The Vale Practice Top Tips For Bug Busting

Here are our top tips to staying in tip top shape and fighting infection:

Aromatherapy

Don’t underestimate these potent essential oil scents. Your first line of defence if there are lurgies lurking should be to start burning eucalyptus oil in a proper burner – or just a few drops in a bowl of boiling hot water by your desk. Most of our bugs are picked up through shared air. Ecualyptus Globulus has been known to kill airborne Tuberculosis. So get your air sorted straight off. If it’s too late, and you’re already afflicted, keep up the above measures but also try steam inhalation with a few droplets of Eucalyptus. Make a massage oil for your chest, back and throat, with eucalyptus, thyme, lemon and tea trea (two drops of each but one for lemon). And have hot baths using pine, lavender, benzoin or frankincense oils.

Bee Pollen

This natural substance is a very strong immune strengthener. Containing 15% protein, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, essential fatty acids, enzymes, carotene, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and more, bee products have an antimicrobial effect which help to combat fatigue, and relieve depression, cancer and allergy symptoms. The most effective pollen for you is from a local source. Fresh bee pollen should not clump together and should be kept in an air tight container.

Catmint

This is, an excellent herb for relieving congestion. Elderflower tea should be drunk for catarrh, and chamomile for bringing down fevers. Licorice is said to inactivate viruses.

Detox

Ditch the tea, coffee and alcohol if you feel yourself coming down with something. They will only deplete your immune system further. Substitute them with refreshing and energising ginger tea (boil a lump of ginger root for ten minutes, add honey or lemon juice, as desired) or the infusions listed above. And drink lots of water to cleanse your system and keep it bug-fighting fit.

Eating Well

Ensure your diet is going to encourage a rapid recovery. Plenty of fruit and vegetables, lots of whole grains. Hot soups and porridge are excellent. Try to avoid dairy, red meats, saturated fats, sweets and cakes as dairy produces mucous and sugar lowers the immune system. Keep your diet healthy and simple, as digesting rich food uses up vital energy that would be better deployed fighting your virus/infections!

Feel Nurtured

Feeling nurtured is a crucial component in getting over bugs. Don’t carry on pushing yourself to your limits even though you’re clearly afflicted with some nasty virus. Get some serious bed rest, stay warm, wrap up and watch your favourite DVDs, nurture yourself with warming drinks and soups and don’t poke your head out from under the covers until you start feeling better.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a proven weapon in the fight against lurgies. Gelsemium, taken in the early onset of flu/headcolds can keep it at bay entirely.

Massage

Massage is a wonderful way of increasing what professionals like to call ‘body fluid dynamics’. This includes both blood and lymph. By improving fluid dynamics, immune cells are able to whizz around the body more easily to sites of viral invasion. Actually, most immune cells don't whizz, they walk. They wander through the body between its cells like policemen on the beat, relaxed but ready for action. If there is congestion from muscular stiffness, fibrosis or inflammation as a result trauma or infection, the immune cells are blocked and less able to reach sites of invasion. So tired, stiff bodies are more likely to suffer colds and flu. By reducing muscular stiffness and increasing joint mobility, massage can unblock immune cell pathways, increase fluid dynamics and so boost the body’s ability to defend itself.

Acupuncture

Bea Erler, acupuncturist at The Vale Practice, says that Acupuncture is a great therapy to deal with bugs. It can be used preventatively to help you build your immune system and it is very effective to clear the bugs out of your system. It’s also a great tool to treat the after-effects of viruses or bacterias. When the body doesn't have the strength to throw out and kill bugs that have invaded you, we tend to use antibiotics. These are a great invention, they have saved many lives. Unfortunately, our bodies can't deal with antibiotics in large amounts. If somebody has to take antibiotics over a long period of time or has to take short courses regularly for recurring infections, problems in the digestive system, fertility issues, allergies, hormonal problems, rheumatic problems can develop. Acupuncture helps to clear those effects of past illness and drug treatment out of the body to reestablish a free flow of our energies and smoother function of our internal organs.

Recovery

Sports therapist Johnny Trifunovich says: ‘Once you start to feel well, take yourself on a good brisk walk, not too far, to see how your body responds, and also to get your blood, muscles and the entire system moving and working again.

If you’re not feeling too good afterwards, then you’ve gone out too soon, so give yourself a bit more time and be patient. If you feel OK then its time for some light exercise and a good old massage to help aid recovery, a sense of well being and to restore your self and body to its former glory!’

Copyright The Vale Practice. The Vale Practice has over 27 therapists to call on. Therapies include: Osteopathy, Remedial and Deep Tissue Massage, Reflexology, Reiki, Swedish Massage, Eco Beauty, Chinese Herbal medicine, Nutrition, Naturopathy, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Psychotherapy, Hypnotherapy, Tui Na Massage, Shiatsu, Allergy Testing, Aromatherapy, Sports Injury Massage, Indian Head Massage, Counseling, Cranial Osteopathy, Group Therapy, Life and Work coaching, Chiropody, Medicinal Herbalism, Bio Energiser and Child Art and Psychotherapy. www.thevalepractice.co.uk