Sick and Tired?
There is a nasty bug going around this spring! Symptoms vary but include sore throat, tired, coughing, low-grade fever, sinus and lung discomfort. I don’t get sick too often but man, this one laid me down for 3 days.
Here are my suggestions for when your first symptom tells you that you need to support your immune system-
1. RAW GARLIC- swallow whole, slice and swallow, or chop and add to butter and eat it with a couple of crackers. Garlic is a great, cheap and well-researched immune booster.
2. VITAMIN C- Eat citrus, take capsules or EmergenC packets every hour until you have loose stools. This is your body indicating that it is saturated for the day. Start again the next day, and continue while symptoms persist.
3. HERBAL TEA- like Breathe-Easy, Immune-Support, Ginger-Echinacea, or hot water with fresh grated ginger, cayenne and honey soothe your throat and provide herbs to support your immune system.
4. GOLDEN ECHINACEA TINCTURE- is a combination of Golden Seal (a natural antibiotic) extract and Echinacea (an immune booster) extract. I have used this tincture for years and it really does help to shorten the duration of an illness or stop it before the virus settles into your body. Take 2 droppers full in a little water/3 times per day/3-5 days.
5. UMCKA or SAMBUCOL- these are natural remedies for colds and flu. Sambucol is a liquid, and primarily Elderberry Syrup which supports the immune system. Umcka is a homeopathic remedy that varies in its delivery- chewable tablets, pills and liquid. Choose the one that fits your symptoms the best and take a few times each day for a few days.
Purchasing these items and stocking your Natural Medicine Cabinet is a good idea before the symptoms creep in. Natural remedies are so much better for your body as they ARE NATURAL (no dyes, chemicals, side effects), and they actually support your body rather than just covering up the symptoms, like pain relievers, which trick your body into doing more than it actually should be doing.
Also, letting your fever ‘burn’ is a great immune boosting practice, unless your fever is above 104*. A fever is your body’s natural defense against ‘bugs’ and viruses that want to settle in. If you take a fever reducer, your body feels better but it never actually has to work to kill the ‘bug’, therefore allowing the bug to impact your immune system in the future. So, take a hot bath, then curl up under the covers, drink some hot tea, eat ginger, garlic and cayenne, and get some rest!!