Everything from bed

(Canadian) Thanksgiving with a local harvest feast was a complete bust for not one, but two reasons this year. (Yes, I'm calling on you for sympathy, and I'm letting you know from the get-go.)

First, I ask you - who schedules a very dense Pharmacology Midterm two-days after a national holiday? Someone who doesn't get celebrations, or someone who believes in the value of hard work. To be fair, I think in the case of my prof it's the latter. But to make matters worse, Sunday morning I awoke to find that the tickle in my throat that I'd be carrying around for a few days (and only displayed a mild interest in eliminating) had literally swollen up into something new. A two-hour walk-in clinic experience revealed what I'd suspected (yes, as a midwifery student I now have a different eye for this sort of thing, and use words like "lesion" instead of "spot"). Tonsillitis! (I thought I'd spare you the image of a mouth with infected tonsils.) An illness not-so-popular with the older-than-primary-school set, but there you have it (or rather there I have it).

Now with all that complaining and sympathy-searching, I'll take this opportunity to remind you of the value of immune system care. This might include any or all of the follow when you feel something coming on, or you're around any sickies:
* Wash those hands! First thing to do when you come in the door.
* Avoid touching your face (mucous membranes especially) if you haven't just done the aforementioned thing.
* Put sugar in the occassional treat, not daily consumption category.
* Get to know probiotics. They are your friends (all 8-15 billion of them in each capsule).
* Vitamin C is super, and can be taken more often than you think. Check with your holistic health provider about this.
* Echinacea is not old news. It's especially effective with the addition of goldenseal and even cayenne.
* Embrace the gingery fire. Sliced fresh in tea (with whole cloves and a splash of apple juice is my fave), or even a tablespoon or two of the powder in your warm bath.
* Add some turmeric to your tea. It's great for your liver and does other good things. Drink it, gargle it.
* Remember that bacteria multiply quickly, so it's best to hit them with supplements often (regularly) instead of hitting them really hard once or twice a day.
* Don't be afraid to go light on the food when you need to heal. Stick to the fruit and veg, and a little bit of whole grains.
* Gargling with sea salt water never hurt for gum and throat health. 1 tsp per cup of boiling water. Gargle warm and spit.
* If someone makes you soup, appreciate the way the love they put into it nourishes you.
* Rest as much as you can. Politely asking for help (like with doing the dishes) is okay! If you have to know all about various drugs and how they work in the body and what to prescribe (and not) when... or someother work-type commitment that may not be a Pharm Midterm, use your bed as your desk. Spread out your papers and cue cards, and you're already in your resting place (no, I didn't mean for it to come out like final resting place) when the nap fairies start calling to you.

Be well!