Shop the necessities
Getting sick is never fun. Getting sick when you are a new and involuntary homeschooling mama and there’s a crazy virus going around that is capable pretty much anything, including death, is anxiety inducing on a whole new level. This was my experience last week anyway.
I had a bit of a scare when I had a bad cough, shortness of breath and was very lethargic. Seriously, I couldn’t get out of bed for 4 days. I would wake up, brush my teeth and require a nap. Given all that is going on, I was more diligent than ever about being ill. I self-quarantined inside away from my family and used my time to call my primary care physician, text with my acupuncturist and enlist the help of a husband and wife team of naturopathic doctors who were willing to spill the tea on natural remedies that will help cold and flu.
Between the 4 of these wonderful medical professionals, I was able to stay off the internet (Googling ‘what to do if I have Coronavirus’ presented wildly different answers and left me more confused. Sharing the juice they gave me incase you find yourself mildly ill this season and want to try to recover at home given the already taxed health care system. Obviously, you should always call your doctor if you think you are really sick and get a doctor’s expertise before trying anything new. I am just sharing what worked for me!
Prevention and Recovery
According to Medical Insider, the body is constantly being bombared with very small numbers of different strains of viruses. The average person has approximately 4 different viruses that he is fighting off at any one given moment. During a person’s lifetime we may have fought off 1000 different types or strains of virus. We only notice that we have a viral infection if we observe the symptoms of a virus (like cold of flu) when viral replication levels reach a significant level. Prevention is all about keeping that significant level down so the symptoms don’t get you down.
My wonderful acupuncturist, Kamron Jafari says it seems like the area that eastern medicine is incredibly helpful is prevention (basically using herbs and acupuncture to increase natural killer cells, white blood cells and your immune system) and also with the recovery stage afterwards (because it looks like some people are having reduced lung function even after they recover). He’s big in to using Chinese medicine to help with the recovery stage.
Dr. Daryl Hobson, a naturopathic doctor recommended I start a monlaurin supplement. According to an article Dr. Hobson shared by Farhang Kosh, Monolaurin works by binding to the lipid-protein envelope of the virus, thereby preventing it from attaching and entering host cells, preventing infection and replication. Monolaurin
Cold symptoms
Once our bodies start showing and feeling symptoms, we need to take more action. Kamron suggested miso soup which I gladly ordered on Doordash. It was actually used traditionally for colds/viruses. I ate nothing buy soup for about 4 days because the breathing trouble made it impossible to chew (I was a total mouth breather) and the miso was a game changer.
Cough
Here’s where the pear recipe on the right comes in handy. Kamron says in Chinese medicine pears have been used as medicine since time began basically. I made some for myself and my 4-year-old. The next recipe was just for adults, but REALLY helped. Thanks to Dr. Barbara Belote, naturopath and maybe mixologist 😉 for this one. My friends all said this was a hot toddy but to me, it was medicine.
Dr. Belote said to mix equal parts whisky, lemon and honey and put it in a container and then take a sip… wait 10 minutes and take another. The whisky calms down your nervous system and the lemon counter acts the phlegm.
Western OTC Medicine
Things you should actually buy ahead of time instead of toilet paper: tissues enriched with lotion, a thermometer, Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 325 mg tablets, Mucinex (guaifenesin which is an expectorant at least 200 mg tabs or per liquid dose), Delsym cough syrup, diphenhydramine (Benadryl) 25 mg tabs for nighttime, saline nasal spray, Vick’s vaporub for chest pain or congestion is also good to have along with eucalyptus oil.
Fever
For a low-grade fever my primary care physician said to take Tylenol and avoid ibuprofen (anti-inflammatories like Ibuprofen and Advil, can mess with your body’s cytokine response). For high fever you can also try a lukewarm to cool bath.
Rest
As much as possible, get a lot of rest and drink as much water as you can. I linked my favorite water bottle above under necessities. It not only keeps your water cool for several hours, but also has a straw which was especially useful while sick because you don’t have to sit up (who knew that would feel so difficult?)
I know this time isn’t easy on anyone. Just remember you are not stuck at home, you are safe at home. Hang in there and know I am sending you lots of love and healing vibes!
