bloating

• Thyme – This has to my favourite herb for medicinal purposes and is my go to when the dreaded cough kicks in. This is a great herb to use for respiratory problems and is also very antiseptic. I will share an easy cough tea recipe in the download below. My daughter loves it when I make this tea.

• Basil – This little beauty is great at calming the nerves and also has a detoxing effect on the liver

• Parsley – This common garnish is packed full of nutrients. It contains Vit A & C and just teaspoon offers nearly half your daily intake of vit k

• Chives – A member of the onion family that can help boost the immune system. Admittedly I don't use this herb as often I could do.

• Coriander – This is my go to herb for stirfries and salads. It provides iron and fibre and is also known as a great chelator of heavy metals to help draw them out of your tissues

• Mint – A rich source of Vit A and useful for the breath, digestion, nausea and headaches.

In short, add a variety of herbs daily where ever you can in your diet and reap the benefits, a little really goes a long way.

Suggestions – Garnish, salads, add to stirfries, casserole, soups and make your own brew of tea

Medicine in your pantry:

• Apple Cider Vinegar – Rich in it’s own probiotics, it has been known to be great for detoxification, supporting digestion, anti-microbial and supports the immune system. It is also known to have benefits of topical applications for dry skin, as an anti-fungal agent, whiten teeth and relieve rashes. One little product and so many uses.

• Honey – no pantry should be without a good quality local if possible, raw honey. It is definitely my go to for the first sign of sore throat or cough, taken straight off the spoon. It is very useful as part of a gut healing journey harnessing the prebiotic benefits, however still to be used in small amounts. Also fabulous a moisturiser for dry skin, acne and wound healing.

• Olive oil – Firstly make sure it is a good quality. Not only it is wonderful as a moisturiser for hair and skin, it is a great source of good fats which are essential for the immune & gut cells, not to mention the brain.

• Good Quality ORGANIC tea bags – These are fabulous to have on hand during sickness and a good selection will be found in any good health food store. My favourites are:

  • Rosehip & hibiscus

  • Ginger & lemon

  • Chamomile

  • Peppermint or mint

  • Immune tea

  • Digestive tea

What's hiding in your fridge that can serve as medicine?

• GINGER – This little innocent unassuming vegetable is so potent. Really get creative how you can incorporate it into your diet as much as possible. It is known to be useful for treating:

  • Inflammation

  • Remedies motion sickness or an upset tummy

  • Cold & flu prevention

  • Assists digestion

  • Assists common respiratory conditions that helps break down and remove phelm and mucous

  • Strengthens the immune system

• TUMERIC (fresh) or spice from the pantry - It’s the compound curcumin in this food that makes it so magical and gives it the amazing anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties. I love adding to broth to pimp it up and a few shakes of the spice where ever I can.

• LEMON – This wonderful citrus fruit so readily available and has many health benefits such as:

  • The juice of a lemon is useful in assisting indigestion and constipation

  • It is one of go to treatments for fever and works a charm breaking a fever by increasing perspiration.

  • Soothes respiratiory disorders

  • Helps to flush out bacteria and toxins from the body

  • With it’s antibacterial properties, it’s a fabulous choice for sore throats

Here you can download a few DIY recipes using the ingredients above to get yourself all ready for winter:

Included in the EBOOK are recipes for the following, however they all have multiple uses:

• Immune System

• Cough

• Resiliency Tonic

• Digestive

• Tummy Upsets

Chantal Khoury is a Certified and Accredited Nutrition & Wellness Coach with a special interest helping mum's implement Healing Wholefood & transformational wellness practices to improve the health of their family one personalised step at a time.

The REAL truth about eating Wholefood

So this has been on mind lately regarding people's expectations about eating whole & real foods. This has led to me writing this blog to be brutally honest as to what it takes INITIALLY to begin this journey, not in the longer term.

You see, this is a way of life, essentially a new habit or a group of new habits that needs to be created and also follows the cycle of change.

Before I dive into the real truth, let me just clarify what a wholefood is, i.e. any food that is as close as possible to it’s natural state. By definition this rules out packaged and processed food.

The quickest way to identify how much wholefood you are actually consuming is to complete a food diary for 2-3 days. This way you can really get a true picture of how much “REAL” food is being consumed. You may actually surprise yourself.

I wanted to be upfront and say that eating a wholefood and real food diet is not easy initially,  however after time it just becomes a way of life. There are some bumps on the road until you can get into the groove. Over time you will find that it actually saves you time, creates so much more convenience and the cherry on the cake is how YOU will feel physically and emotionally. What I observe is that people try this “clean” eating for a week and give up after soon thereafter because it is all too hard.

I’ve identified 3 REAL truths that you just need to get comfortable and make peace with IF you want to achieve optimal health by consuming a wholefood diet the majority of the time. This is even more pertinent if it extends to healing wholefood.

THREE BIG TRUTHS

1. TIME

Depending how far you away from the concept of real food you are, it takes time to FULLY implement. Allow yourself a good 3-6 months to make small incremental consistent nutritional improvements to your family’s diet. It takes TIME for them to come on board. It also takes time for you to figure out what your favourite wholefood “go to” meals are that the whole family enjoys and in fact get into your groove.

Tying in with the concept of time is "EFFORT”. Food does not magically land on the table at breakfast, lunch and dinner (as much as we’d like the food fairies to appear) and it takes effort accordingly. I hear so much that I just don’t have the time. I beg to differ, we all have the same number of hours in the day. It really does not take the amount of time we think it does.

2.  ORGANISATION

Sometimes it feels like the word organisation is a dirty word. The harsh reality is that it is very difficult to consume whole and real food EVERYDAY without being organised. By organised I am referring to meal planning and preparation consistently so that it just becomes another habit like brushing your teeth. It’s not something you think about or debate, you just do it…..I hope so anyway :-).

It does not stop at menu planning though, you then need to prepare the lovely meals you have planned. Set aside time in your diary to do some bulk food prep so that you can create convenience, make better food choices, be more present, calm and in flow.

Tying in with the above truth of time, also give yourself time to get organised. Don’t come up with a bright idea on the weekend and decide you are changing the world on Monday. Instead allow yourself anything from 2-4 weeks to get yourself into gear and then make the changes.

3. Food wastage

Yes, initially there is plenty of food wastage whilst you adjust the family’s pallet as well as experimenting to identify the “new” family favourites. There will be some recipes that you make and the family will dislike, I like to think of this as feedback, instead giving you of an idea what their likes and dislikes are using real ingredients. Sometimes you do want to cry and just give up, but don’t, this is just a phase and it too shall pass. You just need to hang on and the food wastage will greatly decrease sooner than you think.

The truths above, are just part of the cycle of change. You first need to decide:

• What you want to achieve & why - this step is so often over looked, however is the foundation for making any lasting sustainable change.

• How are you going to get achieve this

• Set yourself a timeframe to do so, such as 6 weeks, 3 or 6 months. This really takes the pressure off and you are less likely to give up after one week when everyone hates what you have cooked. This does happen I am afraid to say…..so get comfortable with that idea now…lol

If you feel you need some support to getting you started on first step into the world of whole and real food and a plan to really transform your health, then book in a 90 minute Nutrition & Wellness Audit

Chantal is a certified and accredited Nutrition & Wellness Coach that helps stressed and overwhelmed mothers implement Healing Wholefood and Wellness transformational practices to transform the health of their family using a personalised step by step process.