Earth Herbal

Feed a Cold? Starve a Fever? Have you ever heard these phrases? Often used in conjunction with one another, they are “old wives’ tales” that often have great wisdom behind them. Too often, people get sick, and though they may not realize why, when they have a fever, they lose their appetites. Even a low-grade fever will dampen the most voracious of appetites. “Old Wives’ Tales” are often rooted in a great deal of historical fact. Fact: Viruses are abundant, natural, and plentiful. Fact: everyone, regardless of income, life experience, or heritage is going to get one, sooner or later. Such common viruses are the common cold: over 200 version of the virus, and counting; & the influenza virus: several strains, A-E, including the newest, swine flu, also called the H1N1 virus. I got smacked with this unpleasantness, and though I can tell you a good bit about the flu virus, it would do you no good, except to say, if you get it, you will be miserable. That’s a common symptom of the flu virus, anyway, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself willing to try nearly anything to get rid of it. I have discovered a very fast and effective method of battling this.
Common response to having a virus is loss of appetite, general misery, pain, and cough. Other symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, and headaches. You are almost guaranteed to have a fever. The degree and severity can be as small as 4 days of low-grade temperature, or as much as a sudden high fever. There is a way to break this, and feel good (at least better) in as little as 2 days.
The fastest way to combat the flu, common cold, or any other upper respiratory virus, is with hot food, hot drinks, and spicy foods. You have to raise your internal temperature to break the fever. I know it sounds counter-productive, but your body develops a fever in response to the viral infection. The fastest way to break the fever, and speed healing time, is to raise your internal temperature. The fever is there to kill off the virus. Heat the virus up, and it dies faster. Hot foods that are great for viral infections are soups like Cream of Mushroom with Garlic, Cream of Chicken, Chicken Noodle (yes, it really is good for what ails you), and Creamy Tomato. Add chicken broth to these instead of plain water, and you have a great, filling soup that will help you feel better. I prefer to add soup and oyster crackers to mine, but that’s a personal preference. Crackers aid in holding foods down, if you have a stomach virus, and give bulk to otherwise mostly liquid foods. If you crave meat, but can’t stand the thought of cooking anything, go for Teriyaki beef jerky, or Spicy beef jerky. It absorbs liquids in the stomach, reducing the feeling of nausea, and allows you to get more heat-producing nutrients into your system. It also gives a feeling of fullness, so that you do not feel as if your stomach is chewing on your spinal column. Avoid greasy beef-stick products such as Slim-Jim, as these will cause nausea, upset stomach, gas, and possibly diarrhea. Unprocessed honey, also known as an anti-allergenic superfood, is great for improving your resistance to these viruses. Garlic and onions are also known to be preventative foods. If you get a virus, increase your intake. They raise your body temperature as well as providing antioxidant and healing properties.
V8 spicy is your friend. Maybe your best friend, when dealing with any virus. The capsaicin in the drink raises your body temperature, the 8 vegetables keep you nourished, and the liquid form keeps you hydrated. Dehydration is the foremost reason for headaches and nausea. Hot drinks, both temperature and spice-related, will raise your body temperature and combat the virus. Hot coffee-flavored decaffeinated sugar-free beverages (such as those from International Coffees) are a great way to feel the morning perk without the bad side-effects that caffeine (food for viruses) can give. Also, hot cocoa, a well-known happy drug, is great. The heat from the beverage raises the body temperature, and the mild euphoria is an instant perk-me-up. Hot apple cider (from Alpine, for example) is a wonderful way to get that extra bit of vitamin C (you know that orange juice is good, but it doesn’t taste good warm) and the great part is you can drink it hot! If you feel the craving, and want to, heat up a cup of low-sodium chicken broth. Salt is horrible for you when you’re sick. It retains water, so you feel bloated, and you negate all the beneficial effects of that yummy hot cocoa.
Raising your internal temperature isn’t always enough, so to be certain you’re going to feel better fast, turn that heater on. It’s worth a few extra dollars on your electric bill to feel better in a couple of days, rather than waiting a week or more. Turn your heater on to the hottest you can stand, around 80 degrees. Just one room, preferably your bedroom, needs to be heated to this temperature, and the temperature maintained until the fever has broken, and remains so for 24 hours. Stay in your room, stay covered up, maintain a constant intake of fluids. If you feel thirsty, and your stomach is full, take a few sips of Gatorade or something similar. You will need electrolytes. Feed your hunger. Quench your thirst. If you feel hungry, EAT. If you’re really hungry, and haven’t eaten much in the preceding few days, eat hot mashed potatoes. Idahoan makes single-serve packets in several flavors. Okay, so they’re really supposed to feed 2, but if you haven’t eaten, you’re going to need the carbs to feed the hunger. Carbohydrates also raise the internal temperature.
For your cough, try horehound candy. It’s great as a cough suppressant, and eases the sore throat. You could also try Excedrin (tylenol, caffeine, aspirin) for pain, headaches, and general eeewwww feeling, Ibuprofen for pain and headaches, Tylenol for pain and headaches, Theraflu for general symptom relief, or Triaminic symptom-specific formulas. You can try these, but not together. It is possible to overdose on Ibuprofen. It will cause stomach bleeding. Tylenol in large quantites will cause liver failure, leading to death. Theraflu contains the same active ingredients as both Tylenol and Advil. Mucinex is a great cough suppressant, and expectorant, but it can be expensive.
Remember, if you are taking any herbal supplements,and you choose to use OTC drugs, always ask a doctor or pharmacist (preferably one with experience regarding herbs and drug interactions) before taking anything together. If you must stop taking your supplements for a couple days, so be it. Rest, relaxation, (sleep when you feel tired, wake when you’re rested) and a healthy diet geared toward improving your overall heath is crucial. You can readjust your sleep cycles after you’re well, but when you are sick with a virus is not the time to worry about schedules and getting life taken care of. Simple viruses can quickly turn into so much more, and if you don’t care for it effectively, can linger and cause further problems later.