Herbal Remedies for the Flu

The flu season of 2017-18 has been a doozy in the Wellness aisle at Weaver Street Market in North Carolina -- a steady stream of folks complaining of odd throat sensations, coughs, headaches, sinus pressure, or worse. Folks describe their whole family as under the weather, with some members feeling lousy, some recovered, and some down for the count. They are afraid because their young children are being hit hard. And they are concerned about their elderly parents, I hear about some nursing homes in Tennessee that are requiring all residents to be quarantined in their room, only permitting visits by face-masked aides who deliver meals and check on their wellbeing.

I listened closely as folks describe to me what they’re looking for. I always ask them what is working for them now and what has worked for them in the past. The answers are diverse, but telling.

Sleep? Required! Folks who sleep for 12 hours a night on consecutive nights often bounce back quickly. (Note to self: Go to bed early.) I watch as they point towards bottles of Elderberry, Echinacea, Andrographis, Oregano oil, Olive leaf extract, Oscillococcinum, Colloidal Silver, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, or herbal complex products with names like Wellness Formula and Quick Defense. They tell me that this or that works for them every time. The consistent drumbeat of success from these herbs and nutritional supplements is so confirming to me. I feel so privileged to hear success stories from people who have tried something new. Sometimes I hear failures – this didn’t do anything, or that stopped working after a while. I’ll discuss this later. But let it suffice that when folks take supplements properly, they have a good chance of working.

Notably, Elderberry earns her distinction as the Queen of Herbs. This cold season of 2017-18 the Elderberry has overtaken Echinacea as the herb of choice. An extract sweetened with honey and flavored with cinnamon and cloves acts immediately to render the flu weak and to minimize the length of her unwelcome visit. Over and over and over again I hear stories of people infected with the flu from contacts in boardrooms and bedrooms. Wives whose husbands were down with the flu time after time with a pernicious flu that just won’t let go of its grip. But the wife’s episode would last a mere 3 days, if she gets it at all. The lesson here is that people who take immediate action get immediate results. The bigger picture lesson here is that people who build up their immune system hardly suffer at all. The sad and unfortunate lesson is that those who don’t prepare, well, they tank. There may be other ways to build the immune system, but I’m talking about herbs and nutritional supplements here, so let’s hold off on using alternate modalities for the sake of focus.

The difference between the soarers and the tankers? The most common scenario is that she’s been taking elderberry extract daily for weeks. Then she switched to elderberry syrup when her husband got sick. He continues to go downhill, toughing it out, and poo-pooing anything resembling alternative (read: fake) medicine. She rolls her eyes saying she can’t change him. And snatches a new bottle of elderberry. How does the elderberry work in our bodies? Naturally occurring bioflavonoids and vitamins A and C act as antioxidants, preventing invaders from entering the cells. Sounds like good science. Cool beans!

Herbs are most effective when they are taken properly. As a general rule, this usually means that they are consumed between meals, when the stomach is empty. To get the full therapeutic value of blueberries, for instance, it is counterproductive to eat them as a topping for ice-cream. Herbs prefer that they have the whole attention of the body. I like to take my elderberry tincture first thing in the morning, before I’ve begun making my coffee and toast.

Lets talk about flexibility. As you become more familiar with herbs, you will notice that they can lose their effectiveness over time. They work for a while, and then they don’t. I’ve heard people complain about this they way they complain that their shampoo doesn’t work well for them any longer. In both instances, a lesson regarding flexibility is at play. Consider our food, for instance. It is common knowledge and even intuitively correct that eating a variety of food is healthier than eating the same meal over and over. Have you noticed that even when you binge on your favorite meal, over time you become less excited about it? Take it away for a week or a month, and then reintroduce it, and the taste is so much more exciting. We like the difference. Vive la difference! Same with herbs. Nature has provided us with many means to help us with what ails us. So after a few months taking elderberry tincture, you might be drawn to gargle with Colloidal Silver for a spell. When the winter sun gives you the blues, how about some extra Vitamin D to keep your levels up? Or something from the kingdom of mushrooms -- how about Reishi in August just to get things going in the right direction, anticipating the slower energy of Autumn and preparing for the upcoming winter winds? Going on a trip? How about a couple solid rounds of good quality Probiotics? After all, science has shown that our gut is the powerhouse for our immune system. I have a gut feeling that they’re right. There are a lot of shared germs on airplanes… people breathing the same air over and over again. Ugh! Makes me want to pop some Bifidobacterium Lactis. I like to take a teaspoon of elderberry tincture in the springtime because the Quercetin in it helps mitigate my spring allergies. Technically it’s reducing the histamine response. The inflammation is reduced and we experience less discomfort. Some folks take Colloidal Silver regularly for a spell. See how rotating through herbs and nutritional supplements builds a powerful immune system, and how herbs can make you a more flexible person? Who wants to be rigid anyway?

I’m not saying that every one of these remedies is right for everyone. In fact nothing is right for everyone all the time. So choosing which remedy is right is the tricky part. Keeping a journal about what’s working and what’s not working is helpful as a reference guide. Working with an herbalist and a nutritionist is also an excellent way to receive professional guidance. Paying attention your intuitive skills is a wonderful way to listen to your internal guidance, and a great place to hone your intuition is in the Wellness aisle. 

A discussion about taking herbs properly wouldn’t be complete without discussing the surprise attack. Taking the supplement upon the first sign of invasion can pop the invader clear out of the system. I enjoy hearing from folks who tell me that they took one round of (you fill in the blank) and the tickle in the back of the throat just went right away. It makes me laugh because I look at the bookcase of shelves we have to choose from, and they point to this or to that, and they swear by it. It’s kinda like auto repair stations. Obviously every one of them have loyal customers or they wouldn’t be in business. But in this case I am wondering which of the answers the wheel of fortune is going to land on, and they are so very convinced and convincing. I love witnessing their joy. Have you ever experienced anything like this? It’s kind of like remembering an imaginary event. You wake up at the crack of dawn, noticing that there is a little tickle in the back of the throat. You take one or another remedy that you have on hand. (Note to self, have SOMETHING to take.) You go back to sleep cause the alarm clock hasn’t rung yet. You wake up and wonder if that throat thing was real? Did I go the kitchen, or was that a dream? If you haven’t experienced something like this I hope you do. And tell me about it. Makes my day.

Coconut, Coconut, Coconut!

Coconut, coconut, coconut.

Coconut has changed my life to the core. Considering how much coconut is in my diet now,  I may one day become a coconut tree. If this were the case, I'd be helping a lot of folks with their health.

It was a long road to this point, though. As a child, I used to turn my head at the white birthday cakes with that sugary-sweet, sticky, creamy icing and tiny shards of cardboard shavings sprinkled on top. Indeed, it took decades before I developed a happy connection with coconut. I had no one to guide me.

I remember the first coconut water that I sipped from an actual coconut. It was 1988, and I was on my honeymoon, riding Maui's Sugar Cane Train in the sweltering hot Hawaiian sun. The novelty of the ride and location, combined with the presentation of this drink overcame my resistance, and I sipped from the straw, oh-so cautiously. At the time, I was drinking mainly fruit juice and carbonated soda drinks, so this low calorie, unsweetened beverage was too bland for my taste buds to appreciate at the time, even in Hawaii.

That seems so long ago, so far away. Sometimes it takes several attempts at something new before it grabs you.

Because I have been working in a natural food store for most of the last decade, I've had the opportunity to try many varieties of coconut products. How lucky for me. I have liked them all, but some more than others. I pay attention to the quality of ingredients, their preparation, and how they've been stored. I prefer those with low-sodium, natural sugar and no added flavorings. These products feel good on a deep level, as if my body knows they are beneficial. Most of the buzz these days about coconut water touts its natural electrolytes, which are noteworthy for post-workout recovery. However, I mainly like to use it as a base for my morning smoothies. Its yang energy in the summer months helps me melt off those inevitable five pounds that I put on during the colder months.

In the winter, it's all-out coconut milk for me. The yin energy helps me to feel satisfied and keeps me warm. Again, I choose the unflavored, unsweetened kind, so I can add my own stevia or xylitol if I want a little more healthy sweetness. When I add cocoa powder and organic vanilla extract to the blender, I get the beginnings of a wonderful morning smoothie.

I make a point to eat one to four teaspoon of coconut oil every day. At 4.5 g of fat per serving, it's my go-to topping for hot toast, with or without the jam. I melt a teaspoon of coconut butter on cooked rice to add a sweet nutty taste to my plate. And I adore eating fresh local eggs cooked gently in a teaspoon of good quality coconut oil. When I drizzle a teaspoon of coconut oil on a simple baked sweet potato, I've created a happy meal fit for the Queen.

As a topical treatment it makes an extraordinary massage oil. And, its high Vitamin E content makes it effective for treating minor sunburn. Who knew?

The better quality coconut oils have pure ingredients and, when left unrefined, have a long shelf life of up to 7 years. It is one of the most stable oils and is highly resistant to rancidity. Curiously, coconut oil forms a butter when the temperature falls below 70ºF.

I cannot conclude my happy affair with coconut without mentioning that in my morning shower I like to pull coconut oil through my teeth. Does this sound strange? This ritual starts my day in a healthy way, removing toxins and bacteria that have collected during the night. It remineralizes my tooth enamel, and reduces inflamed gum tissue. Sounds weird, doesn't it?

Yeah, well, I say Go Coconut! :-)

Batatas

Today I read that in 2013 the average American consumed 147 pounds of potatoes - but a paltry seven pounds of sweet potatoes. And I also read that sweet potatoes rank first as the most nutritious of all vegetables, and by a long shot. How can this be?
I suspected that the reason was because of something spiteful in our history, a myth-ful way of thinking that we have been continuing, long beyond its usefulness. I was right. 

So God visits Adam and Eve and says, "I'll provide you with a food that is delicious, nutritious, and easy to grow.

Green Tomatoes

Yes, I'm talking to you, Green Tomatoes. God knows, I'd heard of you, cause of that 1991 movie with Kathy Bates as Evelyn Couch. But, Southerner that I am, I somehow never tasted immature green tomatoes until plump and sun-ripened, all crimson and tender. Granted this was a daily ritual, with S  & P and mayo, of course, all delicately arranged beside cornbread, with lima beans and rice and oh-my-god shrimp boiled in beer.  Et voila: a perfect summer ritual, deliciously satisfying and comfortingly familiar. I can always depend on the ripened crimson you to bring a meal alive. But how different I am cause of you in your immature green state. I am amazed.

When I was--finally, at long last, and quite recently--served you green, in the deep-South tradition

Blueberries

The other day I was pondering about food, and wondering to myself, of all the foods there are in the world, what is my very most favorite food of all? What is the quintessential food that brings more joy and delight than any other? Without hesitation came the response: Blueberries! I wondered what loving words a blueberry might have for me, its greatest fan.
So i imagined up a lovely and bountiful bowl of blueberries. "Blueberries, speak to me! What do you have to say? What is it at your essence that brings such merriment to my heart, not only when I consume you, but even when I think of you?" And lo and behold, the bowl of blueberries spoke back! 

Blueberries: I am the spirit of the Violet Flame, all folded upon itself, twisted and curled up like the dried leaves of gunpowder tea, a teeny tiny sparkle of stellar joy. Upon contact with your teeth I burst forth colorful bioflavonoids,

Holy Basil

As I walked along a path in the herbal garden, I picked a green leaf from its hairy stem and felt the gentle presence of the Holy Basil in my hand. "What am I to know about this plant?" I wondered to myself.

Surprised, I heard a gentle whispered response, clear as day: "That I am here to take you to the quiet place, your calm center of peaceful dreams."

I looked around, but I was alone. Alone with my thoughts. And thoughts that were not my own.

I took the Holy Basil into my mouth and chewed on it. The slight tickle of its clove-like taste awoke my tongue. It was soon delicate and moist between my teeth.

"Yes, enjoy me. I will take you where you want to go. Now go lie down!" she commanded,