had a famously awful immune system when i worked around kids for years. took a while of trial and error before i learned what works best. other than general hygienic habits paired with optimal sleep and hydration, elderberry-ginger-turmeric are my best friends. i never found echinacea or vitamin c supplements to be very much help. here’s some small ways to incorporate them into your day to day:
-a cup of elderberry tea everyday as a preventative measure (rishi makes an elderberry-ginger one but it’s very strong, just a heads up. most if these things will be, sorry.)
-ginger shots. i make my own to save money as it’s fairly easy. orange juice, tumeric, pepper and sometimes manuka honey.
-ginger-tumeric chai for the warm months, a cold ginger green tea or elderberry hibiscus in the cooler months
-instead of tea, elderberry syrup. something that can be made with dried elderberry, but to be honest it’s easier to buy.
outside of preventative measures, when i feel something coming on, i will down like 5-6 cups a day of one of/or a combination of these herbal teas (i usually do like 4-5 cups elderberry tea and maybe 1-2 cups of a ginger based tea). it’s very excessive yes and it’s not the most fun but it has cleared me up 9 out of 10 times. but even if it doesn’t, it still lessens the severity and time of symptoms.
Aug 19, 2024
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i hate being sick so much and this method hasn’t really failed me yet but legit drink 3-4 cups minimum of ginger and/or elderberry tea. make it strong. anytime i’ve felt something coming on, i've been fine the next morning. if you still get sick, your symptoms will at least be less severe and go away quicker.
make sure to get plenty of rest, avoid caffeine and do not try to exercise and sweat out like some people say. sometimes steaming your face over minty or gingery water will help as well. best of luck!
Oct 17, 2024
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for colds:
- the Persians say 'bookhoor' - it is basically a facial steam with essential oils. Take your kettle. boil water. Water in bowl, covered with towel. Pop in eucalyptus, tea tree and lavender essentials (or really anything for an easy breathe). 3 to 5 drops. Don't go wild now, this steam has a bbite. Put your face under the towel for 10 minutes and breathe in the steam. Do it daily until you're recovered.
- as the Chinese do, I would avoid eating anything that is cold (e.g. ice cream) or drinking cold drinks with ice (sorry you can't have your iced matcha today)
- if you have a sore throat, honey lemon will do you a delight! put some honey into some warm water and dissolve (make sure it's not boiling because it kills the antibodies), squeeze some lemon juice into the water and drink! if you're feeling extra ethnic, add turmeric and garlic to the mix prior to other ingredient. This occurs through a boiling process on the stovetop.
- don't go out! also don't go near toxic people! because they will rain on your parade and rain is to be avoided when you are susceptible to getting sick3r
- healing prayers <3
if you have the flu pls get your yearly flu shot! make sure you get it significantly way before the colder months arrive wherever you reside, especially.
Nov 7, 2024
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Immune systems rarely need a boost, they just need the tools to function a peak performance. The number one way to kneecap your immune system is to not get sufficient sleep. Flu vaccines have been shown to be dramatically less effective when sleep deprived individuals took them. Your body needs 7-8 hours, full stop.
Supplements are a racket. Most are concentrated doses of micro-nutrients that your system immediately flushes because they're not in a form your body can absorb effectively. You get these nutrients best through whole foods. Want vitamin c? Eat an orange. Increase the amount and variety of fruits and veggies in your diet.
Two side comments: Rain/getting wet does not cause colds. Neither does eating/drinking cold foods, another misconception I have heard. However, cold, dry air (like from an AC) does dry out our sinuses which makes us more vulnerable to cold viruses. Getting outside and drinking warm drinks (like the teas deardoveswings suggests with helpful herbs) will keep our mucus membranes hydrated and effective barriers against contagions.
Finally, COVID is still around and we are in the latest wave. Avoid crowed indoor venues when you can. Wear a mask when you can't. Especially if traveling on planes.
Aug 19, 2024
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liking ur rec = saying hi when we go to get our morning papers from the end of our driveways (picture me doing so tony soprano style)
Aug 12, 2024
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started writing this a few hours ago when i first saw this ask, then decided against posting but i've since changed my mind. there really is no justification for it outside of entitlement. even from a selfish lens, there's no long term benefit to its usage. it harms the world and culture in more ways than one.
a.) the water and energy usage that isn't a secret at this point. "no ethical consumption under capitalism" yadda yadda and yeah corporations are extremely culpable in the state of the environment but there really is no need for chatgpt and the planet is already too delicate at the moment.
b.) the exploitation of workers in the global south. this program is not just a computer figuring it all out, there are in fact humans behind it. it reminds me of the acceptance of fast fashion and how people have the tendency to divorce the idea of the garment worker from the garment they wear when all clothing is handmade in some way, shape or form. you need hands to man a sewing machine, you need human eyes to moderate content. also, content moderation can be a thankless job with psychological repercussions.
c.) the erosion of social skills, humanity and media literacy...this one is very personal. like, you have a cushy email job but can't write an email? you need a computer and a worker in kenya to get paid a dollar an hour to figure out a daily routine for you? i've seen the program churn out blatantly incorrect information. fine tuning a prompt or chat or whatever to give you the exact (possibly incorrect) answer you need isn't really that much less work than sharpening your research skills by cracking open a dictionary or using boolean search keys in google. again, the main issue with this kind of stuff is the entitlement to convenience, with no thought towards the repercussions within and outside of us. we are losing major recipes (critical thinking and media literacy) here, people!
i probably did an iffy job are coherently articulating my thoughts here but i am in fact, human. and that’s the beauty of it all.
Oct 1, 2024
i don’t work w oils often, mainly tempera, collage, and digital but this is the one i'm still most proud of as of late bc it’s way bigger (18x24) than i'm used to working <3
Oct 14, 2024