A friend of mine has been undergoing some rather major life changes, which began about five months ago. She is a fairly enlightened person; she was doing her best to process her new experiences but was feeling frustrated. I distinctly remember her railing against the universe during more than one of our conversations, words to the effect of "I don’t have time to think about this #%*!"
Three months later she was in a car accident that wasn’t her fault. A truck drove into her lane and totaled her car. For the past two months she has been recovering. She has been able to pick up most of the activities in her life, but at a slower rate, and she has had to make room in her life for doctor’s appointments and waiting rooms, for physical therapy, and for rest. I talked to her last week and she remarked, unwittingly, that she has all kinds of time to think.
I suddenly understood, at a deeper level than I had previously, how we manifest our needs through our experiences. I could see how attending to the endless commitments of everyday life was not, at that point, serving her highest purpose. I could feel how the tension between what she thought she should be doing and what she really needed to be doing was resolved by a situation that allowed her to follow the truer imperative. The car accident was not a punishment. It was more like opportunity pounding on her door rather than gently tapping.
In winter, when it is nature’s imperative for us to draw inward, viruses flourish, forcing us to acknowledge that now is the time to lie low. It is interesting in this context to ponder how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics at an astounding rate and that viruses, still, must run their course. Like our emotions, these indicators are not the problem, but they serve a purpose, alerting us that adjustments are necessary. I wonder if there is any relationship between the severity of the symptoms and our willingness or unwillingness to step out of our daily lives and linear time, to surrender to rest and recuperation, to accept an invitation for an extended stay in the world of dreams.
Of course, in the three-dimensional world, this can look and feel pretty achy, drippy, and miserable. My herbal care box, which was born in an attempt to organize all my potions and pills, has evolved into a ritual. When the box comes out, it symbolizes my intention to shift my focus to self-care. On a practical level, having my herbal remedies for common illnesses on hand and accessible cuts my response time. It allows me to begin supporting my immune system when symptoms first occur (rather than adding a trip to the health food store to my errand list). It also means that if I do get sick, I don’t have to drag my sorry self out to purchase what I need or explain to someone else what I want and where to get it. Instead, I can concentrate on taking hot baths, lying around, sleeping, and reading.
I generally start with echinacea tincture (Echinacea angustifolia and E. purpurea), astragalus tea (Astragalus membranaceus), vitamin C crystals, and garlic capsules (Allium sativum) to strengthen my immune system when I first feel under the weather. I also like Gaia Herbs’ Dandelion Fennel Supreme tincture as a nourishing winter tonic. It includes dandelion root and leaf (Taraxacum officinale), fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare), gentian root (Gentiana lutea), peppermint leaf (Mentha piperita), licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), and ginger root (Zingiber officinale). Other possibilities include: blessed or holy thistle (Cnicus benedictus syn. Carbenia benedicta and Carduus benedictus) — which has antibiotic properties — green tea (Camellia sinensis), elder (Sambucus nigra) — vitamin rich with antibacterial and antibiotic properties — cayenne (Capsicum annum; C. frutescens), and Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium). I have found the last two particularly effective when symptoms include congestion and stuffy sinuses.
Diffusing essential oils throughout the house is another preventative step, both for treating myself and purifying the air. I have thyme (Thymus vulgaris), sage (Salvia officinalis), frankincense (Buswellia thurifera), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus; E. citriodora; E. dives or E. radiata) essential oils for this purpose. Don’t forget in these early days to do as much nothing as possible. If you must do something, sleep. (Watching TV or videos is not a good choice, as time spent viewing reduces dream time proportionately.)
If I do get sick, I have remedies to soothe my symptoms and help my body to heal. For sore throats I have myrrh tincture (Commiphora molmol) that I use for gargling. This is a powerful herb and should be used with caution, but it can be highly effective. Cayenne can also double as a gargle to alleviate sore throat pain. Sandalwood essential oil (Santalum album) diluted in a carrier oil makes a comforting external throat rub. If I’m really suffering, I’ll revert to childhood and finish by wrapping my throat in a strip of flannel or an old, soft scarf. Slippery elm lozenges (Ulmus fulva) offer internal relief.
A box of peppermint tea is for cooling and relieving nausea. Dried chamomile flowers (Chamomilla recutita syn. Matricaria recutita) and thyme leaves are used for making both steam inhalations and teas to relieve congestion and fight infection. Dried yarrow (Achillea millefolium) flowers and sage leaves make teas to treat colds. The sage can be quite bitter and very drying, so I only use it when I’m tempted to reach for an antihistamine.
I generally have at least one variety of healing bath salts on hand; my current favorite is Masada’s Cold & Flu formula, but I have found their Detox M.D. and Joint & Muscle blends to be equally effective. A box of extra-soft tissues and homeopathic calendula cream are included for healing chapped noses.
Badger Balms are my favorite part of the box. These are just so darn cheering. Winter Wonder Balm can be used as a chest rub or a steam inhalant, excellent for treating bronchitis or any kind of congestion. I also use their Sleep Balm for those nights when I’m beginning to feel better and my sleep pattern is off kilter. The Badger’s Sore Muscle Oil is supposed to be used for strained muscles, but it is wonderfully warming for body aches accompanied by chills. It includes extracts of ginger and cayenne, as well as essential oils of ginger, rosemary, thyme, sage, rosehips, cardamom, and lemongrass.
Do acquaint yourself with any contraindications for the herbs you select at the time you purchase them. If something should be used sparingly, make a note to yourself and tape it to the package. Also be aware that many herbs that are routinely used in tonic doses may not be safe to use if you are trying to conceive, pregnant, or nursing. If this is a concern, you may want to note that on the packaging as well. Being ill can sometimes muddle one’s thinking, so it is best to err on the side of caution. I also include a few notes on remedies I’ve used that I want to remember — such as of grinding one teaspoon of black pepper over a tablespoon of honey to relieve sinus congestion and coughs — or those I want to try — such as using ginger powder as snuff to treat sinusitis. I try not to add more than a couple notes or remedies at a time, so that I have an opportunity to integrate the new information and assess its efficacy. Since my homeopathic remedies are stored elsewhere, I keep a small homeopathic reference guide in my box.
Remember to keep it simple. Your herbal care box should be comforting and familiar, not overwhelming or anxiety producing. Add a book of crossword puzzles or a couple mysteries. Then, seriously, relax. You could be averting a disaster.
DISCLAIMER: Choosing a holistic approach to medicine means choosing personal responsibility for your health care. Herbs for Health offers a doorway through which to enter the realm of herbal healing, an invitation to further investigation on the part of the reader. It is in no way intended as a substitute for advice from a health care practitioner.