Hello to the Immune System
FALL/WINTER
Hello to: the Immune System
Your immune system is unlike other body systems because it doesn’t specifically involve a set of organs - your immunity is conveyed to you by the optimal functioning of other body systems working together. There is good evidence that the majority of your immune system functioning is mediated by what’s happening in your gut (which is your skin but on the inside of your body). And if you look over the list of signals that your immune system is not functioning at its best you will notice the gut and skin connection there, too. So, of course, nutritious and satisfying food is essential as the fuel for your total body ecosystem. But what else?
Your immune capacity also extends beyond your skin into the space around you. Picture your very own energetic boundary and consider:
The heart is the most powerful source of electromagnetic energy in the human body, producing the largest electromagnetic field of any of the body's organs.
The heart's magnetic field can be measured several feet away from the body.
The heart’s electromagnetic field is 5000 times more intense than that of the brain. (The brain is still cool though- recent evidence shows that it can sense the Earth’s magnetic field, like migrating animals do.)
Stanford and Oxford Universities state: "the heart is a state of intelligent consciousness".
All this info to get you thinking about the connection between what science says we know (i.e. things that can be measured) and those things that are less concrete. (the intelligence of the heart). Many people get sick when they are constantly stressed, or when they are sleep deprived, or burning the candle at both ends, or overwhelmingly sad. Think about how you feel when that happens to you- like your outer defenses are weakening? Like it’s easy to lose focus? Like everything is more sensitive?
So how can you restore your outer invisible immune shield? Look to your physical outer layer of immunity: is your skin dry, cracking, itchy? And check digestion (skin on the inside): are you experiencing recurring heartburn or gastro distress of any kind? These are all signs that it’s time to give your immune system some loving attention.
Thankfully, small daily actions can make a big difference in improving immunity and general wellness. This season’s projects can help to balance the immune functioning of the body by stoking your digestive fire, getting in touch with Earth medicine, and making a secret ingredient that will carry you through the next few months. I’ve also got a quick bonus action step for any time after you’ve been with a lot of people or you feel like you might’ve been exposed to some respiratory funk or illness.
PROJECTS
#1 Fire Cider
Fire cider is a popular, infinitely malleable vinegar infusion that has great health benefits. It stimulates digestion and warms you up as well as giving you the benefits of whatever herbs and spices you add. The standard base ingredients are garlic, onion, horseradish, ginger, and hot peppers all steeped in unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar but of course you can tailor it to your specific tastes or current supplies (rose hips! Thyme! Sage! So many options). If you like exact recipes it’s easy enough to find one (traditional fire cider recipe) but you can also just go for it. Or if you’d like a video tutorial check out my friend Nicole Lebreux for a free video class on making fire cider!
It is traditionally thought of as a fall project when these root veggies are harvested (and potent), but I always have a jar steeping in the cupboard. I use the moon as my timing device, but you can use a calendar; you have options.
And if you don’t want to make it there are loads of herbalists around who make and sell amazing and potent fire cider for you! Try Town Farm Tonics- available at a bunch of places in RI and South East MA or order online.
If that’s still too much? Does it feel overwhelming? Mix 1-2 cups of unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar with half a cup of local honey and 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) and take a tablespoon every day. You won’t be getting the benefits of the herbs but the vinegar and honey will positively affect your digestion.
#2 Plant Garlic
I love the miracle of planting garlic in the fall and watching it come up in the spring. It might be a little on the late side but if your ground is still diggable it’s easy enough to get a few cloves in. If it’s already frozen you can do this in a pot and keep it in a sunny spot (inside or outside). Garlic likes at least 6 hours of sun a day and takes about 6 months to grow into a full head.
How to: Separate the cloves from a head of garlic, plant them in soft garden soil, pointy side up, 2-3 inches below the soil surface. (Place in a sunny spot and water regularly- if indoors).
#3 Make a secret ingredient
The secret ingredient is…..Fermented garlic in raw honey. This is so easy and somehow I never make enough and so run out of it and get sad until I realize I can do this as often as I want. I use homegrown or local garlic and local, raw honey which increases the nutrient content and also the relatability to my body. Plants that are grown locally to you combat the same environmental stressors that you do and so are uniquely qualified to aid you. I use this mainly for salad dressing and drizzling on pizza (!) but it is also an amazing immune system fortifier and if you have a sore throat or feel something coming on- a spoonful of this sweet and warming honey every day will get you right.
This is a perfectly good recipe. But I would double it and chop or put the garlic through a press first. Remember to leave plenty of room and invert the jar daily at least.
Action: Thyme Steam
Steams are underutilized as agents of good health. If it seems old fashioned that’s because people have been doing it for centuries. And people keep doing it because it works. It’s what humans used before pharmaceutical antihistamines and cold medicine. Thyme is a wonder all on its own. It has the capacity to kill bacteria, viruses, and reduce inflammation and build heat but the volatile oils need to come into contact with the affected tissue- enter the thyme steam.
How to: Chop a couple handfuls of fresh thyme or use a few tablespoons of dried thyme. Add to a pot of recently boiled water and cover for a few minutes. Have a seat in front of the pot, place a towel over your head and the pot and start taking deep breaths. Carefully- find the right distance away- you’re not looking to endure any kind of burning steam pain - just get some nice warm thyme scented freshness into your sinuses. Inhale and exhale for up to 10 minutes.
This can clear your sinuses and help your lungs expel any junk you’ve inhaled recently. Do it after being in an unusually crowded place or if you’ve had some encounters with maskless folks or if you work in a school or with the general public.
I don’t want to go before letting you know that really the most important thing you can do for your health is get more and better sleep. If you struggle with getting a good night’s sleep you already know that it’s a really deep and complex topic. I’ll cover what I know and have tried in the next newsletter. Meanwhile taking the above actions in the waning light of the year will help ground you and balance you. You’ll be one step further on the journey.
Thank you for your time and energy. I hope you’ve found something of value to add to your daily care. Remember that herbs love it when you encounter them a little every day. They modify their actions based on what your body needs.
I wish you good health and happiness.
May the highest good be served.
May all beings be free from suffering.
Jenny