Flu Season- What Will You Do?

If you know me, then you know I like to treat my body naturally and have no intention of having a flu vaccine. I did however decide to do some investigating because it interested me that more people are being vaccinated, yet more people are getting the flu.  Vaccination each year is regarded as the single best way to prevent seasonal flu – WHY??? I say WHY.

Let us take a look at the effectiveness of the flu shot

 The Centers of Disease Control – CDC reported for the 2016/2017 flu season that the vaccine was 39% effective. I know that is pretty bad isn’t it? It is their study too! They have stated that this year's vaccine is only "moderately" effective. Actually the best method to avoid the spread of seasonal flu is to adopt a rigorous hand hygiene approach, with proper hand washing being essential, according to the CDC. So if the CDC know that the best prevention is hand washing why are we still hearing “Vaccination each year is regarded as the single best way to prevent seasonal flu”. That is not a real question, we know why RIGHT?

OK so what is up here people? Well the problem is that the frequency and quality of hand washing among the general population is poor. Did you know that 1 in 5 people don't wash their hands and of those that do only 30% use soap.  The CDC recommends 15-20 seconds of vigorous hand washing with soap and water to effectively kill germs.

Some Health loving Simple Techniques For You

 Make a Turmeric Paste

Turmeric is an immune-boosting spice. Just take equal parts organic turmeric powder and raw honey and mix it into a paste. At the first hint of a cold, take 1 tsp of the paste every two hours until you're feeling better. To make the formula more potent, mix 16 parts turmeric to 1 part black pepper and make a paste with equal parts ghee and honey, and you've got a pretty amazing cold remedy.

Sinus and Immune Essential Oil Blend

Ingredients:

4 Tsps Sunflower Seed Oil
15 Drops Rosemary Essential Oil
15 Drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
15 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil
15 Drops Frankincense Essential Oil
15 Drops Myrrh Essential Oil
8 Drops Geranium Essential Oil

Directions:

Combine all oils and store in a dark glass container.
Oil can be rubbed below nose, to help with seasonal or environmental threats, or on temples to help with head tension associated with sinus pressure.

Put Oil in Your Ear

Putting a few drops of warm oil in your ear at night—sesame oil, mustard seed oil, or ear oil—lubricates the upper Eustachian tube and the cervical lymph nodes in the neck. Your lymphatic system carries your immune system. If the cervical lymph nodes get dry, you get swollen glands, which means the immune system is stuck in traffic. You want to keep the nodes lubricated so the glands are more effective at getting rid of any bad bacteria that might accumulate.

Start Oil Pulling or Swishing

Your mouth is your first line of defense against a cold. Oil pulling or swishing with herbalized oils takes away bad bacteria and boosts good immune-boosting bacteria in your mouth. Oil pulling has been in use for thousands of years. 

How to do it

Blend together:

½ T of fresh, uncooked, cold-pressed sesame oil

½ T organic coconut oil

1/4 tsp. ground turmeric

Take about 1 tablespoon of this oil mixture and chew it, suck it through your teeth, and swish around your mouth, for 10 and up to 20 minutes each morning before brushing your teeth. Spit out and rinse with water.