Now that the holidays have passed everyone is a dealing with additional stresses of getting back to reality.  There is the post holiday let down and the clean up that goes with it, the bills, the return to jobs and school along with the seasonal illness that always seems to come with it.  

In some ways the body is like the car, by the time winter rolls around it is a little more effort to get it started and it needs more protection from the elements in the environment.  Certainly we folks who live in States with snow and sleet understand that comparison.  

No one expects the cars to go without a bit of extra care in the cold season and we shouldn't expect that our bodies will either.  Like the car a bit of a tune up and high test fuel will be a great investment when we are faced with challenging conditions.

Try as we might, somehow it some bug that attacks our bodies, finds a way in and we get sick.  In practical terms your immune system is faced with a viral or bacterial agent that it is unable to control effectively at first encounter.   

The best possible situation is to plan for the attackers and get your body in peak fighting form; that way your immune system can make short work of the invaders.  Like the car we can help the body by limiting the amount of junk we put in it to begin with.  That should not mean giving up sweets or treats or enjoyable foods, just rethinking how we can find a better balance.  

Everyone knows the basics of getting plenty of rest and washing hands, drinking plenty of fluids.  There is nothing that I can do to find the extra time for you to get a full nights sleep and if you aren't being vigilant about hand washing you are missing the easiest way to make the biggest change of all.

Nearly 90% of what makes us sick comes from our hands and goes into our eyes, nose or mouth.  Even giving them a vigorous wipe against your clothes is a far better precaution than doing nothing.  Sorry, this is supposed to be about the foods but the mother in me can't help hammer that reminder.

The next most important is to have plenty of fluids.  Here it gets to be a bit of a challenge since not all of us enjoy plain water or want the calories from juices.  When dealing with children often both are considerations but here's where experimenting a little can possibly change that.

Fluids can be in many forms and while the water is a key part thinking creatively can add to the water volume without feeling like Shamu at Sea World.  

For little ones homemade popsicles from a combination of juice and water is a treat that gets them excited to have the health option as a treat when really you know that they are getting something good for them, it doesn't do badly for the grownups either.

 Another juicy treat is a combination of carbonated water and juice that gives it the bubbly appeal of a soda, half the concentration of pure juice for calories and an easy one to enjoy drinking.  Make sure it is 100% juice and not a juice drink; very often the labels can fool you.  

Cold days are also great for hot drinks.  As much as tradition has us thinking in terms of cocoa the milk is mucogenic so it is something that is probably better to find substitutes for, especially if there are already signs of the sniffles.  

Try a warm apple cider with some cinnamon or mulling spices and for a more festive substitute to a night time cold remedy to knock out a grown up you can even add a shot of liquor.  The original cough formulas were alcohol based and they are still very good at helping you with the sleeping.

Soups are wonderful foods and broth based ones will fill you with goodness and fluids while helping your body to get rid of it's toxins and giving a boost to your immune system.  Another favorite is a traditional Asian miso soup, make sure to choose the organic with any soy since so much is genetically engineered but the fermented miso is full of antioxidents and will kick start the germ fighting powers of your own body.  

Many people enjoy ginger added to the miso soup.  There's no doubt that's another powerful immune building food to use but my own ginger favorite is ginger snap cookies and gingerbread cake.  It's pretty yummy along with the hot cider too.  

Another category of great winter foods is the orange vegetables.  While there are hundreds of ways to prepare them think of adding some sweet potato or pumpkin pie as the dessert choice.  Try a carrot cake or carrot soup and let your imagination go beyond the idea of having them as a side dish to a meal or not at all.  

It isn't as though there aren't ideals that are more perfect than my suggestions but in our lives it is far easier to be realistic about what will get eaten happily and what will get poked around the plate despite the best intentions.

Garlic is another very powerful immune booster and it can be added to very many sauces and pasta dishes.  An easy way to get garlic to be eaten at our house is simply to go with a loaf of bread brushed with olive oil then covered with garlic.  Adding garlic to meat or poultry before and during cooking will help boost the flavor and the immune system when you've eaten it.

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