Hey babes,

So, I’ve had this recipe sitting around with me in secret for a while. I didn’t think it was necessary. I was sure it was overkill. But things have changed. Sit down, lovely friends, we need to chat.

My best friend contracted COVID-19 in October of 2020. He dodged the ER only because his doctor sent him home with oxygen. I cried a lot for him. He and his wife spared me the full truth of his illness at the time, but when he was healed and returned to reflect on it, his symptoms horrified me. I thank every piece of the universe that he made it through to love and talk shit with to this day.

The Monday before Thanksgiving (of the same year), I was driving back from a supply run for my job when I realized, “Oh shit, self, did you notice any smells in that store? Notice anything now?” I rushed to my office mini fridge and grabbed the first condiment I saw: Texas Pete’s Hot Sauce. Guess what happened when I dripped it onto my tongue?

Nothing.

Well, damn. Sure enough, it was the big C19. Thankfully, I only had a few strange symptoms aside from the loss of senses, and with a regular infusion of homemade vitamin blends, I jumped back to full speed in a week or so.

Fast forward to now. It’s 2022. Two more variants have taken over the globe. I receive emails weekly from my childrens’ schools about new cases. We continue to dodge it, staying safe and staying together. And then, like a damn romance novel…(dramatic music here). My boss gets it. And THEN. My partner gets it.

That was the final straw. Everyone I love and care about has gotten this stupid, awful illness. So, I wanted to share my homemade supplement. Let me state this very clearly, in all caps so no one misunderstands me. THIS IS NOT A REMEDY FOR ANY ILLNESS. PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR AND FOLLOW THEIR PROTOCOL FOR TREATING ALL INFECTIONS.

With that being said, this recipe is what I used everyday to support my immune system when I got sick, and what I recommend to anyone that needs an immune boost “in these troubling times.” But before I get to the recipe, let’s do a very brief (and link-heavy) run-down of some of the critical ingredients.

The Green Queens

The base for this beauty is arguably the least beautiful, but critical nonetheless: the greens. Kale is my absolute favorite green, and I eat it daily. No joke. A big fistful with every breakfast, and often again with lunch. Aside from it’s delicious crunchy texture, this one cup of kale contains 200% of your daily Vitamin A, almost 700% of your Vitamin K, 130% of your Vitamin C, and a healthy dose of B vitamins, manganese, calcium, copper, potassium, and magnesium. Additionally, the punch of antioxidants help fight free radicals, and can help with a whole host of chronic ailments.

Chopped kale also contains high amounts of sulforaphane, which has been shown to be beneficial against cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, among other health benefits.

Spinach is a great additional as well for two reasons: one, it adds a delicious sweetness, and two, it’s packed with nutrients and antioxidants. Similar to kale, spinach has tons of Vitamin A, C, K, and B9 (also known as folic acid), but also a good amount of iron and calcium.

Really, there are only two caveats with the greens: if you are prone to kidney stones, skip the spinach and add an extra 1/2 cup of kale. Spinach are high in oxalates, which can exacerbate those prone to kidney stones.

Second caveat: if you are on a blood thinner (such as warfarin), be careful about the mega-dose of vitamin K. It can potentially interfere with your medication. Consult your prescribing doctor.

Berry Healthy

Working our way down the list to everyone’s favorite ingredients, we reach the frozen berries. I like to add strawberries to this more than the other berries for one reason: they’re sweet and cheap. Luckily, they’re also packed with fiber and vitamins, so no harm there. The mixed berries I choose are the blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry combination from my local big-box, and they come jammed (no pun intended) with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. Like the greens, these gorgeous little gems help lower cholesterol, regulate insulin levels, fight inflammation, and irradicate radicals.

Beet the Yuck

Beets are well-regarded as a health food. Like most brightly colored plants, they too are high in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. But what you may or may not know is that beets are insanely high in nitrates, so much so that pro-athletes use them as a legal sports performance enhancer.

The nitric oxide created from beet consumption dilates blood vessels, allowing blood (and precious oxygen) to flow more freely through the body, lowering blood pressure and raising O2 levels. While this reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise, it can theoretically improve blood oxygen levels in states of illness as well. What’s the drawback, besides some bright pink BMs? Exactly. And if you don’t have fresh beets, no worries. Canned are great. Just give them a good rinse and they are ready to roll!

Flower Power

As I’m sure you can guess by now, this ingredient is also packed full of antioxidants (brightly-colored plants= loads of antioxidants). But hibiscus has a special super-power that outpaces the predecessors. Similarly to beets, hibiscus powder and tea are renowned for reducing blood pressure due to the increased production of nitric oxide, making it an amazing remedy when you’re feeling ill and a great workout supplement.

I could go on and on about the rest of the ingredients, including the zinc content of hemp seeds, the headache-killing strength of ginger, and the muscle-fatigue alleviation of citrus, but I’ll leave you instead with this: Try it. What’s the worst thing that could happen? A huge boost in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, water, and fiber? Exactly!