I phoned in with the ladies of Juel Modern Apothecary to talk health and wellness in a time of quarantine. Turns out, nutrition is a holistic approach and doesn’t necessarily mean hard to pronounce exotic herbs and tinctures. Surprisingly, it can include things you already have on hand.

“I think it’s important to focus on the accessible,” said Julie Sumanis, co-owner of JUEL. She, along with co-owner and certified Institute of Integrative Nutrition graduate Elena Corinn Taylor and full-time employee/ herbalist Becky Morlock all agreed that working with what you have can be as valuable as anything you purchase.

Here is what these three trained herbalists and avid wellness enthusiasts prescribe:

Diet

Food is medicine. Fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, probiotics and whole foods all help to support the immune system which means healing and supporting your gut health. Ingredients like fresh garlic, ginger; culinary herbs like parsley, cilantro, and thyme along with warming spices like cinnamon, turmeric, and cardamom all help your immune system work at optimal level. Lowering your sugar and processed food intake will also help keep your body more balanced and alkaline.

“Basic culinary spices are so beneficial and we all at this point have the time to prepare really good meals for ourselves. Wanting to do what is right and best for our families can be overwhelming but take a deep breath. You probably already have what you need in your cupboard,” said Morlock.

Shinrin-yoku (or quite plainly, get outside)

Shinrin-yoku is the japanese word for “forest bathing”. The forest certainly has a cleansing ability and not just in a mental sense. According to JUEL (and science) being outside helps boost your energy levels and immune system as well as help you sleep better and recover faster if you get sick. Many plants put substances, including organic compounds called phytoncides, into the air that seem to boost immune function.

Not to mention that sunlight ignites Vitamin D production within the body along with also energizing special cells in your immune system called T-cells that help fight infection. Sitting on your porch, just being outside and breathing fresh air with the sun on your face helps tackle stress, anxiety, depression and disease. Isolation doesn’t need to mean inside.

Exercise

Among the innumerable benefits of exercise and getting your heart rate up, one particular advantage specific to this moment is that it lowers stress hormones and helps flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways lowering your risk for illnesses. Sweat regulates your body temperature and produces antimicrobial peptides called dermcidin that help fend off infections and germs. In your home or outside, get moving for better health.

Sleep

Your body needs plenty of sleep to fight infectious diseases. Without sufficient sleep, your body makes less of a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation. (Cytokines are both produced and released during sleep, causing a double whammy if you skimp on shut-eye.)

The JUEL crew emphasizes plenty is different for everyone. Go with what feels good, the amount that makes you feel rested. Sleep is when the body regenerates and heals itself. Allowing your body to do that is something we all have time for at the moment.

Hydration

Staying hydrated removes toxins from the body. Drinking more of it helps to prevent toxins from building up and having a negative impact on your immune system. The JUEL crew aims for the recommended amount of half your body weight in ounces per day. By this math, a person who weighs 140 lbs should try to drink at least 70 oz of water (or herbal tea) a day.

“Through JUEL we can try to set some examples,” said Taylor. “But our role and the heart of JUEL is to support people. Now is the time to listen to our bodies, to be gentle and forgiving toward ourselves. Adding more of the good stuff and less of the “bad” is a great place to start.”

JUEL offers whole-food smoothies, cold-pressed juices, creative health foods, gluten-free baked goods, coffee, teas + herbal elixirs. Immune boosting broths are highly recommended from these three because they are nourishing, gut healing and easy to digest.

Here is JUEL’s basic breakdown for how to make your own immunity broth at home. And be sure to follow JUEL online for more healthful tips and updates!

Basic components:

●     Vegetables or veggie scraps such as onion, onion skins, garlic, ginger,  mushrooms, seaweed, carrots (root veggies), celery

●     Culinary herbs such as parsley, thyme, sage, cilantro, rosemary, oregano, basil

●     Salt to taste

●     Can be made with all vegetables or with the addition of animal bones/meat

●     Have your kids help make this with you...get creative!

How to make:

●     Place all desired ingredients in a large pot and cover with water

●     Heat on low and simmer for 3-5 hours or until you are happy with the taste

●     Strain all used veggies and either compost or freeze again to use for another batch of broth

●     Sip on its own or *use as a base for soups*