I’m going to go ahead and jump onto the pandemic bandwagon and write a little about this new, hyper-advertised health scare we all now know as the Corona Virus. I’m only going to feel slightly cheap and commercialized for writing this, because I am going to give you some tips from my brujeria cabinet on how to stay as healthy as possible through this and any other form of dis-ease.
First of all, I don’t want to end up eating my words and will give benefit to the doubt that this new uber publicized illness could potentially wipe us all out. However, anyone who knows me, also knows I take this type of propaganda with a grain of salt. Himalayan Pink Salt, if you may. I mean we were all supposed to die from Ebola, SARS, Avian Flu, and H1N1. I’m pretty sure there’s something else to add to that list , but who can keep up? Ha.
To be honest, my kids and I survived the dire pandemic of H1N1. They did so with flying colors….I, not so much. It was 2009 and right after Thanksgiving my kids both starting vomiting and had fevers of over 104. I immediately started dosing them with Oscillococcinum, Sambucus, Allicin, and high doses of Vitamin C. I let their fevers run their course, while keeping a watchful eye and within 48 hours they were both completely out of the woods.
A few days later the flu hit me like a steam engine at full throttle. I was out for three weeks. It was brutal…but why? Well, aside from the fact that we all react to things differently, I was not at the time taking care of myself as well as I was taking care of my kids. Trying to save money as always…they would get the good stuff and I would just cling to the hope that my immune system would not need crutches. I did not take any homeopathic or natural remedies. I also did not allow myself to rest. I’ve never been one to allow anyone to really take care of me, plus I had two little kids to watch so….there I was, semi-hallucinating and still making breakfast, lunch, dinner, cleaning house, and doing laundry. Just par for the course. Three weeks later I was well again, and now the kids and I have natural immunity to the killer swine flu! Applause.
So….I don’t want to take the Corona Virus too lightly. I know it can be quite dangerous to the elderly and immuno-compromised. I also think the media is blowing things out of proportion with absolute fear mongering and propaganda. People are emptying store shelves as if preparing for the Apocalypse. I’m not sure how I feel about this mad rush into insanity. I am, however, making sure I have plenty of things on hand to build up and keep the immune system of my little family as strong as possible. This time…I’m including myself.
Since many of you know I’m a huge fan of alternative medicine….I get quite a few private messages asking for advice. I’m not a doctor. I always suggest talking to your healthcare provider (preferably someone who practices both allopathic and alternative medicine….not a fan of the dogmatic allopathic only docs who learn from a script and never try to treat the root of disease). Every body reacts differently to every thing. There is no one size fits all to anything….I don’t care if it is pharma, or herbal. However, I do believe strongly that food is medicine and when we build our bodies up with good foods and supplements, it can ward off more things than when it is rife with inflammation from processed foods and sugar or depleted of essential nutrients.
Since I don’t have time to respond to all of my messages….I’ll let you in on my health plan. It’s a health plan I have year round and not just for one particular outbreak or another. It starts with plenty of good sleep (not always possible for us parents, but we can try), lots of healthy hydration, whole foods (cut out the processed crap and sugar as much as possible), and my arsenal of immune boosters, which have been approved for my family’s use by a bevy of medical experts…and they are:
Vitamin D: Best derived from the sun, but since we slather ourselves with sunscreen and avoid sun exposure for the most part, I like to use a whole foods derived D supplement and up the dosage during “cold and flu season”.
Elderberry syrup: Used for centuries by European grandmothers, and I am keeping that tradition alive in my home. This is a powerful anti-viral that should be used as a preventative and/or at the onset of symptoms. I have the syrup on hand as well as a gummy version that also includes zinc.
Vitamin C: Yes, the same media that likes to tell us we are all going to die, also says this vitamin does nothing, but I see the effects and will continue to use it. I like my medical experts to look at both ends of the health coin and to do their homework, and a frightening number of them apparently don’t..but those who do always embrace the C. Liposomal C is best for the quickest and most effective absorption, by the way.
Probiotics: So much is based on your gut health….behavior, immune system, you name it. Probiotics, especially from food sources like Kombucha, Sauerkraut, and Kefir, keep your intestinal flora nice and healthy…which helps your immune system keep YOU nice and health too. This one is a no brainer for my kids and I and we have some form of probiotic on the daily.
Oregano Oil: Carvacrol is a phenol found in oregano that is a powerhouse antiviral, anti fungal, and antibacterial. This stuff is outrageously good at fighting illness….my kids will take it straight with a bit of raw honey, but it comes in capsule form and my house will never be without it. As a kid I got a horrible bronchial infection that nothing was working on. High doses of steroids, antibiotics, you name it…and nada. An old Cuban lady heard me coughing and told my mom to fry up some oregano leaves in olive oil and give it to me 3 times a day. She did. I got better. I got better fast. Get it.
Raw honey: My kids get a teaspoon of this with cinnamon every morning. Raw honey is full of antioxidant plant chemicals making it a phytonutrient and anti-inflammatory blast for your body. With anti fungal and antibacterial properties, it’s just a nice little boost for you in general.
Allicin: Another Old World grandmotherly health tip is to eat fresh raw garlic because the allicin that it contains and is released when chewed or crushed is a potent antimicrobial and has been deemed nature’s antibiotic for ages. If you don’t like raw garlic, Allicin can be purchased in liquid or pill form.
Essential oils: A sad number of folks like to roll their eyes at this one, yet they are the same group always complaining about being sick or having sick kids. I used to be the same way until I decided to give it a try….and my personal favorite for keeping pathogens at bay is a mix of Thieves Essential Oil blend (actually scientifically tested to reduce airborne pathogens by over 90%…read more on my Thieves post)….which I love adding a few drops of Oregano Essential Oil to for an extra kick. At the first sign of anything, I start diffusing this stuff in all of the bedrooms….works so well I haven’t dealt with the dreaded “one kid got sick now everyone in the house is sick” scenario in almost a decade.
So, while I know that a lot of the immune boosters I love are antibacterial rather than antiviral, they do have incredibly anti-inflammatory and immune system supporting benefits. They may not kill the virus, but if your body is well supported it should and normally will keep symptoms at bay and have a better ability to ward off or fight infection of any kind. I can speak only for what I see with my family as well as the 10 years worth of studying and research I have done on my own as well as WITH a wise and inspiring array of integrative doctors, homeopaths, naturopaths, and nutrition experts.
It makes perfect sense that if our bodies are well supported, our immune systems will know what to do and will be better put to use fighting off disease when it isn’t also dealing with chronic inflammation….and so much of that is due to the foods we eat and the things we are exposed to environmentally. We can’t live in a bubble, but we can control what we put in our mouths…..and the only Corona I hope to be putting anywhere near my mouth will have a wedge of lime on it. A girl can treat herself, no?
Stay well, my friends! 🙂
header photo by Lisa Fotios @pexels
