How I Beat Sicktopia in 3 Days + Lymphatic Massage

I’m not sure what it was. Perhaps my body rebelling against and detoxing from my now no sugar/very low sodium lifestyle change. Maybe the transitional weather coupled with getting enough adequate rest. Or even running around sans scarf during the day only to be caught in the cool, evening air. Probably a combination of all those reasons and some, but I woke up a few days ago with the worst sore throat ever, swollen lymph nodes and salivary glands. Of course this happens only days before I am to travel so remaining sick was not an option. I had 3-4 days to be 90% better and was committed to having that happen. The irony of all this happening within a few days of me writing 5 Tips for Staying Healthy during Transitional Weather. And this also explains my mia over the last week. I was fighting the sicktopia battle and I won!

Over the course of three days, I took the following actions.

AM Treatment

Oil pulling. I’ve mentioned it several times before but it is what I would do first thing in the am before drinking, eat, or brushing teeth. You can read about oil pulling here.

Gargling with the right herbal solutions is essential when you have a sore throat. It is the nature of the solution that is key. For example, using diluted garlic oil would work because garlic has antibacterial, anti fungal, and antiviral properties.

DAY 1: The sore throat started on my right throat. I skipped gargling with salt water and did diluted oregano oil (2 drops in 1/2 cup warm water). Otherwise, you can add 1tsp sea salt to this gargle. Be cautious on the oregano oil as very strong. With antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties, this is a strong additional to your Operation Don’t Get Sick campaign. By end of day, the sore throat has relocated to the left side.

DAY 2: My entire throat was sore and seemed to be spreading. Gargled with 1 tsp of organic goldenseal powder in 2 cups of filtered water. Goldenseal has antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and astringent properties.

DAY 3: Most of sore throat is gone with one quarter sized, sharp pain on the left side as if I swallowed a piece of glass. Gargled once more with the oregano oil.

Afternoon Treatment

DAY 2: Sipped on plain, strong ginger water which is basically watered down ginger tea. NO Sugar. No lemon. For those who want, can add an alternative liquid sweetener, no more than 2 teaspoons. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper as it is high in vitamin c.

Mister was a doll as I even had to contract his services on his birthday but his help was essential in doing lymphatic massage.
Your lymphatic system is your internal drainage system. It is a key component in the immune system since aids in removing and destroying toxins, waste build up like dead blood cells, pathogens, etc. When this system gets clogged in any way, it will effect your overall feeling of wellness. All aspects of bodily stress from an infection, lack of sleep, emotional/physical stress, too many toxins, dehydration, can result in a buildup in the lymphatic system which results in swelling of the nodes. This also effects the normal function of cells in your body and creates lethargic movement. A good lymphatic massage can support in draining buildup and blockages. The massage can relieve sore throats, allergies, etc.
This is the video we used to support in the massage. Be mindful, the touch should be very light. The first day we did it (which was Day 2), it was a little to rough which resulted in me having a stiff neck. But by the next time in the evening, we got in right and it did help out a lot.

Here is another video documenting self-massage techniques.

DAY 3: Intuitively, I knew it was time for me to get out the house and have some movement. It knew the combination of vitamin d from the sun and overall minimal exercise could stimulate toxins to move out of my body. While still weak, the 30 minute walk stimulated the last haul of my recovery and assured I would be able to travel the next day.

PM Treatment

More lymphatic massage before bed.
Drink a strong, ginger tea with cayenne pepper.
Got to bed every night by 10pm to ensure I got 8-9 hours of rest. Make sure you sleep in a completely dark room.

Recovery Diet

I made sure to have three balanced meals a day which included a protein source, whole grains, and robust vegetables. Lucky for me that eating helped make my throat feel better. I made sure to sprinkle my food with cayenne pepper. Drink lukewarm to warm liquids at all times, even when it is just water. You want to stimulate the glands, not clench them up with cold water or scald them with hot liquids. It also provides a soothing moment for your throat.

Hygiene

In an effort to make sure I stayed hydrated and also provided some external lymphatic stimulation, I took hot showers and allowed the water to hit my neck, under my chin, and behind my neck. Also used a body brush to brush around the lymphatic drainage points near the intersection of the chest and collar bones, and at another point located in underarms.

Continued to brush teeth using non-toxic toothbrush and adding a mineral powder to rematerialized my mouth to remove potential building up of bacteria to effect salivary glands.

This was my entire recovery system. There were points where I wanted to give in and find antibiotics. But I knew with the state of my immune system, that in the long run, it would do more harm than good. I committed to recovery, I listened to my body, and made it work for me.

What are some natural remedies when you feel sicktopia trying to overcome you?

YGL

YGL staff