Cold & Flu Season Swaps
It’s that time of year! Homes filled with sick kiddos and parents alike are bundled up watching Netflix, drinking water and feeling miserable. Viral infections are floating around in abundance.
Hello “cold & flu season.”
Canadians all over are getting knocked down. Is it the lack of vitamin D being absorbed into our exposed skin? Maybe. Could be the post thanksgiving and Halloween sugar effects? Probably. Maybe our comparatively sedentary nature during these dark and cold days are starting to show. Who knows why, but the reality is it’s unavoidable.
And it shouldn’t be avoided. We ought to let go of our obsession with preventing all negative symptoms, and acknowledge our immune systems! They were designed with purpose and need to be exercised.
That said, 70% of the immune system is housed in the human gut. That is a lot. Caring for your gut health is one MAJOR way you can prevent getting more sick than necessary, and help you recover quickly when you do get put out.
If you’re like me, you may use this wake up call to start juicing, napping, eating veggies, drinking broth, taking extra vitamins… and while that’s all great, it’s best to avoid waiting until your body is screaming to care for yourself.
Don’t wait until you’re sick to care for yourself.
Check out my interview with Bridge City News, where we talked about this.
I like honesty. And truthfully, even I often wait until I’m quite symptomatic to stop, rest, and be extra mindful of hydration and nutrition. Let’s face it, our little corner of the world is a busy, hustling one. We celebrate the grind. We rarely listen to these gentle nudges.
We wait until the body screams. And people’s bodies are screaming right now.
There’s lots you can do to treat viral infections at home. Extra hydration, proper nourishment, rest and sleep, epsom salt baths, steaming with eucalyptus oil, sipping on healing soups, oh how the list could go on…. But I’d like to draw attention to one thing in particular:
One HUGE thing we can do to help us when are sick is to avoid overusing pharmaceuticals. This will speed up recovery and to avoid long term implications on our health.
There are times and places for big pharma products, but in my opinoin, low risk viral infections are not one of those places.
Of course if it develops into something serious or you have a pre-existing diagnosis that should raise concern, seek the appropriate medical care.
But over the counter medications are largely overused.
For example: Tylenol is often prescribed to infants, pregnant women, and anyone and their uncle! You probably heard that there is a shortage of children’s Tylenol, but did you know why? Did you know there is a class action lawsuit happening right now in the United States surrounding the adverse effects of Tylenol? Check out more here if you’re interested.
Most of these “remedies” are said to be safe and effective. But they have side effects. They have consequences. They should never be taken lightly.
They also exist to usually treat symptoms, and not root causes. They don’t seek to nourish and heal, they work to relieve. This isn’t all wrong, but when there are alternatives that do both, why not try them?
So here we are.
I’ve compiled a list of my favourite alternatives to common household cold & flu remedies. The ones I choose have no drowsy strings attached, no adverse side effects, and will not contribute to long-term toxicity.
Better yet, they are very effective.
Here are my top 7 swaps for common over the counter remedies:
Swap Nyquil with Elderberry Syrup
This popular cold & flu liquid contains three active ingredients that help supress coughs, zap pain, and soothe congestion. Coughing when your sick is actually a good thing. Your lungs are working to clear things out. The active ingredients in this product put extra stress on your liver. Chances are, your liver is already a wee bit overworked from living in a dirty world, why add more work to its load? Especially when you’re already under the weather?
Nyquil also contains non-medicinal ingredients such as:
Acesulfame potassium: a sugar substitute, which has led to thyroid damage in animal tests
D&C Yellow No. 10: sourced from petroleum, associated with endocrine and nervous system disruption
FD&C Green No. 3: it’s not approved for use around the eyes by the FDA in makeup, but it can be in this syrup, taken internally.
FD&C Yellow No. 6: shows to have allergenic effects in humans (causes reactions)
High fructose corn syrup: causes inflammation in the body, contributes to many adverse events in the bodyA great alternative is elderberry syrup. Elderberries are found naturally in the forest and contain nutrients in abundance that combat icky symptoms. There are studies showing that the amount of time spent experiencing cold and flu symptoms lessened dramatically with those taking elderberry syrup.
Swap Vicks with EasyAir
This famous rub feels oh so good when your airways are blocked, doesn’t it? The thing is, the medicinal ingredients in it are not so bad, but it’s got some not so neccesary additives that just aren’t really worth it when there are things that work just as good (or better) like the EasyAir roller from DoTerra. It’s a combination of essential oils that open the airways and soothe the respiratory tract. Since it’s in a convenient roller, you can apply it to your chest, under your nose, even your feet so the oils get right into the blood stream!
Swap Tylenol with Arnica
Pain relief is nice, isn’t it? And Tylenol is safe, isn’t it? Not so. Tylenol can cause constipation, skin irritations, swelling, and contribute to your overall toxic load. It’s currently under trial in the United States for it’s role in contributing to attention disorders.
Instead, Arnica is a homeopathic pain reliever that has no unwanted side-effects and works tremendously. Since it’s so safe, you can give it to your whole family, babies and all, without worrying.
The effectiveness of homeopathics is noticed when you are consistent. It’s less about the amount you take at once, and more about how often you take it.
Swap anti-viral pills with an herbal anti-viral
Tamiflu and other perscribed medications for viruses work by killing. They kill viral infections. And they kill the good, diverse population of microorganisms inside of you. There are times where this may be a really good tool, but for the common cold and flu, herbs like oregeno, goldenseal, garlic and grapefruit seed extract can work wonders. I love this capsule, as it’s super convenient getting 8 different powerful plants in, and it’s in olive oil, making the ingredients more absorbable.
Swap red-dye/sugar filled electrolytes for coconut water
Caring for feverish kiddos is no fun. Of course you want to keep them hydrated and make sure you can maintain good balance of electrolytes for their little bodies. Instead of offering them an over the counter freezie, designed by scientists who know little about the long-term effects of red dye, and lots about the right combination of ingredients to achieve a specific result, reach for God-designed alternatives made by nature, like coconut water. It is rich in electrolytes and has everything you need to be hydrated, without the risk of autism, inflammation and nervous system disorder.
Swap kids Benylin with English Ivy Syrup
Decongestants are nice when you’re feeling real stuffy. Not sleeping because you cannot breathe is such a pain. And really, how bad could Benylin be? Well, similar to Nyquil, it’s got 4 medicinal ingredients that might work, but also have drowsy effects and long-term consequences. Not only that, it’s list of non-medicinal ingredients is concerning.
Butylparaben: there is strong evidence that this contributes to endocrine disruption, and it often illicits immune/allergen responses in humans (and it’s being used to treat a viral infection? hmm…)
More corn syrup! Do I need to say more? It’s just not good.
FD&C red no. 40: contributes to the development of ADHD in kiddos
This cough syrup is an effective herbal remedy for kiddos ages 3 and up. It’s made of elder extract, marshmallow root and english ivy. All working together to clear up your little one without all the junk.
Swap adult Benylin with a herbal decongestant
Similarly for adults, the whole Benylin thing is not ideal. It contributes to your overall toxic load with both medicinal and non-medicinal ingredients. Instead, reach for something like this epic liquid and sip away throughout the day.
It’s loaded with medicinal herbs and the non-medicinal ingredients are not scary.
