Colds are a knokin'. Now what?

It is most definitely getting colder, and yes, when everyone around you is getting sick, you always run the risk of catching a cold, or the flu (even the healthiest, most athletic of people can catch these annoying diseases by the by). So, what should you do?

There are the standard, and pretty logical answers. You know; the "wash your hands every chance you get and carry disinfectant with you" and the "lots of vitamin C"  and the ever so popular "get lots of sleep and rest" but is there more you can do? The answer is YES, there is.
For starters, diminish the amount of greasy food you are consuming (nope, those fries will not help you get any healthier... I know, shoker)
Make sure you are eating PLENTY of green, leafy veggies (Some of my faves are, of course, kale and spinach. But there are plenty more leaves in the sea my friends, and they are all good for you, so do not neglect them... in fact, eat a ton of them) 
Sure, get a lot of vitamin C, but also, you need lots of vitamin A and B, so, either get some supplements, or, if you want to taste these healthy vitamins, get to juicing ;)
Have a nice, warm breakfast filled with fruits, and a bit of whole grains. (Believe me, there is nothing better)
You definitely want to rest; but, there are many ways in which to give your body  break (besides sleeping and napping). Take one or two restorative yoga classes a week for example. Or simple get some pranayama (breathing) or meditating going. Believe me, stress needs more than sleep to be defeated.

So, what if you have been doing all this and still manage to catch a "bug"?
Well, for starters, do not force yourself to go to the gym if you feel feverish, nauseous, weak or dizzy.
Do, however, make time to do some lovely pranayama, meditation and healing asaanas (In this case, colds come from too much Kapa, so you would do lots of back bends, inversions, heart openers, hip openers, balance and forward folds)
Also, the usual "chicken broth" (if you are a meat-etarian) or "veggie broth" (if you are a vegetarian, vengan, ovo-lacto or pescetarian)  will do wonders. But, be sure to add lots of dill, celery seeds,turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cumin and garlic to the broth. [By the way, these spices are fantastic to add to your food on a regular basis as prevention as well, so go buy a ton of them]
Also, you want to drink lots of green tea, echinacea tea, ginger tea, chamomile tea, or elderberry tea [You can also get these in the form of pills and take them through out the day. I usually take two pills per meal.]
Did I mention garlic? because it is the best stuff!
Mushrooms! eat lots of mushrooms too. They are amazing! [I love sauteing them with earth balance and a ton of garlic. Then eating them while they are super hot, under the covers to sweat the sickness out]
Use a Neti Pot every morning, even if you are not sick. You will be super happy you did.
Yes, you do need tons and tons of sleep. So please, do not show up to work if you are a mess. You will only feel worst and you will also get everyone else sick... ew!

Well people, those are my "Sapha" tested tips ;) Hope they help you this season.

Stay warm. NAMASTE ♥