It’s that time of the year when people stop spending so much time outside, between the cold weather and the sun going down so much earlier, people spend more time indoors with each other, in closed up rooms and buildings. It’s no wonder people get sick so much easier, and they expose other people to these bacteria and viruses.
I like being more proactive with natural remedies. Things that build my immune system and help my body fight off what I am exposed to when I’m out in the world. Actions such as washing my hands more often, not touching my face (especially my eyes, nose and mouth), many bacteria and virus enter our bodies through our hands touching openings in the body, these are easy entry ways. I think about this when I’m in public, touching door knobs, opening doors, shopping cart handles, gas pumps, public ink pens and the such. Any place that someone else has touched is potentially infected with nasties I’d rather not pass to myself.
One more thing I actively consider is another persons’ airstream, the space where they were breathing, coughing, sneezing, if I hear someone cough of sneeze ahead of me, I will do my utmost best not to walk through the air where they just expelled millions of droplets of potential infection. Might sound silly, but I don’t get sick as a general rule, not saying I am 100% on this, but it’s a rare thing for me to get sick.
One of the proactive things I do when I know I’m going to be exposed to more people is to take elderberry, I prefer taking it in pill form, but you can also get it as a syrup. It’s said to work by keeping the virus from attaching itself in your body, if it can’t attach to one of your cells, then it can’t infect you.
I also take other supplements to boost my immune system, things like turmeric (curcumin), cayenne powder, ginkgo biloba, of course vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D, and a myriad of other supplements. I prefer to fill my own capsules when I can, using a capsule filling machine, buying many of my supplements in bulk powder form. It’s cheaper that way, and I know what is going in the capsules, no fillers, no binders, nothing that I didn’t put in it.
Right now I am able to buy these supplements, but that may not be true in the future, between the government trying to keep us from healing ourselves and big pharma worried about their bottom line, it’s always a good idea to have a general knowledge of your local plant life to know what you can use for medicine.
When I first moved to my west Texas off-grid home, I looked around this high desert and couldn’t imagine what I could use for medicine, but after just a little time on the internet, I learned that I have a virtual pharmacy right outside my door. Pine needles (for vitamin C), juniper berries (diuretic, kidneys, improves digestion…), horehound (coughs, parasites…) just to name a few. Plus the herbs I cultivate myself, one important one is lemon balm, it’s in the mint family and grows like a week. Lemon balm is highly antiviral, not to mention it’s a tasty herb, having a strong lemon scent and flavor.
This is the time of year when I look over and take stock of what I have and what I need. I also work on what I need to adjust, some of these supplements are not meant to be taken all of the time, our bodies can “get used to” certain supplements and need a break from them in order for it to continue being effective.
I would recommend learning as much as you can about natural supplements, learn which companies are most reliable, learn which supplements you can harvest or grown yourself, learn how to store, how to take, how to extract what you grow or collect. Learn what grows naturally around your area, learn how & when to take them.
Don’t forget, if you are taking prescription or OTC medicine now, be sure you find out if it’s compatible with what you are wanting to add to your medicinal diet. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you aren’t sure, be safe.
Another thing to remember is your mental attitude can also affect your health. Stress can play a major role in how your body defends itself against these bacterial and viral intruders. Keep a healthy attitude, don’t allow the stresses of the season get to you. Take time to breath deep and let the tension roll off of you. Don’t allow another person’s bad attitude infect you either, remain calm and centered, their problems are not yours.
What supplements do you take and why?