Coming down off a rare occurrence of my catching a nasty cold several weeks ago, I realized it has been so long since I’ve been sick that I’d forgotten how much I really don’t like it. One of my relatives and I spent extended time visiting a patient in the health care system where likely we both came down with the same cold that was being innocently passed around in that building. Attempting to be so careful not to spread it to others, I was washing my hands often and disposing of the used tissues from the waste baskets. I was also keen in keeping countertops, common work areas, light switch plates, and door knobs dis-infected.
When our bodies are fighting a battle with a naughty virus, we must also be careful not to think we can continue to work at the same pace as normal. The average amount of energy spent in a normal day’s work must be divided so that it may be used towards the fight against infection. As much as we think we can go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time with a bug running around in our systems, we really must also give our bodies more downtime with extended rest. My relative who came down with it is almost completely back to normal with the exception of an occasional cough.
In these past two weeks I have encountered so terribly many people who’ve come down with a cold. I’m staying a bit more guarded until I’m back to 100% before I get to much out in the crowded stores just in case I should catch a mutated version of what is currently on its way out of my system. I’ve likely consumed gallons of hot green tea with honey and lemon these past weeks and find it to be about the best remedy for keeping the my fluids up. I think it really even helps with the little aches and pains that accompany the other annoyances. Some people use Tea Tree Oil boiled with water to create a mist to help keep the sinuses clear and flowing as well as a salt water solution to help clear their sinus passages.
Several of my clients swear by these natural remedies. What most people don’t consider is the likelihood of re-infection from fabrics we come in contact with during our illnesses. It is also important to make sure all clothing we wore gets washed, including all our sheets and pillow cases, rugs, curtains, and anything else that’s washable. My grandmother used to go to the extent of hanging coats that couldn’t be washed along with bed coverlets out on her clotheslines in freezing temperatures to ensure again there being something that would cause a re-occurrence of a cold or flu. She was a wise woman who lived to be at an exceptionally ripe old age.
Taking a little extra time to rid our surroundings of possible mutated viruses helps to not only guard against someone else becoming sick, but providing an added precaution against our possible re-infection.
