To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold – Aristotle
I pray this winter be gentle and kind-a season of rest from the wheel of the mind – John Geddes
Don’t go out without a coat, you’ll catch your death of cold – idiom from 1600’s
It took a good bit of time dealing with the weather in the past few weeks. Cold temperatures dropped into the teens after having a week of 70 degrees. Out came wooly socks, sweaters, coats, boots, and gloves. The fireplace was glowing; the heat system was putting out warm air yet I felt cold and wrapped myself up in my full-length sweater, more like a blanket. I tried to keep the bird feeders full while birds forage the ground for more nourishment. I added two blocks of suet nailed to a tree and watched jays and woodpeckers picking at the suet block.
Soon after the cold arrived, we started getting uncomfortable symptoms of runny noses, a bit of coughing, reaching for Kleenex and over the counter medications. We were never truly sick but a bit of discomfort. I wondered about diagnoses we often attributed to the above systems; calling it a “cold.” According to a British post “The term “cold” became popular in the 16th century because the symptoms of a cold are similar to those of being exposed to cold weather.” Instead of going outside in the “cold” I thought I’d do a little more research on how we could diagnose our symptoms for ourselves. The medical name for a “cold” is “acute upper respiratory infection.” It’s a viral infection affecting the upper respiratory tract including nose, throat and sinuses. Symptoms for colds would include chills and fevers. We ruled out having a cold even though there are 200 different types of viruses that can cause a cold. If you’re really sick you should see a doctor or at least a pharmacist.
I had a thick book on “Natural Healing” published in 1976. I loaned it out and for the last few years couldn’t find it; and then I did. The book is a little over two inches thick; I pushed it under the head of my mattress thus elevating my head for better breathing. In the book a number of doctors and biochemists researched and found vitamin C reactions seemed to lower symptoms if used early. They reported lemons are high in vitamin C, more so than limes. Lemons can be added to a variety of herbal teas. A Dr. Kloss calls the brew “one of the most wonderful gifts of God in the healing of diseases” and recommends it be taken by the hot cupful every hour for fevers and colds.”
Another suggestion from Poland related to heating a cup of milk until it’s scalding hot, adding one tablespoon of honey, a teaspoon of butter, and mix well. Toss in half a teaspoon of fresh grated garlic or garlic powder. The “savory concoction” is then sipped slowly about an hour before retiring. While I love the idea of natural healing, during the cold weather I had a warm cup of herbal tea; then arranged an appointment with the Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctor just to make sure all was well.
Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].
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