Colds + Flu + Sweat = Cure

Colds and flu?  What do they have to do with cosmetics?  Well, honestly, not too much other than that my passion for healthy cosmetics came out of my passion for health.  

I know a lot of companies started from a personal experience and my experience was bad health almost 20 years ago.  Looking back on it, I'm thankful for those hard days because it was through them that I learned a few things - at least I hope I did.  

So today, like always, I want to give you another sneak peak into the Doherty family lifestyle and maybe, just maybe, you'll learn a little something new to implement into your own holistic journey.   And it is a journey.  I'm still learning and changing things in my own routine.  I love my holistic friends that challenge me to with some of the practices they have in their homes!  None of us have it ALL figured out.  Confession:  I use regular mascara....I'm sorry to burst your bubble here....but I keep holding out for when I formulate my own for A'del....lousy excuse....I know.... but oh well, it's the way it is.  You don't have to have it all figured out all at once. 

Ok, I'll get off that rabbit trail and get on with the post!  

With spring finally here this year's cold and flu season is slowly coming to an end...and I'm sure many of you are grateful!  

Unfortunately some of you fell victim to it and possibly did what most people do. Headed to the local pharmacy for Tylenol Flu and Cold, Tylenol Pain and Fever, Dayquil, NyQuil, Theraflu, Sudafed.....anything to "feel better" fast.  And then if that didn't work, a trip to the doctor for antibiotics was the next step.

Many people don't realize how often that trip to the doctor might have been avoided if different measures were taken immediately.  

Treating colds and flu with common methods actually interferes with what the body is trying to do to cure itself.  

Let me explain. Typical symptoms like coughing, sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes and others are all generated by the immune system which is trying to throw off both the microbes and the toxic material that created the host environment for the disease in the first place.

And unfortunately that's not all. Over-the-counter medications tend to weaken the immune system and often prolong the length of the cold or flu instead of shortening it.  These quick fixes wind up desensitizing the nervous system while clogging up the lymphatic systems, bowels and kidneys and overburdening the liver - Tylenol being at the top of the liver-clogging list. A virus that's supposed to be through the system in a few days turns into weeks and weeks.  Then when a secondary infection shows up in the ears, sinus, bronchials or even lungs we're shocked and wonder where in the world it came from!

Our bodies are amazingly designed.  We need to learn to work with what the body is trying to do instead of working against it!  

So I'm going to suggest some ways I've learned over the years to deal with these acute illnesses in a way that not only speeds up recovery but also strengthens the immune system preventing further illnesses down the road.  

One of these ways is through the skin via sweat. 

I never played team sports in high school...well once I did....volleyball....fail........anyway... my athletic friends would tell me what they would do at the first sign of a cold coming on.  You've maybe done this yourself.  They'd head to the court and play basketball or go for a run and sweat like crazy!   They'd call it "sweating it out".  And often they'd say it would help them get over the illness quickly, if not immediately.  

   

So what's happening when we "sweat it out"?  We're heating up the body so that it can start moving the toxins through the system quickly.

There are other ways to get the same effect without running a mile when you're sick. Herbs with a pungent taste, such as capsicum, horseradish, ginger, etc. help generate heat energy.  

An example of this is eating spicy foods.  Think about what happens....you start sweating, your nose runs, your eyes water and mucous often clears from your throat and lungs.  And I'll get a little yucky here, but if you eat enough of these spicy foods they'll often cause the bowels to move.....Yeah, I know, TMI....:)  

But these types of herbs are your best friends when you have a cold or flu.  One combination from Nature's Sunshine is HCP-X, which is based on a 200 year old formula, contains bayberry root bark, ginger rhizome, mullein leaves, capsicum fruit and clove flowers.  This combination effectively heats up the body and helps move the toxins through.  

So to use HCP-X don't just swallow the capsules as the are. The most effective way is to heat them up in hot water.  Empty 2-3 capsules in 1 cup of hot water and let steep for a few minutes.  You can add a little honey and lemon if you like for taste and then sip it until you feel well.  HCP-X taken at the first sign of illness could shorten your cold or flu significantly.  

A more effective way is to sip it while sitting in a very hot bath (as hot as you can stand) for about 20 minutes. You can add epsom salt or essential oils if you like to the bath. Heating yourself internally and externally at the same time gives your body a great detox and helps speed up the healing process. As soon as you're finished the 20 minutes and you're sweating pretty profusely, quickly wrap yourself in blankets and crawl under the covers to continue sweating.  This is a fantastic way to get the virus moving out fast! 

A little note: HCP-X is too strong for young children.  Give them liquid CCA with Yerba Santa from Nature's Sunshine instead.  Adults can take this as well.

Another important step to getting well quickly is to stop eating.  I know, I know, we in western countries cannot understand this....my own husband groans and moans like he's going to starve to death whenever I suggest it....but he does it anyway:) Eating means digestion and digestion takes energy away from getting well.  We want all our energy to go towards getting well quick!  

While fasting make sure you drink plenty of liquids like homemade juices and homemade broth.  I make my own broth from chicken or turkey bones regularly and it holds fantastic protein for strength during illness.  I like to roast a chicken or turkey and save the bones for bone broth in the fridge if I'm going to make broth in a day or two or in the freezer for a "rainy day".  

There are additional remedies you might want to consider we well:

Clear your colon.  Of course an enema is the fastest way - and I'll admit, I've done this many times......did you really want to know this???  lol...but get a hot water bottle with the attachments from a local pharmacy.  Use warm water and fill it up.  You can add herbs to this like garlic but water works just fine.........I know, I know...it's just too much information for you and your eyes are bleeding right about now....but I promised I'd be honest....haha.... but it's one of the fastest way to move the bowels and the fastest way to lower a fever.  Of course, if you can't handle the enema thing, and I understand, another way is with LBS II from Nature's Sunshine.  LBS stands for Lower Bowel Stimulant...Take 2 and add 2 Food Enzymes every hour until you have a movement.  Getting your bowels moving is the best way to beat a cold of flu and keep yourself from secondary infections.  

If you have congestion along with that cold or flu you'll want to add in some AL-J from Nature's Sunshine.  It's great for children.  2 every two hours works well for adults and the liquid form works great for kids and babies.    

And lastly, boost the immune system.  Immune Stimulator, Elderberry Defense and Ultimate Echinacea are fantastic if taken with the HCP-X at the first sign of a cold or flu.  

Implementing these types of remedies have saved our family many trips to the doctor and instead of breaking down our immune systems with all those OTC medications, we actually built our immune systems to help it do what it was wanting to do in the first place! 

There is a cure for the common cold - do you still have that cold from when you were a little girl??  Of course not.  So start thinking of your body as the cure and give it tools to do it's job.

Happy Herbing!

 

(The A'del Blog and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material on The A'del Blog is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health related program.)