When We Catch a Cold
When We Catch a Cold
Recently, the latest cold virus making the rounds of Portland bit me. It started with a sore throat. It felt like razor blades had been inserted into my throat while I was sleeping. Waking up I could barely swallow and rushed to my medicine cabinet for some Throat-Ease, gargled and swallowed (ouch!). I drank some tea and swallowed my herbs, recited my gratitudes that I luckily had the next several days off from work, and climbed back into bed and slept as much as I could.
The next day my throat was better, but my immune system had launched a full-on attack on the virus and the casualties were being transported off the battlefield — yep, you guessed it — mucus! A rattling cough and lots of nasal drainage was the next phase. This phase is a critical one for whether we suppress an acute illness, allowing it to bury deeper into our bodies and transform into a more chronic inflammatory state, or whether we support ourselves by allowing the body to go through the process naturally and rid itself of the inflammation.
Because I am so very human, I was tempted to suppress this phase with over-the-counter sprays or drugs designed to dry me out and suppress my cough. Instead, I saw my acupuncturist, took a warm eucalytpus steam bath, bought tissues, drank lemon-honey tea, swallowed extra vitamin C and blended some herbs, and again: SLEPT.
Post-virus, I feel even better now than how I was feeling before I got sick, something my Swiss aunt once told me happens whenever we fall ill. Like any adversity we face in life, when we accept it and support ourselves to face it, deal with it and overcome it, rather than suppress it (denial and avoidance!), we ride it and grow stronger through the process of conquering it, and the more resilient we become. This is how we build wild immunity – how our immune system learns about the environment and grows stronger and protects us more effectively in the future.
Colds are a nuisance; flus are nasty business. Does the flu vaccine help? It is controversial. I do know a lovely family who are divided on this; he is anti vaccine and she is pro vaccine. She had herself and the kids vaccinated against the flu last fall and he opted out. When he came down with the flu, his wife saw that as proof as the vaccine being effective. Until she and the kids also got the flu. I also have patients who are convinced they got the flu shortly after getting the vaccine. Others however, feel the vaccine helps keep them healthy year after year. For the elderly and the frail, it might be a good insurance policy.
Prevention is always best, of course. Please see my article on preventing colds and flu and other acute illness. But let’s accept our humanity. Sometimes even the strongest among us falter. Be gentle with yourself, and check out the links below for some general resources on ideas to treat a cold or flu naturally.
Wise Woman Herbals Throat-Ease tincture. Taken as directed, gives relief and speeds healing. Myrrh helps soothe the throat, Phytolacca helps to move lymphatics, and echinacea and goldenseal boost the immune system and kill bacteria and viruses on impact. (click link to shop)
Priority One Immuno Caps taken as directed at the first sign of illness can keep an illness from locking on; speeds along colds and flu once infection has set in. Contains nutrients such as zinc and vitamin C, plus thymus glandular, herbs and medicinal mushrooms. (click link to shop)
XLear Nasal Spray contains no steroids or anti-histamines, but instead saline and xylitol. Xylitol prevents bacteria from adhering to mucosa, which can halt a sinus infection or lung infection from settling in post-virus. (click to shop)
Eucalyptus oil. Add a few drops to a pan of steaming water, cover head and pan with a towel and breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. This gets the essential oils deep into the sinuses, kills bacteria and viruses on impact, opens nasal passages and gets the mucus OUT. Do this as often as desired, at least a couple minutes twice a day for optimal results. (click link to shop)
Other options are to add a few drops to coconut oil and rub under the nose, onto the chest, or apply to the soles of feet and put on some old cotton socks at bedtime as a spin on the naturopathic Warming Sock Treatment. (Click here for the link)
Traditional Medicinals teas: Gypsy Cold Care, Throat Ease and Breathe Deep are winter kitchen staples and can be enjoyed for prevention as well.