I took a deep dive reading about holistic wellness strategies for supporting us through this pandemic and decided to gather a list of blogs with some big takeaways from each. There’s a lot more info than what I composed here but I chose a few of my favorites and shared protocols that I think are widely available or easy to do. You’ll find protocols for preventative, during, and aftercare. Although I kept the content the same, the following are my notes. I’ve provided links for everything so that you can go directly to the source. Check back on these websites often as they are continually evolving. I hope that this serves you well. In the spirit of solidarity and mutual aid, to our health and resiliency! ~ Dixie Pauline, Rh, AHG.
Article by Dixie Pauline – Grassroots Apothecary
Kitchen Medicine Wellness Tips by Kami McBride:
Super practical, accessible info. The best 20 minutes you’ll spend. Our food is our medicine! “Please take a little time out of your day today, this video could make a difference in the life of someone you love.” Some take-aways: (paraphrasing – watch her video for details!)
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COVID-19 is a heavy, cold, damp condition. What does damp look like in the body?
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Thick mucus in the chest. See her video for more details.
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Stuck energy, stuck emotions.
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Pay attention to tongue: white coating pale damp tongue.
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Poop is heavy, sticky, leaves skid marks on toilet.
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Shallow breath – heavy feeling in chest.
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What foods are damp and heavy? Cheesecake, etc.
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Warming, aromatic spices.
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A few things to avoid:
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Dairy and sugar
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Cold drinks, smoothies
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Wind
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Life-choices:
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Keep moving
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Sweat and move
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Hot baths
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Get sunshine
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Adequate sleep
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https://kamimcbride.com/the-nature-of-the-coronavirus-and-how-you-can-reduce-susceptibility/
Aviva Romm, COVID-19 Natural Prevention:
I skipped her amazing info on bogus advice and prevention like hand-washing, etc and went straight to a few vitamins that grabbed my attention. It is well worth it to read her blog in full!
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Zinc: important role in immunity, fighting bacteria, and viruses. May help respiratory passages against viral replication and inflammation. Zinc lozenges & zinc acetate are better than nasal sprays, pills, and tablets. Low dose only as can cause nausea and vomiting. Can interfere with meds: quinolone or tetracycline antibiotics and rheumatoid arthritis meds.
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Vit D: fat soluble. Take with fats. D3 is recommended. Protects against acute respiratory tract infections. (Vitamin D may be important for enhanced immunity at the beginning of infection and for reduced inflammation in critical care.)
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Vit C: immune cells, fights pathogens, respiratory passages.
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Probiotics: for our gut, the seat of our health.
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Herbs: Echinacea, astragalus, elderberry, garlic, ginger, green tea, ashwagandha, holy basil, reishi.
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Gargle: benefit for prevention of upper respiratory infections 2-3x a day, 13-30 secs.
Not to underestimate the power of onion, mustard, and garlic external chest packs!
Kiva Rose – Onion poultice & syrup.
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Great for infants, children, elderly. For coughs or congestion. Especially great for letting children breathe and sleep long enough to heal.(with no sleep a child can look listless, pale, exhausted with a painful cough due to inflammation. Chop and place on chest as hot as can be with a water bottle and towel for 15-30 minutes; Can follow with a chest rub, menthol salve.
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Profile and easy recipes found here: Onion: Warm, dry, diaphoretic, diuretic, rubefacient, expectorant, circulatory stimulant, smooth muscle relaxant. Antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cough suppressant – reduces frequency and intensity of spasmodic and insistent lingerin gcough.
Mustard Chest Pack Recipe.
Can also find directions on youtube. Super beneficial for opening and stimulating lungs!! https://heartofwellness.org/ease-chest-congestion-with-mustard-pack/
Garden Party What to Do Right Now:
Lots of great advice here. “Garden Party is a digital library of old-world wisdom for thriving in modern times.It was created for people like you who know in their hearts that healing is possible—for people, plants, places, and the planet as a whole.”
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Hydrate like you never have before.
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Keep moving – dance, walks.
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Soak your feet, calves in warm water for lymph drainage with or without epsom salt, lavender and rosemary essential oils.
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Practice hydrotherapy – to stimulate lymph flow.
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Herbal lymph movers/ alteratives: Cleavers, burdock, calendula, red clover, violet, sarsparilla,
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Nervines.
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Bone broth,
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Steams.
https://gardenparty.love/what-to-do-right-now/
Lesley & Michael Tierra’s blog /East-West School of Planetary Herbology – Common-sense Prevention Tactics:
Lots of good info found here – lists of to-do’s and avoids:
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Daily immunity booster: reishi, Astragalus.
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Cleanse your liver: dandelion root, milk thistle; dandelion and chicory tea.
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Avoid nuts, coffee, alcohol, avocado, fried, and fatty foods.
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Hand Sanitizer recipe.
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Avoid:
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Sugar – lowers your immunity by 50% for several hours or longer.
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Caffeine
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Alcohol
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Greasy, fried foods
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Ice cream
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Cold drinks
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Excessive salads/spicy/protein-meats.
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Food allergens.
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Get the details here: https://planetherbs.com/blogs/lesleys-blog/coronavirus-herbal-prevention-and-treatment/
Excellent!: Herbal Info by Matthew Wood – DEEP DIVE into herbal medicine:
I really love the information that Matthew Wood is sharing however some of it is advanced so be ready for a deep dive into herbal medicine energetics for each stage of this disease. Here are a few accessible things that stood out to me for sharing. I left many details out, including herbs. Well worth the read. Grab a cup of tea and take some time to sit back to wrap your head around this:
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He lists in-depth info about what to look for on one’s tongue as well as herbs and other treatment protocols. See the document here and/or work with an herbalist. Start protocols as soon as there are people around with flu symptoms.
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Look for thickening of mucus! Symptoms can suddenly change. If that happens jump on treatment protocols that recommends one of them being….:
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Keep the channels of elimination open so that body fluids do not run into the lungs to produce the pneumonia.
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Warm the core and open pores.
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Sweating. If necessary (if constipation) then use laxatives, alterative herbs. Make sure you’re peeing. He used a diuretic called Goldenrod. (So also, be hydrating).
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Magnesium if there are spasms.
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Dry skin brushing to bring blood to the surface.
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Antivirals as well as warming herbs. Some are angelica, lomatium, ginger, thyme, chai spices and other warming spices from your kitchen.
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Prevention: Zinc, Elderflower, mushrooms of all kinds, and more.
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You can sign up to his mailing list and get in-depth and ongoing, current info. https://www.matthewwoodinstituteofherbalism.com/
Herbal medicine and COVID-19 By todd caldecott, rh(ahg). Dogwood School of Botanical Medicine.
Excellent recommendations from an Ayurvedic perspective. https://dogwoodbotanical.com/herbal-medicine-covid-19/
Paul Bergner, deep dive power point – some takeaways:
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Vit D. immune modulating – no cytokine storm.
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Omega 3 fatty acids.
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Exercise – elevate body temperature.
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Correct possible nutrient deficiencies that may depress immunity.
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Avoid dietary influences which may depress immunity or aggravate inflammation.
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Adequate sleep
For a deep dive into all this. https://c1c17220-5aa6-46c5-a11f-1b9d7595d5fa.filesusr.com/ugd/ee530d_dd29bc5d918a45d3a497674af1bb7423.pdf
Want to go deeper?…
COVID-19 COMMUNITY CARE GUIDE by Herbalista:
“Practical resources and protocols for the community herbalist and folks in general. This is a work in progress, as it is an ever changing situation, so please, check back often! Let’s keep each other safe and healthy! 💚” https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pYdxRirBkv9ZnhLqKFxjkQKPcm4wQ-LLgpPH9p94NT0/edit#heading=h.sv4s38pazq2q
American Herbalist Guild – COVID RESOURCES:
There are a TON of excellent sources here! https://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/covid-19-resources
Resources for Herbalists and Community Health Workers:
Book: Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals, Vol 2. Circulation and Respiration by Dr. Jill Stansbury, ND.
Advanced herbal protocols as well as various recipes for chest packs. Lobelia internally, as well as topically: calm excessive coughing. Allay the pain and spasm of respiratory and other muscles.