THE REGIMEN: PART 3

As we come to the end of this saga of snot and salvation, of rhinoviruses and redemption, of drainage and deliverance, I have a confession.

I think I may be coming down with a cold.

When I woke up this morning, I noticed I had a very sore throat. As the day went on, I started coughing. My ear started hurting. I got really tired. Then, I said the "F" word. Several times. I have been doing SO WELL with this whole "ha ha ha I am healthy and you have a cold/flu/walking pneumonia/the bubonic plague" thing. I don't want to be sick. DON'T WANNA.

I came home tonight and instead of going directly to bed like the devil on my shoulder was telling me to, I went for a walk, got some veggie soup started, dosed up on the supplements, and made a giant pot of tea. After my flurry of activity and the mild workout of the walk (ok, and maybe I tempted fate and got on the treadmill for like 20 minutes too) I feel way better, but can tell it is time to ramp up my efforts at nipping this bitch in the bud. Which I plan to do. I am Wellington and this cold is Napoleon. I am the English Navy and this virus is the Spanish Armada. I am...well, clearly, a history buff, but you get the idea.

Annnnyway, let me tell you about the last few random things that comprise THE REGIMEN. Which, by the way, I realize is a silly thing to call all this stuff, but it was the best I could come up with. Also: I am aware that I'm not reinventing the wheel here, people. Just wanted to note for posterity what changes I made to help me with this stuff, and to share it with anyone who might be in the same boat or might want to try something different.

OK. On with it.

Vitamins:  I've taken every vitamin in the world. Repeatedly. Nothing has seemed to make much of a difference, until recently. As of right now, I take an iron supplement, vitamin C, B12, a super B complex, niacin, a multi vitamin, and an herbal immune supplement that contains things like astralagus and echinachea. The difference? I switched to taking vegetarian vitamins. I have no idea if it's made an impact on anything other than my wallet, but I do know this: I've been healthier, sinus-wise, than I have in years since I started my little regimen. It works for me.

   

Cutting back on sugar: I love sugar. I always have and always will. I would honestly classify myself as an addict. I am not joking here, it's a serious problem i've had since i was a little kid. After cleaning up my diet and doing away with most processed food, all fast food, and eating less meat, I focused on the things I was trying to pretend didn't count. Like Skittles. Or random mini Snickers bars out of my co-workers candy dish. Sure, I had a Peppermint White Mocha yesterday, and I'll definitely be having some sweets during the holidays, but I'm trying to avoid regularly adding sugar in my diet and limiting myself to occasional treats. Bacteria looooove sugar. Bacteria also loooove my sinuses. This is my way of putting up a sign in my sinus cavities/body that says 'Please don't feed the bacteria."

 

Green Tea/Herbal teas and tonics: After reading a few studies about the benefits of EGCG in the fight against allergies, I decided upping my intake of green tea couldn't hurt.  I try to drink at last three cups of decaf green tea a day. I also started buying some of the stinky, strange looking teas at the health food store, and just could not stomach them. I've since switched over to some of the more mainstream teas in lieu of some of the nastier teas/tonics I tried, and I have found a few that really seem to impact my both my sinus health and my overall health in a positive way. I The herbal teas I drink are usually from the Yogi Tea line of products, and I'm a big fan of the Woman's Dong Quai Tea, their relaxation/stress relief teas, and their cold relief and immune support teas. Like I said, it seems like I feel healthier overall...without getting too personal here, I've noticed a huge difference in my monthly ladytime since I started on the Dong Quai tea. I really think it helps (warning: ladies who are pregnant/trying to get that way should stay away from the Dong Quai.) I drink a few different cups of those teas a day, based on how I am feeling and what my body is telling me it needs.

 

Water: I drink a ton of water. Close to a gallon a day. That, combined with the all the tea, makes me the Girl Most Likely To Need to Pee All The Time, but I don't care. I feel better than ever, and I'd rather be Queen Pees A Lot than the Sinusy Princess.

 

Banning all antibacterial products from my house:  I sure as hell don't need to create any antibiotic resistant super-bugs, especially when you consider the environment in which the fake-husband works. Plain old soap and water disinfect just fine, and in places like the kitchen & bathroom sink, I've started using soap with tea tree oil in it, which is a natural antiseptic. We are big fans of Dr. Bronner's at my house. Also: triclosan scares me.

 

Probiotics: Not technically sinus related, although I do believe this contributes to whole health...want to know why I have less heartburn, fewer complaints of nausea, and am generally more comfortable, despite a chronic stomach condition? Probiotics. I mainly get mine via a kefir smoothie I fix myself each day, but supplement with an organic vegetarian capsule when I'm out of kefir/feeling a little queasy/forget to make my smoothie.

 

I'm obviously not a medical professional, and I can't guarantee any of these things will work for you, I'm just sharing what has helped me in my quest to shake my sinus problems. I still take over the counter and prescription meds to help my with my sinus issues, but only as needed, and far less regularly now. If you want to try any of these things, please do your research and consult your doctor to make sure you are doing what is best for YOU.

Now, I'm off to plug in the humidifier, get cozy with my dog, and drink a lot of tea. I'll be back soon with knitting. FO' REALS.

Comments

[Shell]

Sorry you are getting sick, this cold snap is getting a lot of people! Also living in N. FL, I have adopted similar regimens to yours and so far so good (which should put me under by the end of the week!). Latest favorites include Emergen-C (lemon lime) and New Chapter's Sinus and Respiratory.

Hope you feel better soon!!

[Nell]

I hope you don't get sick. Sounds like what you're doing makes a lot of sense. Just trying to live with less processed stuff makes a TON of sense.

[Stacey]

First and foremost...thank you so much for the chat yesterday. I knew you'd understand. I heart Sarah.

I feel like I should be doing almost all that stuff you say...especially the sugar bit. I know I can't give up on the sugar though...I heart sugar, almost as much as I heart you.

I want to see some knitting! (Says the hypocrite who hasn't shown any on her blog in a bit either...)

[Vickery]

Love the mushroom soup recipe--my husband thought it would be creamy and didn't want me to make it but I did and we both love it! Too fun to make soup on a snowy day anyway!
I love the neti pot too...I've been doing it for at least 6 months and it's amazing, but not fun to do in front of anyone. I definitely agree with that! Good luck and thanks for the advice. I've never tried vegetarian vitamins but just noticed that half of mine are and half aren't...hmmmm.
Also...sorry for the long comment...have you ever read "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan? I'm doing it on tape from the library and talks about a lot of the issues you bring up! I listened to it while making your soup.

Good night!

[Amy]

Sounds like quite the combo to knock out a cold. Have you ever tried airborne? I swear by it!!! I of course am cheap and by the target brand, and its only good in the orange flavor, but I swear if you start taking it at the onset of a cold you won't get sick! Now I do start off with the maximum amount you should take in a day but whatever those fizzy vitamins do they work, I'm addicted!

[Rachel]

I can't find your email address and I'm writing to find out if your mailing address changed from last year. I know you've moved but I can't recall whether it was within the last calendar year and I'm too lazy to look it up on your blog! Geez, you'd think I'd have one out of two of the addresses right.

Anyway, thank goodness for blogs. I hope you are feeling better.