Sore throat & flu last week

I have been running like a madwoman, out of town last week in wet, rainy weather, sleeping just 4-5 hours a night, then flying cross-country all day Monday. Tuesday through Thursday my schedule was crammed full. Woke up Wednesday morning with a dry, scratchy throat. Functioned normally all day, but awakened at 2am Thursday with a really sore throat. Got up and massaged my neck with an essential oil blend I formulated for the lymph glands and gargled an ounce or so of colloidal silver. I was able to doze back off pretty quickly, counting my blessings at knowing how to take care of myself.

The big problem with getting rid of symptoms as fast as I can is that it’s easy to overlook details like rest, so Friday my body quit. Aches, fever, cough, the works. Tested for echinaccea and lots of dark fruit juices (highest in antioxidants) in the morning, and added a mullein glycerite to my mint and ginger teas. Spent the afternoon in a vinegar and ginger bath, drinking pineapple juice and warm “flu soup”. I have always made my own for others, but my favorite pantry quick-fix is Pacific’s vegetarian or chicken pho. I added some pickled ginger and a little extra garlic, but it already has lemon grass and other great therapeutic herbs, though they promote them just for flavor:). Lunchtime I added some fresh asparagus and daikon; dinner I used grated carrots and greens. Snacked on a couple of sweet peppers and a kiwi fruit to get lots of vitamin C. Chamomile oil on my chest and back soothed the coughing and the aches. More of the same on Saturday, though I added a salad and rested much better.

I was surprised it took me two full days to recuperate-usually one is plenty. Then I spoke with a couple of friends who are still dragging after two courses of antibiotics and steroids, plus antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal spray. People tend to overdo supplements, thinking more is better. I took a total of 1/2 ounce of colloidal silver, 9 capsules of high quality echinacea, 1 dropper of a golden seal/echinacea liquid, and about an ounce of mullein tinctract I made myself. Everything else came from my foods during the two days I felt icky!