Beat the winter blues with Exercise

 

Get your body moving every day to beat the winter blues!

 

Higher Energy option: 

When temperatures are low outside, warm up your body from within by getting your heart rate up and breaking a sweat! High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is great for this. In as little as 15 to 20 minutes, you can do a full-body work out right from your home with no equipment necessary. HIIT incorporates short intervals of intense exercise (when your heart rate can reach about 80% of its maximum capacity) with periods of rest or active recovery.

Here are some examples of exercises you can include in your HIIT workouts: burpees, mountain climbers, plank jacks, squat jumps, Russian twists, and bicycle crunches. There are many great HIIT resources, guides, and videos out there that you can customize to your fitness level and schedule. Try HIIT this winter, ideally in the morning within an hour of waking, and get your heart pumping, blood moving, metabolism firing, and energy going! 

 

Lower Energy option:

Get outside! Sunshine (when we can get it), fresh air, and movement can go a long way to boosting your mood and relieving stress, even if it’s cold out. Bundle up and try one of these ideas:

-Keep it simple- take a lap around your neighborhood.

-If there’s no snow (or if there is snow and you have the right gear), try a local trail like Mt Agamenticus, Stratham Hill Park, Urban Forestry Center or the Great Bay Wildlife Refuge.

-Put on an extra layer and go to the beach! Winter is a great time to find treasures washed ashore by stormy seas.

-Walk around your neighborhood during a snowstorm- the quiet stillness is so peaceful. 

 

Boost your Immune System with Fire Cider

Fire cider is a time-honored herbal remedy that has its roots in ancient and folk medicine. Although it has seen many variations over the years, the basic recipe calls for apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, horseradish, ginger, turmeric, lemon, honey, hot pepper, and aromatic herbs like rosemary, thyme, or sage. The result of this combination of powerful botanicals is a warming and stimulating tonic that promotes vigor and overall well-being. It aids digestion, increases energy, raises body temperature, and – most importantly – boosts immunity. 

Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients to better understand the immune-boosting benefits of Fire Cider!

 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is high in minerals, especially potassium, which makes it a good regulator of acid/alkaline balance in the body. In general, it is harder for disease to exist when the body is in an alkaline state, so promoting alkalinity has direct benefits for the immune system. Its main constituent, acetic acid, is primarily excreted by the lungs, kidneys, and skin, so apple cider vinegar will also act as a mild expectorant, diuretic, and diaphoretic. Lastly, apple cider vinegar is antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory (it decreases the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, the same molecules released during the “cytokine storm” of SARS-CoV2 infection!). 

 

Garlic and Onion

Garlic and onion have similar medicinal properties since both are in the Allium family of vegetables. The medicinal properties are largely attributed to the sulfur-containing compound allicin, a powerful antimicrobial effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Allicin has an affinity for the lungs and digestive tract so it is useful in the prevention and treatment of respiratory infections like colds, flus, sinusitis, and bronchitis and digestive infections that involve unwanted microorganisms. Garlic and, to a lesser extent, onion also reduce blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, so they can be effective for preventing some of the cardiometabolic diseases that predispose individuals to more severe or more frequent infections (including more severe SARS-CoV2 infection).

 

Horseradish

Horseradish is a powerful antimicrobial plant that also stimulates expectoration and thins phlegm and sticky mucus. It has a high affinity for the upper respiratory tract and is very effective at preventing or treating sinusitis and other upper respiratory conditions characterized by stagnation and congestion. Lastly, it stimulates circulation and promotes sweating, which augments the immune system and helps the body cope with fevers.

 

Ginger

Ginger is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial. Although it is typically associated with the digestive system, its heating quality and ability to stimulate blood flow to tissues make it good at dispelling diseases associated with cold, like upper and lower respiratory tract congestion and inflammation.

 

Turmeric

Turmeric is by far one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant botanicals there is. With its additional antimicrobial action, turmeric is a go-to for quenching the inflammation associated with acute and chronic infections and injuries to tissues like the muscle, joints, brain, liver, intestines, kidney, heart, and blood vessels. Turmeric can also lower cholesterol and prevent the oxidation of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol involved in plaque formation), making it effective at preventing some of the cardiometabolic diseases that predispose individuals to poor immune function.  

 

Lemon

Lemon pulp and juice are high in vitamin C, an immune-boosting rockstar. Vitamin C contributes to immune defenses by supporting mucosal barrier function against pathogens in our digestive, respiratory, and genitourinary tracts; aiding in microbial killing; and exerting high antioxidant activity. Lemon, like apple cider vinegar, promotes alkalinity, thus warding off disease. It’s very useful in treating fevers, sore throats, colds, flus, bronchitis and any other respiratory condition characterized by excessive phlegm.

 

Honey

Honey is more than just a tasty treat! It has medicinal properties that add to the healing power of any herbal preparation. It is antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory, and soothing. Honey is also highly nutritious. It contains proteins and carbohydrates, minerals like iron and manganese, and vitamins like vitamin B2 and B6. Raw honey confers an additional advantage because it contains vital enzymes, nutrients, and traces of pollen that are destroyed in the pasteurization process, making it far more nutrient rich. All these factors make it a great immune system support. 

 

Cayenne Hot Pepper

Cayenne’s medicinal properties are largely attributed to the compound capsaicin. Capsaicin is antimicrobial and antioxidant. As a circulatory stimulant and diaphoretic, it enhances blood flow and increases body temperature to aid in expelling infections and cleansing the body. Enhanced blood flow means immune cells can be better distributed to peripheral tissues to do their important jobs of surveillance and defense!

 

Aromatic Herbs- Rosemary, thyme, sage

Rosemary, thyme, and sage all contain volatile oils that have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Commonly used in steam inhalations to thin and expel mucus from the upper and lower respiratory tracts, these aromatic herbs are staples for combatting respiratory infections and inflammation

 

Although it’s sold in stores, the great thing about Fire Cider – besides all its health benefits, of course – is that it can easily be made at home from common kitchen ingredients. So go ahead and make a big batch from scratch to carry you through COVID-19 season and beyond! (You can find a recipe, inspired by master herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, here). 

Take Fire Cider by the spoonful or add it to salad dressings, marinades, stir-fries, juices, or teas and cheers to your health!

Written by Dr. Alyssa Christoforou

 

Sources: 

Yagnik D, Serafin V, J Shah A. Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):1732. Published 2018 Jan 29. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18618-x