How I Got Sick (And Why I'm Happy About It!)
Up until last Christmas, I really hadn't been sick in about 10 years. No colds, flu, viruses, nothing. Being the health nerd I am, I figured this was a good thing and that I was just super healthy.
Recently, however, I learned something a little contrary to this belief that proved to be a true "ah-ha" moment for me and my health.
You see, when we get sick, we are exposing our immune system and our bodies to a stressor that will eventually enable us to adapt and fight off that stressor so that we do not get the same strain of it again. It is good to challenge our immune system in this way occasionally (I'm not saying we want to be sick all the time!).
If we never get sick, that is a sign that our body is working in overdrive. It is constantly in "fight or flight" mode and never given a chance to calm the F down and relax. In a sense, our body realizes that we are in no shape to get sick because if we were to get sick, our immune system probably wouldn't be able to handle the extra burden in addition to everything else it is handling (i.e. stress, lack of sleep, over/under-exercising, nutrient-poor diet, stress, stress, stress...did I say stress??).
Around Christmas, I took a few days off from work, went home, and simply relaxed something I rarely get to do. When I got back, I immediately came down with a little bit of a sore throat and sinus cold. I was able to ward off the sore throat very quickly with OnGuard essential oils from doTerra and tons of tea. However, the sinus cold remained a few days, and I also lost my voice for a week.
Two weeks ago, I took a week off from training at the gym. I could tell my body needed a break because of the stress I was under. My cortisol levels were all out of wack because of the time change, so I chose to listen to my body and take a little time off. The next week what happened? I got the exact same thing as mentioned above. A mild sore throat that went away quickly with a lingering sinus cold. Luckily, I haven't lost my voice (yet) at the time of writing this, so we'll see...
Regardless, even though dealing with blowing my nose 1000 times a day and not being able to breathe all day sucks, I'm glad I got sick. Why? Because it's a sign my body is healing. It's a sign that I'm starting to listen to it and give it more of what it needs: rest. While never getting sick is fun, it's also not fun to deal with the consequences of that 2, 5, 10+ years down the line with more serious health issues related to the immune system.
So, what am I doing to get rid of this sinus cold? Plenty of fluids (tea and water with lemon essential oil), OnGuard essential oil from doTerra, rest, and acupuncture. I have yet (and won't) take any NSAIDs to relieve the headache (which is mostly gone anyway) or any medications to help relieve the symptoms. It'll pass as it passes, and I'll just keep blowing my nose to get it all out!
The morale of the story - give your body some rest. Listen to it. Going in overdrive every day, all day is not good for any of us. It leads to so many health issues, none of which are ever worth dealing with. And if you're the person who never gets sick, this post is for you!
xoxo Olivia
