WOW, just learned about these two infections that thrive in the hot, dry weather of a warming planet! Valley Fever, the more common of the two, is caused by breathing a fungus in dusty air – found in the dry soil areas of places like Arizona, New Mexico, California and Texas. More than 20,000 cases are reported each year, about 160 fatal!! Experts think the numbers could be way higher than reported.
Two-thirds have no symptoms, the rest? A persistent cough and fever – some develop pneumonia. In 1 of 100, the fungus spreads to the bones, skin or brain, resulting in chronic pain, seizure, coma and death. Anti-fungal drugs can help, but they say there is no cure!
Amoebic Meningoencephalitis is caused by an amoeba thriving in warm freshwater. When a swimmer gets water up the nose, the amoebas travel up the olfactory nerve to the brain, where they eat up the gray matter. Much more rare than Valley Fever, it is almost always fatal. This disease used to be found only in the south eastern states, it’s now been documented in Virginia, Kansas and Minnesota. Most infections start in the summer when people are swimming in polluted lakes.
Why am I writing about this? Your pH balance, a robust immune system, efficient digestion, optimal water intake and of course a “clean” diet (low on additives, pesticides and “food-like” products) are all essential to stay well, avoid chronic diseases some consider “part of aging” (ha), and to survive an infiltration of fungus, amoebas, bacterias, viruses, doctors and pharmaceutical drugs.
I use an arsenal of natural fighters several times a day when a cold, virus, flu or other “bug” raises its ugly head around me. Sometimes nothing develops, sometimes I feel a bit of something and then it goes away – rarely do I succumb! After a cruise in the fall of 2010 I had a bout, and before that the last real bout was fall 1997. I must be doing something right.
What do I do? At the first tickle in my throat, I double up with:
- Echinacea – tea and tincture
- My Own Tina’s Terrific Tea (Rosehips, Hibiscus, Hops, White Peony, Green & Red Rooibos, Elderberries and more)
- My Own Tina’s Tonic Tea (Pao D’arco, Sarsaparilla, Hops, Peony Root, Ginger, Cinnamon and more)
- Elderberry Extract
- Vitamin C, 1,000 mg every couple of hours
- Alkaline Mineral supplement
- Probiotics (if I’ve been slacking)
- FIR Sauna (Far Infrared)
- Chi Machine
And these anti- everythings (anti-viral, bacteria, fungal, parasite)
- 3% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide breathed in with a nebulizer
- Grapefruit Seed Extract, and lots of it!
- Ashitaba Extract
- Oregano Extract
- Colloidal Silver
Yeah it takes work, it takes time, it takes pre-thought to have all this stuff on hand, but I’d rather do that than make a phone call to see a doctor to get a prescription to go to a pharmacy, wait, and get meds! (Unless, of course, you need an antibiotic for an infection.)
Let me know if you want to know more – about my teas or protocol. Happy to help!