Got Allergies?
Colds and Flu got you down?
“18 STEPS TO MAINTAINING MY HEALTH”
To maintain a healthy life in general and in order to prevent proliferation of seasonal illnesses, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, below are some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications and not all in one article(s). These concepts might be used in a practical preventative practice, prior to the need of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tami-flu:
DISCLAIMER, the information below is not meant to be medical advice, and not to diagnose health issues. I am not a medical doctor, this is information was gathered from various naturopathic articles and health information, that I have found personally effective to support my own health and longevity. These methods are also things I have learned from friends and naturopathic doctors and have used for decades and decades and I am a strong and healthy person today.
1. "Hands-off’’ approach. The need of Frequent hand-washing has been well highlighted in most all official communications as a method of preventing the spread of disease. The need to resist touching any part of your face, has been well documented, however, not enough is being presented about touching your eyes with your contaminated hands and fingers. It’s also widely known that to prevent disease and spread of disease, you need to wash your hands before and after touching your eyes, nose, mouth, and body parts of others, shaking hands, etc. The question is how widely practiced is this approach?
2. “Gargling” at least twice a day I gargle with tepid-warm salt water (tepid-warm, as warm as I can stand it, I test it in the bend of my arm like a baby bottle before using to prevent scalding my mouth) I use “Real Salt“ from most any health food store. (use Cepacol mouth wash, if you don't trust salt). H1N1-flu, takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. It is said that, gargling with tepid-warm salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual, as on an infected one so that indicates it useful as a preventative step. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method. I Use a large cup, measured 1-cup tepid-warm water, add 1-tsp salt, gargle. Next, measure 2-cups of tepid-warm water, add 1-tsp Real salt, use to clean sinus cavity to prevent possible infection, see nasal lavage.
3. “Nasal Lavage” similarly to gargling cleanse, I clean my nostrils at least once every day with tepid-warm salt water, I use “Real Salt“. If a Neti pot, doesn’t work for you, blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in tepid-warm salt water is very effective in reducing a viral population. You can also use a bulb syringe or a Nasaline syringe, it looks like a food flavor injector with a special adaptor that fit’s the nasal opening and seals it, this is the easiest method, however, special care needs to be take for cleaning to prevent contamination. I clean my Nasaline after use, throughly with hot water from my teapot.
4. “Vitamin-C” is said to be an extremely valuable vitamin as it plays a part in so many body functions, including maintaining and repairing body tissue; strengthening blood vessels; and absorbing calcium in order to assist in the formation of bones and teeth. It also helps us to maintain resistance to infections and lowers levels of blood cholesterol. Finally, it aids the absorption of iron from food so that it can be utilized by the body, thus preventing anemia. Vitamin C is water-soluble therefore the body is unable to store it, so the supply must be replenished daily either from high vitamin C foods or from supplements. Some of the foods high in Vitamin-C are,
I believe I boost my immunity naturally with foods that are rich in Vitamin C, however, if I have to supplement with Vitamin C chewable tablets, I make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption. Be sure to drink water after chewable Vitamin-C. I also swear by a throat spray I use its made by 3 or more companies.
5. Propolis, Echinacea, Goldenseal throat spray (currently at health food stores only) for sore throats, it knocks in our in just a few hours. I have had chronic strep-throat since I was a child and doctors gave me copious amounts of antibiotics, not anymore.
6. Echinacea and Goldenseal are also used to support the immune system. Read up on these on the internet or in books at health food stores.
7. “Breathing Easy“, when I can’t breathe, I use a vaporizer at night while I am asleep. You can buy one at any neighborhood Walmart or Target stores, they are cheaper than a drug store. I order Eucalyptus Oil on the internet, you can find it in some health food stores. I also put 3-5 drops of Eucalytus Oil in 1/2 oz of Orange Juice and a back-up 2ozs of Orange Juice. I drink the one with the Oil first and chase it with the pure O.J. SHOT! I have never breathed better or recovered quicker from a chest cold than when I use this home-health procedure. It makes me cough up all the congestion in my chest and my chest cold is gone in about 3-5 days instead of the ususal 7-10days of coughing until my ribs hurt. When I have a chest cold, I practice this twice a day, once when I wake up and once before bed. P.S. did you know that Eucalyptus vapors kills skin mites, and bed bugs on in the carpet and in your bed, that's another good reason to vapor your bedroom once a week.
I pull back my bedding and turn of the vaporizer before dinner and at bedtime you can turn it off and sleep easy.
8. “Fluids” Taking in fluids is detrimental to avoiding dehydration. Drink as much of tepid-warm liquids as you can, preferably Green tea. Also, Tepid-warm water with Lemon cleans the kidneys of toxins. If you are not watching your sodium intake, tepid-warm Miso Soup is an excellent fluid to support the immune system. Drinking tepid-warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. Tepid-warm water washes off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound (powerful anti-oxidant) from being oxidized. Providing support with infections and impaired immune functioning. Here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful: cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels, Cardiovascular disease, infection, impaired immune function.
9. “Exercise” Who feels like exercising when your sick? Nobody I bet. So before you get sick and to help you prevent getting ill do a short stretch! I do a 10-min stretch each morning just to get my blood moving. I practice a form Far East Exercise like Tai Chi. I have added and eliminated movements so I call it the Crazy Crane, it’s a set of slow movements that moves and stretches the body slowly and deliberately to push out stagnant energy from laying in bed all night and bring in fresh energy of the day, while releasing any stiffness or tightness that might have crept in during your sleep.
If I am under the weather or ill, I do not do any strenuous or aerobic exercise, I put in a walk at home tape and do a nice and easy walk 1-2 miles, depending on how lousy I feel.
10. “Fasting” What’s that old adage starve a fever and feed a cold? It actually works!
Fasting should be with liquids. I usually do a Vegetable drink fast. I throw a bunch of veggies into my juicer and viola! V-12 juice. Remember if you are under a doctor's care (hopefully a naturopathic doctor) check with your doctor before changing your eating habits in any way!
11. “Routines” Have a Routine, good habits work the best and only take 21 days to implement. I use all of the above procedures 4 times daily, I am rarely taken ill. A simple schedule would be; Upon arising, after lunch, after dinner, before bed is an easy routine to remember.
12.“Food” What To eat or What not to eat that is the question what is the answer? Eat Fresh Fruits and Veggies (juicing is best while out of sorts health wise) whenever recovering from an bout of anything that makes you feel out of sorts. Processed foods are lethal to a healthy immune system, longevity and health in general. What is processed food? Anything that is not in its natural state cooked or raw, for example: if its in a box, bag, can, or package it’s not in it’s natural state.
13. “Morning Mouth” Each morning upon arising and at bedtime, I use a tongue scraper and scrape the coating off your tongue, do not swallow this is full of bacteria. I dip my toothbrush in 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (the kind you buy at the drug store to pour over a cut or sore to clean out the germs and hopefully prevent infection) Remember never swallow, I just brush the peroxide over my teeth and let it foam, spit it out repeat 2-3 times (it’s a natural teeth whitener) then dip it again and brush over my tongue and scrape it off and spit it out then I gargle with tepid-warm “Real Salt” Water.
14. "Teeth Brushing" It's very important to brush your teeth everyday. I dip my tooth brush in 3% hydrogen peroxide and brush my teeth and my tongue. It kills all bacteria and whitens your teeth naturally. Once a week I brush with a Baking Soda/Salt mixture.
Combine your dry ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake jar each time before using. Combine 3-parts of baking soda to 1-part of salt.
In other words:
3-Tablespoons of Baking Soda and 1-Tablespoon celtic or Himalayan salt
If you are on a salt restricted diet you can substitute the salt with sodium free salt that you can find at most health food stores.
Store in your bathroom cabinet. If prefered you may use this dry mixture to brush your teeth daily or whenever you think of it, that is your body telling you what you need.
15. "Skin Brush
If you can brush your skin everyday it's optimum, however, try to do it as often as you remember. Skin brushing is a natural detoxification. Skin Brushing removes dead skin cells, improves circulation, softens your skin and makes your skin feel alive and tingly.
16. “R&R” Rest and Relaxation, the body heals and repairs itself when its asleep and when you are ill you need more rest and sleep benefit. The best sleep your body receives is before midnight. It’s said you get double effects from all hours before midnight. So, if you go to bed at 10pm you get 2+2=4 hrs of sleep benefit. If you go to bed at 9pm you get 3+3=6hrs of sleep benefit and if you go to bed at midnight you wake up feeling like you haven’t had enough sleep… think about it.
17. Green Tea recipe: Fill tea cup with hot water, add powder or tea bag, let steep 10-min, add fresh squeezed lemon for absorption of Green Tea benefits, especially beneficial during Allergy, Flu, & Cold seasons. I add cayenne to stimulate the heart and blood circulation every morning.
18. Miso Soup recipe: 2 qt saucepan, add 1-2 TBSP of Miso, chop 2-3 green onions, 1-stalk celery thin slices, sea kelp or sea dulce (rolled, cut down the middle and cut a second time crosswise, making small flecks, with scissors), add water to ¾ from the top, heat to boiling, stir miso to dissolve, let stand until tepid warm and drink slowing. Miso and Sea Kelp (Dulce & Kelp are flat sheets of dark green dehydrated sea kelp) are sold in most Asian stores. Also some experts suggest that miso is a source of Lactobacillus acidophilus. Miso also contains Lecithin which is a kind of phospholipid caused by fermentation and is effective in the prevention of high blood pressure. Caution! Miso contains SALT. A small amount is essential to animal life but most scientists believe an excess of SALT can cause a variety of health problems. I use Miso only during times of not feeling well and during fasting.