“Hooray Cold and Flu Season!” said no one ever (sorry we had to jump on the meme bandwagon).  Yessir, we here in the shivering Midwest are under an alien invasion.  Just kidding, it’s a germ invasion but we think that’s just as scary.  So what are some ways to boost your protective body shield, aka your immune system?

You often read about superstars like ginger, lemon, and honey but their are some lesser known herbs and spices that people throughout ancient history have used to improve their health.  Recently, we were given 3 different immune boosting products to try, all hailing from India: Tulsi Tea, Chyawanprash Organic Herbal Jam, and Turmeric Supplements from Organic India.

Organic India is a pretty amazing company too.  Organic India was formed in the 1990’s by a group of visionaries who according to their mission “establish a sustainable business model to support the livelihood of thousands of impoverished farmers in India by providing training and education, enabling self-sufficiency and skills that could be passed on to future generations.”  Couldn’t have said it better ourselves!  All of their farmers are taught about and practice organic and biodynamic farming and all of their products are certified organic.  In addition to the samples we were offered, they also sell organic ghee, organic whole husk psyllium and organic sugarcane syrups.

Tulsi, also known as “Holy Basil” was said to be discovered in India almost 5000 years ago.  Of course, the Tulsi in our tea wasn’t that old…we hope.  Various research studies have suggested that Tulsi can help with respiratory issues, fevers, diabetes and digestive problems as well as everybody’s enemy, stress.  Tulsi may also reduce coughs and cold and could act as a replacement for your daily ‘tussin intake.  Organic India‘s Tulsi tea is quite the stress reliever.  It has an earthy herb flavor that seems decadent, like a nice hot bath with candles and bubbles.  Tulsi tea can easily become part of one’s morning routine or afternoon unwinding time after work.  For more info about Tulsi tea, check out this article.

Betcha didn’t know turmeric was ginger’s cousin.  What a small rooty world right?  Turmeric has a powerhouse component called curcumin that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  Turmeric has been linked to the following positive health benefits: improved brain function, lowering risk of cancer and heart disease, reduced joint pain, and improved digestion.  Turmeric powder can be easily integrated into cooking delicious dishes, making quick detox drinks, or even just mixing the powder with honey and eating it. If you don’t feel like getting creative in the kitchen, you can get a daily turmeric fix with Organic India‘s turmeric supplements.

And now for something new, Chyanwanprash.  Now, Monica grew up with this little herb dandy but this was Kate’s first time trying it.  Chyanwanprash an ayurvedic herbal tonic made in a jam like mixture with over 35 herbs in it. Wowsa!  It’s been linked to improving respiratory function and getting that digestive system working properly by reducing flatulence (commonly known as the toots) and other maladies like diarrhea.  It is also believed to promote anti aging so we are looking forward to immortality (mwahahaha).

Organic India’s products, their history and mission, as well as some informative and nifty blogs about health are available on here. What are some favorite herbal remedies you use to boost your health?  We need all the health we can get!