8 reasons why I didn’t get sick this winter, how much they cost me, and what I still need to work on
Jennifer Schmid
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I did not get a cold or the flu this winter, despite being surrounded by snotty noses and some nasty coughs. (In my humble opinion, the flu vaccine is not the answer to health and well-being, let alone preventing illness. You can read more about my thoughts on the flu vaccine here.)
This is the first winter in a long time that I didn’t come down with a cold or other upper respiratory bug. Last year wasn’t bad— I had one fever-less day where I felt absolutely miserable with aches and chills, spent that day in bed and woke up the next day with a mild cold that stuck with me for a week. This year though, my immune system was able to hold it together, and I made it through with nary a sniffle.
Here’s a snapshot of what worked for me — and what I paid in $$ for it.
Zeolite. There’s a reason I write a lot about zeolite, particularly a form called clinoptilolite. Living in the Silicon Valley, it’s impossible to escape the environmental toxins from car and airplane exhaust, soil and water contaminants, not to mention unhappy people 😝. Clinoptilolite also has anti-viral properties. I’ve been using it for years, and it has made a big impact in my health and well-being, particularly my ability to ward off colds and flus. Cost per 30 days: $63.83
Echinacea. Don’t believe the myths that you can only take echinacea short-term. I take it every day for most of the year and especially when traveling. For better or worse, my favorite brand comes from Australia and is only available through licensed health care practitioners. Please complete the form below if you’d like more info about it. Cost per 30 days: between $30-$50
Probiotics and Prebiotics. There are so many different kinds of probiotics out there. I like ones that combine probiotics (the healthy microbes we want living in our gut) with prebiotics (foods like starches and fibers that help the healthy microbes survive and thrive). Multiple scientific studies are published weekly about the benefits of probiotics and live foods on our gut and therefore our immune system. Please complete the form below for information about the ones I like. Cost per 30 days: between $20-$40
CBD/Hemp oil. CBD oil is not for everyone. I chose to use a CBD oil that is THC free, meaning it doesn’t have the mind-altering effects that marijuana can have, although sometimes it does contribute to wonky dreams if I’m really tired. The effect of the CBD on my health has been subtle, but I feel less creaky when I get up in the morning, and I have zero menstrual cramps when I take it regularly. Sorry for the TMI, but some people out there might find it valuable to know! Click here for more information about my favorite CBD oil. (I’ll be writing a blog about CBD later this month, so stay tuned.) Cost per 30 days: $60-69
Essential oils in a diffuser and as a spray. My favorite pre-made blends are from doTerra (my.doterra.com/jenniferoasis), but you can also get creative and make your own blends. Please email me or complete the form below if you’d like more info. Cost per 30 days: $1-2. (A small bottle of essential oil can last a very long time. The initial investment is in buying the oil, which can run between $20-$30 for a good quality oil.)
Hand hygiene. Sometimes I think my brain can see the microbes that people leave on door knobs, stair railings and other communal locations. If only they knew!! I carry an essential oil-based hand sanitizer with me in my purse and am mindful about using it before I eat and/or touch my face. I am not quite obsessed about keeping my hands clean, but I am definitely mindful. Cost: $2/month
This is the most important one. I’ll talk about it in a moment, so keep reading.
What I still need to work on
I’ve been studying natural healing and nutrition for over 20 years, but I’m still human and far from perfect. I have a few areas where I am working to improve and give myself more TLC. It’s hard to put a cost on them, but I know in my heart that they do cost me time, energy, and money.
Sleep. I wish I could say I am one of those lucky people who gets 8 hours of sleep each night. This is probably my biggest area where I need to improve, and I am not alone in this, since most Americans are chronically sleep deprived. I get between 6-7 hours most weeknights, and 7-8 on the weekends. My sleep has improved greatly since I started working from home, am working out regularly, and started using a white noise machine when I travel.
Distress through empathy. The world is a complicated mess these days, and everyone is feeling it. I’m still working on setting boundaries so that I don’t take on other people’s stress and sadness. It’s one thing to listen to a friend or family member in need. I love being there for my peeps, and generally I do ok with that. However, the angst, division and hate on social media and in the news, especially the hate directed at vaccine choice, serve no one, and I have started to limit my daily exposure dramatically.
Stress from my own life. Lord knows that I create many of the messes in which I find myself. The question is, how do I cope with the occasional overwhelm? I have so many tools in my toolbox, such as meditation, exercise, and getting out into nature, but I don’t always use them to my advantage. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, our culture does not teach us to put on our own oxygen masks first. I have gotten a LOT better at this in the past year and seeing the fruits of my labor.
Love: My favorite way to stay healthy
As I was writing this, I got an email from a dear friend and soul sister who signed her kind note with “I love you.” Reading those words from my friend created a wave of warmth in my entire being.
There is no pill or herbal remedy on this earth that can equate the seismic healing force of love. Giving and receiving love can have a magical effect on health and well being. Obviously it’s important to express love in a way that honors the body, soul and spirit, but those ways are almost infinite, and they don’t have to cost anything or take a lot of time. Little expressions of love add up to big medicine.
There is no doubt in my mind that the love I gave to the people around me, especially while they were sick or not feeling well, had as much of a healing impact on me this winter as it did them. Likewise, when someone has shown me love and I am flooded with gratitude, I swear I can feel it change me for the better at the cellular level.
I know that there are a lot of people out there feeling unloved or unworthy of receiving love. Please know that you are not alone and that you are so worthy. Everyone deserves love, the same way that everyone deserves good health.
If you’re in need of a little healing love, please let us know in the comments or complete the form below so we can reach out to you. It just might be the most important step you take on your healing journey.
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