Immune Boosting Protocol
Osteopathy is a set of practices and principles designed to bring us back into coherence with nature’s inherent rhythms. When we are sick, this is our body, or nature’s way of telling us that we have fallen out of alignment (resonance, coherence, harmony) with our natural rhythm.
Let's examine some of Osteopathy’s core tenants in relation to being sick to aid in getting back to health from whatever acute illness ails you!
General Principles
The body has self-healing and self-regulating mechanisms.
In Osteopathy, we wholeheartedly believe that the body is capable of healing itself. If we are sick, there is a reason, and likely we are deficient in some of nature’s key building blocks and the sickness is the signal. Think about a house plant: if it has water, sunshine and good soil it will thrive, but if denied any of these basic things, it will wilt and eventually die. In addition, the plant needs all 3 of these things, not just 2 of the ample qualities. If the plant doesn’t have sun, it will die. All the water and good soil in the world can’t keep a plant alive without sunlight. Below are three essential building blocks the human body needs to thrive.
1. Rest
Rest right away and until you feel better. It's very American to push through, but that is exactly the opposite of what the body is asking for. When we sleep our immune system is the most active. A lot of times when people become sicker or it takes longer than normal to recover, they inevitably say that they didn’t rest enough in the beginning. I know it's hard, but know that as the symptoms start, it’s your body telling you that it needs to change pace.
2. Drinks lots of fluids
Our bodies are approximately 70% water and we have to optimize our hydration in order for all the nutrients to easily flow to the areas needed to fight the infection and also be able to carry the toxins away. Drink even more fluids if you have a fever. It's common for people to underestimate how dehydrated they get when they have a fever and thus get behind on optimal hydration.
3. Get sunlight
This one isn’t commonly talked about when thinking of humans, but it's just as important for us as it is the house plant. As the body of evidence grows about the science of water, we are coming to learn that water accepts charges from the sun, which then helps the body accomplish homeostasis easier and more efficiently. Put another way, the human body is a battery, and we now understand that we can charge our battery (at least part of it) from the sun. When any electronics aren't working, step 1 is to charge the battery, and we should do the same when trying to recover. In the wintertime, I recommend lying in front of a window, particularly first thing in the morning. If the weather is nice, get some rest outside in the grass. The sunlight, fresh air and grounding can do wonders.
The body is a unit of mind, body and spirit.
We are energy. If the energy is disharmonious, out of tune or experiencing discordant frequencies, one is more likely to fall ill. The energy problem can stem from either the spirit or the mind. Below are a couple of questions I recommend asking oneself when sick, in between Netflix and chill. They may help reveal while the immune system was weak enough to get sick in the first place.
Is something stressful going on in your life?
Are you feeling burnt out, overworked, or disrespected?
Do you not feel in alignment with your life purpose?
Do you feel drained at the end of every day and struggle to refill your cup before the next day starts?
Structure and Function are reciprocally interrelated.
This describes the basis of the body work done in an Osteopathic session. Another component of illness is stagnation. Imagine this: someone falls skiing and lands so hard on their shoulder that the wind is knocked out of them. It hurts but eventually he can breathe again so he skis away. Apart from being sore, he forgets about it for a couple of days. A couple of weeks later, he gets sick. An Osteopath would consider the fall clinically relevant because there is a high likelihood that the fall caused the ribs to jam against the vertebra, going out of alignment and not moving as well. The muscles then get tighter, as does the fascia. Getting the wind knocked out of him, caused his diaphragm to spasm and it hasn’t fully relaxed. All these things cause stagnation in the tissues. The blood flow has a harder time getting to the area delivering oxygen and nutrients. The lymphatic system flows at a slower pace and the veins can’t remove the toxins and CO2 as efficiently. The body is amazing because after an accident like this, it is still able to do most of what it needs to do, but after weeks of subprime functioning, a person may become ill.
I say all of this to remind everyone to get a treatment when sick, even if on the mend. If it's hard to get a treatment because of contagions, just remember the simple principle that there are probably restrictions somewhere leading to stagnation. Find the restriction, stretch it, massage it, or have jets hit it in the hot tub. Decreasing any degree of restriction is always welcomed to the body, especially when sick.
Diet
There’s the old adage; starve a cold and feed a fever – or is it the other way around?
I recommend that if you or a loved one has a fever, make the following concoction as their primary source of nourishment for the duration of the fever.
The three ingredients are as follows:
1.Grass fed butter
Unpasteurized/raw is the best, but if you don’t have access, Kerry Gold tends to be the safest bet at the grocery store.
2. Raw honey
Note: skip the honey if this is for your infant <1 yr of age
3. High grade salt
Celtic or Himalayan salt are chalk full of a whole host of minerals that can aid the body in fighting an infection.
Mix them together to taste and simply eat.
Once the fever has broken, move onto bone broth, and then when tolerated, to chicken soup or the meat of a chicken. I recommend having a whole chicken stored in the freezer in case someone gets sick. When they first start symptoms take the chicken out to start defrosting. Then put it in the crock pot once the fever breaks. Cook the chicken for 2-4 hours on high and the chicken will be ready to eat. Be sure to eat the skin, dark meat, areas surrounding the joints, as this is where all the most nutritious food lies. Drink the meat stock throughout the day. Cut up the rest of the chicken into bite sized pieces and store in the refrigerator. Put the chicken carcass back in the crock pot with some water and cook this for 12 -24 hrs. Add peppercorns and salt and any veggie scraps. Once it's done, strain through a sieve, and add chopped garlic and parsley. Drink this or use some of it to mix back with the leftover chicken meat and some cooked vegetables to make a delicious chicken soup.
Supplements
If you are an AAO member, you can continue reading more about this, including a detailed list of supplements to take when sick on the member portal. It will soon be available to purchase through the website for non-members.