Whooping Cough

I'm sure you've heard lately that Whooping Cough,
also known as Pertussis, is breaking out.

According the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention
these are the symptoms you are looking for:

"Pertussis can cause serious illness in infants, children and adults. The disease starts like the common cold, with runny nose or congestion, sneezing, and maybe mild cough or fever. But after 1–2 weeks, severe coughing begins. Infants and children with the disease cough violently and rapidly, over and over, until the air is gone from their lungs and they're forced to inhale with a loud "whooping" sound. Pertussis is most severe for babies; more than half of infants less than 1 year of age who get the disease must be hospitalized. About 1 in 20 infants with pertussis get pneumonia (lung infection), and about 1 in 100 will have convulsions. In rare cases, pertussis can be deadly, especially in infants."

The key symptom we are looking for here is the violent and rapid cough that forces the person to take gasping breathes of air. The secondary infection of pneumonia is what we are working to avoid.

Here is my protocol for prevention of Whooping Cough as well as the Secondary infection of pneumonia.* I am a Certified Herbalist and I see hundreds of people a week in a retail setting the advice I give is based on 10 years of experience of working in the field of Natural Medicine. I take a very conservative approach in working with adults and children. I start with the foundation and work out from there.

1. Vitamin D3 5,000IU one tablet a day - It has been shown that the majority of the population is deficient in Vitamin D. Even if you laid in the sun all Summer the amount of Vitamin D that you soak up would not compensate for the Winter months. Vitamin D3 helps your immune cells to become more virulent and attack viral invaders. In the war of the good guys versus the bad guys your immune cells become Super juiced and turn into ninjas.

2. Olive Leaf Extract- It has not been technically proven how Olive Leaf works its magic, however we do know that it prevents the spread of all viruses, it also prevents and keeps down candida overgrowth. Over the many millions of years that Olive trees have grown they have created their own defenses against many bugs, bacterial infection, viral infection, fungal infection etc. These defenses exist in the chemical wisdom of the leaves and when we extract the leaves into a potent herbal medicine are bodies are then privileged to use this wisdom internally. I like the Barlean's brand and recommend 1 Tablespoon a day for adults and half this dose for children

3. When a secondary infection presents itself in Adults I use New Chapter's Oreganoforce 2 softgels 3 times a day. Just as Olive Leaf has evolved natural defenses over the years to bacterial invaders so has Oregano. Oregano has Carvacrols which are essential oils that have been shown to wipe out numerous bacteria, fungus, yeast etc. The unique thing about Oregano is that it is taken as an essential oil and in order for your body to process an essential oil out it is breathed through the whole respiratory tree. As you breathe it out through your lungs it does its job of killing all the bacteria on its way out.

For Children and infants with a secondary infection I use Homeopathy. I start with Drosera Rotundofolia 30c 5 pellets every 15 minutes until the cough changes and becomes loose and ropey. Than I switch the remedy to Spongia Tosta 30c 5 pellets every 15 minutes until the cough subsides. I use Mullein and Plaintain Herbs in a tea mixed with Lemon Balm and Mint.

I have had much success with this protocol. I invite you to please educate yourself on all of the things I've mentioned. Take your health into your own hands and be wise about your choices for you and your family. This also goes with out saying that the usual methods of protection such as hand-washing etc. should be employed. You ultimately have the say when it comes to your health. Be empowered by the Wisdom inherit in life itself. Nature has the best medicine.

~ Nicole Plaisted Desert Sage

www.sandiegoherbcompany.com

www.efectivherbals.com

* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not meant to treat or cure any disease. It is also not meant to replace the advise of a medical professional. If you are in an emergency situation it is best to seek the advice of a qualified medical professional.