Whine, does this crud ever go away???

[tricia]

I am now in the grip of my 3rd round of sinus/respiratory infection since Christmas. It seems that everyone in my house just keeps passing it back and forth.

I ache all over and my throat feels like ground hamburger. I couldn't sleep last night because DH was snoring like a freight train, no matter which way I rolled him. I am running a low grade fever and feel/look like death warmed over.

Waaahhhhh......

Ok now I feel a little better.

Tricia

[denise]

because I spent two winters sicker than a dog from sinus infections. I finally had to have surgery. Have you been to an ENT doctor vs. family doctor? My family doctor wouldn't give me a referral until I finally threatened with a lawyer (oh the good old days) but by the time I finally saw an ENT, he said surgery was my only option because I was so impacted. He also told me I would probably battle sinus infections the rest of my life and have to have surgery again.

Luckily I found a concoction that has kept the sinus infections at bay. It does work - anyone who uses it says so but it is a killer recipe. I call it hot stuff and I mix up a batch every fall and keep in my fridge and take a teaspoon 2x/day for a day or two whenever I wake up with a sore throat. I haven't had a cold in four winters since I started taking this stuff, except last fall when I took my kids to the coast for the weekend. A sore throat hit me just as we arrived and I didn't have my hot stuff and by the time I got back home two days later, the cold had settled in but I kicked it right back out once I started taking it again.

The recipe is as follows:

1/2 cup each finely chopped of the following:

garlic, white onion, horseradish, ginger root and hot peppers (not jalapenos, I usually use habaneros) mixed with 2 cups organic apple cider vinegar. Store in a lidded jar in the fridge.

It is imperative that you eat at least a piece of bread with this before taking it. Since you are so sick I would take a tsp 4x/day and continue for a couple of days past the time you are feeling better. This stuff is HOT and if you can stand to hold it in your mouth before swallowing for 30 seconds or so, you will feel the vapor travel through the roof of your mouth into your sinuses and your nose will start to run. It does help.

GL, open the windows in your house and let it air out for an hour or so when most aren't at home even if it is freezing cold - it might help to let fresh air in.

[linda]

And while you are at it--throw away all the toothbrushes for the whole family and buy new. Now, disinfect those toothbrushes every time they are used until spring really gets here with the sun that will make everyone feel better. 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Soak the toothbrushes 10-15 minutes, rinse and put away. Throw away the bleach solution and make more for the next time.
Linda

[Marci]

I always use hydrogen peroxide on my toothbrush just before I stick it in my mouth. Really makes it foamy and whitens your teeth at the same time its killing germs.
I recently heard on a homopathic type list that if you put hydrogen peroxide in your ears and let it bubble around it will kill germs that get in through the ear canal. I never thought about that.
And I have yet to try it but I think I head that Neti pots are good to keep your sinuses clear. I am about ready to get one myself.

[linda]

Hydrogen peroxide isn't as effective at killing viruses as bleach is. The medical community was turned on its axis with the AIDS virus--we had to find a way to kill viruses on all surfaces in the medical laboratory. You can buy expensive stuff, or you can use diluted bleach.

Hydrogen peroxide is a very useful compound. It also softens and removes ear wax. It is quite strong--you need to rinse after using it. The hydrogen peroxide you buy is quite diluted, but still can destroy skin cells if you use it to clean a wound.

Hydrogen peroxide is one of the best substances for removing blood (a protein). We used to wear white lab pantsuits--and went through a lot of hydrogen peroxide to remove the blood splatters.

There is no harm in putting it on your toothbrush--but if you want to kill the viruses that are keeping you sick all winter, I would bleach the toothbrush after you use it. You then could use the hydrogen peroxide to clean up anything that was left--destroy any protein fragments--before brushing you teeth and get an even cleaner toothbrush (and maybe whiter teeth in the bargain.)
Linda