The chaos and busyness that inevitably comes with the holiday season is nearly upon us, friends, whether you're prepared for it or not. And while it's great to celebrate with the people you love, that doesn't mean you have to throw self-care completely out the window. It's important to find ways to take care of yourself during this hectic time, and luckily, there are a few easy, natural ways to boost your immune system to make sure you're not sniffly and feverish by the time you sit down with your relatives and get grilled about your personal life. Because really, the last thing you need while you're trying to finish the last of your holiday shopping is a head cold that spins you out of control, or a sinus infection that makes you want to tear your eyes out.
Amy Leigh Mercree, a wellness coach and medical intuitive, knows a thing or two about nurturing your immunity all year round. However, if you ask me, her tips are especially valuable during the chilly, chaotic holiday season.
Seriously, keeping a cold at bay as you plow through your holiday to-do list might just be as easy as rubbing some oregano oil on the bottoms of your feet. Don't give me that look — read about it for yourself and thank me later.
You know lavender is relaxing, but did you know it's also antibacterial? "Rubbing some lavender oil on your hands, and smelling it and inhaling it through your nose and mouth, can actually help slow the spread of colds and flu," Mercree tells Elite Daily over email.
The antimicrobial properties of lavender can help to keep you cold-free (and stress-free) through the holiday season, and TBH, what more can you ask for?
So much of your health begins in your mouth, according to Mercree, which is why oil pulling can be so valuable for the immune system, as she says it's believed to help remove bacteria and fungi from the gum line.
"[Oil pulling] is also believed to pull heavy metals from the body in a safe way," she tells Elite Daily. "Use an oil blend of cinnamon bark oil, clove oil, lemon oil, cinnamon leaf oil, rosemary oil, and eucalyptus oil. That blend is antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-fungal."
Diluting these oils in coconut oil, and using it as a daily mouthwash, Mercree explains, is a great way to keep your immune system happy and healthy. "You can also place 10 drops of the blend in a spray bottle (minus the coconut oil), and bring it on a plane and spritz it in your mouth periodically to help curb the spread of germs," she recommends.
Break out the apple cider vinegar, peeps. "Drinking 1/2 to one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a minimum of eight ounces of water each morning also helps optimize your acid and alkaline balance, which is an essential component of a healthy immune system," Mercree explains.
The wellness coach also recommends adding one drop of organic, therapeutic grade lemon, sweet orange, or lime oil to your mixture, for a little kick. "But remember, never ever drink apple cider vinegar undiluted," she tells Elite Daily. "It is a powerful acid, acetic acid to be exact, and it can damage the enamel on your teeth."
That being said, always drink apple cider vinegar in a minimum of eight ounces of water to reap all the immune boosting benefits.
I know this sounds super hippie-ish, but hear me out, OK? Mercree tells me that if you find yourself coming down with a cold and you really want to knock it out quickly, you can place a high potency oil of oregano on the bottoms of your feet and let it do its thing.
Just remember to put socks on over your feet after they're lathered up, "and sleep that way to let this incredibly powerful antibacterial and antiviral oil work with you intra-dermally and be absorbed to remove your cold symptoms," Mercree explains.
Why your feet, you may ask? Well, according to Mercree, when you take oil of oregano orally, it can occasionally cause mild stomach irritation because it's quite strong. "So if you place it on your feet, then you do not experience the stomach irritation, or the strong smell if you were to use on other areas of your body or ingest it," she explains.
Your feet also contain a wide variety of sensitive reflexology points to absorb oil of oregano‘s powerful antiviral and antibacterial properties, according to the wellness coach. "If you put it on before bed," she says, "then it has all night to absorb through the skin in your feet and create substantial effects to improve your health."
