Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Battling Allergy, Cold, and Flu Season

I don't remember ever having had fall allergies when I was young.  In fact, I don't remember ever having had a problem until the last few years.  I'm not sure what has changed in our climate, but I have been affected by the fall pollen count for the last 10 years.

I don't do medicine, unless absolutely necessary.  So, how do I get through the allergy season without my head exploding?

Patience, and a lot of tissue.  Or toilet paper.  My shirt sleeve.  Whatever is on hand.

Cleaning Out Sinuses
The one item I could never live without is my neti pot.
A neti pot is used to clean out your sinus cavity and helps clear it from all gunk, junk, and lingering pollen or dust that may be trapped in there.  I warm up some spring or distilled water, add a half teaspoon of sea salt, and run it through my nasal cavity.  No, it doesn't hurt, no, I don't get water stuck up my nose, and no, it doesn't even feel weird.  But YES, it does work!  I still sneeze, snot, and drain, but my allergies are never prolonged, and I have never had a cough or sore throat during the allergy season.

I would show you pictures and a tutorial on how to use it, but that's just gross.  And you would lose all respect for me.  Again.

Herbal Tea
Another resource for our allergy battle is Elderberry Tea.  We have been making and drinking this tea for about a year, the children love the sweet berry flavor, and it always soothes a scratchy throat.  I add ingredients like ginger, orange peel, red clover, and cinnamon, to help boost our immune system and fight off viruses and infections.  For information on elderberries, you can read up at The Bulk Herb Store.


And, if you want to mix up a batch, here is my "unofficial" tea recipe:

Elderberry Tea
(all measurements are approximate)
1T Dried Elderberries (Bulk Herb Store)
1/2T Dried Red Clover
Fresh Ginger, I cut a knob about1/4" thick and 2 1/2" in length
1 Cinnamon Stick
Peel of 1/4 of an orange

Bring about 5 cups of water to a boil.  Add above ingredients and remove from heat.  Cover and let steep for 3 - 5 minutes.  This will make a pot of tea, or about 5 cups for us.  You may have to adjust the amount to satisfy your liking.


Garlic, A Natural Antibiotic
Garlic is a staple in my household.  On the rare occasion that we do catch a virus, I give my children garlic pills.  Some of my brave kiddos will eat a whole garlic clove raw, with just a glass of water to wash it down.  Others prefer that I crush the pod up and stuff it into a capsule.  Either way, they are ingesting the most amazing all-natural antibiotic you can find.  The benefits to garlic are plentiful, and when used regularly, can ward off many ailments and illnesses.

Essential Oils
I am a distributor for Young Living Essential Oils.  The three oils I couldn't live without during cold, flu, and allergy season are:

Thieves, to boost the immune system.  I use capsules (1 drop thieves and a couple drops honey) for the older children and myself, and rub a diluted mixture (1 drop thieves to 3 drops olive oil or grapeseed oil) to the bottoms of the babies' feet.

Peppermint, to open up our sinuses.  I typically diffuse into the air for 1/2 hour at a time about three or four times a day.

R.C. to open up the chest and throat.  I rub this directly on the chest and throat of my older children, and dilute as I do with the thieves for my babies.

Take care when using essential oils, they have a strong aroma and can cause skin sensitivity issues.
I diffuse the oils for 1/2 hour at a time three or four times a day.  When diluting the oils, you aren't diluting the potency, just the "hotness" of the oil.  I rub the bottoms of my little one's feet and put socks on them.  The oil is absorbed into their system through their skin and is just as effective as when I give my children a thieves capsule.

1 comment:

Nicole said...

great tips! I <3 essential oils! :)

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