Colds

I haven't been sick in SO long, but I have been burning the candle to bits (can there be more than 2 ends on a candle!?) Anyway, the whole family has not been sleeping well because of crazy schedules and unexpected business trips my dh has had to take. Furthermore, with all the craziness, we have not been eating as well as we usually do. This of course weakens the immune system.

So, what am I doing?
Lots of Red Raspberry Leaf tea! We also had some Onion Soup using this recipe from Herbal Legacy. YUM! We made some garlic bread using Ezekiel bread (no flour which is mucus forming and would keep us sick longer) with half a head of garlic pureed with a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Dh and I crushed a clove of garlic into each bowl of soup we ate. Then, I roasted a head of garlic and ate 2/3 of it myself- YUM I will stink of garlic tomorrow but I don't care. It was tasty and my body needed it!

The kids ate the garlic bread and the onion soup. They didn't want any extra garlic, but the pot had about 5 cloves pressed in just before serving, so they definitely got some good raw garlic.

I have also taken several doses of Dr. Christopher's Super Garlic Immune. That is the nastiest tasting stuff but it works. And, especially since I haven't been able to just sleep all day like I did when I was a kid, it has helped me feel well enough to get my kids their meals, etc.

What am I not doing? Or in other words, what would NOT help me get better?
I am not stopping my fever. Fevers are beneficial to the body and they help the immune system to work better. Here is an article in New Scientist supporting this. As an aside, when this was written this might have been "new" information to the AMA but herbalists have been saying this for at least the last 70+ years. Dr. Christopher taught that wet fevers heal and dry fevers kill.
So, I have been keeping bundled, drinking lots of fluids, taking HOT showers, and drinking HOT liquids.
I am not taking a decongestant or OTC cold remedy. These stop up the body's elimination channels in the respiratory system and don't speed up healing. Your body is eliminating the dead viruses or bacteria and other toxins through the mucus. Let it out!
I am not eating sugar, flour, dairy, meat, or anything processed. I am eating, when hungry, lots of raw fruits (cleansing and laxative to keep the bowels working) and liquids and the foods listed above. All of these are mild foods which heal!

Be Aggressive and Quick on the Draw!

Sandra Ellis always says that you have to be as aggressive as what you are dealing with or it will win. She is so right!

This past week I went camping with my kids and a bunch of other homeschooling families. We went hiking and at some point a bug bit my hand. I don't believe it was a mosquito because it swelled worse and itched worse than any mosquito bite I have ever had. I knew I had been bit, and I know I needed to get some plantain to heal the bite. Unfortunately, I was carrying a 25 pound 2 yr old who refused to walk and chasing after 3 4-5 year old girls who didn't want to wait up. So, I waited for a few minutes and the itching got worse. I had to find some plantain NOW! By this time, we were in an area of the forest that didn't have much plantain. If only I had taken the time right away when the forest floor was covered in it...
So, we kept walking. After about 15 minutes I finally found some growing in a patch. I picked a few leaves and bruised them and then laid them on the back of my hand. The cool leaves seeped into my hand and the itch was instantly lessened. Unfortunately, it is hard to keep leaves stuck to the back of your hand while you carry a 2 yr old, so they didn't last long. The leaves had taken down the central bite bubble within about 5 minutes, but then the leaves fel off and one of the girls had run up ahead so I had to chase after her rather than deal with my bite. My hand still itched. When things settled down and I got back to camp, I got out my Dr. Christopher's Stings and Bites ointment, which is nothing more than plantain, olive oil, and beeswax and slathered it on. I got more fresh leaves and bruised them and put them on top. Now they stuck! I made dinner and then the ointment had been fully absorbed so the leaves fell off again. It only mildly itched and I Was chasing 3 kids so I didn't do anything else. The next morning I woke up to a swollen, red welt half the size of the back of my hand and boy did it itch! Shame on me for only partially taking care of the problem! If I had been more aggressive, I would have had it completely gone the night before but no, I had to live the consequences. I slathered more ointment on, more leaves and went about my day. I changed the leaves a few times. With in a few hours the hot and red was gone, but the itch was still there when the leaves were not glued to my hand and there was still a bit of swelling. I kept at it more dilligently and the bite cleared up.
I really should know better. But, life as a mom sometimes you don't pay that much attention to yourself.