Something is currently going around, causing a lot of stuffy mucus in the head! I just got it Last Wednesday. It starts with a mild sore throat and then is followed by fever, body aches, and a serious headache. It is quite possible what you are getting is another round of the CoV**. I tested positive. To keep this short, I will focus on the stuffy head because it seems to be the worst of the symptoms for everyone. I’ll try to also focus on things you might have at home.
Herbal Steams for Stuffy Heads
I’m a huge believer in Herbal Steams for stuffy heads! My favorite blend is Basil, Rosemary, Peppermint and Spearmint! It normally works great! It was NOT cutting it this time, but I still used it at least 2x a day because I firmly believe it keeps infections away! I used to ALWAYS to get a sinus infection with any cold or flu. Haven’t gotten one since I started using herbal steams. It just can get up into those hidden crevices. You can use many different herbs, but always include Rosemary, which is specific to the head. If congestion moves to the lungs, add Thyme. You can use essential oils if that is all you have. Showers help with some eucalyptus Essential oil sprinkled in the shower.
Run a warm mist humidifier at night in your bedroom. 1-2 drops of Eucalyptus or Bergamot Essential Oil can be helpful here. This will help keep the sinuses from drying out.
If your mucus is thick or stuck, my favorite herb for this is elecampane. This worked in one day for thinning my mucus. It’s a bit drying to me, so I typically pair it with something moistening like Violet.
Quick Remedies for Respiratory Passages
Some quick remedies for opening passages are fire cider, a spoonful of horseradish relish, or spicy mustard. Be careful not to use these remedies too often as they are very drying. You can balance them out by adding honey to them, though.
A Chinese Herbal Remedy a local herbalist Mo Horner introduced me to was Fragrant Passage by Blue Poppy Originals. I think this helped the most. My fever had broken the day before, but my head was still stuffy, and I could feel the benefits within 20 min. (Thanks, Mo!)
Here is my favorite video for moving the sinuses and lymph topically to keep your lymph nodes free-flowing: https://youtu.be/0KQYXVjjpio. You can improve this by using topical oils at home like castor, olive, avocado, or even honey. I used an oil with Calendula, Violet, and Ground Ivy, with Peppermint Essential Oil. Ground Ivy has an affinity for the sinuses in the face, so it is my go-to. These 3 are all great lymph movers. Other essential oils that might be nicely mixed into the above oils to move sinuses could be rosemary, eucalyptus, pine, or thyme. Don’t forget about moving the lymphatic system with herbs internally also. Calendula tea is easy to find in most grocery stores’ healthy tea sections.
If your ears are getting too clogged up and you might be moving towards an ear infection, read more about my roasted onion method here, or read about garlic for the ears here.
Supplements to take for the immune system: (for 150lb adult)
- Vitamin D: 10,000 IU daily for 1 month (CoV has been shown to tank your Vit D.)
- Vitamin C: 1,000mg every 1-2 hours while sick.
- Vitamin A: 10,000 IU daily for 1 week, then 10,000 IU 1x/week for a month.
- Zinc: 25mg (with meals to avoid nausea) 2x/day
- Vitamin E: 400-800IU daily for 1 week, then 400IU 1x/week for a month (caution on blood thinners)
- Fish oils: any good fish oil from Nordic Naturals
- Selenium: 200mcg daily for a week, then you can go back to 100mcg daily
- D-Hist or supplements with Quercetin, Bromelain and NAC.
- Quercitin 400-500mg 3x/day
- Bromelain 100mg 3x/day
- NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine) 500mg 2x/day
- You can save 20% off good quality trusted supplements here at my Fullscript account. https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/mcapello?preview=true
If you have had this stuffy head for a while now, Astragalus and Codonopsis can be very helpful in stimulating the immune system to continue to fight this.
The main thing to remember is to convalesce well. Take the time to get more rest at night. Take it easy for a while, move slower, but move. Eat warm, easy-to-digest foods like soup. Stay away from mucus-producing foods like juice, sugar, and milk products.
You can book an appointment here if you need to see an herbalist because your symptoms are still lingering.
