(Inhales deeply through nose) Isn't it great living in Louisiana? Sunny and 75 one day; 90 with 95% humidity the next. Just enough to keep the pollen around to sweeten up that head cold that your 4-year-old brought home from school. Your expectation:
Your reality:
So, what can you do about it? Below are a few of the tips that I suggest when you happen to wake up with a scratchy throat, stuffy head, or congestion.
1. Mind Your Wine
Whoa! Bringing out the big guns right off the bat! But seriously, ever wonder why your sinuses behave so much worse after a night of wine? It's due to the histamines in wine. And red wine, depending on the type and brand, can have up to 20 or 200% more histamine than white wine. Couple the increased amounts of histamine from wine, on top of what is already naturally produced by the body and voila'; disaster. So, while sick, it may be best to avoid the extra stressor until your body can catch up a bit recovery-wise.
2. Super Dose Vitamin C and D
In my personal experience, coaching and with myself, this can really be a game changer. High loads of stress on the body, call for high doses of reinforcements for the immune system. And while I always condone supplementing lower doses of Vitamin C & D daily, upping the dose while your internal immune armies are called to duty can really give you a boost. In regards to Vitamin D, you can super dose up to 20,000iu's while sick, but to avoid harboring excess amounts in the body (since it is a Fat Soluble Vitamin) you will not want to exceed 3 days or so of this super dosing. But with Vitamin C, you may want to keep some Liposomal C (a different and more efficacious delivery system) on hand while sick. Liposomal C is much more readily absorbed, which means you can utilize much higher dosing without resulting in running to the toilet throughout the day. For daily use, I suggest just a high-quality powder or pill form Vitamin C, but when it comes to knocking out a cold or virus, I'd recommend calling in the Liposomal C Big Guns.
3. Mushrooms
Noooo, Baby Boomers, not that type of mushroom. Although, I'm willing to bet a few heads just leaned a bit closer to the screen...
Mushrooms, such as Chaga and Reishi, can have some pretty profound effects on the body's immune system. But, not just for colds and sinuses. Chaga has been getting a lot of attention as of late in regards to its ability to ward off cancer as well. Combine the dried mushroom into a coffee blend, or take a dropperful of the highly concentrated serum, such as in Thorne's "Mycoimmune" while you are ill, and you are destined to cut your sick downtime in half.
4. Homeopathic ColdCalm
Need to fall asleep, but can't due to congestion and cold symptoms, then go ahead and reach for the Nyquil. I'll turn around and slowly walk backward towards the door, whispering, "I was never here....". But if you want to fight not only your cold, but it's symptoms as well, all naturally, then I recommend reaching for Boiron's ColdCalm during the day. From a homeopathic perspective, this stuff is awesome. The beauty is that you are consistently feeding this stuff into your body during your waking hours (every two hours to be exact) which is giving your immune system a huge boost and your aching head, huge relief.
5. Bone Broth along with ample fluids
I sure don't like to eye roll at folks, but watching and hearing about people reaching for Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup when they are sick, sure makes it hard not to. That stuff is poison, I'm sorry. If it's all you can hold down or the only thing you are craving, then, by all means, go ahead. And while you are slurping it down, click back two weeks ago and read the "Have to" blog post. Those two, pair together like a fine cabernet and a medium rare filet.... Mmmmmm.
But seriously, from a nutrient dense, micronutrient, and overall health perspective, you can't beat grass fed, organic bone broth. Is it supposed to be for everyday use? Not really. But is it worth having in your freezer or cabinet to access when your immune system and well-being need it most? Absolutely. Plus, it is a great healer for the gut lining as well. And let's be honest, I see all of your diets..... show ya gut a little TLC.
6. Quercenase for Allergies
And last but not least, Quercenase is a combination of quercetin phytosome and bromelain. Bromelain is a compound of proteolytic enzymes derived from the pineapple plant. It has protein-digesting and immune-enhancing properties and also contains constituents that help maintain a healthy cytokine balance. Quercetin stabilizes mast cells that store and release histamine and also appears to have many other beneficial effects on human health, including cardiovascular protection, as well as protection of the gastrointestinal tract.
"Science Shmience, T. What does it do?"..... Essentially, those of you who have really bad seasonal allergies can benefit from a histamine reaction and seasonal symptom perspective. This stuff regulates the bodies allergic response while also calming the inflammatory response systemically. Is it as effective as a Cortisone injection? Eh, no. But is it safer for long term use? You bet! Either way, none of the supplements in the "Cold and Sinus" (Click here or button below for access. See image below for how to locate.) category of our dispensary are meant to be abused. They are all meant to drastically enhance the innate immune system when you need it most.
And remember, all of these supplements are great, but if one pays better attention to their health, year round, they would find themselves needing less and less supplementation to carry them through unplanned illness. And by "unplanned", I mean, "blame your kids."
