My article in the last issue of Alaska Wellness described nine ways to avoid colds this winter: 1) Drink plenty of water; 2) Get plenty of rest; 3) Wash your hands often; 4) Eat healthy food and saturate your body with nutrients; 5) Cultivate healthy relationships; 6) Exercise appropriately ; 7) Exercise your soul;  8) Get bodywork; and 9) Dress appropriately.

While this article focuses on how to get well once you are sick—specifically, by working with the energy of Thymus* and your immune system—it’s never too late to embrace any of the above steps. At the very first sign of a cold, don’t deny or give up, take action! Prepare for battle! As you are at your most contagious, go to bed. 

Nutritional supplements and homeopathic and non-prescription medications can be very helpful when you are sick. For example, last winter my naturopath concocted a remedy specifically for my trauma-related sinus infection. The remedy worked like a dream:  I resumed skate-skiing three days later without a relapse—despite the bitter weather. This five-day bout shattered my record for shortest sinus infection by at least two weeks!

Ideally you’ve already laid in a stash of your favorite remedies for just such an occasion. Don’t have favorite remedies? Consult the accompanying side-bar. Food is medicine, and certain foods are bad medicine. It’s the same with water: Hydration is critical, but municipal water like that in Anchorage with its load of chlorine and fluoride is murder on immune systems.

Colds are rarely just colds. Pretending otherwise increases the likelihood of a long, miserable slog. At the very least, getting sick suggests that your immune system is less than optimal. Perhaps your self-care has slipped or you’ve had some emotional stress? By dealing with those issues, you’ll recover that much quicker.

In fighting colds and flu, your thymus gland is your best ally. Working with Thymus strengthens your entire immune system—which is almost certainly needed, or else you wouldn’t have become sick in the first place. Thymus never ceases to amaze me. For example, I’ve seen Thymus clear pneumonia from the lungs in minutes.

The thymus gland sits between your sternum, heart, and lungs. This is a rough neighborhood for two reasons: 1) emotional and mechanical trauma tends to lodge here; and 2) the body will crowd thymus to protect the heart. To function properly, your thymus needs adequate space, blood, and energy. Before putting Thymus to work, address thymus’ basic needs.  In addition to being rude, doing otherwise unnecessarily burdens an already challenged thymus and is counterproductive. 

Taking Care of Thymus (Always do this first!)

Preliminaries: Lie down on your back, with a pillow under each elbow. Place the heel of one hand on your upper sternum with the heel of the other hand atop the first.

Now, ask Thymus if it will talk to you. If you hear a “yes” in your mind, ask it how it is doing. If it has challenges, ask how you can help.

1)  Specifically, ask Thymus if its space is adequate. If not, or if hearing no answer, ask your body to attract your hands wherever they need to go to optimize thymus’ space. Even if you don’t feel anything, stick with it for five or ten minutes. Even if you can’t find and release all the restrictions crowding your thymus, it will appreciate and reward your effort.

2) Repeat all of step 1, this time focusing on thymus’ blood supply.

3) Repeat all of step 1, this time focusing on thymus’ energy.  If Thymus wants more energy, invite it to pull all the energy it needs from the universe, through your hand. (If you are really sick or exhausted, ask someone to help channel universal energy into your thymus.)

4) Ask Thymus what are the most important things you can do to help. If you get an answer, be sure to comply. (Typically, the most frequent requests are more rest, more water, and less frequently a specific food, nutrient, or supplement. Ignore Thymus’ advice at your own expense!) 

When Thymus is ready to go to work, it will feel bubbly or tingly, as if your hand was directly above a freshly poured carbonated beverage.

Non-Prescription Cold & Flu Remedies & Recommendations Homeopathics:  Coldcalm and other Boiron products work well.  Herbal preparations: Echinacea, goldenseal, various Chinese herbs Vitamin C with Zinc, FluBan (Olive leaf extract), Oil Of Wild Oregano, Capsicum. Flora: Colostrum and probiotics (acidophilus plus other helpful internal organisms).     Foods: Garlic, ginger root, vegetable juices. Raw and fresh is best, but added at the last minute to cooked food or hot tea is a close second. Essential Oils: Young Living’s essential oil Thieves for prevention and R.C. for respiratory congestion; Eucalyptus and Tea Tree oil are also good. Sore throat:  Gargle with warm salt water—add aspirin if pain is excessive.  Sinus infections:  Use a Neti Pot with warm water, Neti drops, one aspirin (dissolved) and the contents of one acidophilus capsule (also dissolved). Sinus infections can be fatal; when in doubt, consult a health professional. Inner ear infections: Gently traction ears laterally. Never put any object or substance in your inner ear. Garlic oil or wild oregano on the outer ear might also be useful.

Evil Jungle Prince With Chicken Soup** When I was young, people generally went to bed when they got sick. If they were lucky, someone took care of them and maybe even made them their favorite foods. As an adult, I’ve had to do this for myself. One of my favorites is a soup loosely adapted from Mekong, in Honolulu—perhaps the first Thai restaurant in the United States. With a little practice, you can make this soup in 20-30 minutes. And remember: for colds, the spicier, the better (unless you have digestive issues). Instructions: To 2 quarts boiling water, add: Four cubes, organic bouillon One onion, diced and browned in olive oil Half a bulb of garlic, diced and browned in olive oil At least a thumb’s length of fresh ginger, root, sliced thin One chicken breast or 8 oz. tofu, diced, browned in olive oil A spear or two of lemon grass, sliced A cup of dried rice, cooked,  or 8 ounces of fettuccine, cooked Cook all together, for at least 10 minutes, so flavors have a chance to mingle Serve in bowls. Before eating, add fresh basil and/or cilantro, chopped, and season to taste.    Enjoy!

Working With Your Immune System  

1) Ask Thymus to send immune cells to the problem area (lungs, throat, nasal passages, sinuses, etc.) to look for any cells or substances that look out of place or are different, and report back with a physical description of those cells (shape, color, geometry or other distinguishing characteristics). Any description will be immensely helpful. (Think in terms of kindergarten refrigerator art.)

2)  Ask Thymus to send to the problem area whatever immune cells are most effective for dealing with the cells described. Give Thymus five to ten minutes to accomplish this.

3)  Re-check:  Ask Thymus if all the cells of that description are gone. If not, or if not sure (virus and bacteria are very good at morphing and hiding), ask Thymus what you can do to help and how long it will take to complete the job.

4) Check for other pathogens—often there is more than one type present. (You may do this via repeating step 1.)  If you get a description of another pathogen, repeat steps 2 and 3.

5) Ask Thymus to repair any damaged tissues, if appropriate (that is, if it is in your best interest). If your illness is in multiple parts of your body (for example, lungs, upper respiratory tract and sinuses), repeat these steps for each part, as the germs may be different in different parts of the body; your immune system will need an accurate description for each pathogen. 

6) When all is done, remember to thank Thymus for its help. Additionally, you might again ask Thymus what you can do to make its job easier. Then, take your medicine:  In other words, follow Dr. Thymus’ orders!

You can use similar protocols to eliminate adhesions, scar tissue, toxins, and emotional toxins. You don’t need to know the names of the various immune cells or what they are good for. (In any event, it would be inappropriate to tell thymus how to do its job, even if you thought you knew.)  Don’t rush. A slow methodical approach is best. Give Thymus at least a fraction of the time you would spend visiting the doctor.

A Santé:  Best wishes for a fast and complete recovery.

A CranioSacral therapist in Anchorage, Mike Macy works with Thymus, internal organs, and substructures of the brain to locate and address the causes of chronic and mysterious health challenges (258-7261).

*Editor’s Note: We have used ‘Thymus’ to indicate the larger energy force and intelligence of this gland, and ‘thymus’ to indicate the physical gland itself.

**For the original recipe, see Keo’s Thai Cuisine by Keo Sananikone (Ten Speed Press, 1986).

***Vegetarians may substitute tofu and miso for chicken.