18/03/2020
Thanks Nikki Darrell, herbalist point of view 🌱
This is the beginning of my musings about the best way to stay healthy through the pandemic. If anyone has any ideas to add feel free to comment and I will add them in. This is just a few ideas since we are in the wilds at present and not able to research some of the additional essential oil info and so forth at present but hopefully this will be helpful.
Covid-19, Corona virus
Please note that this is written from the perspective of listening to some very experienced herbalists, the plants and with some attention to research into corona virus but without too much of a reductionist approach. Also, if you have other ideas to contribute then please do comment and together we may be able to put together a comprehensive article, thank you
Firstly, stay calm and engage common sense.
Secondly, practice good hygiene- soap and water work for hand washing and wash thoroughly for 20 seconds. Cover face if sneezing or coughing. Do not touch face after. Touching surfaces and so forth out and about until you have washed your hands. Hand sanitiser does not really work but rubbing some tea tree or similar over hands probably does.
If one has been exposed then one wants to prevent the virus making it’s way into the lower respiratory system and causing a viral pneumonia. So the steaming, gargling an other treatments to the nose, mouth and throat prevent this but one can also rub essential oils onto the feet which are carried up to the lungs and breathed out so clearing from the bottom up. We have made a blend with eucalyptus, ti tree, thyme, cistus, oregano lavandin pine and a few others but basically it is a blend of antiviral, mucolytic and expectorant oils. This done twice a day would be particularly useful for people with asthma to keep the lungs clear.
Wearing a mask stops you spreading the virus but does not guarantee that you will not. Catch it apparently.
Wrap up warm and spend time outside in the garden, forest or other places where there are trees and soil and so on. These produce all sorts of good things that boost our immune system.
Please note that although it is not certain with covid-19 other corona viruses can cause symptoms in the GIT and may be spread in faeces and urine so hygiene in all areas is important.
Thirdly, learn about the virus and who it affects and how it affects different groups.
For a healthy person Covid will be experienced as a mild to moderate respiratory infection similar to a cold or even be symptomless in young children whose immune response will not illicit a cytokine storm (unless they have an underlying immune problem, multiple vaccinations or other issues leading to a propensity to such an event). The elderly, those who are immune compromised or have autoimmune issues are more at risk.
Prevention
Covid-19 is considered to be a cold condition.
Astragalus is good to build up the immune system, but should not be taken in the acute state (ie when symptoms, especially fever are present). Since it can heighten symptoms at that point and is traditionally not sued in febrile states Other herbs that are good for building the immune system include some of the medicinal mushrooms like reishi, Inula, Sambucus fructus, Rosa canina fructus, Codonopsis, Thymus vulgaris. There are many.
Cut out all sugar ( an enemy of the immune system), processed foods and eat healthy vitamin C and vitamin D rich foods. So plenty of fresh fruit and veg, forage greens and mushrooms.
Eat plenty of proanthcyanide rich foods, so purple fruits and veg. Eat plenty of the other antioxidants too. Rutin, flavonoids and all that.
Take extra vitamin C, the suckable ones with zinc are particularly useful for coating the throat and preventing the virus breaking through the cell membranes.
Add lots of warming and drying herbs and spices to your food- for example cinnamon, clove, thyme, rosemary, oregano, cumin, turmeric, coriander, black pepper and other peppers, aniseed, fennel, parsley, ginger, bay leaf and others.
Take hot drinks.
If you are worried you have been exposed heat destroys so do some steaming and you can add a drop of tea tree, eucalyptus, oregano or other suitable oils. Cistus has been shown to kill the virus for example.
Avoid cold foods, iced water, raw salads etc and cooling foods like ice cream.
Take lots of fermented foods- live vinegar, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt, komucha, etc to build immune function.
Take prebiotic (fibre rich) foods like roots and fruits and veg.
A large part of our immune function is our microbiome-in our guts, on our skin, up our nose and actually in a cloud around us. Feed and support a healthy biome. For those who feel able, talk to the little beings in the biome and ask what they need and encourage them in their work. We can also do this with our white blood cells and funnily enough this has been clinically proven.
Some people say viruses are not alive-however they are but can only reproduce in a host’s cells, so denying them access means they die off. So protect the boundaries with the measures above.
Herbs that prevent the hyaluronidase enzyme from the virus being produced are Melissa, and Echinacea for a start. They do not necessarily kill the virus but they prevent it breaking through the cell membrane to reproduce within the cells. There are other herbs that do this too.
Gargling with herbs that strengthen the membranes in the throat is another good idea- sage, thyme, Euphrasia, Agrimony, Raspberry leaf, blackberry leaf, licorice, oak bark, herb Robert, prunella. Daisy. May also have role.
The gargle can also contain herbs that help clear the virus locally like ti tree, cistus, myrrh, and many others.
Since the virus can attach to certain cell wall components herbs that protect these are important and include licorice, Chinese skullcap, Elder, Horse chestnut, Japanese knotweed Rheum palmatum, proanthocyanidin rich herbs elderberries, rosehips, sour cherries, blueberries, bilberries etc) and ones containing lectins. And also foods rich in these last two mentioned substances.
Also, the following herbs strengthen the cell walls Hawthorn, Ginkgo and ones that are generally restorative to the mucus membranes such as Glechoma, plantain, elderflower, sages and eyebright. Olive leaf and berberine rich herbs like Berberis vulgaris re also useful. And ones like yarrow, wood betony and prunella which also strengthen the tissues in the mouth and throat. Prunella is also a strong anti-viral with a broad range of activity and packed full of antioxidants; it contains more rosmarinic acid than rosemary.
Use herbs for the lymphatic system such as Galium, Calendula, Red clover, Viola odorata and Phytolacca if you are fortunate enough to live in a region where it is allowed. You could also make a lymphatic absorption cream to apply to the arm pits, over the glands in the throat and into the groin.
Lymphatic absorption cream formula:
In a base cream use up to 10% For example:
4% Ti tree
2% Niaouli
1% Geranium
Apply 3-6 times daily to congested lymph nodes or to the lymph nodes nearest to the area that you wish to drain/clean. This can be combined with dry skin brushing, rebounding, massage, stimulation of the lymphatic reflexes and many other techniques to get things moving.
Not all these herbs and foods are strictly anti-viral (some also have this action though) but rather prevent the virus breaking in.
For those of you with Houttoynia growing in the garden this has been shown to be an anti-viral for corona viruses. So have some species and hybrids of Cistus which are grown as ornamentals including Cistus ladanifer and incanus, c. salvifolius, C. crispus, c. albidus – these are most similar to incanus. C. populifolius, C. libanotis, C. clusii, C. laurifolius and C. monspeliensis till will all have benefits.
https://www.katkhatibi.com/cistus-incanus-for-pcos-leaky-gut-lyme-disease-the-most-beneficial-tea-you-havent-heard-about/
https://klinghardtinstitute.com/articles/sardinian-cistus-incanus/
https://www.prohealth.com/library/cistus-a-natural-antibiotic-antiviral-and-biofilm-buster-6292
We are surrounded by plants that will help protect us so have a look and see what is available near you and use it.
Treatment if contracted
First assess
Is there sneezing and cough?
Is there increased mucus production? Use herbs like tilia, sambucus flos
Is there fever?
Is there difficulty breathing which is the primary diagnostic symptom for civd-19 rather than the other seasonal respiratory infections. Consider Asclepias if you can get hold of it, Grindelia, and essential oils applied to the feet (for example sweet marjoram, pine, eucalyptus, spruce, myrtle, ravintsara, rosemary).
Select herbs for the severity of the symptoms and keep common sense in place. We are treating a person, an individual primarily and considering how the infection is affecting them so that they can successfully throw off the infection.
If there is no fever take warm drinks simple nourishing food and herbs selected appropriately (suggestions below).
If a fever is present it is better not to eat but focus on hydrating. Remember that in a fever sweating should be prolific and both salt and water are lost. Also, drinking fluids to the level where one is urinating copiously helps clear heat from the centre and helps the fever to ‘break’.
Using herb teas is ideal some classic ones for fever are elderflower, peppermint, yarrow, tilia and boneset. However, there are many others that help such as calendula, chamomile, hibiscus hawthorn, vervain, lemon, black currant or blackberry leaves, cinnamon, clove. If there is coughing and breathing difficulties (the primary diagnostic is the shortness of breath) you can add mallow flower and leaf, plantain, mullein, coltsfoot and others.
Some say avoid honey some say it is good. Apple juice diluted with hot water is good as treats fever, lung symptoms and gives simple fruit sugars and lots of minerals. Simple vegetable broths or stewed fruit are good. Miso soup or Bovril/marmite/yeast extract drinks can be helpful.
If necessary take a tepid shower sitting on a stool or sponge the forehead, arm pits and neck with tepid water or a suitable hydrosol such as orange blossom or lavender.
REST, do not try to power through.
In convalescence take simple foods-steamed veg, stewed fruit, rice and so on. Live yogurt is ok too and some honey. Tahini is good for building up the lung energy. Lots of berries and mushrooms and continue to rest but get some fresh air.
Covid 19 is an enveloped virus but we are not completely sure which herbs are specific for it. However, some possibilities are Cinnamon, Thyme, Echinacea, (Melissa and hypericum are good for treating herpes enveloped viruses), Eucalyptus, Star anise, Inula (not anti-viral per se but protects against secondary infections and strengthens lungs and is warming and drying as is Angelica. Wormwood and Artemisia annua may have a role.
Cistus exerts a number of powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties against pathogens that can cause serious health problems.
