By Megan Woolever, Oct 09, 2009

So, I posted this yesterday because I woke up in the am with definite signs of something being off. For me I usually get a stiff neck and sometimes nauseous before a full blown illness erupts. Yesterday it started in the middle of the night.

So here are my tried and true practices for blowing illness out of my system before it has time to put down roots:

1. A wellness cocktail usually composed of Wellness Formula, Emergen-C and Host Defense, taken 1 -2 times a day continuing for a few days beyond once I am already feeling better.

2. A Chiropractic visit ASAP. Sometimes just getting myself back into alignment energetically is enough to bring my system back into balance.

3. A hot bath with epsom salt before bed. Epsom salt pulls out the toxins in the body.

4. SLEEP! At the first sign of becoming sick I stay in bed and rest. I have learned the hard way that if I ignore the symptoms of illness and push myself my body will deteriorate quickly. So I usually opt for taking a day off at the beginning of an illness rather than pushing myself and then suffering for 2-3 days.

I think this is very important right now with the current strains of flu that are running around which have people sick for weeks. If you can boost your immune system to start with, say right when you are exposed, you can fight off the illness and save yourself time and pain in the long run.

Case in point, I have been exposed to H1N1 at least twice recently that I know about and through the above protocol, have yet to get sick (knock on wood!) :)

And when and if the illness has gotten out of hand, or I am further along the road to ick than the regimen above can handle, I go to my Acupuncturist pronto. She has been able to help me clear everything from bronchitis to sinusitis out of my system through herbs and Acupunture in a matter of days.

And of course doing all those wellness related activities, like proper nutrition, hand washing, exercise, sleep, that keep your system healthy from the get go is also a wise way to build vitality in your system so you have the resources to fight off whatever you get exposed to in the first place!

By Lalyn M, Oct 10, 2009

First sign of the "ick" I reaches out for my emergency stock of Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic formula for fighting the first sign of flu. Never fails me or makes my flu short in duration. If I ignore the first sign and Oscillo is out of my stock I usually ends up at my acupuncturist's caring treatment.

By Vanessa Denham, Nov 08, 2009

So many times the "ick" comes about due to faulty and insufficient digestion. Therefore, my first line of defense is digestive enzymes. I take them regularly to aid in digestion and take several extra when the "ick" starts, to clear excess mucus and other "stuff".

I also use essential oils to stimulate the lymphatic system, generally grapefruit and lavender. As well as getting extra sleep.

Emotions and thoughts can also play a huge role in illness. For instance, if you say "I always get sick around this time of year", your subconscious mind believes you are giving a command and acts accordingly. As long as you believe it, the subconscious mind will do everything in it's power to manifest it. So, change your mind...change your life.

Live with passion and purpose,

Vanessa