What to Do When You get a Virus & Why Let A Fever Run
I actually rarely ‘catch’ what ever is going around during cold and flu season. I worked diligently for 8 years, from age 25–33, to completely reverse all my childhood chronic illness with Naturopathic Medicine (my whole story coming soon to a podcast studio near you!) and ever since then, I only get sick when one of two things happen.
I have allowed myself to get MAJORLY run down, burning the candle at every possible end, and add a layer of emotional stress or very difficult circumstance on top of it. Then—POP—I am sick, as my body reminds me self care is essential.
I have had a major breakthrough emotionally or spiritually, often following an intense spiritual retreat or ceremony, and my body is discharging held inflammation or toxicity that no longer is a match for my level of life and vitality and—POP—my body kicks it out. I call this a ‘psychic flu’ and the last time I had it was a 10-day long sinus-infection-purge of juicy snot aliens! You’re welcome for the visual ;) (I think we need a little laughter and play right now, don’t we?)
I am well aware the virulence of this current coronavirus outbreak is higher than our typical flu seasons viruses. That being said, it is important (even for me) to remember the difference between germ theory and terrain theory.
Germ theory as wikipedia states “is the currently accepted scientific theory for many diseases. It states that microorganisms known as pathogens or ‘germs’ can lead to disease.” This is so commonly accepted in our current social and medical culture that to question it at all seams utterly preposterous.
However, here is what we haven’t been able to explain: not everyone who is exposed to an infectious organism gets sick. If we dig into the details of immunology and epidemiology, this discussion would get a bit complicated. I am going to admittedly simplify this a touch to create some understanding.
An example: we know there were cruise ships that had people on board who were infected with coronavirus, and yes some people got sick from exposure, but not as many if everyone who came in contact with that person got sick. This would be an attack rate of 100% (Attack Rate in epidemiology refers to the percentage of people exposed to an infectious agent who actually contract the disease).
NOTE: The exact attack rate of this strain of coronavirus is currently under debate in the research but it looks to be about 2.3%. Our normal influenza viruses are about 1%. Meaning for every 1 person who had the flu, one other person will get sick. Attack rates depend on risk factors like age and geographic location.
What is it about the other 99% of people who did not come down with the flu?
In Naturopathic Medical school, I was taught another theory of disease morbidity, the terrain theory. In Terrain theory, it is the health and vitality of the individual person that is credited with their ability to resist the infectious agent and have no illness at all. To mount an effective immune response and express acute illness with complete resolution and immunity, or succumb to the disease resulting in death or chronic illness.
The frequent resultant thinking of germ theory is the organism that determines the level of disease a person experiences and thus there is not much to do but avoid exposer to prevent illness. Avoiding exposure is absolutely a great first line of defense, especially in our current circumstance, and we must follow the CDC guidelines of hygiene and social distancing.
Standing in Terrain Theory, there is much we can do to fortify our terrain. Like the soil to a garden, if you balance your nutrition, work to remove stored toxins, decrease inflammation, and build your over all wellbeing, you will have a stronger immune system and ability to remain healthy. Click to read more about that here and here.
What I do when I do get a cold, flu or upper respiratory infection:
I let myself be sick! I cancel EVERYTHING and put myself to bed. When sick, you have one job and one job alone: BE SICK! Sleep and let your body do its thing!
If symptomatic with any cold or flu-like symptoms:
1. Food - Don't force eating, you don't need it. If you have a fever over 101º, no solid food at all; liquids only. Keep it simple: bone broth, vegetable broth, vegetable juice, soft well-cooked foods, mostly veggies. No sugar; it feeds the bugs. No dairy; it makes mucus.
2. Stay hydrated - this is critical with any kind of flu. Add powdered vitamin C to water. Try lemon water, ginger tea, sucking on ice. As long as you can keep things down, drink vegetable broth for three days, then chicken broth.
3. Sleep in warming socks every night until 3 days AFTER your symptoms resolve.
4. SLEEP & REST! All there is to do is sleep. As much as you can and as long as you can. It's when you sleep that your body does the most healing. Why you feel exhausted when you have the flu is because your body is telling you to sleep.
Additional recommendations for specific symptoms:
Nasal congestion/elimination: neti pot (warm water and a pinch of probiotics and 1/4 tsp sea salt or “buffered salt”) 2x a day
Headache or sinus pain: Magnesium supplementation, epsom salt bath, peppermint essential oil topically (and or internally if rated for human consumption)
Nausea: Fresh ginger tea 3-5x a day or as needed (slice up ginger root and boil in water for 10 mins, let cool to drinking temp)
Sore throat: drink hot water with fresh lemon juice and whole cloves (they are numbing) and 1/2-1 tsp local honey (optional)
Cough: homemade cough syrup - 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (Braggs), 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp ground ginger (or 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger). Combine by shaking in a jar. Shake before every use. Store in the fridge. Can be made into a tea adding a few tablespoons into a cup of hot water.
A note about fevers
The current pandemic of COVID-19 comes with mild (99-100) to moderate (101-103) fever for most people. In the past 75+ years our culture has forgotten the importance of a fever and how critical letting a fever run can be for our rapid and complete recovery of infection.
DISCLAIMER: as with any ideas shared on this blog this is not to replace medical advice, follow the instructions of your health care provider and if you have an question about if you should suppress your fever with an antipyretic medication like Tylenol contact your doctor and discuss it with them.
Fevers are the bodies NATURAL mechanism of response to the infectious agent. It is your body increasing the temperature on purpose to speed up metabolism, enzymatic capacity of your bodies defense mechanisms (immune system) and detoxification pathways, not to mention ‘smoking the bugs out’. Many viruses and bacteria don’t replicate at high temperatures and increasing your body temperature is a way to prevent their replication and essentially kick them out. Mild fever is associated with better prognosis in both viral and bacterial infections (Kluger 1986)
How high is too high?
Your body has a natural ‘shut down’ limit around 104 degrees fahrenheit when it will start naturally reducing the fever back down. Its when the body is completely overrun by an infection (often in sepsis) and the immune system can no longer keep up that your temperature continues to rise above 104.0. That would absolutely be a medical emergency and you should go to an emergency room or at least contact a healthcare provider immediately.
That being said most of us have NEVER been at a temperature of 104 in our life.
Side note: One of the consequences of living in a more toxic world and have more and more underlying health issues is our body temperature is suppressed and we don’t have the vital capacity to mount much of a fever at all. Many of my new clients who have been struggling with chronic conditions report their ‘normal’ body temperature is a full 1-2 degrees below 98.6. This is actually a sign of health suppression and toxicity. As they restore their bodies organ systems to optimal health one of our celebrations is when they average 98.6 degrees basal body temperature again.
103.5 is UNCOMFORTABLE!!!! Body aches usually increase, delirium or a sense of hallucination is common, and sleep is restless with very very vivid dreams. There are several highly effective ways to support and modify your fever with out the use of antipyretic medications.
For fevers 98.6-99.5°F – Wet Sock Treatment
For fevers 99.6-102°F – Abdominal Girdle. Wring a thin bath or hand towel in cold water. Fold in half lengthwise so it is two layers thick and wrap around your torso, covering from chest to hip bone. Use a thick blanket of vellux or wool to wrap around tightly and compress the cold towel “girdle”. Wear this for 10-20 minutes until it is warmed.
For fevers 102-104°F – Torso Pack. Apply a thin cotton linen which has been wrung out in cold water from the armpits to the buttocks, such as a bed sheet or opened pillowcase. This may wrap once or twice around the body. Around the cool, wet sheet you will wrap them in a thick blanket of wool or vellux, making sure to seal the wet sheet from the air. This will help dissipate the fever and cool the core of the body. Leave this wet sheet on the body until warmed, then remove.
Tepid bath - if there is a lot of body pain and anxiety being in a bath that is 98 degrees (equal to normal body temperature) for 10-20 minutes will do several important things. 1. it immediately calms the nervous system, almost like reminding us of being back in the womb, reduces pressure on joints and can bring the mind into a state of calm. 2. the water will pull away excess heat without chills and can reduce a fever by 1-1.5 degrees.
For fevers 104 degrees or higher - Wet sheet wrap. Using a cotton sheet which has been wrung out in cold water, wrap around the person from shoulders to ankles. This may wrap once or twice around the body. Around the cool, wet sheet you will wrap them in a thick blanket of wool or vellux, making sure to seal the wet sheet from the air. This will help dissipate the fever and cool the core of the body. Leave this wet sheet on the body until dry or significantly warmed.
For a detailed post about fever therapy I refer you to my medical school professor and colleague Dr. Eric Blake, ND of Portland Clinic of Holistic health post on Naturopathic Infection Guidelines and Fever Instructions.
