Sorry, no Tree Thursday today but maybe I will do two next week. I’m still catching up from vacation. Here’s something that will help keep you well during flu season!
Natural Antibacterials To Keep Your Body And The Planet Healthy
To keep the flu away, forget chemicals and instead slather your skin with natural antibacterial sanitizers and eat these green immune boosting foods.
You officially have the best excuse in the book to take a sick day: as the Associated Press reported, President Obama said that if you're sick, stay home. That's in response to the influx of swine flu cases expected this fall.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said that with the predicted "big influx" of swine flu cases, it's important to be cognizant of the little things that can make a big difference when it comes to protecting your health, and those around you. Cough or sneeze into your sleeve instead of your hand to avoid hand-shake germ spreading. Wash your hands regularly. Use antibacterial hand sanitizers to kill germs dead in an instant. Or wait... No access to a sanitizing wipe? No problem. Instead of turning to chemically-infused pocket cleansers that pollute your body and the environment, Mother Nature has lots of naturally purifying agents that are easy to get your dirty hands on.
7 natural antibacterials to keep you and the planet healthy
Antibacterials from the Bottle:
1. Burt's Bees Aloe & Witch Hazel Hand Sanitizer is all-natural (yes, it's free of Phthalates, Parabens, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Petro-chemicals and Certified by the Natural Products Association) yet still potent enough to kill 99.99% of germs.
2. VMV Hypoallergenics Kid Gloves Monolaurin Hand Sanitizer , chooses antiseptics derived from coconut oil (cocos nucifera) to do the dirty work. It's been shown that coconut oil can have antiviral and antibacterial effects. In fact, Dr. Vermén M. Verallo-Rowell, says that Monolaurin, a derivative from Coconut Oil, when used on the hands "will help protect, moisturize and prevent the spread of viruses." Oh, and it's 100% fragrance, paraben and preservative-free.
3. CleanWell hand sanitizing spritz kills 99.99% of germs away... naturally. Created from nature-made botanical oils, CleanWell keeps your family safe, healthy and clean. Plus, only rapidly renewable botanicals are used, making them a sustainable alternative.
Antibacterials from the Garden:
4. Wasabi— Yup, it's great on sushi. But it also has antibacterial/antimicrobial properties, and with a high concentration of potassium, calcium, vitamin C and phytochemicals, it helps strengthen the body's defenses.
5. Lemon— Like grapefruit and other citrus fruits, squeeze fresh lemon on your hands and it acts like a natural sanitizer. It has the ability to perform both internally and externally against many bacterial and fungal infections by killing germs when directly touched and stimulating the immune system.
6. Garlic— is jam packed with antioxidants and immune boosting nutrients that go after invaders when ingested, defeating bacterial, viral and even fungal infections.
Fueled with three infection-fighting powerhouses: allicin, ajoene, and thiosulfinates, raw garlic is believed to be almost as effective as Neosporin. Drink the juice (or just eat the fresh or pressed cloves) for its immune boosting effects or rub it on your skin to fight fungus.
Fueled with three infection-fighting powerhouses: allicin, ajoene, and thiosulfinates, raw garlic is believed to be almost as effective as Neosporin. Drink the juice (or just eat the fresh or pressed cloves) for its immune boosting effects or rub it on your skin to fight fungus.
7. Carrots— Carrots contain loads of beta carotene, a powerpacked phytonutrient known to bolster the immune system by increasing the production of infection-fighting T cells. "What's up Doc?" Not anymore.
