A Cough to Remember

There's no time like the present to write a blog about having a cough and a cold, as I am currently suffering from both!

In the past when getting sick, I might have bought medicine over the counter, like Robitussin or something meant to ease/suppress the symptoms. Now I am of the mind that the illness needs to run its course, and get rid of stuff, which is why the cough exists in the first place, trying to protect the body from infection.

With my experience over the years receiving acupuncture, and working with many herbalists and homeopaths, there are two questions I find myself asking each time I get sick: 1. How can I help this illness move? and 2. How can I support my body and immune system along the way?

I was in Garrison, NY this past weekend at an old college friend's wedding when I began to feel a slight sore throat the day of the wedding. For the past few years, a sore throat is always how sickness begins in my body, and the moment that I feel this symptom, I take two immune-supporting supplements in hopes of preventing full-blown illness. Luckily, I planned ahead and took both of these supplements with me just in case, as I seem to get sick 50% of the time when I travel.

One of these supplements is a Chinese herb, called 'Isatis 6,' an anti-viral herb that works against inflammation and infection, that I buy from Seven Forests. It is most often used to prevent the flu, but I have used it as a catch-all low-immunity support, as well as a preventative to Oral Herpes. I take this in conjunction with 'Super Lysine Plus', a formula which in addition to Lysine, an essential amino acid, contains six other immune-supporting herbs, which are Vitamin C, Echinacea, Goldenseal, Licorice, Propolis, and Garlic. There is also a tincture that I take (which I did not have at the time) called 'Kick-Ass Immune' by Wish Garden. This is another great immune booster, which myself and many friends have found to prevent the onset of illness. This is a great one to take in general during the change of seasons, travel, and weakened immunity. During this time I might also use a throat spray, that has antibacterial and throat-soothing effects, 'Wellness, Colloidal Silver Throat Spray', by Source Naturals.

In this particular case, these supplements were not enough to prevent full-blown illness; there were three other factors influencing my potential wellness. One is that I was at a wedding, which was mostly outside, in mid-October, in the countryside of New York, and it was exceptionally cold, and I received a chill that took me hours to get warm from. Another is that I was drinking alcohol and eating sugar for the first time in nearly a month due to a cleanse I had been participating in, substances that I was supposed to slowly reintroduce to my body over time. The third factor is that the next day I got an a plane, and experienced the disorienting affects of flight, losing half of my hearing along the way due to pressure changes and sinus congestion. Needless to say, circumstances were not in my favor for wellness.

Upon my return, a deep, persistent cough arrived as well. I haven't experienced a cough like this in at least two or three years, one that wakes me up during the night, that my downstairs neighbors can hear through the floor, that feels like immense pressure in my chest is being applied from some external source. The first night of this, when I awoke at 1:30 in the morning, I got up and prepared a Chinese herbal beverage meant to ease and calm cough and sore throat, called 'Southern Ban Lan Gen Chong Ji', a combination Isatis Root mixture prepared with hot water. I drank this, as well as taking a large spoonful of 'Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa', a Chinese honey loquat sore throat syrup. Between these two soothing-agents, I was able to sleep another five hours straight until 6:30am, when I was woken again by this cough.

So, I went to Pharmaca, my favorite local integrative pharmacy, seeking advice. I have tried a number of remedies over the past year or two, but depending on which practitioner you talk to, and the exact nature of your ailment, a variety of recommendations will be offered, and I was looking for the specifics to this cough in particular. Three things were suggested: Cold Quell from Blue Poppy Herbs, Herbal ABX from Evergreen, and 'Serious Cough', a tincture from Wish Garden.

Cold Quell contains anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic, and immune-boosting herbs. Herbal ABX has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and broad spectrum antibiotic functions. In Chinese medicine, it is understood to clear fire, damp heat, and toxic heat. 'Serious Cough' has a concentration of roots, barks, and flowers that serve to relieve deep, extreme, and persistent coughs, as well as lingering and secondary infections. The practitioner I spoke with recommended taking these three products every 2-3 hours for the next day or two while the major symptoms persist.

For my own comfort and immediate relief, I also purchased 'Halls', lemon-honey flavored, the strongest menthol Halls-brand lozenge I could find, which proved helpful on the airplane, as well as throughout the day and night. For the night, purchased one non-herbal cough suppressant, Delsym, which would allow me to sleep through the night relatively cough-free. This medicine allowed me to sleep a nearly uninterrupted eleven hours! I woke a couple times during the night, but for no longer than a minute or two each time. I felt immensely better upon waking. The cough is definitely still here, but it is a more productive cough, and I can feel it moving along in its progress. There is barely any pain and pressure in my chest, and I actually feel like a functional human again, unlike yesterday, when I felt completely consumed by this sickness.

All of these herbal remedies aside, I believe there is no greater cure-all than sleep, rest, water, and supportive foods. The Delsym allowed me to get a full night's sleep, which has made a world of difference. It is important to drink plenty of water to stay fully hydrated and flush the system, an amount of water to where the urine is light to clear, as opposed to a deep yellow, which may indicate dehydration. During my trip to Pharmaca yesterday, I made a stop at a local bakery that makes four fresh soups daily, and picked up a quart of their chicken noodle soup, which I heated and ate throughout the day, as well as adding some fresh avocado to the broth. Eating foods which are supportive to the immune system is immensely important.

In addition to these remedies offering relief to the symptoms at hand, I feel empowered by using them, as they enable me to take an active role in my own health and comfort. I am learning a great deal about the human body and the immune system, as well as tapping into the wisdom of Chinese Medicine, herbs, and homeopathy. Getting sick used to be a great source of distress for me, prompting feelings of depression and helplessness. While I still do not enjoy the suffering that comes from a deep painful cough, I now feel an optimism and positivity throughout the course of illness, which in and of itself is the greatest healer of all. :)