The universe saw fit over the last month to give me lessons on the word "empathy"....or and also teach me that "do as I say, not as I do" just doesn't cut it!!
A COMMON COLD......
2 weeks ago I was struck down with a cold. Nothing complicated, just a snot congested, chest warbling common cold. I never get sick. This has been a mantra of mine for oh, at least 4 years now. I can safely say that I've not caught any of the drastic 'lurgies' that have been circulating, either distributed by my customers or by sick friends and family. So why now? why this Winter?
Being a fairly analytical gal (no? really? I hear you cry!), yes its true, I put my hand up high and not afraid to say "I question everything", I looked at the possible reasons. One is that universe lesson above, the other is I just stopped doing what I knew was the better choices when it came to food. I do know better, but that doesn't mean I occasionally slip up now and again......
I forgot, yes forgot, to add fruit into my diet. I ate chips/crisps a plenty and chocolate as a stable meal replacement. It wasn't that I didn't know what I was doing, its the only thing I wanted at the time. Food hasn't been 'turning me on" land I've been losing a bit of weight lately so eating anything was my justification for getting some sort of energy supply into my system. Yet not a lot of vitamins and essential goodies in processed food. 14 days is the timeframe for a virus to be active in the body, and as it was a 'common cold', it acted commonly. Early nights, loads of veges and drugs. Yes I took drugs. I had to decide was it "drip on customers or talk like a professional snorkellor?". BUT, I believe because I don't take pharmaceutical drugs regularly, they acted fast. Only one night tablet and 6 day tablets in one day. That's it. Then I allowed the body to do its bit and on day 5, nasal congestion was gone and just a tiny bothersome inconvenient cough remained. I highly recommend the drugs if you have to, but let your body do most of the job. I felt great by day 7 and besides the access, I was feeling invigorated and immune boosted. They say that you should feel better after an cold/flu due to the immune system boosting in.
I live and learn, I now know what it 'feels' like again....lesson over please.... here's to less congested remainder of winter!!
TIPS FOR THE COLD SEASON
- Early Nights + down time - the body needs its "rest, heal + digest" part of the nervous system to kick in. So if your body feels tired......follow the signs and let it recoup. Going down can stop recurring illness. Nip it in the bud!
- Vegetable + Fruit Supplementation - mandarins, oranges, green veges are all great to boost the vitamin shortage.
- Garlic - natures own anti-biotic and so much more. This is one of the Super foods available. Use the real stuff, not the bottled garlic. The active ingredient is only accessed fully when you 'cut' the cloves. So cook up and eat raw parsley to counter the garlic smell.
- Spicey food - the ginger family and the chilli family are all great to get the body cleaned out and boosting the good stuff for healing. So go for a little bit more spice like green/red thai curries.
- Massage Helps - massage promotes lymphatic flow. Assisting the body to "move" stuff can bring on symptoms quicker. You may not "LIKE" getting sick, but if its starting to show its ugly symptom head, just get on with it so you can get over it sooner.....hot stones (Stoneology Massage?!!) facilitates mucus movement - just like having a hot shower on your back without getting wet!
- Thyme Tea gargle - great for sore throats. Acts like a antiseptic, anti-bacteria and slightly analgesic affect - wanna know HOW? facebook me CLICK HERE
- Night + Day Cold Tabs - they are not like anti-biotics. A cold is a virus/viral, not bacterial. So go to your pharmacist (I recommend Kate Gray at Chemmart Orange) who can assist you easily for such a minor ailment.
- Health Food Shops - not into pharmaceuticals? Visit your local Health Food shop and grab an equivalent cold/flu remedy. There are some fabulous alternatives to pharmaceuticals. (I recommend Canobolas Health Food, Orange Arcade - Lucas knows his stuff!!)
- Inhalants - grab a box of tissues, get a towel, boil some water and stick your head over a pot of steaming water with a few drops of Olbas Oil, Eucalyptus Oil, Tea Tree Oil or Vicks Vaborub....a little goes along way. Try breathing it in with both mouth (gets into the top of lungs) as well as nose (try one blocking one nostril at a time) as through the nose you access the deeper parts of your lungs
- Jagermeister - this is a german 70-proof digestive made with 56 different herbs and spices. Kept in the fridge and sipping a little at a time, this is one of my secret remedies for helping a cold + sore throat. I was introduced to something similar when I worked in French Ski Resorts. It works and is like an alcoholic cough syrup. Its ingredients include 56 herbs, fruits, roots, and spices including citrus peel, liquorice, anise, poppy seeds, saffron, ginger, juniper berries and ginseng. PLEASE NOTE - IT IS ALCOHOLIC, so not advised for children.
- When NOT to see your GP - a couple of things about visiting your GP. If its a common cold, there's nothing they can do but tell you its a cold. You can however, do MORE harm if you visit your GP. 1. your immunity is low and you might catch something else from another sick patient waiting to see the doctor. 2. in contrast - you might spread your cold to other people whilst in the doctor's waiting room. 3. By getting out bed and hence a warm environment, you may challenge your body by having to move, walk, pump blood etc when it could be lying quietly, spending that energy on 'healing you'. 4. not that you aren't important, but with a common cold, this is easily managed on your own and you GP's are already over worked - and someone who really needs to see the GP can get in.
- When TO see your GP - Secondary infection stage. This means another lurgie has decided to bunk in with your cold and your immune system just doesn't seem to be able to handle things so far. Namely bacteria. So this is when you need anti-biotics. Symptoms to know when to act is when mucus (ya snot) turns green. Green = infection. Of course, if you have had a history of Pneumonia or at any point feel you need to check with the GP, don't hesitate to see one.
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