How to get Better at being Sick

As a holistic Health provider I kinda suck at getting sick, but I AM getting better...

I I had some practice this week for the first time since 2018 (when I got an awful flu. It knocked me out for days and left me with a lingering cough for weeks. I finally resolved that cough with TCM herbs), but I digress... This week was a bacterial thing I'm guessing that gave me a day of cold symptoms, a day of flu symptoms, and today, a fever free day where my mind is clear and my body is spent. The past 3 days I've gone from a simple runny nose to fever, body aches, chills, massive fatigue and more. Today I have returned enough to myself to get out of the sweaty sheets and clothes I've melted into (is it just me, or is that always what we want to do first?), make my own tea and meals that I am thankfully hungry for, and write up this post not only to you, but to myself as well, 'cause why? I suck at being sick. This is my own personal intervention.

Let me explain... should anyone start to sniffle, gurgle, or moan, the timeliness with with I jump into action is Special Ops impressive. Faster than you can ask for a tissue, I've got a box in your room, tinctures on the ready, water bottles made, room sprays sprayed, and more. My mind has a hundred item list going of what and when to do it all for the assisting in your body's ability to harness the power of your immune system and nourish it till the bug has left the building. As soon as time permits, food will be made that is to the order of this kind of infection as will tea blends and special treats. I am like a machine of healing provisions. No stone left unturned. Nothing forgotten.

Should the bug happen to invade my system (rarely, but hey I am not a cyborg. I do get sick), I'm usually pretty good for a few hours. I up my Elderberry Elixir as that has been clinically shown to shorten the duration of viruses, I warm up my system with ginger and teas, take my tinctures and whatever else I have time for.

That is in the beginning and that is when I have TIME. After that, I forget everything and become a mess of sick proportions. Cause sometimes, this weekend being a perfect example, The best I get to is a hoodie and my bed. The problem of course, is I don't have one of me waiting to Special Ops my bug. Although, my older son is remarkably compassionate and helpful to anyone ailing. When it does happen to me, he is great for a cold cloth, a foot rub, and encouragement to eat and drink. What I also don't have, but have insisted that I'll make every time I get sick, is a note to self. Something to kindly remind me, or anyone stepping up to help, to do what needs to be done as my Special Ops team of immune supporting brilliance. I've said it many times before, but this time, I am doing it. And even better, I am sharing it with you!! So, here goes...

1. Clear the next 2 days. Seriously. Nothing sucks worse than dealing with your schedule when your eyes hurt too much to open or your throat hurts to swallow much less make calls with. So do it. Cancel the next 2 days and look at day 3 assuming it is TBA. This is rule #1 - current you takes care of future you.

2. As in step 1, talk to your people. get the house onboard with the knowledge that super you may become super sick in the next 12 hours. Ask for quiet, consideration, help, and the understanding that you are AFK for the next 2 days. (for all you scratching your head right now, AFK = away from keyboard. Means, I cant respond cause I am not there)

3. Drink a big glass of water with some form of electrolytes. You choose here. I am kind of a nut job of electrolyte infatuation but you do you.

4. Raid the tinctures and the herbs and spice cabinet like this:

Have Elderberry? take it and bring to your bedside for more (every few hours). Zinc should step up with an extra dose or 2 If you normally take probiotics, make sure you don't miss todays dose. If you don't have a routine of probiotics, taking some today and tomorrow is rather a useless plan. They don't work that way. Your beloved cooking herbs: oregano, basil, thyme, garlic are amazing in the assistance to your immune system. All that aroma means they bring their medicinal goodness right to your lungs where they can help you fight off a chest infection. I also am an advocate for the use of Oil of Oregano supplement where there is infection. Capsules and tinctures, a few times a day, when ill, can perhaps bypass the need for an antibiotic. No critics here please. I'm not calling it an antibiotic. I'm saying it has been shown to function anti-biotically so should be taken seriously. Which is also why you don't take every day. Have a jar of local honey or even bee propolis? take it. Take a bunch. A spoon full of (honey) definitely makes the medicine go down as well as soothing a sore throat and belly. Bee propolis is literally medicine for the bee hive. Them little critters know what they are doing.

5. Okay, arsenal of herbs at the bedside, tea brewing (any tea will do here. and I mean it. They are all anti-inflammatory and made with water. You need a lot of both right now. So drink what you love so you will drink it all), box of tissues close and people quietly close enough... Next step, SLEEP. Honestly sleep is steps 5, 6, &

6. Without sleep your body doesn't function. And this is for the everyday. You may appear to be in working condition, but appearances are many times not based on reality. So especially now, get to a surface where sleep will come naturally and deeply. Use eye covers, ear buds, sound machines, whatever, get to sleep then get back to sleep.

7. The rest is up to you. Hungry? eat. not hungry? Drink. Drink anyway. Take a bath to help with your fever or to stay hydrated if you cant keep anything down. Get up and change location if you cant get comfortable anymore. Even facing the other way in your bed can do.

So, be sick. Let it do what it needs to do so that it comes to its end. Those times when you had a lingering cough, belly ache, headache.... that's possibly because the ill wasn't finished before you moved on and got busy. I know this is the hardest part, really this is MY biggest challenge, but be sick until you aren't not until you don't want to be anymore. I've learned from my mistakes here and actually did a lot better at being sick (weird statement) this time. I cleared my schedule and followed my own advice each time I was with it enough to do so. Maybe that's why this infection is not taking me a week to get over. Maybe not, but it is still good to be prepared.

And when you get better, let me know how you did! Did you take care of future you? Did you ask for help? Did you stay down and listen to your body? I hope so.

Yours in health, The InHara System