Staying Healthy with the Seasons

Well, I don’t know about you, but the order of the day for myself and many of those I know is spelled R-E-S-T. And with strong winds blowing outdoors, I’m content to wrap a down comforter around myself and watch Nature’s show of trees tossing to and fro, the many Fall leaves fluttering a mad dance to the already littered ground, cozied up indoors. Wind advisory, indeed! With the many weather changes we’ve seen the past couple of weeks, I wasn’t surprised as each of those around me, one by one became sick. I suspected my symptoms to be allergy related, but regardless of the causes, we’re all being called to take better care of ourselves and to rest.

I admit that I have an old belief system locked away in my mind that links cold weather, a chilled body or wet hair with getting sick. Every study I have read clearly shows that there is no correlation between chilling the body or hair and colds, and to say so would be erroneous. However, it has been my personal experience that when my body gets cold, it makes me very uncomfortable. My body has to work harder to keep me warm, and to reduce the stress caused by the discomfort. I therefore have found that I stand a better chance of staying well this time of year if I do things which keep me warm, such as putting flannel sheets on the bed, along with an extra blanket, and always carrying a warm sweater or coat, for those inevitable unexpected temperature changes during the day. I also highly recommend hot baths, to which one can add salts to relax aching muscles, eucalyptus oil for respiratory issues, or lavender to de-stress, and of course some bubbles for relaxation and pure indulgent fun!

There is no question that our ability to cope with stress is one of the major factors in our body’s immune system functioning well and our ability to stay well. With fewer daylight hours, many of us are experiencing a decrease in energy levels, and are realizing that we cannot continue pushing ourselves as we did throughout the Summer. It’s time to slow down, get a full eight hours of sleep, and continue our healthy habits such as exercise, meditation, and breath work. The fuel we put into our system is also of the utmost importance, as our bodies can only do so much with what we provide. By intaking nutritious foods, such as fruits and veggies, and by flushing our system with plenty of pure water, we stand a far better chance of keeping strong and healthy.

There are some other natural ways that we can assist our bodies in staying healthy and/or healing faster. Garlic has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties, and can be liberally added to food to give the immune a boost. In my family, we have a “feel better” cold recipe using chopped up onion, garlic, and ginger, to which we add hot water, lemon, honey and a touch of cayenne pepper. It doesn’t taste good, but after drinking the liquid and eating as much of the goodies at the bottom of the cup as can be stomached, there is usually a relief of symptoms and the duration of cold is often reduced. As a preventative measure, take a good high potency multivitamin-mineral from a health food store, naturopathic physician or other natural health practitioner, daily, with at least 1000 mg. vitamin C, 50,000 IU vitamin A (unless pregnant), 400 IU vitamin E, 15 mg. zinc and 25+ mg. of the B vitamins. Studies concur that vitamin C reduces symptoms and duration of colds, so be certain to include this in your regimen. There has also been positive results with zinc use, but it seems to be most effective when taken at the onset, so take at first signs of cold symptoms. To be effective zinc must be sucked on, not swallowed, and should be taken in frequent, smaller doses, such as a quarter lozenge every half an hour. Stop taking immediately if nausea occurs.

Herbal remedies are popular in my household. I would much rather rely upon a tea made of marshmallow root, licorice root, and elm bark to soothe my sore throat than to use chemical sprays. I enjoy chamomile for my upset tummy, to relax and soothe me, or to help me sleep. Peppermint tea is a mild stimulant, but also soothes the tummy and nasal passages. Herbs high in mucilage, such as slippery elm, mallow, and marshmallow, are often helpful for symptomatic relief of coughs and irritated throats. Red raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry leaves contain astringent tannins which can be helpful for soothing sore throats. I’ve also heard of sage tea being gargled to soothe a sore throat. And, of course we cannot forget the honey, propolis, and slippery elm lozenges to soothe that throat and cough. These remedies all have substantial anecdotal evidence, and many have been used for centuries in other cultures.

I will make mention of a couple of other herbs I have used. Echinacea is believed to work primarily through immune stimulation and while studies have shown that regular use is not effective in prevention of colds, 3-5ml every two hours can be taken at the onset or to speed recovery of symptoms in both adults and children. It’s been my experience that echinacea is a worthwhile herb in which to invest, and seems to help my immune system when it needs some extra help. I do not recommend goldenseal. While it can be effect in reducing sore throat, the alkaloids from which our immune would benefit occur in small quantities, it should be taken for only short periods of time, and goldenseal is threatened in the wild due to over harvesting, so it’s best to take Oregon grape or another berberine-containing herb in its place for those cold symptoms. Besides, I just gave you my family ‘cure’, what more could you need?

The answer to that is REST! Well, okay, and washing your hands a whole heckava lot! Need I remind you that we get sick by touching germs and putting those germ-infested fingers into our eyes, nose, and mouth? Ick! I know! So, wash your hands often, but not with an anti-bacterial soap because that is causing more harm than good. Then apply a good hand cream, because it’s that time of the year too! Hey, I love Fall and the upcoming Holiday Season a lot, and just want to enjoy it with the people I hold dear in my heart. We will take greater pleasure if we’re rested up and feeling our best! Healthy Fall All!