Wild Moon Cottage is a small working homestead in the pristine Ozark Mountains. We have dairy goats, poultry, organic herb and vegetable gardens, a start of a tiny fruit orchard, several black walnut trees, wild berries and fields of wildcrafting goodness. We raise our own milk, our own eggs, much of our own medicine and food. I do laundry by hand, make my own vinegar, candles, soap, bread, cheese ........ For a living I am an artist and herbalist. My goal for myself and our homestead is to be as self sufficient and self sustaining as possible.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Part 3 of 4 - Health Recovery




Treating sinus infection, upper respiratory infection, inner ear infection, conjunctivitis and exhaustion.

*I’m not sure now of the cause. I originally thought it was from the cleaning job, breathing in dust and rodent spore. But at market several people were out sick and several others had been ill with very similar symptoms. Some said that doctors were calling it a mutated flu.

I’m much better, but if I could have, I would have gone to a doctor or ER and I don’t say that lightly.

I treated myself on the whole with a strong 10 day course of Echinacea in the form of home-filled capsules and strong infusions twice daily. It’s difficult to estimate with everything homemade but I would guess at around 8,000 mg a day for the first 3 days then 4,000 a day for the next 7 days. Our capsules are 0 size and we grind the herbs to a fine powder and pack tight. I also used around 2,000 mg of garlic and  4,000 mg vitamin C for the first week going down to 2,000 mg daily since.

Feverfew, aspirin and white willow as needed for fever, headaches, aches and pain and to aid sleep.

In the first week I used an asthma inhaler 3 or 4 times. I have scar tissue from severe bronchitis as a child and moderate asthma, tho I rarely have attacks. I also used acetaminophen and a severe sinus nasal spray a couple of times the first week.

Congestion and sinus infection treated with the addition of Neti pot with strong sea salt each day with a mild Echinacea infusion added to the neti water every other day. Hyssop and Mullein tea drank for congestion as needed, which was several times a day at first.

Inner ear infection treated with peroxide, drained and dried well, followed by my ear oil which contains olive oil, garlic and mullein as needed.

I still have a bit of conjunctivitis (pink eye), which I’m continuing to treat with chamomile compresses and sterile eye drops. I wish I had some Eyebright but do not. Conjunctivitis, in a healthy person, will usually run its course and abate on it’s own in under two weeks.

Sore and swollen throat – strong horehound tea and honey as needed.

Nausea, (likely caused by head pressure, dizziness and sinus drain), treated with real peppermint candies (strong peppermint infusion and sugar) and infusion, dry toast, berry/grape leaf tea with lemon juice and honey.

Exhaustion and moderate despair treated with St Johns (around 500 mg), Motherwort (around 1,000 to 2,000 mg) and coffee daily as needed. I needed it for 3 days.

Sleep is very healing, I tried to get plenty of it while taking care not to oversleep, which can cause a further feeling of exhaustion and lend to depression etc.. We are big sleepers and tend to need 10 hours a night on a regular basis. But a regular sleep cycle is also important, retiring and rising around the same times helps regulate the body in many ways.

I also took 3 full days off work, except for basic chores. The 3 days were spread out and on those days I just lounged and read or wrote or played a game. Too much lounging can also lend to negative health but some lounging can be very healing and rejuvenating.

The 3 days were spread out over the weeks of illness. A day off, then work for few days, then a day off. I may would do that differently now though. During the weeks of illness I had times of great improvement followed by relapse. Each relapse was less severe than the previous. I did not write down the days etc, as I should have, so I’m not sure what happened when. I was so ill I moved through many of the days like a zombie.

After almost 3 weeks I still have a little illness. Still have slightly swollen glands, a little congestion, conjunctivitis, pressure in my ears, neck and head, ringing in my ears, headaches, dizziness etc…

I believe the infection started in my sinuses and moved to my eye, inner ears, throat and lungs. I would fully recommend seeking conventional health care in a similar situation, if at all possible.

The first week, before I knew I was ill, I sporadically took Echinacea and C etc. (I take garlic daily always) thinking I was just overly tired. I now believe that if I had put myself on the proper regime right away I would never have gotten so ill and it would not have traveled through my upper system as it did.  

The only immune boosters I chose to use were the C, sleep, sunshine and eating well. I do not believe that Echinacea is an immune booster at all, it is an immune supporter and balancer, an antibiotic, antiviral etc…


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