Diane Elms, Healthy Habits:

Oh my goodness what has hit this area?

I realize it’s that time of the year, colds and flu but the strain that has hit this area is nasty.

The challenge is people don’t realize they have been exposed to this virus until it’s too late.  Tag, you have it and you have probably passed it on to several others in the mean time.

Influenza A that has hit this area is a virus. The typical symptoms are headache, lethargic, no appetite, fever and cough.

Let me repeat this strain is a virus. A virus cannot be treated with antibiotics.  Only a bacterial infection can be treated with antibiotics.  So let’s go over some basic information about colds and flues.

Did you know that it is healthy to get a cold or even the flu with a fever once a year?

In natural medicine it is healthier to get an acute, meaning comes on fast and lasts a short period of time, then to not have had a cold or flu with a fever for several years.

It’s like the expression if you don’t use it you lose it.  We talk about that when we talk about muscles but it’s true also for your immune system.

If you don’t use your immune system, your immune system loses its ability.

So what is a cold? Basically it’s a virus, which usually starts with a scratchy throat, moves to the sinuses and ears.  You generally don’t have a fever with a cold.

The flu on the other hand usually comes with a fever but that doesn’t mean you need antibiotics.

Having a fever is your body’s way of burning off the bugs, so to say.  It is a natural thing and should not be suppressed.

I know that can sound odd but think about it this way.  What happens when you suppress your emotions, you push them down, they fester inside, they don’t go away, and they don’t get better until you let them out.

It’s the same with a fever, it’s best to let it run its course.  There are temperature guide lines as to what is a dangerous temperature and there are differences for adults, children and infants.

Try the wet soak treatment if you want to bring your fever down.

Take cotton socks, wet them with cold water, place on your feet, put dry wool soaks on top of the cotton soaks, go to bed, sleep.  The cold cotton socks draw the heat away from the head, the dry wool soaks absorb the moisture.  When you awake, the cotton socks will be dry.

One of the best things for your immune system is mineral baths.

Listen to your body and get the proper amount of rest.

Seriously resting, sleeping the proper amount of hours for your body is critical for good health.

What if you start to feel that scratchy feeling in your throat?  You could gargle with salt water for starters.

Drink hot water with lemon and garlic, you could add some honey also.

Garlic and honey are nature’s anti viral, anti bacterial medicines.

Zinc throat lozengers help the throat as well as rest, rest and rest.

Ferrum phos tissue salts are also great to start to take as soon as you are feeling something coming on.  It doesn’t mean you won’t get the cold but it definitely will reduce the effects.

Again it’s ok to get a cold but if it lasts for more than two weeks you should make sure there are no secondary symptoms that turn a virus into a bacterial issue.

If your runny nose is clear or white that usually means no infections but if the mucus turns to green or yellow that is usually a sign of infection.

For a stuffy nose you can steam with mineral salts and hot water.  Place hot water and mineral salts in a bowl, take a towel and cover your head over the steaming bowl, breath and continue taking breaths to clear and heal your sinuses.

Drink plenty of fluids but not sugary fluids.  Sugar wreaks havoc on the immune system, stick with vitamin C drinks and plenty of them.

Make sure if you have a fever you are drinking.  It is important to make sure you don’t get dehydrated.

Diane Elms is a homeopath, specializing in drugless cancer care and iridology.  If you have any health related questions contact Diane at info@iGita.ca.