Get ahead of your head cold
It seems inevitable that even the most health-conscious among us are affected by some sort of upper respiratory issue in the fall or winter, and the pharmaceutical gang are more than prepared with a stunning array of colorful and chemical-filled concoctions to mask as many symptoms as we can come up with.
Take heart, dear reader, that there is an impressive list of natural measures to prevent and heal the root causes of many of these seasonal ailments.
My personal favorite is the Neti-Pot, a proprietary name for an ingenious mini tea-pot looking device that is used to flush the nasal and sinus cavities with a natural saline solution that can be made at home, or purchased in pre-measured packs. At first, the Neti-Pot seems to be an entirely absurd idea: pouring a 鈥渃up of tea鈥� into the nostril, and letting it discharge out the adjacent one. However, I can attest from years of personal experience that this thing really works. It蘑菇视频 like a colonic for your sinuses. I immediately feel clean, and my breathing passages are soothed and open. The explanation really cannot do it justice. Neti-Pots come in the original ceramic, or plastic replicas. Both work just fine to deliver the flush. Purists will say to get the ceramic one.
My second favorite is ear-candles. These are essentially hollow cones made of bees wax. It so happens that they burn like torches when lit. The tip of the cone is placed firmly in the outer ear canal to create a seal. Then the large end is lit, and the 鈥渄raft鈥� created by the rising heat from the cone creates a suction which removes wax and debris from the ear. You may know that the ear canal is intimately related to, and in fact connected to the nasal passages. Keeping the ear canal clear also helps keep the nasal and sinus passages functioning at their best.
The candles are easy to use: make a small hole in the center of an aluminum pie tray, insert the candle in the hole, and when placed in the ear, the pie tray acts as a shield against any stray candle drippings and debris. It is my experience that these bees wax candles burn very clean, and there is never any wax drip.
Apple cider vinegar seems to have the most impressive resume of any natural tincture. Adding to its already impressive list is its ability to help thin out excessive mucus relieving congestion and sinus pressure. Two or three tablespoons added to a cup of hot water or tea taken three times daily should do the trick. I prefer Stevia as a sweetener, to offset the sour vinegar taste.
Turmeric is another health superstar which also expands its resume in the respiratory ailment department. If combined with spicy ginger root in hot tea, it can help loosen mucus from clogged nasal passages and alleviate sinus pressure. Ginger root has the additional benefit of calming an upset stomach, a frequent side-effect of excessive nighttime sinus drainage.
Grapefruit seed extract can be administered as a nasal spray in such products as Nutribiotic Spray sold on Amazon. It helps to clear out mucus, and is said to prevent other contaminants from taking root in weakened and inflamed sinus tissues.
Eucalyptus is long known for its respiratory benefit. In fact, I hang dried eucalyptus in my shower, which is then made into a breathable gas from the shower steam. I also use eucalyptus castile soap in fall and winter to breathe it off my body, and to allow it to sink into my skin. You can also make eucalyptus and peppermint oil tea, whose steam can be inhaled for added benefit.
Spices can be useful for creating a mucus dissolver mixture. Common spices that are useful include cayenne, horseradish and garlic. There are any number of recipes on the web. One such is 录 cup filtered water, 录 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tbs honey (or one serving stevia), 1 tsp cayenne, 1 lemon wedge (organic). Boil water; add hot water, and all other ingredients to a mug; stir and drink.
Staying hydrated is a must. The body is flushing toxins. My favorite healthy flushers are clean water, organic fresh-squeezed orange, grapefruit or lemon juices. The juices also add vitamins to the mix, which certainly can鈥檛 hurt.
Garlic蘑菇视频 long history of healing includes being antiviral, warding off colds, and helping open sinuses. Crushing or cutting garlic cloves generates a sulfur compound known as allicin, which has antiviral, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and is credited as the star component that gives garlic its stellar healing repertoire. Allicin is available only from raw garlic, however, so choose a preparation that calls for it raw, or add garlic at the end of cooking to tap its full medicinal power. FYI, it takes about 15 minutes after crushing the herb for the Allicin to reach full power.
Mushrooms really do seem to have magic healing power, especially Maitake, Shiitake, and Reishi. They defend against a number of viruses. Maitake mushrooms aren鈥檛 easy to find fresh, so you may try ordering them dried. Reishi mushrooms are unpleasant-tasting, and aren鈥檛 used as a food, so you can take them as capsules instead. Shiitake are fairly easy to find, and quite tasty.