Cold and Flu Season or is it? (article) by Debby J Rosenberg on AuthorsDen

Sometimes, the truth hurts a little. I speak from personal experience, neither myself nor my husband, Gordon have been sick with a cold or flu in nearly 4 years, which doesn't make us popular within our peer groups. In fact, it tends to cause others to pull away, perhaps disbelief, perhaps it triggers an uncomfortable nerve when people are asked to really look at themselves and their habits. I mean no disrespect and I don't believe they do either. People feel comfort in similarity. I write this from the heart with compassion that people are suffering. I do not know anyone that welcomes and rejoices feeling sick with a head cold or the flu. As a modern people we have come to rely on convenience and marketing media constantly in our face influencing our belief and choice. Perhaps we are missing a piece of knowing the bigger picture of wellness and sickness. I hope this note plants a seed for you and your loved ones. I've submitted the following article for publication. Cold and Flu Season or is it? How many times have we heard that it is cold and flu season, and isn't it interesting that it rolls around in late February and early March? Why is this? While it is true there does seem to be a lot of people with cold symptoms in late winter, it has more to do with an individuals personal-impaired immunity than any additional germs flying around. Most people have been compromising their physical nutritional needs by consuming excessive sugar and calories starting as early as October. First the Halloween candy, it seems candy is everywhere! Just as we begin recovering from the sugar rush, Thanksgiving arrives and we gorge ourselves with high fat consumption at family gatherings, often feeling bloated and uncomfortable for days afterward. The body works at full speed to clear and process the damage, then the Christmas Time holidays arrive, cookies, fudge, pies, cocktails, eggnog, and more family high fat, excessive protein, abundant starch feasts, and minimal fruit or vegetable. Then throw on a New years eve binge, Superbowl, and Valentines. We seem to loose all sense of control and consume like addicts, unable to say “no more”. Slowly and quietly the internal workings of the body slow down. The blood stream is completely depleted of nutrition and hydration. The cells desperate for nutrition begin leaching from reserves in the bones, muscle, and internal organs. The small and large intestines are polluted with non-digested food, fermenting and excreting toxins into the blood stream, furthering the dehydration and dis-ease. Finally, the body can no longer cope and our natural immunity systems shut down, allowing any germ or unfriendly bacteria to gain a foothold within our body. The symptoms begin – headache, stuffy or runny sinuses, sore throats, coughs, tired, aches, chills, and fever. You are so tired you have to go to bed, the body does not have the ability to handle the multitasks necessary to function. As you lay there suffering and wonder “Why did this happen to me?” Perhaps you can now look back and take some responsibility – This did not Happen to You. You created this when you forgot to eat for nutrition and hydration, the building blocks of perfect health. The human body is an amazing machine, fully capable of regenerating itself, and in due time, after you have rested, consumed liquids, and have eaten much less while bed ridden, it does repair. The symptoms subside and energy returns. If you would like to avoid and conquer the common cold in your life, it is very simple to do. Feed your body what it needs more often. 80% of what you eat, every meal, everyday should be fresh plant based real food. Examples are salad, juice, or soup made with raw vegetables. (by raw food I'm referring to fresh, not out of a can, however, frozen can be substituted as a 2nd choice if fresh is not an option) Additionally, the body requires a significant amount of water. Your body weight divided by two is the recommend number of ounces of water per day. Coffee, tea, and soda dehydrate the body. For every ounce of soda you consume, you loose twice as much water reserves from the body. Avoid processed, prepackaged convenience food, as they do not contain the nutrition to fuel your body. They are full of unhealthy ingredients that are not food. These non-food ingredients accumulate in your intestines, blood, and cells throughout your body. At some future point in your life they manifest as a serious disease and disorders. Add probiotics such as kefir and digestive enzymes to your daily consumption; this will assist your digestion and intestinal track to keep clean and process out the toxic accumulations. Find time to de-stress daily. A few minutes a day or at bed time, quiet the mind and thoughts and just listen to your breathing. It has been proven, stress compromises our immune system. Take small steps. Eliminate one thing, add one thing for a month, then try removing and adding the next month. If you begin now to take notice of your consumption and learn how to feed yourself real food, your body will respond in healthy ways. Less weight, ease of flexibility, fewer allergies, less sickness, and more energy. You are so worth it! Isn't it time for you to make the choices that are good for you! 2011 Debby Rosenberg

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