The Common Cold

The common cold is a highly contagious viral infection of the upper respiratory system, primarily caused by rhinoviruses. Common symptoms include sore throat, swollen glands, sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, chills and mild fever. Symptoms are generally present for one week, but may take as long as two weeks to completely resolve.

The Flu

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a highly contagious viral infection caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses). Common symptoms include sore throat, swollen glands, muscle pain, extreme weakness, headache, fever, coughing, nausea and general discomfort. Symptoms are generally present for five to ten days.

How do I catch a cold or flu virus?

These viruses can be transmitted from person to person through coughs and sneezes which makes the virus airborne. Other common routes of transmition include sharing saliva (kissing, eating and drinking from the same utensils) and rubbing your eyes or nose after touching a contaminated surface or person.

How do I prevent sickness?

The best way to keep from getting sick is to maintain a strong and healthy immune system. The weaker and more stressed your body is, the less it will be able to ward off viruses when you come in contact with them. There are lots of ways to keep your immune system in top shape:

Eat healthfully

Don’t overload your body with toxic, un-nutritious foods. Make a conscious effort to eat lots of whole grains, fresh vegetables, fruit, lean meats and fish and get plenty of water throughout the day.

"Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food"
- Hippocrates

Avoid sugar

A diet high in sugar, refined foods and starches is devastating to your immune system. Sugar intake leads to lowered white blood cell activity which means less ability to ward off disease. People with a high sugar diet also tend to have an overgrowth of yeast in the intestines and an unhealthy proportion of bad bacteria to good bacteria. If the body is busy eradicating toxicity in the intestines it will be less able to fight infections elsewhere in the body.Viruses and bacteria feed on sugar and refined carbohydrates so it is vital to avoid sugar while you are sick. If you eat sugar you are only helping feed your virus. Keep your sugar intake well under 75 grams per day when you are well and do your best to avoid sugar altogether when you are ill. Read your labels, lots of foods contain hidden sugars! Don’t forget, fruit juices are highly concentrated sources of sugar, containing as much as a can of soda!

Keep your colon healthy

A clean colon may be more important to your health than you realize. The intestinal tract is brimming with bacteria, both “friendly” and “unfriendly.” Friendly bacteria are necessary to keep your digestive system running smoothly and help ward off unwanted microbes. Human intestines are supposed to have a proportion of about 80% good bacteria to 20% or less bad bacteria. Sadly, most Americans have just the opposite due to a diet laden with carbohydrates, sugar, pesticides, hormones and highly processed foods.

Processed foods (includes fast-food, boxed or packaged foods, refined flours and grains) are usually low in fiber. Fiber is critical to maintain a healthy, productive colon. The less fiber you have in your diet, the longer your food stays in your colon because it isn’t being pushed through. Waste accumulating and sitting in your colon for too long releases toxins that get reabsorbed into your blood stream. These extra toxins in your system can stress immune function. A simple way to keep waste moving quickly is by taking psyllium husk or other fiber supplements such as flax or bran. You should aim for a minimum of 25 grams of fiber per day (eat lots of fruit and veggies which are full of fiber). Drink 8-10 glasses of water to keep the fiber hydrated and flowing and to ensure that you don’t become constipated.

Wash hands frequently

Germs are easily spread by shaking hands and touching contaminated surfaces. You can’t avoid touching things, but you can avoid depositing the virus into your eyes, nose and mouth by washing hands thoroughly and frequently. Just plain soap and water will do the trick. Use lots of friction, especially around the finger tips and nails.

Use essential oils everyday

Essential oils are highly concentrated aromatic substances found in the glandular cells of plants and flowers. The term "essential" refers to the fact that the oil has the characteristic aroma (essence) of the part of the plant from which it is derived. Essential oils have incredible antiseptic properties which help protect plants from disease as well as attract or repel insects and animal life. Many essential oils have a deadly effect on bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Eucalyptus essential oil, for example, is effective against cold viruses, influenza, athlete’s foot, candida (yeast), E. coli and more. Tea tree is one of many essential oils that can actually help prevent you from getting sick. When inhaled or applied to the skin its components increases your body’s number of white blood cells and make you more resistant to infection.

Essential oils help restore physical and mental health by relieving stress, uplifting your mood and building your body’s immune system. People who use them get sick less often and experience shorter, less severe symptoms when they do. If you aren’t familiar with essential oils, it’s time to get acquainted; stop by Lavish and let us help.

Did you know that simply using Lavish products daily can decrease your chance of getting a cold or the flu? It’s true! All of Lavish’s products are loaded with essential oils, so every time you shower with our soap, apply our lotion or burn one of our diffuser oils, you are getting a healthy dose of immune boosting, germ killing essential oils!

Only real essential oils derived from living plants can benefit your health.

Take vitamins

Taking a natural food-based multivitamin everyday is a very simple and inexpensive way to help protect your health. Even people with a great diet can benefit from a daily vitamin. Always give your children a multivitamin to help insure a strong body and proper development!

Exercise

Exercise is a key component to a healthy lifestyle and body. When you exercise, more oxygen gets to your organs and tissues which will make them stronger and more resilient. Exercising builds muscle, reduces body fat and strengthens your heart. It can decrease stress and give you a more positive self image. You don’t have to spend hours in the gym lifting heavy weights to reap the benefits; a brisk walk in the morning or after dinner is better than nothing.

Get rest

Sleep deprivation can increase your chances of catching a cold or flu virus. Natural killer cells may be particularly affected by lack of sleep. People who sleep too few hours (generally under seven hours) have severely reduced numbers of natural killer cells and are less able to fight off invaders. The best thing is to get yourself accustomed to a routine. Try to get in bed and wake up at around the same time every day. Turn off the lights, TV and radio when you are sleeping to ensure quality rest.

Don't Smoke

Smoking cigarettes and being around secondhand smoke is a health hazard and is arguably one of the worst health choices you can make. Tobacco smoke contains approximately 4,000 chemicals, more than 60 of which are known carcinogens.  Formaldehyde, arsenic, cadmium, benzene and ethylene oxide are just a few of the many cancer causing compounds. Nicotine makes the blood more viscous and decreases the level of oxygen which feeds your organs. It also adversely affects the breathing, sweating, intestinal, and heart actions of your autonomic nervous system, probably due to hindering the blood flow to the nerve centers in the brain. Other chemicals in cigarette/tobacco smoke directly impair lung and respiratory function.

Studies conclude that smokers are at an increased risk of having colds with a longer duration compared with nonsmokers. The dangerous particles given off in secondhand smoke can linger in the air for hours leaving even nonsmokers exposed to the hazards of cigarettes. Please do not smoke and try to avoid being around people who are smoking.

If I do get sick, how can I get well fast?

It is important to take action as soon as you feel like you may be getting a cold or flu. If you have been around people with colds it certainly would be wise to take some of the recommended herbs and supplements to strengthen your immune system and fend off viruses.

There are lots of herbs, vitamins and supplements that are great for your immunity and detoxify the system. The following are a few of our favorites that work very well. These items are also widely available at your local health food store such as Henry’s or Whole Foods.

Vitamin C

This powerful anti-oxidant is essential for healthy teeth, gums, bones, immune function and more. The human body cannot store vitamin C so it must be replenished daily. The government RDA is an appalling 60mg. This amount will ensure you don’t come down with a case of scurvy, but we recommend 1000mg per day for optimum health; increase to 2000mg per day at the onset of a cold.

Propolis

Did you know that honey bees have been on our Earth for at least 45 million years? And, did you also know that the beehive is said to be the most sterile environment in nature? Honey bees are indeed, amazing little creatures and we can certainly benefit from what they have to offer. Honey bees gather resinous substances from tree bark, leaves and plants, then combine it with their own secretions making what we call propolis. This very sticky material is used to seal holes and cracks in the hive. Bees also place propolis at the entrance of the hive to sterilize the bees when they brush against it as well as prevent unwanted intruders.

Propolis has a marvelous healing effect on epithelial tissue. This is the tissue that lines our skin, mucous membranes, organs, glands, mouths and intestinal tract. Its powerful antibiotic qualities stimulate natural resistance to disease. Studies have even shown propolis to be effective against anti-biotic resistant strains of bacteria.

Oregano

Oregano (origanum vulgare) is a hearty, aromatic bushy perennial that is native to Europe. Key constituents in oregano’s volitle oils include carvacrol and thymol which give the plant its strong antiseptic quality. Oregano oil has shown to be effective against many types of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. It encourages the elimination of toxins from the body and supports a healthy microbial environment in the intestines. This herb is a must for colds, flu, coughs, sore throat, bronchitis, sinus infections and more!

Garlic

Before the advent of antibiotics, garlic was widely used to combat infections. Garlic is rich in sulfur which enables the body to heal itself. It displays astounding antibiotic, antiviral, antiparasitic and antifungal properties. Like propolis, it is able to kill some bacteria that are resistant to western antibiotics. Use garlic in your food whenever possible. Try adding it at the end of cooking so that the heat won’t destroy its natural oils. Garlic oil is also available in capsules, but the whole real clove is best.

Echinacea

Echinacea enhances the immune system by stimulating T-cells which fight infection. It is a broad spectrum antiseptic that inhibits the growth of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. It works against bacteria by inhibiting enzymes the bacteria secrete from breaking through mucous membranes. Studies have shown it to be effective in decreasing the frequency and severity of common colds, flu and sinus infections.

Probiotics

One way to improve the health of your colon and strengthen your immune system is to supplement your diet with probiotics (meaning pro-life or healthy bacteria). Probiotics like lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobaceterium are naturally present in foods like yogurt and can also be taken in capsule form.

Probiotics are thought to have several presumably beneficial effects on immune function. They may protect against pathogens by colonizing the intestinal tract and making the gut a less desirable place for unwanted bacteria to flourish. There is evidence that they improve immune function by increasing the number of immunoglobulin A producing plasma cells as well as increasing the proportion of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Clinical trials have also demonstrated that probiotics may decrease the incidence of respiratory tract infections and dental cavities in children.

Lavish offers a wide array of products specially formulated to help prevent or shorten a common cold or flu virus. All contain the most powerful antiseptic oils known such as tea tree, marjoram, eucalyptus, clove and more!

Cold/Flu Rx - Immunity Blend - A blend of twelve essential oils that boost the immune system and rid the body of viral and bacterial infections. Massage into chest and glands, add to bath water or mix into water to create a gargle. May stop a cold from progressing when used at the first indication of sickness.

Cold/Flu Rx - Vapor Shower Tablet - Shower tablet releases anti-viral essential oils into the steam of your shower. Excellent for coughs, congestion, stuffy noses and sinus trouble.

Cold/Flu Rx - Bath Tablet - Effervesent bath tablet releases anti-viral essential oils into the bath water to help prevent or reduce duration of colds and flu. Excellent for body aches and general detoxification.