Halloween and the Sugar Scene

So, Halloween and the sugar scene can really cause your immune system to plummet. This week, build it back up to create a fortress defending you and your children from colds and flu and who knows what else.

First of all, toss the candy. Unless it is pure and natural, just heave it into the bin, or donate it if you must.

Then, make this a week of some extra cups of tea, sleep and the three defenses. What we call the three defenses are ginger, garlic and onions. They work together to fight bacterial infections and viruses. Garlic, while it has a gazillion and one health benefits, can fight infections that have been shown to resist antibiotics. It also can prevent candida (yeast) infections that can be a post-sugar nuisance to many as candida thrives in a body that has eaten sugar. Garlic also may help prevent obesity and the inflammatory characteristics present in the obese. So, post-Halloween seems like a good time to add it in. Onions have higher polyphenol levels than garlic, and complement it well. They help balance blood sugar, and the flavonoid, quercetin, provides an antibacterial boost. Ginger has been shown to encourage sweat which itself is both detoxifying and contains antimicrobials that fight infections and even E. coli, staph and candida. The gingerols in ginger are its primary anti-inflammatory substance and they have lots of beneficial effects ranging from detoxification to cancer protection. So, this team of three really works its stuff and yet is so tasty...

This week, we steamed mixed vegetables with lots of Brussels sprouts and tossed them into our mixture of shallots, onions, garlic and ginger, raw honey, soy sauce and dark vinegar, nibbling on some raw while we cooked.