Podcast 125 — Stay Calm. Don’t Fear a Cold.

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IN THIS PODCAST, WE COVER:

01:00   Introduction: It’s Called a Cold for a Reason

02:20   What Is the Terrain?

03:22   The Immune System

06:00   Lean Into a Cold as an Opportunity To Cleanse

09:40   Stop Worrying. A Cold is Natural. Plus, We Have Homeopathy, if Necessary.

            ColdCalm®

            Oscillococcinum®

            Aconitum napellus 200 and Bryonia alba 30

14:53   Managing Expectations

18:26   Stay Calm. Don’t Fear a Cold

19:18   Become the Wise, Calm, Relevant Caregiver in Your Family

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Joette’s Learning Center

Gateway to Practical Homeopathy®: A Guided Study Group Curriculum

Joette’s Mighty Members

The Academy of Practical Homeopathy®

Joette Calabrese on YouTube

 

Kate:

This is the Practical Homeopathy® Podcast, episode number 125, with Joette Calabrese.

Joette:

Hi, I’m Joette Calabrese, and I welcome you to our health care movement — yours, mine and the countless men and women across the globe who have re-taken control of their families’ health with Practical Homeopathy®.

So, for the next few minutes, let's link our arms as I demystify homeopathy — what was once considered an esoteric paradigm — into an understandable, reproducible, safe and effective health care solution available to all.

This is the medicine you've been searching for — my unique brand of homeopathy, PRACTICAL Homeopathy®.

INTRODUCTION: IT’S CALLED A COLD FOR A REASON

Kate: (01:00)

Are you concerned about getting sick or your kids going back to school and being exposed to something that makes them sick? Well, let's examine that today on this podcast. We're so glad that you joined us. I'm Kate, and I'm here with Joette.

Joette:

Hi, Kate.

Kate:

Hi! I want to start with the basics. Joette. It seems like every year, especially in the fall, people can expect to get a cold. What do you think about that?

Joette:

Well, it's called a cold for a reason, in my estimation. It's because, generally, it's the shift in weather. The weather gets cold, or, even if you're not in an area where the weather gets cold, there's a shift — an environmental shift. And it has been commonly understood that if someone gets a chill that they, you know, “Put your hat on, or you'll catch your death of cold!”

Well, I believe that that can be so. You can get quite sick if you get a chill … especially after you've been perspired or children running around in a playground or a park or something. And then they get a chill, And often, that's what can lead to this.

So, I believe that it does have something to do with the environment. But now, I also believe that it has to do with immunity. Now, when we say “immunity,” I don't mean immune from bugs necessarily.

I believe it has more to do with the terrain.

WHAT IS THE TERRAIN?

Joette: (02:20)

What is the terrain? Well, it's making sure that there's strength in that terrain. And the terrain is upon which the person is depending to get through those times when their body might need to make a shift, like releasing toxins, et cetera.

So, let me be more specific. I believe that if germs are ever-present — and that's the way people see them — then why is it that people only get germy colds and flus at a certain time of the year? Pretty much it's only in the fall, sometimes in the winter — January, February. (I’m talking about those parts … I'm talking about the U.S., but also in Europe, et cetera.)

When that cold comes — that cold weather comes — and now are the germs more virulent? Do they get excited and start hopping onto people? Or are the germs always there, and those who have a good immune system are able to fend them off?

THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Joette: (03:22)

Well, if that's so, then why are we even looking to germs? Why are we not looking to the immune system or the ability to be able to withstand an onslaught of this or that? Why not just count on that to start?

So, the way that I look at it is that if we are taking care of ourselves, we're eating good food — and I mean real food, food that's made at home. Doesn't mean we can't go out to dinner occasionally, but homemade food where there are no ingredients listed on the package. Because if you're reading ingredients, it means you're already buying something that someone else has manufactured, and that is no longer whole. So, whole food — a beef roast put into the oven with carrots and onions and potatoes — and that's dinner. That's what I'm talking about. Eggs — well sourced — for example, cooked in butter. Yes, butter.

And so that's step one.

Step two is making sure that your family and you are getting enough sleep and good rest. Going to bed early; getting out of bed early; sleeping in a room that's clean with the windows slightly ajar, even in the cold weather (windows should be ajar so that there's fresh air seeping through); keeping hands clean and the body clean and the home clean. Also, when we can, outside in the sun every day for half an hour — without sunscreen, my friends. We do not want to put chemicals on our bodies.

So, what we want to be doing is treating our bodies with respect and treating our children's bodies in the same way by following simple measures. Drinking water — pure good water regularly, every hour … a few ounces every hour of good water; exercise, moving — raking the leaves, cleaning out the garage — doing purposeful work combined with exercise is a great way to keep the body moving properly; reading only what's good; watching only what is pure and lofty; and eschewing those areas of life that are downtrodden and bring us down.

Now we approach the cold season with an immune system — whatever we might want to call it — with an “ability,” (let's say it that way) for the body to be able to withstand something that might occur.

LEAN INTO A COLD AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEANSE

Joette: (06:00)

Now, I actually believe that a “cold” (air quotes) … that a “cold” is really just a cleansing. It's a release; it's an opportunity.

And so, instead of fighting it and being afraid of it and figuring that we've got to fight this: “This can't be! I'm not … I can't have a cold! My child can't have a cold!” Just lean into it and take care of yourself or your child's body.

Go to bed, drink plenty of water again. Often, it's a great idea to put some Celtic salt in that water because that's what we perspire … some Celtic salt in that water that's drunk every hour. Make some good bone stock and drink that and take it easy.

And instead of fighting it, lean into it. It's an opportunity to cleanse.

And so how do we know that it is even a cleanse? Well, usually the first feeling when someone gets a “cold” (air quotes), they sneeze, or they feel a little scratchy throat (probably because the mucus is releasing down the throat and causing some irritation). And then, they get fatigued.

What does fatigue mean? It means that we need to lay down and sleep.

What does all the release of the mucus mean? It means we blow our nose and replenish it with good quality water, bone stock, et cetera.

And we take it easy and allow this process to happen.

We've lived with this bouillon cube — this concentration of ideas, this whole constellation of ideas that getting (air quote) a “cold” is a bad thing and that we must do everything we can to avoid it.

We take drugs; we take synthetic vitamins; we don't take care of our bodies. We push ourselves through it. We get injections because we're so afraid it could turn into something like pneumonia.

And it's an entire constellation of ideas that has been put upon us for a very long time — really a hundred years, approximately, maybe even less than that — that teaches us that there are some really big, ugly bad germs that are out there to get us. And know my friends, it's just nature.

I use this analogy regarding your garden.

If you look at your garden, and you go out into it, and it looks like the tomato plants are withering, and they're not robust, do you inject the plant? Do you give the plant pesticides, herbicides, fungicides? Do you start clouding it all up with drugs and chemicals? No. You say, “Hmmm, what could this be?”

Perhaps the plant has not gotten enough water. Or, perhaps the plant was planted in the shade, and it should have been in the sun. Or, perhaps there are other plants around it that are causing trouble, and it needs to be separated. It's too crowded. It needs more air around it.

We use common sense when it comes to a tomato plant. But when it comes to ourselves, we think we must chemicalized it. We must fight it and pretend it doesn't exist and push through it instead of leaning into it and allowing ourselves to take life easy for a few days or so.

STOP WORRYING. A COLD IS NATURAL. PLUS, WE HAVE HOMEOPATHY, IF NECESSARY.

Kate: (09:40)

I think part of what allows us to lean into that and not worry so much about whatever is the latest thing that's going around or our kids getting a cold is that we have tools that we can use when that happens … if it's something that requires a little assistance for the body. And so, can you give us some ideas about how we can be prepared going into what's commonly known as the cold and flu season in the fall, and how parents cannot worry about that?

Joette:

Well, I love that you said that. Stop worrying! This is natural. We're supposed to release those things, those — for lack of a better way — toxins from the body. It is intended that we are to cleanse these substances out.

What substances are they? I'm going to tell you. I don't really know. Are they microorganisms? Perhaps. Are they exposure to chemicals? Perhaps. Whatever it is, let it just happen. Let's start with that and not become afraid.

Because when it comes to children, the real danger in a child's life is not a so-called infectious disease. The real danger in a child's life is, well, number one is, the drugs that are going to be used on the child — put into the child — whatever form that might be. But minus that, the concern that most parents should have is about safety.

And what I mean by that is children are harmed in the house by getting burned or falling from high places or getting cut by accident or getting bitten by a bad dog or something like that.

That is much more dangerous than any regular common “cold” (quote-unquote) or flu or anything like that.

So, can we use homeopathy when something like this comes along? Well, I'll tell you that there are two schools of thought, and they both rattle around in my head.

One is that I think it's valuable to just leave the person alone. Let them just sleep off. Give them, as I said, bone stock; plenty of water with a pinch of salt in it; and rest, rest, rest. And just let it be.

On the other hand, if it's severe enough, and it looks like this is bigger than you bargained for, then we do have homeopathic medicines. One of them is ColdCalm®, made by Boiron. But they're not the only ones. There are other homeopathic pharmacies that manufacture combination medicines that are really useful.

They also — Boiron — happens to manufacture a product called Oscillococcinum®. “Oscillo” it's known for, as a shortened version of Oscillococcinum.

Kate:

Named after their dog?

Joette:

Yes. Well, actually, the dog is named after it, but yes. Yeah, Michelle Boiron …

Kate:

Oh, the dog was named after it. The dog was named after the …

Joette:

Yes. Oh, Michelle Boiron, the owner of Boiron. When I interviewed her years ago, she told me that her dog's name was Oscillo, and that he wore a little blue coat, like the blue bottles.

Kate:

So cute.

Joette:

I know it is funny.

But then we also have Aconitum 200, and if we mix it with Bryonia 30, that can be used. We can use homeopathy, and homeopathy can be efficacious. But we have to start with the underpinnings of an understanding that colds, flus are not generally dangerous. In fact, it's extremely rare that they are. What they are is a nuisance. That's all they are. They make us slow down.

But if we lean into that too and recognize that even though it may be a nuisance, it might be one of the best things for us to just calm down, slow down. Maybe the person is doing too much; maybe they're staying up too late. Maybe they're not getting sunshine without sunscreen ever. Maybe they're not moving enough. Maybe the news that they're indulging in is too negative, et cetera.

So, it is an opportunity to remove what needs to be removed from the body, whether it's through the sinuses, the throat, the mouth, the ears, the skin — even the skin, yes — the colon.

And let me just say this, parenthetically, that a lot of times, parents say, “Oh my gosh, my child had a cold, and now he's got a rash.”

Yes! How cool is that? Yes, it's a release! It's a great way to get rid of something. Just leave it alone. Don't put anything on it.

If you use anything that is manufactured by the pharmaceutical industry — and I mean over the counter, anything from a drugstore, et cetera — it will only potentially suppress. And that's the same for all those cold drugs — other than homeopathic. All of those cold drugs can cause more trouble in the long run than just leaving it alone.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS

Kate: (14:53)

So, let's talk a little bit about expectations. Say you're using homeopathy, and the child is not feeling well, and you want them to feel better. Right? So, you're giving them some homeopathy, and you expect the cold to just go away after a few doses or maybe a day or two. Is that realistic?

Joette:

Well, let's go back one step further again.

The attitude of the mother is key. If the mother goes, “Oh, no, look, you're sick again. Oh, for crying out loud, what are we going to do? This is terrible. And stay away from your brothers! Stay away from your sisters! Don't let your father get near you!”

That's a lot different than saying, “Oh, you don't feel well. Come on over here, honey. Let me hold you. And let's make some bone stock, and we'll just lay down here on the sofa, and I'll put a blanket over you, and maybe we'll pray together.” How about that idea? “And then you just rest. And don't worry, it'll be over in no time.”

That's a lot different than the first scenario.

Now, I'm not saying that all mothers follow the first scenario, but they may not say it, but they may be thinking it.

And instead of thinking that, instead of worrying, just let it be. And that's that leaning into it again.

So, having said that, let's start with that. If you must use a homeopathic medicine, then the expectation might be, “Well, I'll give it a couple doses. If it doesn't act, maybe I won't even bother using it anymore,” which is not a bad thing.

But let me also say that if you expect the homeopathic medicine to act, you have to follow the directions. And on the outside of the box — if it's, for example, ColdCalm® — you're going to use it pretty frequently over a period of a couple of days or until there's a good amount of improvement.

Is this diametrically opposed these two schools of thought? Leave it alone; let it be; lean into it and just know it's a good thing to release all of this. Or the other side is using homeopathy.

And so, for someone who's new to this kind of thinking, often they still want to give something. “I got to give something. I got to at least give synthetic vitamin C!” Not juice some oranges, no. “I've got to give synthetic vitamin C. I've got to give synthetic vitamin D.”

No, what we're talking about is nothing. Lean into it. And then, if you must use something, then it's, in my estimation, the best choice is to use homeopathy.

And the expectations might be that it moves very quickly, but it may not.

Kate:

You might just give the body a little boost and help the body to slowly heal.

Joette:

Yes! Yes, but it has to be … you have to follow the directions. You've got to give it frequently. In other words, you've got to use it … in some situations, you would use a medicine — homeopathic medicine — every 15 minutes for the first hour, and then after that, every few hours. That's generally the way it's used, depending on which homeopathic medicine you're using.

So, what's the upshot of all of this? That we are intended to live within nature. We are intended to act a certain way. And in our society today, we've been trained in this chaotic soup of wrong information to believe that you should not get a cold.

Kate:

Or you should fear … that's the other thing.

Joette:

Or that you should fear. That's even worse than getting the cold itself. Fear is really the concern.

STAY CALM. DON’T FEAR A COLD.

Joette: (18:26)

And so, as a mother or a grandmother, our job is to calm. The fear is to look at it and say, “No worries, honey. It's not a big deal. Let's just do this. Okay, you do that. Okay, now I'm going into the kitchen, and I'm going to go prepare dinner. If you need me, I'm here. But you'll be fine.”

Minimize it. Completely minimize it. You would be surprised how quickly a child will get over being sick — or your husband for that matter, or yourself — if you approach it without fear and just know that this is just an opportunity to get rid of what the body needs to get rid of.

Kate:

That's great information. So where does that leave us, Joette? What can you give us as we walk away from this podcast as a tool?

BECOME THE WISE, CALM, RELEVANT CAREGIVER IN YOUR FAMILY

Joette: (19:18)

Well, I believe that it's one of the greatest joys that a mother can experience, and that is to learn how to take care of her family without fear. To step into it with strength, with courage, but also with knowledge. Because you can't do this without undoing all the years of being told that these colds are serious, and we've got to get injections, and we've got to get this drug and take that drug.

There's something grand about keeping the calm in the family, and you can feel it from you to them. And then being able to look back and see what you've accomplished. You may not notice it the first time, particularly if you've had fear in the past. In order to undo that in your family so that they can see you standing firmly in a new way, it may take a couple of times — three, four times — for the family to catch onto the fact that “Mom doesn't worry anymore, so I guess I don't need to worry.”

And so, as we age, as we grow into being a mature mother, grandmother that has strength and a strong fulcrum upon which to stand, we remain relevant. So, as we become an older woman, people will look to us and say, “So should I be afraid of this?” I mean, they're not going to necessarily say it in those terms, but that's what people will be asking you.

“Do you have a homeopathic medicine that you know to use for this?” “Is it necessary to even use a homeopathic medicine at this point?” So, the young will look to the old, and you will be the old grandma, older, wiser mother that can say, “No, you don't have to worry about this. I got you on this. I've got you covered. Just take it easy. And should you need a homeopathic medicine, then indeed, here it is … and I know which one to use and how to use it.”

Joette:

It's my honor to share many lessons on this simple method of using homeopathy for free —without affiliates or advertising — here in my podcasts, but also my blog posts and Monday Night Lives.

But it's critical that you learn how to use these medicines properly. These podcasts should serve as only the beginning of your training. Peruse JoettesLearningCenter.com to find fun study group opportunities and in-depth courses developed by subject.

So, with the proper training, you can join the thousands of students before you in developing the confidence and competence to protect the health of your family and loved ones with my brand of homeopathy, Practical Homeopathy®.

Kate:

You just listened to a podcast from internationally acclaimed homeopath, public speaker and author, the founder of The Academy of Practical Homeopathy®, Joette Calabrese. Joette’s podcasts are available on all your favorite podcast apps.

To learn more and find out if homeopathy is a good fit for your health strategy, visit PracticalHomeopathy.com.