Rest is to let the body focus on overcoming the virus and to recover its energy from overwork or stress. We usually get sick because we are run down, not because we were exposed to the virus.
Getting sick forces us to interrupt our normal routine. Rather than be annoyed by this, take the opportunity to actually be present in the down time.
Rest or Slow Down, and Enjoy It
Rest is to let the body focus on overcoming the virus and to recover its energy from overwork or stress. We usually get sick because we are run down, not because we were exposed to the virus.
Getting sick forces us to interrupt our normal routine. Rather than be annoyed by this, take the opportunity to actually be present in the down time. Being sick offers an opportunity to take a sort of personal retreat that a part of us needed but could not or would not take. Take a break from excessive phone use and interactions, and use the time to take an Epsom salt bath, do a face steam with essential oils for congestion (such as eucalyptus oil with tea tree), and do some self-massage with Cinnamon Protector Oil. Acupuncture or cupping could also be a nice treat and may help circumvent a full blown cold or flu.
Find Your Herbal Medicine Ally
Every person has an herb or few herbs that work best for them when they are getting sick. Sometimes it will vary or change from season to season, but with trial and error, you can find what it is your body needs when getting sick. Frequent strong doses are usually necessary. Here are some of my favorites:
- Vitamin C (must be slightly sour or it will not work). 3-6 1000mg doses per day until recovered. Vitamin C is also considered an adrenal tonic because it is used up when we are under a lot of physical or nervous system stress. Vit C is especially good for A blood types. If you have appetite for lemons, oranges, tomatoes, pineapple, loquat, grapefruit, be sure to eat these. Elderberry syrup is also high in Vitamin C and other immune-strengthening activity.
- Olive Leaf -Olive leaf is another favorite of mine because it is so simple, it is antiviral (also can help prevent herpes outbreaks), and is slightly calming to the system (some people use it to lower blood pressure). Because these days we often get sick as a result of overstimulation, the calming effect of olive leaf is what the body needs to recover (along with its immune-stimulating activity). Do not expect to feel the calming effect, rather try this one if you know overactivity tends to deplete your system. Olive leaf is cooling.
- Fresh Ginger Root Tea with honey and lemon. The spice of ginger “kicks out” the pathogen that is trying to enter the body. At first, the pathogen is lodged in the skin or muscle layer. Ginger tea is used to warm and push the pathogen outward before it goes further inward. If you feel cold, have muscle aches, or chills and fever, the ginger tea can be taken throughout the day, but also just before an Epsom salt bath. This will open the pores, and in the bath, draw the pathogen outward. Steep or simmer 3-4 thick slices of ginger, and add raw local honey and juice of half lemon.
- Other favorites are Yin Qiao Pian-when a sore throat is just starting
- Wellness Formula
- Echinacea—when neck lymph is congested, or estrogen levels are slightly high
- Lots of garlic in food
That’s it. Rest and herbs. Try to avoid over the counter cold and flu medications unless you absolutely need to get through a day for an event or speech. The reason for this is that when we get sick, something in our consciousness is trying to process. When we allow it the space and time, the body processes what we could not consciously process, and it is mostly cleared through the illness and plant medicines. When we take suppressive medications, the energy is left unresolved and sits in us until it gets a chance to resolve at a later time. So, if we need to take medication, then later we can exercise and sweat, or give ourselves some down time to let our consciousness catch up to all that our full lives have to offer.
