Is it Allergy, Flu or Cold?

By Namaste Publishing Staff


At the bank, the teller had the sniffles. We both agreed that colds are no fun. I guessed that she’d rather be home resting, but decongestants can keep a person going at a time like this.

In the sort of society we have created, it’s not that simple to rest your body when you might sense it really needs it, as it is in some cultures. In a lot of jobs, you’re expected to show up at work unless you are at death’s door. It’s expected that you’ll dose yourself up with medications to keep you going.

What’s good for the workplace isn’t necessarily good for the body, however. Allergies, flu and colds are indications that all isn’t well and our health needs to be attended to.

A few days later when I again visited the bank, the teller was still experiencing congestion. “I think it’s allergies,” she said.
Another of the tellers had similar symptoms. “Mine, too,” she said. “Allergies.”

How do you know whether it’s an allergy, the flu, or a cold? There are some telltale signs.

An allergy tends to come on quickly. You’ve moved into the presence of something your body reacts to, and it’s not long before your nasal passages are letting you know. An itching throat, nose and ears are also probable symptoms.

The flu also attacks suddenly. The first symptoms are likely to be tiredness, aches and pains, and a headache. You just start to feel awful. In some cases, there may be sneezing and a nasal discharge. A bad cough is almost a cert. You may also have a high temperature for several days. The feeling of weakness and exhaustion that comes with the flu may even continue for two or three weeks.

Unlike the rapid onset of an allergy or the flu, a cold usually takes a few days to develop. It might begin with a sore throat, or with a cough. Or you find your nose beginning to run. The symptoms then intensify into a thick discharge, possibly combined with a mild fever. You just don’t feel yourself.

Knowing which of the three you have makes a difference to how you treat the symptoms. And that’s what most do—treat the symptoms. How else are you going to keep your job? After all, the bank can’t just close because its tellers are sick, can they?

Whether it’s allergies, a cold or the flu, it’s important to recognize that all three point to a need for changes in how you take care of your health. They are indicators that your immune system is in a weakened condition.

Consider allergies. Contrary to what most believe, Ron Garner states in his book Conscious Health, “Allergies are not caused by pollen, animal hair, dust, insect stings, or this and that food. In certain individuals, these substances may cause the body to trigger reactions. But, they are not the reason that the body is reacting.”

Surprised?

Ron explains that most who have allergies have inefficient digestive systems, and their bodies have been subject to an overload of toxins. A buildup of wastes in the body then weakens organs and glands.

Here’s how it works. “Normally, the adrenal glands increase body metabolism in response to any harmful substance that enters the blood, in order to remove it via the liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin. When these organs are overloaded and the adrenal glands fatigued, the body must resort to the backup system of an allergic response. Allergens are removed via mucus membranes, the skin, or the colon with diarrhea.”

In other words, allergic reactions are the body’s alert system. They tell us that it is struggling to survive because we are in a worn down, toxic state.

Another surprise. Colds are not caught from other people! Yet almost everyone believes they are. In Conscious Health, Ron explains why it seems like they are, and what the real causes are. He also shows you how to work with your body when a cold develops, so that the cold benefits you.

As with allergies and colds, the flu is also an attempt by the body to cleanse itself—only in the case of flu, a virus is also present.

The worst thing we can do, then, when suffering from an allergy, cold or the flu is to keep right on going as if nothing of any real significance were happening—all the while suppressing the symptoms with even more toxic substances.

In Conscious Health, you’ll learn how to work with the body’s survival mechanisms. Simple things you can do are able to restore you to a healthy state, with a strong immune system.

When allergies, colds or flu strike, it’s not just accidental. It’s not just something that happens inadvertently. It’s your body’s alarm system going off. Responding appropriately can save you.

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The Winter Blues

In our culture, anxiety is rampant, and there's a fair slice of depression too. January is especially a time when people prone to anxiety and depression struggle. The lack of sunshine in the northern hemisphere contributes to the feeling of discomfort.

If you are challenged by anxiety or depression, there are practical steps you can take to help yourself and in some cases you may experience a dramatic improvement.

Much research indicates that omega 3 oils are a powerful antidote. Cod liver oil, and especially krill oil, are particularly good sources. They also provide vitamin D, which our bodies can't manufacture without exposure to adequate sunshine. And, with modern production methods, they don't taste fishy. They are also available in capsule form for those who wish to avoid the taste or texture altogether.

Another way of easing distress is to increase the ratio of alkalinity to acidity in your body. The majority of foods eaten in Western society are acid-forming. But the body prefers a slightly alkaline state. When there is a severe imbalance, anxiety is a common response.

In his book Conscious Health, Ron Garner shows how to increase your level of alkalinity.

One thing you can do is begin taking raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar and unprocessed sea salt. Many salts labeled sea salt are processed, but a salt such as Celtic salt is superb. It can be purchased from some health foods stores or online (e.g. www.celticseasalt.com). Conscious Health explains how this will benefit you.

Another key is to increase your intake of vegetables, most of which are alkalinizing. Juicing celery, cucumber, and other greens can help accomplish this.

It's also important to become aware of the impact of estrogen mimics in your diet. Fatigue, depression, irritability, and mood swings are common reactions to phytoestrogens, along with many other symptoms. Conscious Health tells you how to avoid these damaging chemicals. You'll be surprised how common they have become on our dinner tables.

An overgrowth of yeast (candida) in the body is also not helpful. It can contribute to mental and emotional problems. Why yeast increases, and what to do about it, are addressed in Conscious Health.

Says Ron Garner, the only way out of the problem is through it. When it comes to anxiety and depression, you can mask them with drugs, but you cannot eliminate them overnight.

While there is no instant fix, you can do much to help yourself in quite a short space of time. Conscious Health details how you can put your body into a healing crisis, and then build on a firm foundation by changing your approach to your health. As you do this you will realize that health is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice when you understand what your body requires in order to produce real and lasting health.

Of Mice and Men

It’s long been obvious to many who struggle with overweight that human bodies are not all the same. Some stay slim with little or no effort, whereas others gain weight even while trying to lose.

It’s tempting when faced with a bulging body to turn to drugs. But a new study from Canada, conducted by the University of Alberta Hospital, says that data on the safety of weight loss drugs is too limited, especially where their impact on the cardiovascular system is concerned.

In the three weight loss drug categories—appetite control, regulation of diabetes, and restriction of the absorption of fat—a variety of side effects have been observed, ranging from raised blood pressure to altered mood. Yet, despite such risks, it’s expected more and more will turn to drugs to control weight as the epidemic of obesity grows.

Along with the publication of the six-year Canadian study comes news of experiments with mice that may have an impact on the human obesity epidemic.

Scientists genetically altered a mouse to make it slim. Not only does it eat less, it has a higher metabolic rate, producing a body weight that’s only 75% that of a typical mouse.

Weight loss is big business, and science is throwing its huge weight behind research that will lead to genetic and drug therapies to control obesity. How safe some of these newer therapies will prove to be when they finally reach the market will not be apparent for some years.

In other research with mice, just released, obesity has been linked to bacteria in the gut. The study also looked at the human gut. In both mice and humans, overweight was accompanied by the presence of about 20% more bacteria from the family of firmicutes. At the same time, bacteroidetes were present in far greater numbers in both mice and humans with normal weight.

Interestingly, the bacteroidete count increased as people lost weight, while the firmicutes decreased in population. But when firmicutes were transplanted into mice with normal weight, they began putting on fat.

It’s apparent that the bacterial population of the gut has a lot to do with how well the human body functions. Digestion plays a key role in what goes on in every corner of our bodies.

As with most health issues, it’s crucial to recognize that the body is a complex organism that works synergistically. This is why Ron Garner’s book Conscious Health is an invaluable tool not only for weight loss, but also for correcting many of the diseases of modern society.

It’s not only the amount of food we put in our mouths that affects our weight, nor even just the type of food. It’s also how the food was produced. Many of our food sources are affected by agricultural practices that distort the food to the point that it may be harmful to health instead of nutritious. Ron Garner alerts us to what’s beneficial and what’s detrimental.

Additionally, we are all faced with toxic overload from the widespread use of chemicals in our environment. Phytoestrogens, for example, are abundant in modern society. Mimicking the effects of estrogen, they can cause a range of health problems, including weight gain. Yet even some of the plastics in which our water and food are delivered, particularly some of the plastics that are not clear, release phytoestrogens.

A variety of factors play into the problem of weight gain, and Ron Garner offers us ways to help the body function optimally, minimizing such problems. There’s an especially insightful section about the digestive system, which will help you promote the health of your gut. Simple steps like adding probiotics to your diet can make a world of difference.

Conscious Health doesn’t ask us to become fanatical about our health, but it does ask us to educate ourselves in some basic knowledge that can spare us a great deal of suffering and even save lives.

Conscious Health reads easily for the layperson, even though it presents a wealth of well-researched information. It’s a book everyone should have on their bookshelves.