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14 november 2001

getting better, better

I felt kind of bad for reviewing the homeopathic bug repellent at the end of summer, so I'm going to get a head start on cold and flu season. Sound fair? Okay, so those of you who have been around for awhile know that I've got a butt-kicking case of allergies, hay fever, and asthma. While they are worse during certain seasons, they're a daily part of my life regardless of what time of year it is. I'm starting a new course of immunotherapy in January, over which I'm pretty excited. I know. Excited about twice-weekly shots. Nerd.

Now, there are allergies. They subside throughout the day. Then there is the pesky cold. It beats you down, takes your money, and laughs at your mama before running away. Colds are just stupid. A really bad one might keep you out of work for a day, but it's mostly a big, drippy annoyance through which you muscle through and deal. Even better, there is no cure.

There is, however, relief. Natural, non-drying, non-drowsy relief. Once again, Ma Nature is there to give you a big hug and wipe your ooky red nose. Aww....

Now before I get all cranked up here, please heed this disclaimer. These are homeopathic, and not pharmaceutical, remedies. These generally do not work as a one-shot deal. You must take them a few times each day for optimum relief. In my case, this small inconvenience is preferable to conventional medicines' side effects such as Mojave Desert nose and drowsiness. For those of you unfamiliar with the difference between homeopathic and conventional medicine, the best way to describe it is this: natural remedies work to strengthen your immune system and body, while pharmaceuticals often work to weaken germs. I am a proponent of complementary medicine--a little bit of Western, and a little bit of Ma Nature. When you get sick, you lose your physiological balance. Natural medicine works to help you get it back.

When I feel a cold coming on, I make a mad dash to my fishing tackle pharmacy box and grab three things. The first is the humble zinc lozenge. Sweet like a cough drop, but fortified with about 65 percent of your daily zinc requirement--these things have worked wonders for me. For them to work most effectively, take one every three hours for at least the first three days of creeping crud. I usually feel noticeably better after the second one. In recent years, doctors have begun to recommend these little jobbies en masse, in part because research shows that beefing up the zinc shortens the life and misery of colds.

The second weapon in my war against bleck--the Goldenseal/Echinacea combo. Now, you've very likely heard of or seen these. Lots of people take Echinacea, right? Right. Unfortunately, they don't take it correctly. Again, for this stuff to work, you need to take it four or five times per day when you feel bad. I prefer the liquid stuff, which I can just drop into my tea or juice in 12-15 drop increments. If you prefer the capsules, take two every three hours. What does it do? Goldenseal scrubs out your lymph nodes, and reduces...um...booger output. Yeah, that. Echinacea works to strengthen your immune system.

Many reputable herbalists recommend that you not take Goldenseal for more than two or three weeks at a time. It is, after all, a powerful chemical that is meant to do a job. Then, you take it easy on the stuff.

I only use this final item when I have a very bad cold, or the flu, and I'll tell you why. Sometimes when you have asthma, every bug you get will end up in your lungs and cause bronchitis (or worse) pneumonia. Having been there and done that more than once, but not wanting to throw a bunch of antibiotics down my gullet, I've discovered GSE.

Grapefruit seed extract (my favorite is NutriBiotic's) has been nothing short of miraculous in my life. It is, in short, a natural antibiotic compound, derived from the seends of organically grown grapefruit. And like other antibiotic substances, don't stop taking it as soon as you feel better. The first time you take it, you may even want to consult your favorite herbalist or homeopathic practitioner for the most appropriate course. In my case, I usually take ten drops in my tea, three times a day, for five days when I've got something extra-yucky.

There are a lot of applications for NutriBiotic. A few years ago, for example, I had a really bad UTI (ladies, you know what I'm talking about ow ow ow). Luckily, I've been spared from stuff like this for the most part, but dang this hurt. So off to the doctor I went. That chowderhead prescribed me three days of some antibiotic. I completed the course. A week later, miserable again.

So I took matters into my own hands, and took fifteen drops of NutriBiotic three times a day for ten days.

Haven't had one since.

I'm lucky to live in an area where complementary medicine is regarded with some respect. Between here and Asheville, someone's very likely to help what ails you. Because homeopathy is still relatively new to us (even though it's actually really old--go figure), you must determine your comfort level with attempting these remedies. I'm also lucky in that I have a "real" doctor that I trust, who also respects and recommends natural healing alternatives. If I were to get really sick, will I do as the doctor orders? Damn straight I will--but not without asking a lot of questions. Don't blindly take these things because I said so, or your friend likes Echinacea, or you read about it in some magazine. The same goes for the latest antibiotic or over-the-counter pill.

If you need to get better this year, just know how you're doing it, and why. Oh, and spring for the tissues with the lotion in them. Your dose will tank you.

Look for zinc lozenges and echinacea/goldenseal at your favorite drugstore or health food store. NutriBiotic is almost exclusively sold in herbal and health food retailers. You'll also find that the staff at locally-owned shops are more knowledgeable and helpful about this stuff.