Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Some Tips on Colds, Flu and Cedar

Anyone can get flu, even with hand washing, vaccine, and other precautions. Any condition where you are within 6 feet of an infected person, or touch something they recently touched, it can be transmitted. Cedar tea can help to stop it once you've got it.
"Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is." Help stop the proliferation with cedar, used sparingly, in combination with other recommended remedies (including warm liquids and rest). If these remedies fail and serious symptoms arise however, seek medical advice. The recipe is at the end of this general advisory:

"Every precaution is necessary Re H1N1. The following is important for all to know:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of only focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe.)

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide if you don't trust salt). **H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling or cleansing the throat and nasal passages with cedar steam prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, or hydrogen peroxide. Blowing the nose softly once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that they also have Zinc to boost absorption.

6. Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Pass this on to your entire e-list. You never know who might pay attention to it - and STAY ALIVE because of it."

Cedar Tea to Stop Winter Colds and Flu

As pointed out in points 3 to 5 above, proliferation of the virus can be prevented by cleansing of the nasal passages and throat (the breeding grounds), and use of vitamin C. Cedar tea as taken below can accomplish this.

Get two handfuls of fresh cedar leaves on the stems, pick the lightest green (the growing tips) for freshest. Better to get from the country than city; less pollution, but city cedar will do.

Give something back for taking the cedar (tobacco, any kind of offering).

Boil in 4 cups water for 5 minutes or so.

While boiling, inhale the steam deeply by nose and into throat through mouth. Get thoroughly steamed! It will burn a bit and singe yr nostrils but that is good. This kills most microbes (colds) and viruses (flu) in your respiratory tract, where they normally breed.

Drink a cup of the tea water with some honey, or maple syrup, or brandy. You will feel it coat your mouth and throat -- any remaining bacteria, microbes, viruses etc. will be killed. You also get a healthy dose of vitamin C.

Later on inhale some more steam.

Your infection should be gone overnite.

Repeat next day with same batch just in case.

This only works in early stages of flu. If you wait more than 2 days after contracting the virus (see advisory above point 3) it will multiply and invade the system where cedar tea cannot help. You have to do this at the first sign of cold or flu, or just after you think you may have been infected, for it to work.

Many Native or old time people know to keep a pot of cedar on the stove all winter, to inhale or drink whenever. The tea can also be stored in fridge but works better hot with steam. (Back in the day people used to take long cedar steam baths every spring to cleanse the system).

Do not overdo or drink more than a few cups in a week, and pregnant women and children should not drink the tea (although the steam is OK).

There are alternatives to the cedar approach, using white pine, spruce, or labrador (muskeg) tea...

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