As I sat down to write this blog post I had so many mixed emotions. For the past two weeks, I pretty much have been ignoring the media, just going about life per normal, not putting any energy into this Coronavirus. Not that I wasn’t being mindful, I just choose not to fall victim to the power it has created. Then Thursday came along, and it all kind of came to a halt. Events got canceled, schools closed until the middle of April, grocery stores were totally insane, and people are going absolutely nuts. It impossible to ignore. It’s in your face wherever you go and whenever I open up my email or social media there is another company telling me how to check for symptoms, social distance, avoid contact, and so forth. I refused to step into a Costco or Target, not because I was afraid of getting CONVID-19, I just couldn’t deal with the mass hysteria. So here’s the thing- no one is talking about the fact that the mass hysteria in these big stores is most likely spreading the virus even more as hundreds of people battle for fricken toilet paper. What most of the world doesn’t understand is the fear and negative emphasis that is being placed on and around the Coronavirus is strengthening its energy field and making the virus stronger and more widely spread each day. Stress can impact all systems in the body, including weakening the immune system and increase chronic inflammation. Our stress response is breaking down causing our immune systems to get weaker making us all more susceptible to catching the virus. 

So what do we do? Well for starters, we need to embody love, not fear. We need to imagine the world in a state of healing, not sickness. We need to be mindful with intention, not ignorant or lackadaisical. Most importantly, we need to practice self-care now more than ever, for ourselves and our families. As much as I didn’t want to write another blog post on CONVID-19, I felt that if I can share five holistic things that my family and I are doing daily to keep our immune systems strong, that maybe it will encourage change or help someone in need. 

LED Light Therapy

LED Light Therapy is one of the best things you can do to strengthen your immune system! It creates change at a cellular level, increases blood circulation, allows for better oxygen and nutrient delivery, and reduces the inflammation in your body. Studies show that without inflammation, disease cannot grow. LED Light Therapy is also great in reducing the impact stress has on the body by assisting your body’s stress response. Back in the day, my Fridays were spent drinking with my friends dancing the night away to de-stress from the week. Now my Fridays consist of a glass of wine, a face mask, and Light Therapy on my entire body. Nothing takes the weeks stresses away more than that.

If you have a LED Light Therapy system of your very own, here’s a great pad placement that I follow to help strengthen the immune system and help fight off colds and viruses:

• Place a pad over your chest and Thymus
• Place a pad over your liver (underneath the right breast)
• Place a pad over your spleen (underneath the left breast)
• Place a pad over your kidneys (middle to lower back)
• Place a pad over your pancreas 
• Place a pad over your digestive system

Use setting 2 for 20 minutes.

Turmeric/Tulsi Latte

I love this tea recipe! We’ve been drinking it so much, that I have turmeric stains on my countertops that I can’t seem to get rid of. Turmeric and Tulsi are some powerful herbs and excellent for reducing inflammation and strengthing immunity. Remember- if you don’t have inflammation disease cannot grow. I love these herbs so much that we use Turmeric to dye a collection of our yoga mats and infuse Tulsi in each and every product we make. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of nut milk (I prefer 2 ingredient Elmhurst walnut or hazelnut milk or making your own)
• 1 teaspoon of organic Turmeric powder
• ⅓ teaspoon of organic Tulsi (Holy Basil)
• ½ teaspoon of organic cinnamon  
• Pinch of ground black pepper
• Pinch of Maldon sea salt flakes
• 1-2 organic cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon of ghee
• 1-2 tablespoons of Buckwheat honey 

Wisk, steam, and serve.

Elderberry 

Elderberry is excellent for respiratory health and strengthening the immune system. It is highly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It contains bioflavonoids that can soothe inflammation and irritation in a sore throat. Its active ingredients can clear out phlegm, clear up a cough, cold, and bronchitis. Because of its antibacterial and anti-infectious qualities, it’s used a lot during cold and flu season to help prevent yourself from catching anything. Here’s a great tea recipe I have been making at night:

• Organic Elderberry tea
• 1-2 tablespoons of Buckwheat honey
• 2-4 drops of Dottera’s On Gaurd

Fire Cider

A few months back a couple of girlfriends and I went to a Fire Cider workshop. I had no idea what fire cider was, except that it helped strengthen the immune system. So I was all in. We spent the evening making a special invigorating health tonic that we filled with our intentions and love. Fire Cider is a classic, spicy, folk remedy that is made up of vinegar, vegetables, herbs, and raw honey. It can boost energy, ward off colds and flu, aids in digestion, and eases congestion. 

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, red or white, sliced into half-moons
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
• 2” knob of ginger, roughly chopped or sliced thin
• 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
• 3-4 tablespoons of horseradish, grated (optional)
• 2 teaspoons of rosemary (minced)
• Tiny pinch of cayenne pepper 
• 32 ounces of raw apple cider vinegar (Bragg’s is a good one)
• Add a ½ cup of Buckwheat honey (added after infusion period)

Place all the ingredients in a 1-quart mason jar and let it sit in a cool dark place for two weeks, or up to a month. Shake it daily and infuse it with your intentions. We wrote our intentions on our jars to amplify its frequency. Traditionally, fire cider is buried into a hole in the earth and left to soak up the planetary vibes for a full moon cycle. After at least two weeks, strain out the solids and rebottle your potion. Add the ½ cup of Buckwheat honey to sweeten the taste. I like to take a shot of it daily or use it as a salad dressing.

 Yoga

When you wake up in the morning, get your body moving by doing some yoga. Yoga is a great way to boost your immune system, decrease inflammation, and calm the central nervous system. Here are six yoga poses to keep your immune system strong and stress levels down:

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
• Mountain Pose steadies your breath which is needed to calm the nervous system, relieves tension, and improves blood circulation
• Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
• Tree Pose also calms the nervous system, it stretches and invigorates your entire body, increases stamina, and balances you for stability 
• Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose)
• Big Toe Pose helps relieve stress and anxiety by calming the brain, brings more blood flow to the liver and kidneys, relaxes the central nervous system, and stimulates the digestive system
• Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
• Triangle pose increases blood circulation, calms your mind and reduces stress, and lowers blood pressure
• Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
• Cobra Pose relieves stress by opening up your heart and lungs, increases blood circulation, and increases energy
• Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
• Fish Pose helps to regulate breathing and stimulate the parathyroid gland, it helps keep anxiety and fatigue at bay and relieves tension in your neck and shoulders

All Bennd yoga mats help to strengthen the immune system. You absorb the medicines and herbs just by touching the mat. You don't even have to do yoga on it! You can meditate, lie on them naked, or take a nap. Our Indigo and Chakra yoga mats are especially powerful because the Indigo herb helps strengthen the immune system and protects against cold and flu.

I am sending love, light, and good health to all. Remember to continue washing your hands, cover your mouth appropriately when you cough, and if you are feeling sick please stay home. I will leave you with a mantra of intention that I have been practicing daily:

‘I release all fear and replace it with love. Healing light flows through my body and releases out into the universe for the highest good of mankind. I am love, I am light. I am love, I am light. I am love, I am light.”