Protecting Your Respiratory System During the Current Flu and Coronavirus Season
A recently published article by Heiner Fruehauf, Ph.D., L.Ac., reviews some of the simple things that we can all do to help protect our respiratory system from infection during the Coronavirus season.
1. Reduce sugar intake. White and brown sugar increases the acidic quality within our bodies, benefiting bacteria growth. Alcohol should also be avoided as well. Also avoid synthetic sugars like Splenda, which may be harmful to the nervous system. Ideal sweeteners to use in moderation include maple syrup, local honey, and coconut sugar.
2. Consume more natural trace minerals to make the body more alkaline, as this has the potential to help prevent infections. I use Ionic Trace Mineral Drops by Trace Minerals Research. Start with adding 5 drops to a glass of drinking water, twice per day, working up to 10-15 drops added to water, up to 4 times per day.
3. Do a saltwater gargle after brushing your teeth to reduce bacteria buildup and help disinfect the throat area. Ideally use a natural, unrefined salt like Real Salt. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt into 8 ounces of warm water and stir until dissolved. Taking as much saltwater as you comfortably can into the mouth, gargle the whole mouth and back of throat. Rinse around the mouth, gums, and teeth, and then spit out the saltwater. Perform daily.
4. Use a “skin brush” after showering in the morning to increase your lymphatic circulation. Use it on the head, neck and chest areas especially.
5. Certain essential oils have strong anti-viral properties, and in fact have been used throughout history during epidemics to ward off sickness. Essential oils may simply be diffused in the home to help freshen the air, ease stress and may reduce viral load levels in the air. Essential oils may also be used topically before going out into public as an extra layer of protection. Create an anti-viral massage oil by blending 30 drops of essential oil into 1 ounce of either high quality olive oil, apricot seed oil, or jojoba oil and store in a small glass jar or bottle. This will create roughly a 3% - 4% essential oil blend and may be applied to the neck, shoulders, upper chest and lower arm areas. Because each year presents a different environment in which viruses are created and spread, the best essential oils to use may be different from year to year. The brand of essential oils you use is also a very important consideration. I personally use – and recommend my patients use – Snow Lotus Aromatherapy brand of essential oils. Snow Lotus was founded by Peter Holmes, an English-trained clinical Herbalist, Aromatherapist, and Chinese Medicine Practitioner. Snow Lotus only uses ethically wild-harvested, or sustainably cultivated plants, which are made in small-batches by artisans around the world. High quality essential oils may be ordered directly from the website of Snow Lotus.
The following essential oils have been reported to be effective for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infections in early 2020:
Top 5 fresh pungent smelling, immune stimulating, anti-viral oils:
Eucalyptus- Eucalyptus radiata
Niaouli- Melaleuca quinqenervia
Ravintsara- Cinnamomum camphora
Saro- Cinnamosma fragrans
Cajeput- Melaleuca cajuputi
Top 2 pungent woody, long-term immune boosting oils:
Black Spruce- Picea mariana
Scotch Pine- Pinus sylvestris
6. Furthermore, the internal use of Chinese herbs has been proven effective in the prevention and treatment of both the COVID-19 and SARS strains during the 21st century coronavirus epidemics in mainland China. I encourage you to reach out to me for more specific information on this front.
