Natural remedies for common ailments that are found this time of year.
Symptoms of the common cold:
a. Sinus congestion:i. At the first sign of congestion, place hot, wet towels over whole, upper face, as hot as you can stand. Keep applying them for 15 minutes as they cool, or place a hot rice/corn bag over towels. Repeat 3-4 x/day.
ii. thyme, pine, lavender and clove essential oils (2-3 drops of each) in about 2 T. coconut oil—rub on sinuses, above and below eyes, making sure to not get IN your eyes.
iii. eucaplyptus essential oil (4-5drops) into hot water. Cover head with towel , lean over pot and breathe in the steam. Also good for cough; it helps to loosen mucus, soothe the lining of the bronchials and encourage healing.
iv. Neti pot—thins mucus and flushes it from the sinuses
v. Avoid dairy products and sugar—diary contains casein, which promotes production of mucus and sugar suppresses your immune system.
b. Head and chest congestion:
i. Garlic Lemonade. Garlic is anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Strengthens your immune system. You can eat 2 raw cloves of garlic/day, or drink this tea. Bring 2 quarts of water, 8-10 cloves of peeled, whole garlic cloves and one chunk of peeled, raw ginger to a boil. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Strain, add juice of one lemon and honey to taste (about 1-2 T. per quart of water). Lemon is cleansing; honey is anti-bacterial and soothing to raw throat. Ginger is warming, improves your circulation and soothes an upset stomach.
c. Umcka Cold Care-- Umcka is made from the roots of a South African plant used in traditional Zulu medicine to treat coughs and respiratory ailments. Unlike other remedies that simply mask symptoms, Umcka speeds recovery time. Doctor recommendation and high user satisfaction make it a leading European medicine.
d. Esberitox: Contains two types of echinacea, plus a blend of immune-enhancing herbs to boost your natural defenses. Thuja and white cedar push out things that don’t belong. Start taking the moment you feel imbalanced.
e. Drink fluids and get lots of rest. High doses of Vitamin C (up to 5000 mg. /day) and zinc lozenges also good. Avoid Zicam-- could cause loss of smell.
f. Sore Throat:
i. Gargle with ½-n-1/2 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water 4x/day. Warm Saline water gargle also works well to kill germs and soothe throat.
ii. Slippery elm lozenges. It restores normal mucosal lining on irritated tissue.
Flu:
a. Oscillococcinum: (o-sill-o-cox-see-num) Homeopathic medicines are therapeutically active micro-doses of mineral, botanical and biological substances. It has been shown in clinical studies to help reduce both the duration and the severity of flu-like symptoms. It helps with Body Aches Headaches Fever Chills Fatigue. MUST START AT FIRST SYMPTOM.
b. Elderberry extract (Sambucol is the most studied) It has an unknown mechanism of action, but research suggests it inactivates the flu virus.
c. Stomach issues:
i. Ginger for nausea, motion sickness. Capsules, tea or chews if on the road.
ii. Peppermint tea soothes stomach upset. Steep in a covered pot so you don’t lose volatile components.
iii. For lower GI pain, enteric coated peppermint pills make it all the way there where the oils can soothe irritation.
d. Headaches:
i. For tension, which usually begins early pm, manifests with pain in neck and the back of the head. Muscles in neck and shoulders are sore and tight. Take some time to relax. Avoid caffeine—it increases muscle tension and anxiety. Get a neck and shoulder rub with birch essential oil. It is helpful in reducing pains of joints, muscles from shoveling snow, etc. It is also anti spasmodic and relieves cramps. It contains component similar to aspirin, so avoid if on blood pressure meds, pregnant or have seizures.
ii. Sinus headache—peppermint and lavender essential oils in carrier oil rubbed on sinuses, around eyes not in.
Diarrhea: is simply the body’s way of trying to throw off some toxin or pathogen before they can produce even more serious complications. If it does its job and the bowels return to normal function, then we can be thankful. But too often the diarrhea does not shut off and brings the body to the point of severe dehydration and loss of essential electrolytes.
a. Activated charcoal acts like a sponge to absorb the fluids and give form back to bowel movements. Wait an hour before taking other drugs—it can absorb them as well and make them less effective.
b. Probiotics: increase the number of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. They can help to keep the digestive system in balance and functioning optimally, restore normal flora, and may support immune system function, especially when a person is taking antibiotics, which can wipe out intestinal bacteria indiscriminately, including those that help keep the intestinal tract healthy. Without adequate normal flora, the immune system can't work properly, lessening resistance to infection. (yeast infection=imbalance in good/bad bacteria in gut) Look for CFUs in the billions. Take before bed.
Dry skin:
a. Coconut oil: Claims against heart disease, liver disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. I like it for skin care and cooking. Coconut oil is a safe solution for preventing dryness, flaking, sagging and aging of skin. Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. Leave- in treatment for dry scalp (1 T. overnight). Also works well as a personal lubricant and massage oil, for diaper rash and cradle cap.
b. Most oils oxidize when heated. Coconut oil does not, so it can be used at higher temps. Can be subbed for oils in baking as well and because of its sweeter flavor, sugars can often be decreased. Buy Virgin or expeller-pressed and organic to avoid chemicals.
c. Cracked heels:
i. Essential oils of peppermint for omega-3 fatty acids, lavender for promotion of healing and eucalyptus for any bacteria or viruses-- mix in coconut oil or shortening, apply and wear socks for overnight.
d. Fish oils and evening primrose or flaxseed oils provide fatty acids to help alleviate dry skin. Best if taken before bed.
Earache:
a. Garlic oil. Steep 3 crushed garlic cloves in ¼ cup olive oil for 3 days at room temp. Strain and keep in fridge. Warm jar in a cup of hot water then put a few drops in ear while lying down, wait for 5 min. then plug w/cotton. Repeat every other night for up to two weeks.
6. If you get frequent viral or bacterial infections, strengthen your immune system.
a. Improve your diet—follow the word of wisdom. Avoid sugars and simple carbs. Fill your diet with fruits and vegetables and whole grains and limit your intake of animal fats and proteins.
b. Get enough rest and drink enough fluids
c. Medicinal mushrooms. Can add Asian mushrooms to your diet or take a supplement (Immuno-DMG by FoodScience of Vermont.
d. Astragalus—a Chinese herb that is a tonic to your organs and helps your body fight colds and flus. It is the root of a plant in the pea family long used in China to prevent illness and strengthen sick people. You can get slices of dried astragalus root at Chinese groceries and some health-food stores. Simmer the slices in tea or soups (they'll add a pleasant sweet taste). Or, buy extracts of astragalus in liquid, capsule or tablet form. Follow the dosing directions on the package. This herb is nontoxic and can be used long-term to increase resistance.
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