Sick & Tired of It

Last Tuesday, I sneezed three times. On Wednesday I didn't have enough pep to finish my day’s work.  On Thursday it actually  hit -- I was drippy, droopy, scratchy, throbby, runny, and moving at a snail’s pace with a box of tissues as my constant companion.  I couldn't keep my eyes open for more than an hour at a time and when I closed them to rest, I wouldn't actually sleep because I was so uncomfortable.  Ugh.  I began to scan my herbal books for some tonics or teas that might boost my immune system, clear my sinuses, and soothe my general feeling of ick.  Of course, the kicker was that I had to find recipes with ingredients I already had on hand and that didn't need weeks to steep.  I didn't find a cure all, but I did come across some really handy options I intend to share.  The chicken soup with homemade broth that I’d coincidentally made earlier in the week was Step 1.  Step 2 was a tasty ginger-cinnamon-peppercorn-herb brew that went to work on my nasal passages while I sipped it every few hours.  In desperate need of something for my Sahara sore throat, I came across an odd culinary mixture that worked like a charm as long as I gargled with it every hour or so.  A Garlic-Onion-Honey rub helped deter the hint of congestion that began settling in my chest.  Last, but not least, I sealed my puny visage with chilled "rice" socks: one covering my throbbing eyes and another splayed across my tender shoulders.  If I've ever assumed the stance of a femme fatale draped on a quilted couch, it was probably then…minus the makeup and perfect hair.

Okay, I realize I may be coming across like a wimp, but the honest truth is that I rarely ever get sick.  When I do, I can almost always trace it to a recent period of heightened stress (usually an onslaught from a variety of sources that happened to rain down all at once).  I've learned that any sickness that makes it through my typically stalwart immune system is intended as a flashing sign that reads: HALT, YOU DUMMY! YOU’RE OVERDOING IT SOMEWHERE! FIGURE OUT WHERE AND QUIT IT...OR ELSE!!  If the warning goes unheeded and I press on like my type-A ego would prefer, the malady usually drags on and on like a ghoulish roller coaster.  For instance, I spent the entirety of my last three months at college with a hacking, uncontrollable cough and two nasty cold sores because I was wound so tight about my thesis work and the impending nuances of life after graduation.  Just last spring I had a cough from you-know-where that lingered for a month because I didn't call it quits from the start and give my body the time it needed to sock the KO in Round One.  Lesson learned: when I’m under the weather, I need to call a complete time out if at all possible.

Call me a wimp if you want, but I lay on my couch and wallowed like a bowl of Jell-o for most of last Thursday.  I read or sat or watched a movie for a brief time until my eyes again felt like baseballs made of sand.  Then I’d slowly sink back into my blanketed sofa with a tissue wadded up my nose and an herbal concoction within arm’s reach.  The cooled rice socks were welcome relief as I dozed or tried to relax.  Invariably, within an hour I felt strong enough to sit up for another short spell.  Sounds like a lame routine for a whole day, but it worked!  By Friday I was noticeably improved, but didn't take the bait to hit the ground running.  I continued to rest, stay hydrated, and adjusted my herbal regimen to suit my lingering symptoms.  By Saturday, my eyes, head, and throat were back to normal leaving only some nasal congestion and a tickling cough. With Sunday's rest and the chest rub working on my cough, I was finally feeling more like myself again.  With a bit more rest I'll be in tip top shape.  Thankfully, I also had enough ingredients on hand to nurse me through the worst of it.  

Besides Weldon, who made me tea and kept healthful food at the ready, here’s what helped:

Kill-or-Cure Cold & Flu Tea

From Rachel Weaver’s Be Your Own Doctor   

2 cinnamon sticks

A few peppercorns

2 T fresh ginger, grated

Add 2 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add: 1 tsp dried (or 1 fresh sprig) EACH of thyme, sage, and marjoram

1 tsp. fenugreek seeds (I didn’t have these on hand)

Let steep 5 more minutes, strain and sweeten.

Mix ½ - ¾ cup of mixture with ½ - ¾ cup hot water.  Drink as hot as you can bear it with honey, orange zest, and/or lemon juice to taste.  Drink a few cups throughout the day or night, reheating only as much as you’ll drink at a time. 

Good Gargle for a Bad Throat

From Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide

1 T dried sage leaves

1-2 T salt (If you have it, use sea salt)

1 tsp. goldenseal root powder (I didn’t have this on hand, so I did without)

A pinch of cayenne powder

½ cup raw apple cider vinegar

To make the gargle:

Pour ½ cup boiling water over the dried sage. Cover and let steep for 30-45 minutes, then strain.  Add the salt, goldenseal, and cayenne to the still-warm tea and stir to dissolve.  Stir in the apple cider vinegar.

To use the gargle:

Gargle a teaspoon or two of this mix every ½ to 1 hour.  The longer you can stand to gargle, the better.  Don’t swallow; it won’t be harmful, necessarily, but it sure won’t taste good.

Here's what else Gladstar has to say about this powerful culinary favorite: Sage is a well-known cold and flu fighter. Because of its astringent, antiseptic, and relaxing action on the mucous membranes, sage is the classic remedy for inflammation of the mouth, throat, and tonsils. It is one of the best remedies for laryngitis, tonsillitis, and sore throat, as a spray or gargle, and it can be used as a mouthwash or swab to treat infected or sore gums and canker sores. 

Garlic-Onion-Honey Chest Rub
I morphed this recipe from a couple different sources including Rosemary Gladstar's Honey-Onion Syrup and Rachel Weaver's Cold/Flu Onion Chest Rub.

Thinly slice one large onion.  Mince 3 large cloves of garlic.

Place the onion and garlic in a small sauce pot and barely cover them with raw honey (local honey is best for the added custom-to-you immune boost).  Slowly heat the mixture on very low heat until the onions are soft.

Remove from heat and allow to cool until very warm.  NOT TOO HOT OR IT WILL BURN THE SKIN.

With the congested person lying down, apply a small amount of very warm mixture to the chest.  Spread and add more mixture until the entire chest area is covered.  Note: It will be runny and sticky, so start with less and add as needed.  Solid onions and garlic are good to leave on the area as well.  Cover the area with an old hand towel and then a plastic grocery bag. If needed (especially if it's on a child), secure the cover layers with a loose ace bandage around the chest cavity.  Last, place a hot water bag or heat pad on low heat over the area.  It should be comfortable heat, not too hot.  Leave the mixture on for at least 2 hours and up to overnight (replacing the hot water as needed to keep the area fairly warm). The onions and garlic are excellent at removing toxins and breaking up congestive mucous in the membranes.

BONUS: Take a teaspoon of this syrupy mixture by mouth a few times throughout the day -- it's actually quite pleasant tasting and will serve you/the patient internally as much as it will externally.

Don't forget the socks!!  ...my sea green beauties were Christmas gifts from my mom that were manufactured to be warmed in the oven or microwave and used as "spa socks".  Instead, I threw them in the freezer. When I got achy, I took a sock out and put it on my face or shoulders (Bless his heart, Weldon nearly kept his comments to himself as I lounged with socks all around my head.)  These socks can easily be homemade:  Take 2 fairly long socks -- preferably clean! -- and fill 1/2 full with rice or flax seed.  Mix in some lavender buds for a subtle, relaxing aromatherapy.  Tie the end of the sock.  Keep them handy (but stored out of the reach of rodents) for when a calming heat or soothing cool are just what the "doctor" ordered.

May your symptoms be mild, your remedies nearby, and your socks ever-ready for your head!