Planning To Feel Better

by Ana Palles

Planning To Feel Better I don’t like being sick. Sounds pretty obvious, doesn’t it? After all, who really wants to be sick. But my approach to illness, whether my own or a family member’s, is to spring into action. I like figuring out what is happening with the body and support its own healing processes.

For example, several years ago one of my daughters contracted mononucleosis. Mono, also known as the kissing disease, is a viral infection causing fever, swelling of the lymph glands, sore throat, extreme fatigue, swollen spleen, and headaches among other symptoms. The infection lasts for several weeks during which time the person feels absolutely terrible needing bed rest and plenty of fluids.

A person’s immune system is compromised and sometimes the pain from swollen glands and sore throat is so severe the doctor may prescribe Prednisone, a corticosteroid medicine. I know that the Prednisone was a godsend for my daughter and other family members since it lifted the pain veil enough to get some rest.

But while the meds helped with symptoms, I worked on ways to support the body’s healing. This meant a trip to my local organic grocery as I assembled my arsenal of nutrients.

Good organic chicken soup was on the menu, with an entire head of garlic. Aside from the great flavor, garlic is an important medicinal food with powerful antiviral, antifungal, and anti-parasitic properties. Garlic cleanses and purifies and coupled with the chicken and vegetables, which added B vitamins and protein, made a nourishing, power packed meal that was easy to get down.

Next on my list were Olive Leaf extract, Goldenseal and Milk Thistle. Olive Leaf extract, like garlic, is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-parasitic and an antioxidant. It has the added advantage of stimulating the immune system, helping restore stamina and energy.

Goldenseal is a bitter herb that is thought to have been introduced to settlers by the northeastern Iroquois tribes. It also has antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal properties, and is reported to stimulate production of white blood cells. It is known to support the production of bile from the liver helping it to purge. Goldenseal helps strengthen the immune system and treat disease. Remember though that Goldenseal should not be used for an extended period, never by those with high blood pressure, pregnant or nursing women, and only under approval from your doctor.

Speaking of the liver, everyone should know about Milk Thistle. It can protect the liver from toxins and support the liver’s restoration growing new cells. My local organic grocer and the holistic pharmacy carry liver tonic tinctures. I like to take a dropper full in a small glass of water on rising as part of my self care maintenance. Milk thistle is so impressive that it can even counteract some poisons.

Milk thistle has been used as an emergency antidote to poisoning by deathcap mushroom (Amanita phalloides). Animal studies have found that milk thistle extract completely counteracts the toxic effects of the mushroom when given within 10 minutes of ingestion. If given within 24 hours of ingestion, it significantly reduces the risk of liver damage and death (Milk Thistle, University of Maryland Medical Center).

Our livers work hard to cleanse our bodies, clearing out toxins and waste from the blood to keep us healthy. When we are sick, our bodies are working overtime destroying and removing infection creating waste products not only from damaged blood cells and pathogens, but also from all the metabolic processes that keep our engines running.

The liver filters our blood and plays a role in removing cell debris and microbes, forming new blood cells and producing antibodies. With so many processes hinging on the liver, it only makes sense to support it when fighting infection.

So, armed with a plan, I sat down with my daughter and let her know what we would be doing. She took her vitamin supplements and the herbal tinctures with dejected submission at first, but slowly, as she started feeling better, more herself beneath the illness, with eagerness. She welcomed the support that the self care approach provided

With the body working so hard fighting mono, we also added some lavender essential oil to her bath water. It helped the pain of the swollen glands. Sadly, I didn’t know about Healing Touch back then. Had I known I would have used a number of techniques that help the glands drain and the body flush. Energy work like Healing Touch can be a profound ally for clearing toxins and stimulating circulation.

Learning about different healing tools is a big part of Whisperingtree.net ’s work. We aim to spread awareness of what’s available for us to make our quality of life better, healthier, happier. We don’t have to know all the details of every single skill out there; we just have to know that these restorative and therapeutic paths exist.

Ultimately, it is our own body that cures itself. While some illnesses come along and might overwhelm our defenses, remembering that our bodies are designed to deal with foreign invaders, repair damaged cells and completely regenerate itself helps us get out of our own way. We recognize the importance of giving the body the therapeutic tools it needs.

These tools are nutrients and building blocks that our cells drink in and absorb. They are energy therapies and prayer that balance and restore. Our bodies know what they need for repairs, like the pregnant women who have an irresistible craving for dirt and researchers are finding a connection to mineral deficiencies.

Listening and understanding how our bodies work is part of conscious living. It is awareness of the benefit or cost of what we put into our bodies and not taking these for granted. When we honor ourselves we invite happiness and wellbeing into our lives, our world is a better place.

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