Stop That Sore Throat

So I created the cure for the common cold (find it here) that doesn't mean you won't suffer to some degree. My family was hit twice in four months with RSV. Kids from daycare were all hit and stayed home, One coworker after the other, as well. Everyone kept saying "Wow, what a tough cold!" Little did they know, that's no cold. RSV is no joke. In addition to all the cold symptoms, there is a pretty heavy degree of muscle weakness and exhaustion. My littlest was put on a nebulizer for wheezing. As a mom, going to that level for an illness is a little scary. My little guys unfortunately cannot gargle, so I bought a whole cabinet of cold remedy stuff. A few really worked well especially Zarbee's Child Natural Cough Syrup and Little Remedies Little Noses Decongestant Nose Drops. These were just life savers. 

For us adults, this method is amazing. I was at my cold's peak, my remedy curbed a lot of the symptoms that could have been worse, but I started to get a sore throat. I have the best gargle in the world, I whipped it up, gargled away. Woke up the next day, like it never happened. I continued once a day and whenever I felt it coming on. Take that RSV!

Four ingredients you will need: water, hydrogen peroxide, oil of Oregano, and sea salt. That's it. And in minimal amounts. I put about 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide in a glass jar, about 4 drops of oil of oregano (yes, only 4 drops, trust me) and enough salt to make it salty, no more than a tablespoon is needed. Top off with filtered water and keep it in a dark place.

I, of course, have provided a little research for your reading pleasure. Every ingredient has its purpose. And it seriously works.

Hydrogen Peroxide

 A study published in Nature found that hydrogen peroxide plays a role in the immune system. Scientists found that hydrogen peroxide presence inside cells increased after tissues are damaged..  which is thought to act as a signal to white blood cells to converge on the site and initiate the healing process. ~Wikipedia,

Oil of Oregano

Oil of oregano contains a compound called carvacrol, which has been shown to help break through the outer cell membranes that help protect bacteria from the immune system. Studies have shown that oil of oregano is effective at killing bacteria, and could also help the immune system take action against viruses, fungi and parasites.~Dr. OZ

Sea Salt

Sea salt helps to neutralize acids by restoring the pH balance in the throat region, thus alleviating the pain and burning sensation in the throat. The salt will also dissolve excess mucus and increase blood flow to the throat in order to speed up the healing process. Gargling with sea salt and warm water can help relieve the pain of coughs and the symptoms of dryness in the throat due to the common cold. It can help to relieve and eliminate that dry, itchy or scratchy feeling one might have. One reason for this is that salt absorbs moisture and causes osmosis; for example, if a person puts salt on a tomato or a cucumber more liquid will come out of it. Likewise, in a person’s mouth, salt absorbs by drawing moisture and harmful bacteria from swollen tissues; thus providing relief. Moreover, an environment composed of salt will block harmful bacteria from growing in the first place.~Living Food 101

March: Clean Eating

So once again, it is 4 am and I am blogging away. This is become quite a trend. Seems anytime my little ones wake up in the middle of the night I cannot get back to sleep. So I started blogging, makes pretty good use of my time, I think.  My french press is my best friend at this hour. It is the fastest and quietest way to my hazelnut coffee. So off we go with the next blog post.

It is March and I am a few days behind on guiding you through a progression to a clean diet. I promise to make a full graph of every month in the near future. For now, here is the next step. It is time to think outside the box. This is a giant step towards better eating habits. For this whole month, start cutting back on anything that comes in a box.

So most of your pantry and fridge is going to start looking pretty healthy at this point. There are exceptions to each month's rules, of course. The idea here is to cut back and eventually cut out additives, preservatives, and overly processed foods. I'll still buy a box of rice, or cereal, or even pasta. But there will be a serious minimum of ingredients.

In future months, sugar and gluten will get cut out as well. For now, we will take a step in the right direction. Do you need a few tips for cutting back or switching gears on your shopping habits? Buy natural peanut butter like Adams Peanut Butter instead of JIF. When looking at canned food, pick ones with low sodium , or fruit packed in it's juice versus syrup. And ultimately, go on your own quest and research the good, the bad, and the downright dangerous. This article by the Center for Science in the Public Interest has a great list of food additives and whether or not they should be consumed.

I am not one to spout off advice without due diligence in research. Nor do I believe and follow a single website for its claims. Research defined is, the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. 

So you may find listening to me on this subject certain contradictions to popular cleaning eating beliefs. That is because... I've done my research.

For example, I am perfectly content having fluoride in my toothpaste. On the other hand, I could do without food dyes and MSG in my food. And believe it or not, hold on now. I am just fine with GMO's. Yep, GMO's I said it. Go ahead and crucify me to the organic Gods. 

In the meantime, I will follow up this blog with a few others going into more detail about additives, preservatives, and what they do to your body. Also, tips on how to make the transition.