I thought long and hard about writing an article on COVID. As an Herbalist, many people and almost all doctors poo poo anything we have to say about anything health related. But I must say that herbalists and natural health care practitioners in countries all over the world have been dealing with such things for centuries. Modern medicine has only been around since the 1800’s and though we’ve come quite a long way, natural medicine has been around for several millennia. The oldest natural medicine is from the white willow tree and was used for pain by the Sumerians and Egyptians. You may know the modern formula as aspirin! But I digress.
I’m starting to see the same hysteria going around the country and people getting regular colds and swearing they have COVID – AGAIN. I’m sorry, but there has been enough contradictory information leaked in the last 3 years for people to at least have an alternative thought to the fear mongering and attempted brain washing that is re-appearing as a way to motivate and yes, I’ll say it – CONTROL US.
So just to be clear, my typical disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor and this column is NOT to be considered medical advice. However, I HAVE been doing this for over 50 years and have seen my family through numerous epidemics, pandemics, disasters, plagues and what not by sticking to the basics. It’s a personal choice.
I will say that I have never, in my 68 years, seen a panic such as this over a flu virus. We have been through swine flu, bird flu, Asian Flu, etc. and never once did they close down restaurants, theaters, churches etc. NEVER! The panic that this current pandemic has caused is unprecedented. They are telling us the same things they ALWAYS tell us with regard to cold and flu season, wash your hands, avoid contact with those who are sick, if you are sick, stay home and on and on it goes.
The common cold and flu are caused by a virus. Most everybody knows that antibiotics are useless against viruses because:
· Antibiotics cannot kill viruses because viruses have different structures and replicate in a different way than bacteria.
· Antibiotics work by targeting the growth machinery in bacteria (not viruses) to kill or inhibit those particular bacteria.
· When you think about it structurally, it makes sense that an antibiotic could not work to kill a virus with a completely different set of replicating “machinery”.
Now this particular virus, so far, is really no worse than some of the flu epidemics we have dealt with in the past. The recommendations are the same, and we should all be doing that.
From a natural health perspective, here’s what we are doing in my house. (And we are all fine, by the way!) At the beginning of flu season, I always up our dose of Vitamin C. We normally take 1000 mg per day. In September, it goes up to 3,000 mg. per day. We take 1-2 Tbls of elderberry syrup every day. We drink plenty of fluids and if we get a tickle in the throat or a sniffle, we do a neti pot daily for a week with saline and 2 drops of tea tree oil mixed in. If we feel sick at all, we don’t go to places where others congregate. This to me is just common courtesy, though they’ve made it a mandate now. Go figure!
We also take probiotics every day. These come in the form of a liquid or a capsule, but I prefer the liquid for a myriad of reasons. I think it gets into the system quicker, I don’t REALLY know what’s in those capsules and beneficial bacteria and enzymes are killed through cooking. Just sayin.
The biggest thing with COVID, in my never to be humble opinion, is that it has been blown out of proportion by the media. People are panicked! Over a flu! We have NEVER seen this level of restrictions with any malady. I mean, seriously, SHELTER IN PLACE!? For the Flu!? So here’s my advice for how to deal with this:
First, STOP WATCHING THE NEWS! That will scare anybody to death on a good day. Second, try to remain calm through all of this. St. John’s Wort, Chamomile, Passionflower and Kava are great for anxiety. You may want to pick some up at the health food store. And last, make the most of this time with your families. I know many have lost jobs or been laid off and my heart breaks for them, because that IS scary. But from a health perspective, if you take the above precautions, you should be just fine.
Remember, stress weakens the immune system. So adaptogens like ginseng, borage, ashwagandha, wild yam and licorice will be very helpful during this time. Also, a good, sub-lingual (under the tongue) B complex should be part of your daily regimen anyhow, and it does wonders for stress.
All in all, common sense should rule the day during this time. Do those things your mother told you to do. Wash your hands, eat correctly, get plenty of sleep and BE NICE!
Valere! (Be well!)
Karen
تعليقات