WARNING about Elderberry & Vit D ...and 7 Immunity Boosting Ideas for COVID-19

​Important Note: I am not a doctor, and am not attempting to give medical advice. You should always talk to your practitioner for individual guidance. The following are general recommendations from health  practitioners regarding all coronaviruses, flus, and the common cold. These strategies assist our body's immune system to fight colds and viruses of all kinds. 

I wanted to share this warning, for any
of my friends who might think, 
"Oh no! I'm coughing! Quick!
Let's load up on Elderberry syrup!"
This might not be the best idea. 
Here's why: 

"Accumulating evidence suggests that a subgroup of patients with severe COVID-19 might have a cytokine storm syndrome."  see source

This is not a 'weather' prediction, but a sort of  flurry or "storm" of your immune system which can happen when your body is experiencing a serious viral infection. See the Medical Dictionary definition here.

My Integrative medicine doctor explained to me, that Elderberry may in fact work AGAINST you when symptoms occur for COVID-19. 
The same warning may also be true for: Vitamin D, (too much of it, as it can accumulate over time) Echinacea, Mushroom Extracts, and Larch arabinogalactan  (this is a starch-like chemical that is found in many plants, but it is found in highest concentrations in Larch trees, see other common names)

So - the directive here is, Elderberry is fine and even GOOD as a preventative, and is a helpful measure to help boost your immune system. However once you have symptoms for ANY illness right now, (due to the lack of widespread tests)  to be cautious, discontinue the use of Elderberry, Echinacea, or Mushroom Extracts, Larch, or supplemental Vitamin D (see details on the PDF below). 

 My Doctor referred me to: The Andrew Weill Center for Integrative Medicine, where they have provided the following explanation: (See topic "IM Strategies for COVID-19): ​"People want integrative strategies to augment public health measures to prevent COVID-19 infection and associated pneumonia. Unfortunately, no integrative measures have been validated in human trials. Notwithstanding, this is an opportune time to be proactive. Using available in-vitro evidence, an understanding of the virulence of COVID-19, as well as data from similar, but different, viruses, click/download below to read the strategies to consider."  
​
I have included their PDF viewable below:    & You can also download it here. 

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Here's 7 additional helpful tips for fighting off viruses:

1. SALINE NOSE RINSING or Nasal Irrigation
There is evidence to suggest that saline nose rinsing (such as with a neti pot) can decrease the duration of viral illness, such as the common cold. You may choose to incorporate this into your squeaky clean new habits for when you return home from any public place. Be sure to follow directions about using only distilled water + saline (NEVER use tap water). 

HOW TO DO IT:
For Adults and older kids: watch this video produced by the Mayo Clinic
For toddlers or babies- Be sure to watch the adult video above, and THEN also my instructions & video here. Its an amazing way to help a congested baby or toddler sleep better, and is the most effective snot-clearing method I've ever seen.
(yes soooo much better than nosa frieda or the bulb syringe!)

 A friend once asked me, "Why don't you just blow your nose?" ...After experiencing the joys and relief of nasal rinsing on the regular- I can assure you, it's not the same.
I can blow my nose until I'm blue in the face, and then directly afterward do a nasal rinse, and see all kinds of gunk come out of my face when I'm sick or fighting something off. Just to be clear, this is not the same thing as spritzing saline spray up into your nasal passages. Nasal rinsing, or irrigation actually uses the water flow to push the mucous out. 

​​INSTANT RELIEF!  You feel lighter, clean, and clear. And you will be so grossed out and weirdly fascinated at the same time as to what comes out (especially when you're sick) that you might get hooked, and want to do it every day, (or be like the people described in this article who watch it on youtube all the time)  for every cold or even allergy season! It also helps reduce post-nasal drip, (which can cause irritations in your throat) thereby minimizing coughing. (so important for those of us needing to protect our voice!)
Many people are freaked out at first by the prospect of pouring saline thru their nose...You will not drown! Just relax, the first few times can be interesting, but follow directions by keeping mouth open and breathing normally, until you find the right angle/head tilt for it to just flow.

*Some may say, why do this? why not just take a decongestant? ...My response is this, If your body is producing mucous, that means it must be trying to get rid of something, right? ...why on earth would you want to stop that practice - and halt your body's NATURAL response to getting rid of infection? ...nope. So much nope. Don't dry up your body's natural response - it's trying to do the right thing. Help your body out by doing Nasal Rinsing- and get that clearer feeling in your sinuses after a nice nasal rinse! 
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2. Vitamin C, Zinc, (if you can find it) - there's tons of info out there about these two so I won't elaborate. Zinc is incredible and particularly recommended as an advantageous supplement for Covid-19, so far, any way. 

AND THE BEST KEPT SECRET EVER AWARD goes to:

3. Oregano oil -This stuff burns and tastes AWFUL, so, (using a mirror!), carefully do two drops under both sides of the tongue, try to avoid the taste buds on the top side of your tongue at all costs. ...Don't trust your friend/room mate/or spouse to do it for you either. If you drop too many drops in, you don't want to have anyone but yourself to blame for that horrid experience. (which is bad enough with just two) Bleeeeghhhh.

Once you do the drops, tilt your head upwards to let it run back, to get down your throat faster.  Don't eat or drink anything for a little while afterwards to maximize effectiveness. Oregano oil has antiviral & antibacterial properties and effectively assists your immune system in "zapping" the infection.  You can do this once or twice a day. Then, when you feel that tickle in your throat, or first sign of infection- do it as often as you can stand - several times a day or throughout the night. This is safe for pregnant women too. (I used it a lot while pregnant, per Integrative Medicine doctor's advice).  It really is something you have to experience to believe how much it helps. I know for a fact has helped me stop colds in their tracks before they gain any traction. 

4. FRESH GINGER TEA (see multiple uses in photo): 
Making your own FRESH Ginger tea in a large batch for the week, is super easy.
1. Start a large pot of water (like a gallon or so) on the stove and get it boiling.
2. Using a potato peeler, or even a butter knife, quickly peel a 2-3 inch chunk of ginger root.
3. Grate it up into small little bits.
4. Drop the ginger bits into the water to boil for 10-15 mins
5. Let it the ginger water cool to at least lukewarm temperature before continuing
6. Use a fine strainer (or a coffee filter also works) to pour the water through into another container to extract the larger chunks of ginger fibers floating around, then you have your yellow liquid large batch for ginger tea 
7. Place this liquid in a larger gallon pitcher and place into the fridge. (It's good like this for about a week.)
8. Pour out your Ginger tea base into your cup, dilute if needed, add lemon and honey to suit your taste, and heat in a microwave (be careful not to over-heat) ...but I find that (with my microwave anyway) 60 seconds is just about right to heat it up to a nice tea temperature (if it was cold from the fridge) by the cup.
Once you've made this...Now what?
Drink a LARGE glass of it each night before bed. At the risk of sounding gross, here's what I like to do: I make the ginger tea as strong as I can stand (so I don't dilute it much) ...add lots of lemon and honey...make it nice and hot, but "gulpable", if that makes sense. Gulping a few gulps at a time, even though it is strong, helps me clear the mucous draining down the very back of the throat...by then hacking it out, and spitting. ...it's effective. :) So, I will make a tall glass, sit down to watch a show, or read - and throughout the duration of the show, for example... "Gulp, Gulp, Gulp" ...and Spit. ...Repeat every so often during the show until your tall glass is gone...helpful to have the waste basket right next to you.

5. HYDRATE -- A good rule of thumb, is to never let your throat feel dry.
Try to drink some water every 15-20 mins to achieve this  
Your urine should be as clear as possible. 
Carrying a water bottle around with you is a good practice
(a staple among professional singers like me) .
Set a glass of water by your bedside.
Add a humidifier to your sleeping and living spaces. (Unless you already live in a very humid environment)
Make sure you have enough electrolytes (Coconut water without extra sugars is great for this) and are eating plenty of fruits/veggies or soups to increase hydration. 

6. Thieves' Oil - Also has antiviral properties. I like to diffuse this in the air whenever anyone is sick at home. Some people take it internally on the regular. DoTerra's "Onguard" is the same thing as Thieves Oil. You can use it topically to kill germs. Worked for 15th century thieves, so they could steal from people who were dying from the Bubonic plague. Morbid, I know. 

7. Perhaps most important: DE-STRESSING! Our immune systems work best when they are not stressed.  Try Chamomile for a nice calming tea, it's my favorite. (and it's also on their detailed list when you look into the PDF above!) - ​Also, if you are suffering from Anxiety related to any of all of the uncertainty around us right now, please see this amazing list of resources for coping. 

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​This doesn't count as a "tip"
because everyone should really know this already...but:    SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPP!!!!!!!!  
​(Like my baby boy in the picture! )

- This is your body's time to rebuild and fight off 'all the things' and reset. Make it a priority. Not always easy to do. I have evaded many many colds, simply by SLEEPING A LOT at the first sign of a cold or infection. Its PROVEN by SOOO many studies that this is esssential to allowing your body's immune system to do it's job. See above document for more on this, including the research behind this!

At the very first symptom...I always try cancel  for a day (sometimes two)  and take a solid nap, or make sure I get to bed early that night. It's pretty easy to do really. Think of the alternative (which is what so many people do!) They push through, ignoring their body's signals that it is fighting an infection - and then, "oh no!" surprise, we are super sick and need to cancel everything for a few days anyway, (or should) but this time, we just feel way worse.   
It is amazing what adequate rest can do to regenerate and boost your immunity!

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Lastly but most importantly, as always, EATING HEALTHILY, is the best practice. None of the above strategies can replace the bottom line of eating good food! I always try to "eat a rainbow" at every meal that I can. Lots of colors on your plate is a very good thing. 
​
As the detailed PDF above states, particularly good in your diet right now are: 
fruits and veggies, onions, apples, organs, tomatoes, nuts, berries, chamomile, licorice, parsley, celery, and licorice root, and chinese skullcap. 
​Limit your sugar intake, exercise,  limit caffeine intake, minimize (or cut out) alcohol consumption, minimize stress and anxiety the best you can ...and right now would be a GREAT time for anyone to quit smoking/vaping/anything...ever. 

Stay Healthy!   #ThinkOutsideYourBox                                    rachelsparrow.com/blog

Go to: 33 Tips for Being Squeaky Clean while out ? # 9 is brilliant & easy!

​Or  do you want to know how to stay positive about social distancing?
​Read My Letter To My Friends & Family.