Sick...

[Corkdarrr]

I went to bed last nite with a cough that was hardley noticable and woke up this morning with some raging chest congestion. It was irritating at the beginning of the day, but by 330 I was in bed with my PJs, both dogs and three pillows under my head. It's already being compounded by a quickly forming migraine and I can only imagine what would happen if I glutened myself, too.

I call it my TurboCold because it seems to be progressing rather quickly. I can only hope it continues to speed along so that I'm better by tomorrow!

Anyways, I was just wondering what the established Celiacs do when they're sick?

I'm used to noodle soup, juice, toast, soft-boiled eggs and the like.

Suggestions?

[CarlaB]

You can eat all that, just be sure it's the gluten-free version! Be sure to get enough fluids as well.

You can buy some gluten-free chicken broth, then boil your own gluten-free noodles to add to it for the chicken noodle soup.

[tarnalberry]

When I start getting sick, I employ the following, but keep in mind that it's very person specific, and I have asthma, and am prone to getting very sick very quickly:

* sleep - and lots of it. I'll employ benadryl, valerian, and camomille tea to get more sleep if I'm having trouble sleeping

* hot showers

* hot tea (with lemon and honey, especially)

* IF and ONLY IF I've not been glutened I'll go with echinacea and goldenseal and then I will MAKE SURE I do not get any gluten or contamination

* chicken soup (usually homemade chicken rice soup)

* a little bit of exercise if at all possible - mostly just some walking

* lots and lots of water

* if congested, no benadryl but guifenesin, nasonex, and advair - the sooner the better

* did I mention sleep?

* avoid anyone and everyone possible to reduce the number of additional germs my body has to deal with

[Corkdarrr]

When I start getting sick, I employ the following, but keep in mind that it's very person specific, and I have asthma, and am prone to getting very sick very quickly:

* sleep - and lots of it. I'll employ benadryl, valerian, and camomille tea to get more sleep if I'm having trouble sleeping

* hot showers

* hot tea (with lemon and honey, especially)

* IF and ONLY IF I've not been glutened I'll go with echinacea and goldenseal and then I will MAKE SURE I do not get any gluten or contamination

* chicken soup (usually homemade chicken rice soup)

* a little bit of exercise if at all possible - mostly just some walking

* lots and lots of water

* if congested, no benadryl but guifenesin, nasonex, and advair - the sooner the better

* did I mention sleep?

* avoid anyone and everyone possible to reduce the number of additional germs my body has to deal with

Why do you avoid the echinacea and goldenseal if you've been glutened? I've been taking that all day, and buying the humungo bottles of water between classes. Plus zinc coughdrops, and that EmergenC powder stuff.

I'm the same way that if I catch it early, it probably won't be too bad.

Anyone know any safe canned soups? I certainly don't have the energy to do anything, and my boyfriend (bless his heart) just doesn't really know how!

[tarnalberry]

echinacea and goldenseal stimulate the immune system, and hence are NOT recommended for people with auto-immune diseases, which is what celiac disease is. if you get gluten, you will only enhance the reaction of your body against itself, so if you take it, you should be EXTRA careful.

chicken soup is EASY! especially if you have anything that makes chopping easier (automated). chop an onion and a carrot. chop up some chicken breast (~1lb). add all that, a cup of rice (brown's best, but whatever), and a box of imagine chicken broth into a large pot. simmer until the rice is done, add 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp italian spices, and you're done.

[ArtGirl]

A while back I tried the Ph balance diet. While I haven't stayed with it completelyt, I did learn a lot about eating foods that balance the system and are alkalin-producing (bacteria and viruses can't live in an alkalin environment but really do well in an acid environment).

The first time I got a cold after being on this diet, I switched to eating ONLY alkalin-producing foods and beverages. I was amazed at how mild the cold was and how few days it lasted. For years, up until this time, a virus would automatically go into my bronchial tubes and I'd border on bronchitis and cough for weeks afterwards. The next cold it was the same - 3 days with hardly any cold symptoms except a little runny nose, a very mild sore throat, and a few little coughs. By the time I had the third cold (we're talking about over a year's time here) I was a firm believer in starving the virus of its natural acid habitat.

Here's what I do now.

At the first sign of a cold I start sucking on zink lozenges (haven't had a cold since going gluten/corn-free so don't know if I'll be able to continue with this)

--I get many lemons and begin drinking lots lemon-water

--I also drink herb teas

--I eat only alkalin-producing foods and very little meat - no other protein sources and especially no legums or grains

--I do a sinus wash with warm saltwater three times a day

--I also wash my eyes out with warm saltwater (be sure the water is boiled first for your eyes)

--I take extra vitamin C

--No sugar foods, including orange juice!

The virus still makes me fatigued so I rest as much as I can so my immune system can keep working on the infection.

You can do a google-search for "alkalin-producing food" and you'll find several sites that list them out for you. Basically, it's vegetables (raw is better, if cooked, make it minimal) and citrus fruits (lemons, limes and grapefruit - not oranges). Fish is a low-acid protein. No milk or eggs. The diet is extreme, but it sure works.