So, as many of you know already, I was sick...from Sunday until today....I should be fine by tomorrow, as I can already feel that I'm on the mend as of early this afternoon.
I am RARELY sick....I mean RARELY! I often, (foolishly), boast that I "never get sick"....so this was somewhat humbling for me to not only be "sick" but have to miss church, Meal Day Mondays, and call out sick this morning from my courthouse job.
I burnt the candles at both ends for the last several months, often working 7 days a week, not getting enough sleep, doing things every night(Bible study, out with friends, game nights, choir, etc)....well, this past Saturday, I went to the Highland Games in Central Florida...it was a lovely time with Daniel and our friends....got to try haggis, etc...at 2am on Sunday morning, I woke up coughing, with a severe swollen throat, and a fever...So I am not going to blame the Highland Games, but my rather overcrowded schedule that I keep :-(
Anyways...I often have people ask me what I take when I am sick....there are some prerequisites for what I use: has to be inexpensive (we do not have insurance), has to be harmful for the pathogen, and helpful for the body. So here's my "go to" list of awesome, inexpensive, home remedies:
1. Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar- it kills the bad bacteria-like in a sore throat/intestinal problem...but it also helps to alkalize the blood stream, which in turn, helps to keep your blood cells(both white and red) working properly...red won't release oxygen into other cells in the wrong pH and white blood cells deform into the wrong shape in the wrong pH and will not attack invading pathogens. Bacteria also do not survive in an alkaline blood stream, but do just fine in an acidic one! (I know, vinegar is acidic, but when it goes through your blood stream, it causes an alkaline reaction....biochemistry is a beautiful thing! Here's the type mentioned:
Bragg's ACV It is now available at most grocery stores in the natural section! Heinz/store brand WILL NOT WORK! the "mother" or cloudiness in the vinegar is what has all the nutrients! The distilled stuff is great for cleaning, not for ingesting! here's a bunch of FAQ's for ACV :-)
ACV FAQ's
To use: mix 2 tbsp of ACV with 2 tbsp of water and gargle several times a day....OR, you can drink it....at a different ratio....put 2-3 tablespoons of ACV, 1-2 teaspoons of local, raw, honey, and as much water as you need to fill you glass....drink it 3-4 times a day. (I do NOT use honey in mine, but I am quite accustomed to the flavor of ACV)
2. Zinc- zinc is very helpful to the immune system...here's a helpful link :
zinc-cold and flu helper! This is the brand I use:
Garden of Life Zinc I like this brand because it also has vitamin C in it! (it should also be available at your local health food store....for about 9 or 10 dollars. If not locally, online for about the same price)
3. Echinacea Goldenseal- Echinacea has been widely recognized for immune support for years and years! My mom gave it to me as a small child! You can get it as a tea, tincture, capsule, tablet....etc....I get it as a tablet with goldenseal, which has amazing sinus powers! I get them as tablets, but here is a link for the capsules:
echincea goldenseal goodness...again, probably available at your local health food store! I also use the tea quite often(It tastes similar to peppermint tea...with a little raw honey, I have never heard of any harsh complaints...even when I was a kid I liked it enough!):
awesomesauce tea Traditional Medicinals has a wide variety of teas for many different uses...I HIGHLY recommend them for any of your tea needs! My grocery store, even my Walmart now carries this tea! Very easy to get ahold of!
To be clear, I want to summarize that you probably spend 25+ dollars for your COPAY at a doctor's office...~10$ for zinc, ~5$ for the tea, and ~5$ for the ACV, so far...this is CHEAPER than going to the doctor!
4. Sleep- you MUST get some sleep...I couldn't breathe well last night, so I slept terribly...which made me feel awful this morning....I ended up crashing on the couch a few hours later...when my sinuses finally cleared(hint, I didn't take echinacea/goldenseal in the beginning....which I should have, but I couldn't find mine and money is super tight right now, so I couldn't go buy any, but never fear, I did find it yesterday...and have promtly taken quite a bit)
5. Lemon water- Hot, or cold, lemon water is pretty tasty, and very good for you! The acid helps with alkalizing just like the ACV does, bacteria REALLY don't like lemon very much....AND lemons are cheap! They are also high in vitamin C! (I recommend organic, fresh squeezed lemons for maximum nutrition. Conventional lemons often have lacquer on them, "food grade paint", wax, and an abundance of pesticides...organic lemons are pretty easy to get at almost any grocery store these days)
6. Tea- I love tea....anybody who knows me well, knows that I am a tea SNOB! I love my organic loose leaf teas, fair trade, etc....herbal, green, and black all have great healing properties (I might recommend getting decaf if sleeping is a problem right now)...personally, I like earl grey or assam black tea when I am sick. :-) But I often have mostly green tea around....:-) high antioxidants! WAHOO! And the caffeine helps the low energy levels that often are a result of illness.
WHAT NOT TO DO:
-1. Stay clear of DAIRY! I love my ice cream when I am sick...but I do not eat it during illness for many reasons....largely because it is a mucogen and inflammatory in nature. You do NOT was extra mucus or inflammation while you are sick...no bueno!
-2. SUGAR! And varieties therein! High fructose corn syrup lowers the immune system by like a gagillion(
5 reasons to stop drinking soda)....sugar also causes a more acidic reaction in the blood stream(which remember, causes the blood cells to NOT work well....it also allows the bad bacteria an awesome food source to live on! We all know that sugar gives us energy...imagine what it does to sneaky pathogens!)
-3. Comfort foods....I know that the only thing you want to eat is comfort food when you're sick....or nothing at all. That's not good. You need to stay nourished! Eating easily digested, nutritious food is important! A good, homemade soup is probably the best bet! The nutrition from HOMEMADE soup is achieved from the BONES in the chicken! The marrow cooks out into the soup and gives your body lots of great nutrients! Also, the veggies give great support too! My mom used to make Italian wedding soup momma style! Homemade stock, organic spinach, little pastini, and meatballs(beef, turkey, chicken...or a mix of any or all three...whatever she had in the house :-) But, you have to make your own broth....the bones need to cook for several hours to get the full nutrition...if you feel like a cold is coming on, get your chicken(free-range/organic is best...local even better) before you are ill, and put it in the crock pot with filtered water over night....that way your stock is ready when you need it! Here's some
chicken soup recipes.
-4. As much as soda will seem to help the stomach....it is the WORST thing you could possibly drink for your stomach...the HFCS will hurt the immune system drastically and "sugar-free" is just as bad if not worse!(Note: often flavored waters, Mio, and Crystal light have the same toxic makeup...these are not healthy alternatives) If you must have something "bubbly"...I would recommend Blue Sky soda or a variety of other natural sodas...even mixing some organic cherry, grape, blueberry, or pomegranate, etc. juice with club soda would be a better option. See the link under -2, if you need a reminder why not to drink soda!
This is all I got for now...sorry for such a long blog...I hope it was informative! :-D
Stay warm, healthy, and well fed!
Love,
Becca
