As a mom and Holistic Nutritionist I know how hard it is to stay on top of your game! Making sure the house and family are in order and taking care of yourself too… it can feel almost impossible to manage everything and everyone while fending off the cold and flu season. I am here to tell you that it’s possible! The best thing you can do for your family is to put your needs first. I know what you’re thinking… this girl is cuckoo! But here are things you can do to put yourself first and make sure you are taking care of you and keeping yourself strong to manage the household and fight cold and flu seasons.

When you have a new baby, sleep is something that you can’t control. What you can control is what you are eating, drinking, and taking to help cope with the stress. I would suggest getting a hold of the best Echinacea and start adding that herb into your regimen even if you’re breast feeding. The one I recommend is MediHerb’s Echinacea Premium. It’s the best source of echinacea you can get. This herb will help strengthen your immune system and help with the stress placed on your body from lack of sleep and just being a new mom. Another great thing to this beautiful herb is that it helps turn off the signal from your hypothalamus to the adrenals telling your body to relax and to not stress. Most women’s bodies function in stress mode even if they are sitting on the couch. By including Echinacea Premium it will help the body turn off stress mode and turn on strength and healing mode.

Probiotics are a great way to build your GI system’s immunity and digesting ability. By adding this in your routine it will help your hormones get back into balance and absorption.

You can add some staple foods to your diet like healthy fats and protiens to your diet to always keep you strong. Make sure you are eating enough animal protein with each meal.  By adding in this much protein you will help your lactation process as well as keep you strong. It can be tiring feeding another body if you don’t have enough nutrients or calories in your own. When breastfeeding, you burn a lot of sugar feeding your baby and protein balances your blood sugars to keep you strong and balanced.

Examples of good meals:

1. Chicken with skin on it with sweet potatoes and some avocado

2. Ground beef cooked in lard and himalayan salt paired with Banza pasta, and zuchinni

3. Protein shake: Whey protein ( for new moms I would do an extra scoop in addition to what they recommend), chia seeds, nut butter, water or kombucha, a handful of spinach, and a tsp of stevia

TIps: During the day on a lunch break or in between work, take a walk outside in fresh air for at least 30 minutes. This changes your mindset and keeps you on the path to health!
Also, have a cup of chamomile tea before bed to encourage sleepy time.