This time of year, when everyone around you is sneezing, it’s very difficult to avoid the common cold and flu. And for me, my day job working on the set of a tv show in an old cold studio full of dust and 70 other people huddled together in confined spaces – makes it especially difficult to avoid germs. As Celiacs, we have an already compromised immune system so it is important to keep those germs at bay!!
I have developed my own little all natural flu-fighting system that I’d like to share with you. The first sign I feel like I’m getting a bug or slightest bit of congestion, following a flight, or after a long day on set I like to boil about 2 cups of water, add only a few drops of tea tree oil and oregano oil into the water, grab a towel and put over my head and sit hovering over the hot water infused with oils. This creates a very strong smell but I take deep breaths inhaling the essential oils into my lungs. They both have great antiseptic properties which kill germs that might have been working their way in to your system. This remedy has helped me a great deal in keeping my health in tact and nipping the bugs in the bud!
If you don’t have a neti pot I highly recommend investing (they run about $12 and will last so worth it). A neti pot -in short is an irrigation system for your nose. Put a little bit of salt in the pot with hot water (touch test water so don’t burn) and pour into one nostril at a time, to clean and remove the dust and germs that have infiltrated the passageways, and a great way to help alleviate congestion.
Another germ fighting remedy I practice when my throat starts to feel sore is gargling tea tree oil. I add just 1-2 drops into 1 cup of hot water – DON’T SWALLOW but gargle to kill bacteria.
Must have’s for staying healthy!
If you weren’t able to stop the bug in time, a great way to find relief from a cold or an infection that is creating excess flem in your chest and head is a powerful home-made tea! Take one plump fresh ginger root (which is great to sooth for respiratory ailments) and peel, chop off a small piece adding it to about 2 cups of water and boil to make a fresh ginger tea. Once boiled add 1 tbls of cayenne pepper, 2 tbls honey and a squeeze the juice from a whole lemon. Stir and drink it down! Its going to be spicy and sweet and hot and will burn through that infection instantly! To really give your body a full recovery make yourself a warm bath add a few drops of rosemary oil to relieve muscular aches and pains, sit back and start to feel better!
I practice these remedies to try to avoid taking the painful antibiotic. Antibiotics are beneficial when severely need it and prescribed by doctor – other than that they are not good for our system. It is VERY important to remember essential oils are VERY powerful on their own so need to be diluted. Don’t ever put directly on skin.
These tips are a great way to avoid getting sick and keep yourself healthy in a natural way! ENJOY!!
Ever Onward,
Jennifer Esposito
Thanks for these tips on getting a head start on a cold or flu. I printed it and will make my way to my health food store this weekend.
Keep your tips coming – I love em
I am a firm believer in all that you express….. Natural, natural, natural all the way!! I have a neti pot, and for my kids I have a homeopathic cold syrup (which I very rarily use anyway). I am constantly spraying saline moisturizing spray up our noses in between. Water, lots of herbal tea (Traditional Medicinal or Yogi brand usually), sleep, etc. But I am definetly going to also try your suggestions with the oils…. I work in a hospital so I too, have to keep the germs at bay as much as possible. Thanks Jennifer for your posting and suggestions! Have a terrific day and someday I hope to meet you in person and pick your brain on everything involving living healthy.
Cheers!
xo
Mindy
Pingback: Did you know…. Tea Tree Oil kills Mold!? | Jennifer's Way
This website is so fantastic! I love all of your tips and recipes. I use my neti pot all of the time and I love it! I have not yet tried using essential oils but am definitely going to.
I was wondering if you could start a blog on gluten-free beauty products, so that we could all share with one another. I would love to know which products you use such as lipsticks, lipliners. lotions, soaps, etc. I am always on the hunt for natural and gluten-free beauty products without parabens and harmful preservatives. Something tells me that you use natural beauty products as well. : )
Thanks so much!
You would not believe what they are putting in our food: Aborted Human Fetuses! I am not embellishing this at all. In fact, they are passing a law in Oklahoma to put an immediate stop to it. And I repeat again, not animal fetuses but HUMAN! And you wonder why we are suffering with severe stomach pains and digestive disorders! This is absolutely criminal what they are doing to us!
Jennifer, hurry up and get your products online a.s.a.p.! You are the only 100% guaranteed and trusted source for organic whole food and distributor I know of. Just read the article. It will shock you!
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/01/26/bill-would-ban-aborted-fetuses-in-food/
Hello Jennifer…
I wanted to add my two cents about the merits of oil of oregano. Wow! I have been taking one-two capsules every day for over two years. I can’t remember the last time I had a cold or flu. I do take other precautions, especially this time of year, but I will not be without my oregano oil. I have not experienced any odd side effects from taking it, either. Thanks, and stay well.
Jennifer, thank you so much for this website. I too suffer from celiac disease and it has been a rocky road for me as well, especially since I spent the first couple of years being very sick while in graduate school. I hope that the medical community begins to recognize that celiac disease is a new disease with a complicated range of presentations and symptoms which is different from what has been traditionally known. Thank you for the words of encouragement, health tips, and recipes!
I never heard about the oregano oil for germs/viruses….thanks for the tip….I’ve gotten rid of bronchitis in a few days with capsules of cayenne, echinacea/goldenseal & garlic, combined with esther vitamin c (an incredible booster for the immune system)….the trick is to catch it early and take the stuff every three hours for a few days…..now I have your treatment to add to that…I love people into healthy living and diet…I find you very inspiring…thanks so much for sharing, I’m putting you on my favorites list….
Essential oils are generally extracted by distillation. Steam distillation is often used. Other processes include expression or solvent extraction. They are used in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps and other products, for flavoring food and drink, and for adding scents to incense and household cleaning products.’*
All the best
<http://www.caramoan.ph/
Fantastic goods from you, man. I’ve keep in mind your stuff prior
to and you are just too great. I actually like wyat you have got
right here, really like what you aare saying and the way in which
in which you are saying it. You maqke it entertaining and you continue to care for
to stay it sensible. I cant wait tto learn much more from you.
This is really a great website.
I found this post on 23 place in google search results, you should decrease your bounce rate. You will see results quickly, i know what can help you, just search in google for: Dasusuri’s Bounce Plugin
Then, what is so special and regardless about No Tele Check Loans will be the main query
arising in the minds of many Virginia Kapps you would be wasting your time and effort and you also would lower your credit score by
utilizing with firms that won’t or cannot assist individuals who have a low credit score.