I always get horrible colds in Winter, no matter what I do, every Winter, one creeps up on me. I eat well, I work-out a lot and I wrap myself up, but still, I always get bad colds. Having lived in -30 degrees last year in Canada though, I totally upped my game, drank a lot more matcha tea, made sure my diet was on point and made sure I was always wrapped up in thermals, the result? I wasn't half as ill as I get in the UK. I think because I was so aware of how cold it was, I wrapped up and took extra care, something I know I'm guilty of not doing in the UK. If you read EmTalks a lot you'll know that I am a huge lover of superfoods, so I was pretty excited when Pukka got in touch and asked if I'd like to work with them on boosting my immune system and those around me! Let's discuss (because we're not letting any Winter colds get in the way this year!)
We all know that Winter often signals the beginning of cold and flu season but Pukka think that as long as you're pointed in the right direction, you can be sniffle free! Sign me up. I was invited to enter the world of Pukka (I'm embarrassed to say this was the first time I'd tried Pukka tea! My housemate actually swears by their matcha and I didn't even know they did it!) and experience the benefits of their elderberry range which has actually been called a new superfood! It's meant to help you build and maintain a strong immune system so lets see how I got on in their Winter wellness challenge...
I was given a bespoke, holistic wellbeing plan, using the Pukka Herbs elderberry products and to keep a diary about my experience over two weeks. I've actually felt quite unwell recently so I've been drinking this loads and doing these tips in order to bring myself back round. 
Why Elderberry Syrup?
- Elderberries are effective at maintaining a strong immune system because of the anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties
- Elderberries are jam packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants
- Elderberries can ease flu symptoms like fever, headache, sore throat, fatigue, coughs and body aches
- Pukka’s Elderberry Syrup is naturally sweet, so no more nasty medicinal flavours, which is great for kids too
I was supplied with a bespoke hamper full of natural, organic, elderberry goodness. It contained the following:
- Pukka Herb’s Elderberry Syrup
- Pukka Herb’s Elderberry & Echinacea tea tin
- Pukka Herbs winter wellness mug
- Dried elderberry pouch
- Pukka Herb’s diary and pencil
- Personalised holistic winter wellbeing plan for me and my family from Sebastian Pole (co-founder and master herb smith at Pukka Herbs)
I personally love the diary and the mug!
I kept a two week diary whilst using the products.
The tea: I usually live on matcha and green tea and never really stray from these two, I was excited to see that this is full of so many exciting organic ingredients including liquorice root, ginger root, enchinacea root, bettroot, aniseed, peppermint and more. It tastes delicious, I personally adore the taste of green tea but I know many people hate it - no issue here as this is really tasty and fruity. If you're interested in what I eat/drink, you can read about my favourite healthy foods here.
I knew the elderberry syrup would be good from the start as it has Manuka Honey in it, apparently honey has antibacterial qualities and it can help to protect. This elderberry syrup is designed to have a spoonful a day. 
Here's what I've been doing from my well-being plan (and you can implement these easy 5 things too!) and they actually have helped. When I was in Manchester last weekend my boyfriend was really ill and I definitely should have caught whatever he had, lucky for me, I didn't!
1 - Make The Most Of Elderflower - To make the most of the protective properties elderberries have to offer, and introduce some of their natural goodness into your diet, take one spoonful of the syrup up to three times a day, If you're starting to feel rundown, try three a day and you may be able to beat the flu or shorter the duration by half apparently!
2 - Stay Hydrated - Something I'm really working on at the moment, I'm trying to drink 3 litres of water a day as my skin hasn't been very good lately, I've put it down to over-stressing, over-working and just not drinking enough. As the months get colder, people forget its important to drink lots of water (I know I do anyway) but it''s still important to stay hydrated in Winter too. When you're hydrated, your body is better able to flush out toxins and fight bacteria. You'll also benefit from boosted energy levels and improved concentration. If you do catch a cold, dehydration can make your symptoms worse so keep your fluid levels up. It doesn't have to be water though, you can drink the tea too or even add the syrup to flavour your water.
3 - Get Rest - Late nights and early starts can take their toll on your body if you don't get enough hours each night. The body is said to repair and rejuvenate itself when it rests, so it's imperative you give your body the chance to do so. You're meant to get at least seven to eight hours sleep a day in order to let your body cells
4 - Keep Exercising - Something I try to do 5 times a week (you can read my top health and well-being tips here). When it's cold and wet outside it's tempting to stay indoors (you can always do some youtube videos inside though!) but do try to fit your usual gym session or weekly run in -you'll feel so good for it and I never regret a workout! It's not just to keep fit but to build your army of antioxidants that will help you fight the viruses that are everywhere in the season.
5 - Massage Yourself - The cold weather often brings with it aching joints, to offset this seasonable tendency massage yourself with warm organic oil. Pukka do an active oil which is warming. Nothing beats a hot, steamy bath or shower too if you're in a rush!
A big thank you to Pukka for sending me this gorgeous well-ness hamper! I'm certainly going to be continuing having my Elderberry Syrup every morning!
Have you ever tried Pukka? Do you have any top immune system boosting tips? Do you suffer in Winter?
Lots of love, Em x
*Sponsored but as always, it's my 100% honest opinion.
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