What we can do to support ourselves while COVID-19 is floating about

Hello Dear Friends  - 

I would like to offer some of my thoughts on what we all can do to stay as healthy as possible during this time with the COVID-19 virus among us.

Yes, it is incredibly important to wash our hands (20 seconds), use hand sanitizer, be social isolating and social distancing when we are out in public.

AND there are also many more things we can do to support and nourish our bodies minds and souls.

First, let me say that the COVID-19 virus is new to all of us and so treatments that specifically target this virus are still not definitively known. Therefore, the following advice is based on what has proven to be helpful for viruses and pathogens in general. (At the end of this writing  I do speak of herbal formulas that have been specially designed for the COVID-19, based on research for other corona viruses ).

Our bodies have an innate intelligence and when balanced and strong, our immune systems can do an incredible job at fighting off pathogens.

So, lets look at what we can do to support our immune systems:

GET PLENTY OF SLEEP - at least 8 hours/night.  Lack of sleep depresses our immune system.  

EAT A HEALTHY DIET - eat lots of veggies (eat the rainbow) - have veggies at every meal and fruit and veggies for your snacks -they are chock full of antioxidants, anti inflammatory and full of vitamins and minerals and phytonutrients.  Eat fermented foods - miso, kimchee, saurkraut, etc. - to support the good bugs in your gut that are essential for us to break down and absorb our food and and needed for our immune system to function properly. Cut way down on sugar and white flour -these suppress our immune system.  If you feel an infection then stop eating any sugar or white flour.

STAY HYDRATED - drink at least 8 cups of water a day.  Our cells need to be hydrated to function properly.  Being hydrated will thin the mucus that our bodies produce during an infection and the thinner the mucus, the easier it will be too get it up and out of the lungs.

REDUCE STRESS - stress hormones have an inhibitory effect on our immune systems. Make it a priority to spend some time every day relaxing your body and mind - meditate, do yoga, take bath, do artwork, whatever helps you relax, calm your thoughts and decrease anxiety.  Here’s a link to many wonderful, guided meditations  - https://www.tarabrach.com/guided-meditations/

USE MEDICINAL HERBS:

Herbs can help so much!!!!

What do most of us have in our kitchens that we can use to help us support our health?

GARLIC - potent antimicrobial (including antiviral), immune boosting, supports CV health, breaks up lung congestion, is pungent and warming.  You must chop it up first  - then can just take like a pill and swallow with water OR 

*can mix in OLIVE OIL (which is ANTIVIRAL & PROTECTS THE CILIA - which are the little hairs that line our respiratory tract and move in wavelike motions to sweep the mucous out - the CORONA VIRUS attacks our cilia cells - so its important to eat lots of OLIVE OIL to protect our cilia) 

So -can add the chopped up garlic to olive oil and eat it on bread or over veggies - do this everyday!!!          And add extra olive oil to your veggies, soups, rice, pasta, etc…

or you can mix the garlic with raw honey and swallow a spoonful.

Take 1 clove a day for prevention - take 3-5 if feeling any infection.ALWAYS TAKE WITH FOOD SO DOESN’T HURT YOUR STOMACH

ONIONS - antimicrobial and  break up lung congestion.

Can make an onion poultice if you have lung congestion and this will help kill the pathogens and break up the mucus so you can get it up and out - here’s a link on how to make poultice :https://planetherbs.com/blogs/michaels-blogs/onion-poultice-for-deep-seated-coughs/

GINGER - antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, great for GI tract too, warming - put into soups, stir Frys, makes lovely tea - chop up and put about 1/4 cup into 8 cups water , bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add honey if you like.

Or you can go all out and make your own Chai tea - by adding to the ginger: cinnamon sticks, black pepper, cloves and cardamom pods (not necessary but yummy) - simmer all for 15 minutes.  Chaga can be added too, if you have it - about 1/4 cup per 8-10 cups water. If you want black tea - add that after you have simmered the rest. ( I would not recommend black tea if you have a cold/flu/infection).

THYME , SAGE, ROSEMARY, OREGANO -all these common cooking herbs are antimicrobial, great for colds and flus and support upper and lower respiratory and lung health. Can make a tea with one or all of them and drink a few cups a day - put tsp-TBS of the herb in mug, fill mug with hot water and cover (keep the volatile oils in) let sit 5-10 minutes, strain, add honey if you like and enjoy.

AND WHAT ABOUT HERBS THAT WE CAN GATHER OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW?

USNEA LICHEN - antimicrobial, antiviral, affinity for the lungs (and urinary tract ) - can simmer for 15 minutes and drink as tea, can also just eat little dime-sized balls of it.

WHITE PINE NEEDLES - very high in Vitamin C - chop up, put handful in pot of water, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and drink 1-2 cups/day.

Soon there will be many more medical herbs to use and I’ll write about them as they start growing out there !

 OTHER HERBS THAT BOOST IMMUNITY:

ECHINACEA

ELDERBERRY  - there has been concern that these 2 herbs can cause a cytokine storm - here is an article responding to this - https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/elderberry-side-effects.html - by herbalist Rosalee de la foret.

There is no evidence that the herbs do this - but, if you are worried about this, then just take them for prevention and discontinue use if you get an infection (bc a cytokine storm will not happen when you don't have an acute infection).

BONESET

ELEUTHERO

MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS (reishi, turkey tail, shittake, cordyceps) - 

Local source of shittake mushrooms  - amanda.narowski@gmail.com

SUPPLEMENTS that I highly suggest for now:

VIT C - 1000 3X/DAY

D3 - 2000-5000/DAY

ZINC - 30-50 MG/DAY

In regards to Vit C- and COVID-19 

:  https://www.worldhealth.net/news/official-statement-china-recommended-treatment-covid-19/

The official statement from Xi’an Jiaotong University Second Hospital reads:  “On the afternoon of February 20, 2020, another 4 patients with severe new coronaviral pneumonia recovered from the C10 West Ward of Tongji Hospital. In the past 8 patients have been discharged from hospital. . . [H]igh-dose vitamin C achieved good results in clinical applications. We believe that for patients with severe neonatal pneumonia and critically ill patients, vitamin C treatment should be initiated as soon as possible after admission. . .

Early application of large doses of vitamin C can have a strong antioxidant effect, reduce inflammatory responses, and improve endothelial function. . . Numerous studies have shown that the dose of vitamin C has a lot to do with the effect of treatment. . . [H]gh-dose vitamin C can not only improve antiviral levels, but more importantly, can prevent and treat acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress (ARDS).”

“We need to broadcast a message worldwide very quickly: Vitamin C (small or large dose) does no harm to people and is the one of the few, if not the only, agent that has a chance to prevent us from getting, and can treat, COVID-19 infection. When can we, medical doctors and scientists, put patients’ lives first?” (Richard Z. Cheng, MD, PhD, International Vitamin C China Epidemic Medical Support Team Leader).”

ESSENTIAL OILS - local VT store where you can order essential oils - https://aromedessentials.com/collections/essential-oils

-are highly anti microbial (caution - too strong to put directly on skin undiluted)

When you go out into a public space, wear a mask and treat it with any 2-3 of these essential oils: eucalyptus, frankincense, tea tree, thyme, oregano and rosemary.  Put a few drops of these on your mask to protect yourself and others and it also treats your entire respiratory system as well.

If you do feel any cold or flu-like feelings (or for prevention or if you have been out in the public) - great to do a steam and use any of the above essential oils - will go deep into your lungs and kill pathogens, thin mucous secretions, open nasal passageways….boil water in pot, put on table, put head over pot with towel over head to make like a tent - CLOSE EYES (oils will hurt eyes), put one drop oil in water, breathe deep…..when no more scent, add another drop…..do for at least 5 minutes, the longer the better.

FEVER SUPPORT:

It is really important to understand that a fever is purposefully created in our body in order to kill off pathogens.  When our internal body temperature is raised, this denatures and destroys pathogens. Therefore, even though it is uncomfortable, it is important to allow yourself to have a fever, as this will help to kill off the pathogens and shorten the duration of the infection. If your fever is under 104, then let it do it’s thing and don't suppress it with fever-reducing drugs or this will prolong the illness.

There is a class of herbs called ‘Diaphoretics” which are very helpful during fevers.  Diaphoretics open the capillaries on our skin, open our pores and help us sweat and help to break the fever. Some diaphoretic herbs are: yarrow, peppermint, thyme, ginger, boneset, black pepper, fennel, elder, don quai, baikal skullcap.

If you have a fever and you are cold - drink some ginger tea (a stimulating diaphoretic) - this will warm you up and support the fever process, as you feel hotter (and achey and miserable) then go for a relaxing diaphoretic like fennel or peppermint tea - these will help to release the internal heat and break the fever.

Great podcast on flus and fever - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/holistic-herbalism-and-influenza/id1243181579?i=1000459820051

Herbal products I have to offer :

My Immune Booster blend contains herbs that boost our body’s immune system and also herbs that directly kill off pathogens.  This is a helpful blend for prevention of infections including colds and flus.

My Lung Support has herbs that support lung function, support the mucous membrane of the lungs, fight off lung infections and thin mucous secretions.

My Sinus Oil has essential oils diluted in herbal oils that heal and soothe the mucous membranes of the sinus passageways. The essential oils are antimicrobial and open up the nasal passageways. This oil is great for preventing and healing sinus infections PLUS it is a great oil to put up your nostrils before you go out into public spaces to further protect yourself and others from pathogens in the air.

(I am sold out of my Elderberry Syrup Plus)

I am also making up some herbal blends that have been specifically formulated for the COVID-19 virus based on research of other Corona Viruses (like SARS).  These formulas were created by Stephen Buhner - a well-known herbalist, researcher and author.  Buhner has an amazing ability to research and understand pathogens and herbs and then put together protocols that are very effective.

Here  is the link to the PDF by Buhner where he goes into detail about the “SARS-group of viruses” (COVID-19 is in this group) and why he is proposing the use of certain herbs to help deal with this pathogen. -https://www.stephenharrodbuhner.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/coronavirus.txt.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0agIt512xkQBev4l5IqkJnCi2xDNZPp48N1EbcbXGoLMTPqXUspF2Kdlc

I am not claiming  that these formulas will cure a COVID-19 infection but theoretically, if the COVID-19 virus behaves similarly to other SARS-group viruses,  then these herbs have many actions that could greatly deter this pathogen and  support our bodies to fight off this infection.

From his PDF - “There are perhaps a dozen or two known corona viruses, only seven or so (at this time) are known to infect people. The first one that raised serious international concern was SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome). The new, pandemic coronavirus is a very close relative which is why it’s called SARS-Cov- 2. As with the original SARS organism, it is a serious pathogen when it begins to spread among large numbers of people.

The rationale here is to find plants that will counteract the actions of the SARS- group of viruses, then to cross correlate those in order to choose the plants that are present in most categories of action and that have a tradition of use for these kinds of infections.”

If you would like some of these herbal blends please email me at rootvinehealing@gmail.com

Email with any questions.

Sending warm and healthy wishes to all.

Love, Kimberly

Bless the Hops day

I was having a hard morning.  Two weeks earlier my husband of 21 years had started talking about finding his own apartment and I was still reeling with hurt, fear and confusion.

It was the 2nd annual “Bless the Hops” day at my friend Robyn’s.  There were 10 women gathered in a circle on Robyn’s lawn.  Anne led us in some yoga and then I led a guided meditation to help us ground, connect with the Earth and connect with the spirit of the Hops.  We spoke a blessing into some hops flowers from last year and put them in a bowl of water that we would pour over the hop plants at the end of the day.

We gathered our tools, hats and sunscreen and headed down to Robyn’s Hop Field.  Under her instruction we weeded and helped untangle and redirect some of the wandering and unruly vines.

We chatted and worked together for a couple hours, then sipped and poured the Hops’ Blessing Water on the Earth.

Everyone headed back up to share Robyn’s cake but I felt like I wanted more time with the hops - by myself.

I had just gotten my area weeded out and wanted to finish my job of tending the hops.  Once the others left my attention was much more focused on my work. There was a certain width of earth under the trellis where the hops were allowed to grow but the hops growing outside of this designated area  needed to be pulled up by the roots.  The tricky part was that all the vines were already growing up and entwined around each other so you needed to carefully unravel the vines to find out which ones had their roots in the undesignated growing areas.

I was glad to be alone as my heart was heavy and I was hoping to commune with the some flowering hops in another row when I was done with my work and perhaps receive some guidance.

I focused on my entangled vines, carefully untwining two that were growing up the trellis together.  I had to go slowly so that I didn't break or damage each vine and carefully unraveled and pulled the vines apart.  Once the vines were separated then I could find out which ones were rooted outside of the growing area and needed to be pulled up and which ones I needed to redirect back up the trellis to continue growing on their own.

As my mind quieted I became fully engrossed in unraveling the vines.  As I gingerly unwound two very entwined vines the Message and Guidance from the Hops plant started dawning on me - I didn't need to go visit the flowers - this work I was doing was teaching me something I needed to grasp.  

These vines were growing too closely together - they needed their own space, their own individual trellis to grow on by themselves -to have the air and room to grow and stretch.  When the vines were so entwined it was impossible to tell where their individual roots were growing. Some of the vines needed to be pulled out entirely so the rest of the hops could grow freely and have room.  

My husband and I needed to untwine from each other - carefully and respectfully but yes we needed to pull apart in order to feel where our own individual roots were. Over the many years and kids and life we had become entangled and wound around each other for support - but, like the hops - the entwining eventually became too much and we unconsciously got to a place where our entanglement was preventing us from connecting clearly with our individual roots.  We now needed our own trellis to grow on with space around us to allow us to ground into our own selves.  We needed to regain our connection with our own individual strength and power.  

 It was a message I had been resisting, but there in the Hop Field it became very clear.  I cried, gave thanks , and let the tears run down my dirty cheeks as I unwound the vines. 

When the two vines were fully untangled I discovered that each one was growing within the designated area and so they both could stay.   So, one at a time I wound each vine back onto the trellis but now they each had their own individual line to wind around for support  - they were growing side by side but were no longer entangled.

This experience and connection with the Hops provided me with some much needed understanding and support. It was an understanding that I was blocking until I felt it from the Hops and the Earth. 

 The process of separating from my husband was still challenging but the Hops helped me through.  When things got rough I would think of the Hops and imagine my roots going deep into the Earth as I also made my spiraling way upward and outward.

Happy Dirty Spring!!!

I just went out in my first Spring Rain! Oh what a nourishing and enlivening smell!

I really do love Winter with the crisp, cleansing cold, the peace of the quiet white snow, that refreshing zing I can only feel after exertion in the single digits and the cozy warmth of tending my fire.

However, this winter the one thing that I really did miss was the Dirt. More and more I have been realizing how incredibly healing and grounding getting my hands in the dirt truly is - on so many levels.

So - as I was just outside experiencing my first Spring rain of the season I also had my first Dirt experience of the season - and Oh how rich, grounding and healing it was.

I pressed both my hands in a nice muddy spot and layed my forehead right down between them…..I breathed, I sunk down in and, well…..I can't find the words to describe the deep, dark, rich, connection and earthy relief that I felt.

My buzzing mind sunk right down low and everything slowed way down. Such essential, dirty Healing.

So - I encourage you to go on out, find a patch of dirty, earthy goodness and get yourself down in it however you can.

Soak in that Dirty, Healing Vibe, open your heart and nose to that earthen smell.

Relax down into the deep, dark healing of Old Mama Earth and let your energies mingle with hers.

Here are 2 amazing, healing facts about our beloved Dirt:

We have discovered that our soil contains microscopic bacteria (Mycobacterium vaccae) that we breathe in or ingest as we work in the dirt. These dirt microbes enter our bodies and interact with our nerves and brains to make our bodies produce more serotonin (our “happy” neurotransmitter ) - which has an antidepressant effect!

So - apart from the soul-nourishing and mama earth connecting that we know happens when we garden - or roll or play in the dirt - now we also know that messing around in the dirt is akin to taking an anti depressant! So freaking cool - huh?!

Also - getting down in the dirt is also especially crucial to maintaining our health these days as all of us are continually bombarded with damaging EMF radiation frequencies from our cell phones, computers, microwaves etc.…by placing our feet or hands or bodies on or in the dirt - we literally ground and release all that EMF radiation harmful energy that is running through our bodies.

When we have direct contact with the earth/dirt we soak up the dirt’s negatively charged electrons which combat the numerous negative effects of positively charged free radicals in our bodies. Studies have shown that this electrical exchange with the earth provides numerous health benefits including - decreasing the stress hormone cortisol , decreasing inflammation , improves glucose regulation, oxygenates blood and switches the nervous system from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest.”

So- even more impetus to get outside, find a spot of good ol’ dirt and get down in it however you can. Happy Dirty Spring!!!