It’s Winter - Cold and Flu Season has begun
ts December, winter is upon us as well as the cold and flu season. So how do we fight the illnesses in our life before and after they make their presence known.
We need to follow our simple lifestyle councils and then rely on God for the rest. The acronym NEWSTART helps us to recall what we should do: N - nutrition, Genesis 1:29 - God says, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” God also says, Proverbs 4:20 - “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh” E - exercise, we need to take a walk or some activity for 30 minutes per day; W - water, we should be drinking at least 8 — 8oz glasses per day; S - sunshine, at least 30 minutes per day to help our bodies to make vitamin D which fights viruses; T - temperance, sugar is the big no no as it turns our immune systems on low to off; A - air, taking deep breaths of fresh air, even cold air several times per day actives our T-cells to fight viruses; R - rest, we must get 7 to 9 hours of sleep at night each day, best hours to start sleep cycles are before 9pm; and lastly T - Trusting in God and His ways as the best ways to care for ourselves.
Simple Recipes for Strengthening the body to allow it to heal:
Hydrotherapy -
Contrast Showers - 3 to 7 cycles of 3 minutes HOT as you can take water, followed by 30 seconds of cold as you can take water (do this alternating 3 to 7 times). Then dry off and lay down for 30 to 60 minutes rest. Repeat 2 to 3 times per day, until symptoms improve, then once daily.
Steam tent - for congestion, cough, boil water, put into heat tolerant bowl with 2-3 drops of Eucalyptus oil or Peppermint oil. Then sit, placing a large towel over your head, leaning over bowl, breathing the steam with the oil. Do for 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat 2 - 3 times per day as needed. (Can possibly use: “breath”, “thieves”, “melrose”, “frankincense”, “lemon”, “pine”, “rosemary” or “tea tree” oils. Badger Balm or Thieves chest rubs
Hot Foot Bath - place feet in hot water, ice pack on head. Helps to relieve congestion. Can do sitting up, or lie down with knees elevated. 15 - 20 minutes, rinse with cold water, dry.
Fever Bath - hot water 104-110 degrees, sit in water, towel over chest and knees, pitcher water over to keep body in contact with hot water. Cold washcloth over head. Check temperature every 5 minutes. Then give sips of water. Get body temp up to 102 - 103 for 20 minutes. Then take cold water shower. Go to bed for 30 to 60 minutes. If heart rate goes up to 140, stop hot water, wash with cold. Go to bed.
Herbal Treatments -
Colloidal silver - shows antiviral activity, nasal spray. Use only as needed for lost sense of smell and taste.
Echinacea - 800 mg, three times daily, 5 days with symptoms, can be used preventatively for months, protect against upper respiratory infection; take as tincture, daily, during cold and flu season.
Elderberries - use fruit, promotes T-helper cells for immune system to fight viruses
Avoid - NSAIDS & tylenol and use anti-inflammatory supplements like Turmeric and Boswellia; take charcoal tabs for headaches
Vitamin A
Vitamin C - Buffered/Ester-C every 2 to 4 hours while awake; 150 - 2000 mg daily
Vitamin D3 - actives immune responses, antimicrobial compounds in white blood cells; deficiency increases changes of contracting viruses or reduces ability to fight viruses
Vitamin E - enhances immune function, resist infection
Zinc - anti-viral - for 5 days; lozenges are too low of dose, high zinc foods like pumpkin seeds are best; 11 to 15 mg per day
Iodine - strong anti-viral - iodine foods and supplement as needed; nebulize with Lugged, low dose peroxide in saline
Garlic - anti-microbial - garlic/allicin tabs or fresh cloves, 1 before ingesting food for 5 to 14 days (caution - can lower blood pressure)
Glutathione or NAC (n-acetyl cysteine) - 600 mg twice daily, inhibits replication of viruses, reduces inflammation, take only while having symptoms
Goldenseal - remedy to native Americans, anti-inflammatory fights viral infections; can increase blood pressure, take with caution
Oregano - strong antiseptic, antiviral, treats coughs, tonsillitis, bronchitis, asthma
Quercetin - 250 to 1000 mg daily for 12 weeks, found in onions, apples, berries, anti-inflammatory, works with zinc to fight virus in cells
Melatonin - helps reduce damage caused by virus, helps to improve sleep while sick
Additional supplements:
American Ginseng - 200 to 400 mg twice daily
Siberian Ginseng - 400 mg three times daily
Panax Ginseng - 200 mg daily
Andrographis (Indian Echinacea) 200 mg daily
Thuja (cedar leaf oil) - 18 - 36 mg three times daily
Probiotics - 1 billion CFU until well
Anticoagulants - reduce risks of blood clotting , can have excessive anticoagulation, petechia - small purple spots under skin; reduce types and amounts to only **
Nattokiinase - 200 mg daily
Garlic oil - 2 capsules, 3 times daily** (only 1 capsule)
Ginger powder - ¼ tsp, 3 times daily**
Welch’s grape juice - 1 cup, 3 times daily**
Evening Primrose oil - 1000 mg, 3 times daily
Coughing -
Lungwort - helps with coughs and difficulty breathing
Honey organic raw - 8-12 oz warm water with 1 tsp honey, sip slowly (can add ¼ tsp lemon juice)
Honey syrup - chop raw onion, put into jar, cover with RAW honey. Let set in refrigerator overnight. Take 1 tablespoon for coughing, every 30 to 60 minutes as needed. Can add garlic too
Teas - Ginger, Lemon, Echinacea, turmeric, Licorice - natural anti-virals, helpful with cough (caution if diabetic); thyme, fennel, mullein
Cough syrup - 2 tbsp thyme, 1 tbsp rosemary, 1 tbsp peppermint, 1 tsp eucalyptus leaves; add to boiling water - use in steam tent
Onion Poultice - whole onion, cut and blend, just enough water to blend. place on plastic wrap and lay on chest. Cover with towel, then plastic wrap into place. Leave 4+ hours or overnight.
Throat Compress - sheet dipped in cold water, wrap around throat. Place a layer of plastic wrap or bread bag to cover wet cloth. Cover with warmer material like fleece or wool. Pin together so it stays in place. Leave overnight or four hours at a time during the day.
Breathing exercise - 4-7-9
Breath in count of 4 through nose, hold count of 7, breathe out lips count of 9; repeat 10 times.
Flu Cocktails -
1 quart water,
1 clove garlic,
1 lemon or grapefruit,
blend, drink
Rocket fuel -
¼ medium onion
6 cloves garlic
6 oranges, with peels & seeds
3 lemons, with peels & seeds
1 Tbsp honey
⅛ - ¼ tsp cayenne
thumb of ginger optional blend everything, add enough water, until all is smooth, strainer, keep juice in glass jar. sip over 8 hrs period, keep refrigerate
Natures Penicillin -
1 whole grapefruit
2 whole oranges
1 whole lemon
3 cloves garlic
½ medium onion
3 drops peppermint
peel fruit to white pulp, add to blender, garlic, onion, just enough water to blend. Add pepperoni oil and blend fully. Place in pitcher, refrigerate, drink 1 cup daily
Recommendation:
Purchase ingredients NOW before you need them. Buy one at a time. Keep in cool, dark place (refrigerator or freezer) until needed.
Make a flu remedy NOW before you need it. FREEZE it! Buy canning jars to store in freezer with remedy. You won’t feel like making this if you are sick!
Make a contact NOW with two persons/families that can help you if you need something; drive to giant/walmart to get something, to help you with treatment if you are too weak, etc. Texting people for support is great, but we all live every where, not necessarily near each other.
BUT as soon as you feel any symptoms (sore throat, abnormal tiredness, chills, etc.) start with contrast shower, moving to teas and herbs/supplements. AND eat well now to protect immune system. When symptoms start, reduce what you eat.
Reduce STRESS… I know easier said then done. Stress turns off immune system. Turn to God… He is in control. We need to follow His will, His ways, and leave everything in His hands!