Let's all be aware that winter flu and virus season is really upon us and take some positive steps to stay well!

Health recommendations say to keep your immune system working optimally you should drink 8 glasses of 8 oz water, or a gallon of water per day. For that matter, all your body system benefits from being hydrated! That usually feels like a lot of cold water, especially for kids and teens. 

You can get creative to reach you and your family's hydration goals and stay on track this winter by adding soups, broths, teas and health elixirs. They are warm, nourishing and add that extra boost of prevention we can all use in our busy lives.

The secret to Mega-immunity is in the hydration....and water, of course is the main hydrator. with our bodies made primary of water!...

The main ingredients in broths, teas and soups...is water...so soup is really an ultimate hydrator. Quenching your thirst without sugar which sends your immune system on a downward spiral....so drink your soup!

Enhance your immunity while helping your body produce collagen with 7 powerful tips and recipes that also keep your body hydrated in winter and help fight viruses!

We all want to stay healthy this winter season. Here at VitaClay, we've compiled seven healthy recipes to boost your immune system to protect you from getting flu and other viruses. 

1. Stay hydrated

Drink ginger honey lemon tea in the morning to cleanse and hydrate your body. 

Add 2 oz of threaded or ground ginger with 24 oz of water in your VitaClay pot, Set on "stew" for 30 minutes. Let it cool to warm temperature. Squeeze 1 lemon in your pot and add spoonful honey to mix well. Drink when it is warm.

 

 

2. Boost your vitamin C

Make a smoothie that boosts your vitamin C, warms you up and gives you energy. Fresh ginger, pear (or apple or banana or combined), lemon, or cranberries are all good choices and high in antioxidants as well as other super nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 3-6 slices of ginger,
• 1 pear, seeded and cut in cubes (or apple, or banana or combined)
• 1 lemon, cut in 8 pieces
• 24 oz warm water and blend all together into a smoothie.

 

3. Warm yourself up

Get your circulation and lymphatic system flowing with a hot and sour paleo cabbage soup

Ingredients:

• 1 -2 free range eggs (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground black or white pepper
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups threaded purple and green cabbage
• 2 cups Chicken bone broth

Directions: 

1. Add all in your pot and set on "Stew" for 30 minutes.

 

4. Add protein to your meal

Paleo organic chicken soup or comforting chicken noodle soup is rich in protein and is a known stress and inflammation reducer .

This is so easy to make with chicken and water! or simply get an organic rotisserie chicken and add a full pot of water to set on "Soup" for two hours. Or make it from scratch with a whole chicken cut in parts and herbs (see vitaclay chicken soup on web).
In the end of last 10-20 minutes of cooking.. add 1 chopped onion, carrots, and celery and continue to cook for 10-20 minutes.

 

5. Cut out sugary desserts

Make millet or quinoa porridge with savory herbs that create both a comforting and healing meal

Make it savory!

Ingredients

• 1 cup wholegrain mix
• 1 slice of astragalus
• 2 qt bone broth.

Directions:

1. Set on "soup" or "slow" to cook for 1.5 hours.
2. sprinkle 1 tablespoon goji berry in the end of cooking.
3. Serve warm.

Make it sweet!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 2 cups of butternut squash or yam, or pumpkin
• 1-2 slices of astragalus
• 1 qt water.

Directions:

1. Set on "soup" or "slow" to cook for 40 minutes.

6. Calm yourself

Consume some bone broth or add bone broth to your soup for a calming effect. Bone broth also boosts collagen content and reduces sugar and salt cravings. 

See the link to bone broth recipe Here!

7. Make the Empress's secret beauty soup

This Chinese anti aging soup not only strengthens the immune system, but it detoxes, boosts "chi", balances hormones, and helps achieve glowing skin!

Ingredients: 

• 2 pears
• 3 clumps of white wood ear mushroom
• 5 cups of water
• 10 chinese date
• ¼ cup of goji berries
• ¼ cup of lotus seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Soak the dried white wood ear mushroom in warm or cold water for about 2-3 hours or overnight before you begin cooking to soften and rehydrate it. After the mushrooms soften, chop them into small pieces and remove the hard part at the bottom.
2. Soak dried lotus seeds
3. Combine all ingredients in your clay pot. Set on "Soup" for 1-2 hours