This happened to me this week.  I was at the natural grocery store and wanted an expectorant for a mucusy cough I’ve had for a week.  The pregnant woman who worked there suggested Chestol, by Boiron, which she said is okay to take while nursing or pregnant (I am nursing, not pregnant!).  I quickly skimmed the active ingredients and saw nothing I really recognized.  But it was okay for children over two so I bought it and went home.

I have to say that this is the best expectorant I have ever used.  Way better than Mucinex and I could also give it to my 3-year old.  It is amazing how it loosens up chest phlegm, and my cold symptoms are disappearing faster than I expected.  Chance?  Possibly.  Chestol?  I’ll have to see the next chest cold I get.

That’s not the only homeopathic medicine we’ve tried this week.  My 5-year old and 7-month old both had ear infections too.  The newest doctor in our pediatrician’s office suggested Garlic Ear Oil by Herbs for Children.  Even though my five year old’s ear infection got a rating of “7 or 8 on a scale of 1 to 10,” the doctor said we could try it for a day before filling a prescription for antibiotics.  I have to say that I’m THRILLED that a doctor suggested garlic over antibiotics, but I’ll save that for another post.  We tried the ear drops, which have willow bark in them too (willow bark is like aspirin and has painkilling and anti-inflammatory properties) and I will tell you that in less than 24 hours, my five year old said his ear no longer hurt.  The night before, he’d been awake from 1am on complaining of pain, throwing up, etc.  And after dropping garlic oil in his ear a handful of times, he was all healed.  It sounds too good to be true, but I’m not exaggerating.  We continue to use the garlic oil just to make sure everything’s all cleared up.

I am definitely going to be trying more homeopathic remedies in the future!

The main portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global
epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible to avoid coming into contact
with H1N1, in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a
problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in
order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of
secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most
official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock
N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of
face (unless you want to eat, bathe or sleep).

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (Listerine can be used as well).
H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity
to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents
proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a
healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this
simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm
salt water. Not everybody may have a Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good
Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and
swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very
effective in bringing down viral population.  (Also consider a Sinus Rinse).

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C
(citrus fruits).  If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make
sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc.) as you can. Drinking warm
liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash
off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot
survive, proliferate, or do any harm.

• Sex reduces stress.  A 2006 study, published in the journal Biological Psychology found that those who had sexual intercourse had better responses to stress (in this study, the stressors were public speaking and verbal arithmetic).
• Sex boost immunity.  A study at Wilkes University in PA found that college students that had sex 1-2 times per week has significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) than students that has less frequent sex (and interestingly also more–3+ times per week).  IgA is an important component of the immune system.
• Frequent ejaculation reduces risk of prostate cancer.  This study‘s results are a bit absurd (at least from a woman’s perspective) but basically found that the more a man ejaculates between the ages of 20 and 50, the less his chances of developing prostate cancer.  Men who ejaculated 7 times or more each week in their 20s were 1/3 less likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer than those who “only” ejaculated 3 times each week.

However, I’m having trouble finding solid information on the internet about this.  No real studies, no decent articles.  I’ve decided it’s worth posting anyways just to speak from my personal experience.  Six years ago, I saw an allergist for some headaches I was having (which I now believe were due to VOCs from my newly constructed home).  He recommended I try a product called the Sinus Rinse, which is really just a modern version of the Neti Pot.  It’s a plastic bottle with a hole in the cap.  You fill it with warm water, empty a packet of basically salt and baking soda into it (you need some sodium chloride in the water to make it comfortable for your mucus membranes), insert the cap into one nostril and squeeze the water into your nose.  The water pours out the other nostril, carrying with it all the junk that was in your sinuses.  The doctor recommended it to prevent allergies, as any allergens trapped in your sinuses would be rinsed away before soliciting an immune response from you.

It seems kind of gross and uncomfortable, but it’s honestly not.  I don’t use it on a regular basis now that my headaches are gone, but I do use it when I feel a cold coming on (don’t use it when you’re completely congested).  I think it makes perfect sense that the rinse could help prevent colds and flus and am trying to use it more often because of that.  Dr. Oz recommended the Neti Pot on Oprah, saying it can even be more effective than medication because it mechanically removes allergens and irritants.  If you suffer from sinus problems, allergies, or just want a natural way to provide relief for colds, maybe consider trying nasal irrigation.

“A study found that children taking a half teaspoon of flax oil a day experienced fewer and less severe respiratory infections and fewer days of being absent from school. The omega 3 fatty acids in flax oil and fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) act as immune boosters by increasing the activity of phagocytes, the white blood cells that eat up bacteria. Essential fatty acids also protect the body against damage from over-reactions to infection.”

See this article from askdrsears.com for other important nutrients for the immune system.

• It can reduce the number of colds you catch. A 2001 clinical trial showed that when 146 people received either a garlic supplement or a placebo, the garlic group reported only 24 colds as compared to 65 reported by the placebo group.
• Garlic powder has been shown to significantly reduce the buildup of arterial plaque. It may also lower cholesterol and reduce blood pressure.
• Aged garlic extract has been found to lower homocysteine levels (high levels indicate inflammation).
• Garlic juice acts as an antibiotic, even against some antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.
• Garlic is antifungal too.
• A garlic rich diet may reduce the risks for colorectal and gastric cancers. Doctor and author Steven G Pratt says that eating one clove of garlic daily may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

The best way to get your garlic is to eat one medium clove each day. You can also take a supplement of 600-900 mg of powdered garlic or 4 mL of aged garlic extract. For more info on garlic, see the Whole Foods Market Jan/Feb 2008 magazine.