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Sitting on the fence...

3/26/2020

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So many of us are sitting on the fence wondering what to do as this health situation plays out. We are doing our best to take care of our families, jobs, friends etc. Each of us wonders are we doing enough?  All we can do is our best, at any given moment, and give ourselves and others grace.

We can't really control what is going on outside our own households.  We can control what we are doing to take care of ourselves right now though!

Each of my blog entries is building on information that I shared from the previous blog so if you are unsure of what else you might do to take care of yourself please go back and re-read the previous entries.  Share it with your friends so they can have a pro-active mindset as well.

This is the 3rd blog since coronavirus hit now and the goal of this blog is to share what to do when/if you do feel that you have been exposed and/or have signs and symptoms. As the COVID-19 situation unfolds in our area please go back and review the 1st newsletter, in particular, as it had helpful hints on building up your immune system and your lungs. That old phrase "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" applies here.

I hope that you find this blog helpful.  I am still here blending formulas as long as I can. :)  And I am still open for virtual appointments on Zoom if you have any questions or need personalized answers.  

Stay Safe!

Yours in health,
Kate
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What now?

So you are feeling like you are coming down with something but aren't really sure. Maybe it is body fatigue or a tightness when you breathe.   While I hope many of you take me up on the offer of my "proactive" and "active" blends what do you do if you don't have those on hand or much else and you can only send someone to the grocery store?

Garlic - By now you have likely heard me reiterate again and again my love for garlic.  Any garlic capsules at the store will do, start taking 2 pills 3 times a day (not on an empty stomach.) If you have real garlic then crush it and chop it up, set it aside for 10 minutes for the allicin in it to activate. Then take with a spoonful of honey. Is it maybe gross?  Maybe? But how badly to do you want to fight this thing?

If you want to take garlic to the next level and you have prepared I would suggest buying the garlic oil that I have on hand, Herbalist and Alchemist Garlic Oil because it has antimicrobial essential oils in it.  Use it as a nasal oil It feels a bit funny at first but if you have something lingering in your sinuses, a few drops of oil placed in the nostrils and snorted in while laying on your back does wonders for knocking germs back.  The use of infused oils in this way is very common in Ayurveda.  I do this often right before bed so that I don't taste the garlic all day. It feels a bit funny and you will eventually feel the garlic running down the back of your throat. Simply imagine it killing everything in its path. If you aren't quite up for that then massage it over your sinuses on your cheeks it will be absorbed through the skin and into the sinus area.

Ginger - A ginger bath is an easy home remedy. The goal is actually to help activate the immune system by increasing your body heat and then allowing the ginger to support the body in diaphoresis (opening of pores to allow excess heat to escape).  We need to remember that a fever is one way that the body fights a virus, so artificially lowering a fever is often no longer recommended in in mainstream medicine. Take a 3-4 inch chunk of ginger and cut it into coins, no need to peel. Place in a covered stock pot with a quart of water and steep for 30-40 minutes. Strain and add to a bath, have you or your child sit in it for 20 minutes. Wrap up and go to bed!  If you can't take a full bath consider at least a foot bath. While taking care of those toes in a foot bath, consider massaging the sinus areas and the pad of the foot where the lungs are located in reflexology. See the image below.

Essential oils - What oils do you have on hand? While some are better than others such as tea tree, eucalyptus, fir and pine family oils, and frankincense, keep in mind that all oils have some degree of antimicrobial properties.  If you have someone ill in your house begin a regular schedule of diffusing. If you have oils but no diffuser then do it old school. Place a pot of hot water on the stove and add a couple drops of oil. Drape a cotton towel of your head and have the person who is ill inhale deeply for several minutes. Don't over do it, just a few minutes.  Be careful not to burn yourself or child.  When they are done keep the water simmering to help cleanse the air in the house.  (If you have a cat, keep them out of the space you are diffusing in. Essential oils can lead to kidney and liver failure in cats.) 

Hydrate - Your body is working hard right now and it needs optimal fluid to do its job.  We call the lungs the delicate organ because the lungs don't like to be too wet or too dry. If the body is lacking enough moisture the lungs will dry out and will not be able to properly cleanse themselves. Take sips of warm water, tea, or broth as often as possible.  Besides hydraing the body, drinking a bit of hot water regularly washes germs in your throat out of your respiratory tract and into your stomach to be dealt with.  A neti pot would also assist in this clearing of germs from your upper respiratory tract!

Qi Gong - Do Qi Gong for the lungs. Good qi movement and breathwork supports the lungs ability to operate optimally and get the energy that it needs to heal. I shared this video in my first newsletter but it is worth sharing again.  I am just as human as everyone else in getting lulled into a feeling of "too busy" to do this. but honestly we all have 15 minutes if we really want to make it a priority. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3noqRBgxWM ​
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Supporting Your Body in Difficult Times

3/13/2020

1 Comment

 
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As information continues to come in I have been revising this article in my head for the past several weeks. Now that COVID-19 has now hit our area I am getting more questions about how to proceed. I will take this opportunity to remind everyone that as an herbalist I am not legally allowed to “treat, prevent, diagnose, or cure” a disease.  So my recommendations will be couched in terms of what I personally am considering for my game plan. If you find it helpful, then that is wonderful. If not then that is OK too. If you are having questions feel free to schedule an appointment time on my website (appointments can be done in person still at this point or by Skype, simple mention that in the notes).

The most important things I see right NOW is that we need to all be mindful and vigilant but not allow the anxiety of the situation to overrun us.  This is a situation that will unfold over time. It is a long foot race not a sprint.

Stay Safe!

Yours in health,
Kate

Things to consider in order of importance to me.
  1.  What is the benefit and risk of the activities you are participating in?  It may be that some dearly held event you planned on attending needs to be reconsidered.  It may be that laughing with friends is the best medicine for you right now if you are not feeling an immediate threat of exposure. It may be that your kids need a break from the stress of this and need an outside play date!  The choices will be different for each person but honestly on you can do your own risk analysis based on your risk tolerance. 
  2. What do you have on hand for the short and long term to support your basic physical needs in your home?  An extra big bag of rice and canned goods might give you a sense of peace that you won’t have to run out for groceries on a day that you are feeling stressed about doing so.  Don’t panic buy but do buy those things you would be buying anyways and just have more stock on hand. As a previous prepper I could talk extensively here but honestly a little pre-planning will be worth it.
  3. What are you doing to stay positive and destress?  Stress depletes the body’s ability to adapt and heal.   I know it is hard right now for so many! But your attitude and how you spend your energy now is what is going to make this experience what it is.  A slight shift can do wonders.  Yes be prepared but think of the positive of a whole day to spend reading on the couch with no other commitments.  Mornings of board games with your kids and evenings of read-alouds.  Make this experience what you can for yourself and your children. Remember our body operates as a whole and whatever you do to keep your spirits up will help you emotionally and physically.
  4. There are layers of levels of immune system and we need to keep that in mind. In Western medicine preventative medicine is often overlooked.  In the immune class I taught recently to my herbal intensive class I shared the different ways we look at supporting the immune system. See below to learn more.
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Immune Support Suggestions
  1. Do all those basic things that you have always known you should. You know, those things your mom told you to do! Reduce sugar and alcohol, get good sleep, drink water, meditate, DO BREATH WORK to strengthen your lungs.  Treat you body as if you are preparing for the most fun challenge you can think of.  Call it training for the Olympics to make your kids feel better. Make it a game and not a drag!
  2. Keep your hands and environment clean – We’ve all read about not touching our face. Now is the time to also double down your efforts in sanitizing your phone, computer, door knobs etc.  Think about all the things you touch in public and educate your children how to reduce contact with them. At home run an essential oil diffuser for 30 min a day (if you don’t have cats in your home.) What is the magic oil?  Well nearly all have antimicrobial properties. Some key ones might be Frankincense and Tea tree oil.
  3. Adaptogens – These herbs improve the body’s ability to handle physical and environmental stress.  Many are mildly calming plus normalizing your endocrine system. If you are doing all the other basics of good sleep, good diet etc. this is basics PLUS level self-care.
  4. Supporting wei-qi – This is our energetic resistance to disease. It is nourished by some adaptogens and other herbs like Astragalus. It is also nourished by doing Qi Gong and through mindful energetic practices. Find a Qi Gong routine like this one on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3noqRBgxWM if you don’t feel comfortable taking a class in the community.  At Omaha Whole Living Sarah Brandt teaches Qi Gong regularly and you can check out this link. https://www.facebook.com/taichimethods108/
  5. General Immune support – In by opinion this is a good time for regular doses of Vitamin C and Vitamin D.  The store may be out of these as vitamins but look at the foods that contain Vitamin C such as citrus fruits. Mushrooms can be a good source of Vitamin D. Food is medicine so don't panic when you can't find that supplement on the shelf. Simple herbs like garlic provide general support as well. Your grocery aisles are full of healing foods.  This is a good time for healing ginger baths as well so pick up a couple roots to have on hand.
  6. Immune stimulating herbs – There are herbs such as Elder and Echinacea that stimulate the immune system through a variety of mechanisms.  There has been speculation about uncertainty in the herbal community as to whether these herbs are helpful or could potentially over-activate the immune system for this virus. You might like to read more from The Science and Art of Herbalism which is the program I teach from Rosemary Gladstar. https://scienceandartofherbalism.com/coronavirus-elderberry/  For my house we will continue to use them as needed to keep our immune system well from the plethora of germs that are still circulating.  Once one of us is suspected of having coronavirus we will reconsider using these herbs and move to our next protocol.
  7. Immune amphoteric and modulating herbs – In the world of herbs we have immune amphoterics and modulators. These herbs balance our immune reaction. It includes many herbs you might not have heard of but some you have such as Reishi mushroom and Turmeric. These types of herbs are those that my family will begin taking once I feel that they have been exposed. Are they a cure for coronavirus!? NO!  They are simply herbs that I feel are helpful in supporting the body with immune situations that include inflammation.
  8. Alteratives – As our body reacts to a virus it creates waste in the body. To help support our lymphatic system I would also use herbs such as Sarsaparilla and Burdock root to assist the body in the process.  Epsom salt baths might be something that I employ at this time.
  9. Keep in mind that I am here for you to the extent that I can be but your preparedness is your responsibility. Also while I am providing general suggestions here I will not individually (by email or social media) be answering questions.  I will also only be providing custom immune support to those who are current clients. While I would like to be there for everyone that I can, the truth is that given the high risks of this virus it puts me in a very difficult spot and all it takes is one person with a bad experience or of a vindictive nature to make my life very difficult when all I want to do is help.
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    Land of Milk and Honey Herbs

    Kate Bodmann is a Clinical Herbalist and Aromatherapist committed to sharing education, practical tips and safe usage guidance for botanical medicines.

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