Follow Up and Letting Go

My last blog talked about a great many remedies for a cough and cold I was dealing with last week, and how useful they have been for me. All of the remedies that I presented in the passage were recommended to me by various friends, homeopaths, herbalists, and nutritionists in town. So far, all of this advice from different sources had been complementary on all sides. However, an interesting new development arose a few days ago, during a phone call with a good friend of mine, Marc, who is an acupuncturist and allergy elimination specialist.

Marc and I had both suffered from the same cough recently, and had been comparing symptoms and remedies throughout the week. On this particular phone call, as he listened, impressed at the speed that my illness moved through me due to the immune-herbs I had been taking, I mentioned all the other supplements that I take regularly on a daily basis, and he said with alarm "What?? Wait! What are you taking?!"

I told him of my daily supplemental regimen, that includes B Complex vitamins, Folic Acid, Antioxidants, as well as an herbal formula for more balanced and sustained energy, and another with estrogen-calming agents. When he heard all of this, he told me to immediately stop taking everything, because my body will get confused, and just needs to focus on getting better, and that combining immune herbs with other non-illness-related herbs can drive the current illness further into the body. He also muscle-tested me over the phone, concluding that I should also stop taking the Cold Quell, and only take the Herbal ABX, and the 'Serious Cough' tincture.

I expressed my doubts to him, especially the part about diagnosing me over the phone. (What if we have a bad cell phone connection, ha ha?) Also, I really felt like the 3-remedy combination was working for me, and I was very hesitant to stop. I told him that I would go to Pharmaca the next day and consult the herbalist who originally recommended these herbs to me, as I wanted a big-picture perspective from the original practitioner, Matthew.

The next day at Pharmaca, as I awaited Matthew's availability, I asked my friend Marjy (also a Pharmaca-practitioner) what she thought of all of this. She said that she believed it is all personal preference, and that if I feel like the herbs are working for me, I should keep taking them. I expressed some frustration at hearing so many different opinions that did not all line up, and she understood. She said 'You know, sometimes you just have to take a step back from everyone's advice, and figure out what feels right for you.'

Moments later, I spoke with Matthew. He said that he thought that most of my supplements were fine to take, like the vitamins and some MSM I have been taking, but to stop taking the herbal energy supplement, as well as any multiple-herb tonics. He confirmed what Marc had said, that the body gets confused, and will possibly drive the illness further into the body, but that if I felt that the Cold Quell, ABX, and Serious Cough were working, that there was no reason to stop taking them.

Whew! So, I took Matthew at his word, but I also went home, and took a breath, and thought about what to do with all of the information I received from these three practitioners, and how I felt. This is what I came up with:

• The two days following, I stopped taking all other supplements, and continued the three immune-herbs, but lessened their frequency, realizing that they probably weren't as necessary now that I was past the worst of my sickness.
• When I started re-introducing my daily supplements two days later, I decided to re-evaluate their role and need in my life. I had been taking 5-htp since last fall, due to a sustained period of depression and low-energy. I realized that I have been feeling fine for quite some time now, and have found balance in other areas of my life, and that perhaps this 5-htp could be taken out of the daily rotation.
• I began taking my other vitamins again, but decided to take a break from the other energy and estrogen-related herbal formulas in the meantime, until this sickness has passed completely.

During the 24 hours where I was getting more advice than I could handle, I was feeling overwhelmed, and anxious. Marjy's reminder to me about listening to myself above all others was crucial. I had received some great advice all around, but it was time to listen to myself. I realized that after introducing certain formulas into my rotation and experiencing success with them, I was clinging to them a little bit as well, and needed to take a step back, and take a fresh look at my situation. I feel lucky to have so much access to information and insight from all the people around me- including my own!

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. :)

Intuition is Power

The idea behind Commoner Health is a commoner (a non-practitioner) talking about health issues from her own experience so far, as well as the hope to make health more common in the world.

In my own personal experience, I have found that a large majority of people leave the fate of their health "to the experts" while ignoring their own instincts and intuitions. The knowledge and wisdom of health practitioners is invaluable, (I do not mean to imply otherwise) but alongside this wisdom, I am seeking to promote the wisdom and power that exists within each of us. I encourage deep self-exploration, as well as seeking out information that can greatly benefit one's own health, information that quite often is waiting readily at our fingertips, whether the origin be a book, a website, a practitioner, or within.

Over the years, I have experienced various physical and emotional health issues. By exploring elements of nutrition, herbalism, homeopathy, exercise, and lifestyle, I have gained a great deal of information and insight for my own personal health and happiness. My intention is to share some of this knowledge with you, as well as hoping to initiate discussion about these issues. I would love to offer or receive insight from people who may wish to examine their own health in a similar fashion, and see what comes up!

I have found that the most challenging parts of searching for balance in my own personal health and happiness is doing it alone, without the help of my greater community. Often times some ailments that I suffered from felt scary, and resulted in feelings of loneliness and isolation. Every time I have sought advice or counsel, or personal support, it felt like the entire universe opened up, and that everything was going to be okay. It is my hope that people experiencing similar feelings in particular might benefit from this post. I will post blogs about herbs I have tried, which have succeeded and which have not, foods that worked for me and why, and therapeutic results that I have found.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope to hear from you soon!