Hi, reader. How are you doing? My good friend was having some everyday health issues, so I offered allergy and inflammation advice.
She said yes– yay consent! So I’m writing a post; others might benefit as well. This is what I do for my own allergy and inflammation.
brush my teeth
Long ago I heard how having gum disease can lead to heart problems. It fascinated me that two parts of the body that seem so different, are that cause-and-effect connected.
Of course a body is connected to itself. But it made me understand dental care as even more important.
I have an immune system which has a certain amount of resources allocated by my body as a whole, and I want to be kind to my immune system. I want to reduce its workload, so it can do what it needs to do when more demands are placed on it, like I encounter a virus in the wild.
Bushing my teeth is a way to keep my mouth healthier so it’s not fighting off mini-infections. Then I can improve my chances of fighting off urgent issues, by freeing up immune resources.
These days I brush my teeth twice a day consistently. But there have been poor mental health times in my life, when I brushed only once a day. When I’m stressed, busy, or not doing well, I can slip into that again.
So brushing my teeth is a gift of kindness I can give to myself. A bonus brush is great.
gentle movement
Lymph is an important system of the body moving around invaders, contaminants, and challenging particles. For the lymph to do its job, it needs to move.
I’m happy to stim, stretch, wiggle, dance, walk around, rearrange things in my living space, ask for massage, and otherwise move my body in order to help the lymph do its job.
Lymph getting stuck can lead to pain, and maybe infection when toxins build up. I think of gentle movement as a way to prevent cancer and other buildups of unwanted cells. My mom’s mom died of a lymphatic cancer, so I feel extra responsibility to move.
water
I think my lymph moves better when I drink lots of water. And everything works better when I’m not dehydrated.
air purifier
When wildfire smoke was bad, friends gave me and Ming an air purifier that they weren’t using. Then Ming and I bought a different one to use in addition.
Ming manages the filters, caring for our health. I breathe easier with air purifiers and have more energy. My allergies are less, and I’m grateful.
soup — ginger and garlic
For the past few years, when I’m around ovulation, I often start developing a mild UTI. Eating a big bowl of vegan pho can knock the UTI out.
I don’t know if it’s the abundant salty, ginger-garlic broth, lemongrass, or some other magic. But I love adding happy traditions to my life.
Some people have chicken soup or other soups as folk remedies.
honey
Likewise, honey feels like magic. Yesterday I was sad and stressed, so I cut up fresh ginger into the rice pot with water and brewed ginger tea, adding honey at the end with Ming’s help. Such a spicy, yummy treat.
turmeric and black pepper
Adding turmeric to my rice is easy, and I heard it helps with inflammation. Also I like it in my lentil soup, dal, roasted tempeh, tofu scramble…
Black pepper intensifies turmeric’s benefits, someone told me long ago, so I add some black pepper too.
remove my earrings
When my inflammation is intense, I like to remove my earrings, wash them, wash my piercings, and give my piercings a break.
Feels similar to caring for my mouth. If my immune system is struggling, I want to reduce its workload. So I go without earrings for a few days.
pillow and mattress covers
There are special covers for mattresses and pillows which make them less permeable to dust mites. Allergy symptoms are less. It’s a small investment which might help.
washing sheets and pillow cases frequently
We like unscented detergent and no drier sheets!
extra sleep
Turning off my phone and getting ready for bed early is a nice treat for myself as well. When I’m sleeping, my body repairs itself.
Also I process a lot in my dreams, which feels healing. I react better to stressful situations on a full night of sleep. When I’m underslept, a hard situation can hurl me toward crisis. On a full night of sleep, I handle shit with grace.
Stress hormones like cortisol, I think they are churning inside of me extra, on poor sleep. Chronic stress increases my inflammation.
ask Spirit
My legs were retaining fluid, and it was scaring me. So I asked Spirit, what should I do to help the health of my legs?
Spirit said 9 of pentacles, which gave me a ton of ideas.
- physical luxury, like buying products which could help me, like a decent computer chair or special salve
- mental / emotional luxury, like developing faith in my body, no longer stuck in a poverty mentality about health
- a more comfortable way of traveling
- extra massages
- fancy, delicious, expensive foods
No single idea was the solution, but I was glad I asked. Two days later my period ended, my body released the extra fluid I was retaining, and my legs feel great now.
singing
Any issues involving my throat, nose, sinuses, and lungs– intuitively, I want to sing because movement / vibrations help fluid not get stuck. Sinuses are like the lymphatic system in that fluids need to pass through small spaces.
Also singing is sort of like massage or exercise, which brings oxygen to the tissues. Maybe this is a weird thing to say, but singing feels like a massage for the inner parts of me. Honestly I have not heard anyone else say this, but I bet there are studies somewhere.
If I don’t feel a song within, I can hum or vocal stim, and my body thanks me. I love to vocal stim anyway.
salud
Well, now you know my allergy and inflammation advice secrets. I’ve shared all I can think of.
Wishing you health on your terms, at your schedule, in your unique body. I love you.
