Okay...just in case folks have forgotten as we head into the cold and flu season.... This is the the usual immune system boosters reminder for when you feel you are coming down with the CRUD:
500 mg Vitamin C every 3 hours to boost the immune system. Zinc up to 100 mg per day to make it really hard for the bacteria to have babies.
Lysine - 1 capsule per day because many viruses hate lysine and because it boosts the immune system (but only keep it up for 10 days to 2 weeks.) Never take L-Lysine more than 6 months without a break!
Olive leaf extract (for it's anti-viral AND anti-bacterial AND anti-fungal properties) 3 capsules (1500 mg) every six hours like clockwork for 10 days when you feel the icky symptoms coming on. This is a really potent dosage that's used in 3rd world countries to fight HIV and malaria...yep, it's that good!
Eat foods that boost the immune system...garlic is at the top of the list. I would rank fresh pineapple for it's bromelain (strong anti inflammatory) content second and also because of it's vitamin C and fresh papaya (for it's papain anti inflammatory content) third. If you are experiencing arthritis sorts of symptoms...lots of fresh or frozen cherries and cherry juice please!)
Remember, bacteria and viruses grow in a very narrow temperature range AND pH range and anything you can do to take them out of their comfort zone will help. If it's a throat infection, put on a scarf and wear it all day. If it's a lung infection, put a heating pad on your chest. If you want to make your body more alkaline...take the dairy, carbohydrates and protein down to almost nothing in your diet and stick with the fruits and veggies. These are the things that digest as alkaline. Remember, figs and dates are the two fruits that are the ones the create a basic or alkaline environment in your system the fastest. If you don't have an issue with salt, 1/2 of a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water every 4 hours will help as well!
Drink a gallon of water per day (tea, coffee, bottled water...it's all good.) Flush your system! If you struggle with low thyroid, make sure your water source does not have flourine or chlorine. It's way too close to iodine on the period table and can mess us your thyroid hormones.
Take hot hot baths...remember fevers and chills are trying to take your body out of the bacteria's comfort zone...help your body out and sweat out the bacterial die off as much as you can. Baths with Epsom Salts help. Steam saunas or sweat lodges help. Just remember your electrolytes!~ I like Smart water, but you can help your body with Gatoraide or just plain ole water and a half of a banana plus a mini bag of potato chips. (Remember, our muscles when dehydrated need sodium like in salt and potassium, like in bananas or potatoes.)
If your muscles just plain ache or want to easily cramp up, remember 1500 mg of Cal/Mag daily will make you not cramp so easily. If you are a smoker or caffeine person...up it to 2000 daily (because the caffeine molecule and the nicotine molecule bind to the calcium and steal it away so you can't utilize it.) The calcium is the only element on the periodic table that allows your muscles to fully relax! However, the one exception to this is if you have ever had calcium based kidney stones. Then...take 750 magnesium but get your calcium naturally, preferably from plain yogurt.
Take 1 capsule of pro-biotic or eat one yogurt per day to keep your good bacteria in your digestive system going strong because any antibiotics you take will kill off the good guys along with the bad guys. (Yep, antibiotics are really powerful, but stupid...they slay ALL bacteria...no matter if they are helpful to us or not...thus we need to replentish!)
Don't do dairy while you have an active "mucus drainage" sort of infection or stuff up easily...dairy (from cows) is the most mucus forming, body fluid thickening stuff we digest. Stay away from milk, cheese, etc. and it will be easier for you to cough up anything you have sitting in your lungs or not make the mucus crud from your sinuses that you have to cough up )after it drains down into your lungs) in the first place.
Finally, get your sleep! Even if you have to temporarily take something to help that's natural...a couple of valerian capsules (I know it smells like dirty socks but it works) or melatonin (just 1 mg is plenty) are two excellent suggestions.
I figured all of us shared germs (viral/bacterial...whatever) with family and friends from all around the country or even the world over the American Thanksgiving holiday and that this might help because we are hitting the "post T-day" viral/bacterial sharing symptoms. Ward things off at the pass if you sense that tickle coming on. Hit all of these hard if you are experiencing active symptoms and by all means, feel better!
Hugs to all! - Su
