Chiggers, Colds and Cures

This is a late version of "Try It" Tuesday, so I'll call it "Wellness Wednesday." I hope it helps you to be well and stay well!

I was 32 when I had my first "run in" with chiggers. We were in Clarksdale, Mississippi helping an elderly couple tear down a dilapidated shed and I was ankle deep in pine needles and rotten wood. The next day, my ankles were itching me to DEATH! I could NOT stop scratching and I was on the verge of insanity. My father in law took one look and said, "Those are chigger bites." 

Now, I have lived in the South all my life and spent most of my childhood outdoors, but I can never remember having been bitten by chiggers. At least not this bad. "I'll tell you what'll take care of it," he said. "Go to Walmart and get some of that 'Chiggerex.' That'll fix it for you." 

You can bet I made a bee-line to Wally World, but to my misfortune, they were out. I guess everyone else already knows about this, but I am going to share this with you anyway-

When/if you ever get bit by chiggers, go get this stuff:

It brought me immediate relief and helped keep me from clawing my ankles off! I have also used it for other insect bites and it works just as well, if not better, than anything else I've ever used. 

From me to you, be sure to keep this stuff on hand, folks. You never know when you might need it!

Summer is a pretty cool time of the year for many reasons, but one of my personal favorites is that you hardly ever get sick with the flu or pesky, week long colds. I'm not exactly sure about why that is, but I think it may have something to do with the heat killing off viruses. Here's why I believe that:

One Summer, a group from my church went to Logan, West Virginia to replace the roof on an old school building that had been purchased by a local church there.

There were about three other groups from all over the country doing different activities in the surrounding towns. Because the building was so large (4 stories), they were all staying at the school/church building with us. One group  in particular was conducting a Vacation Bible School and ended up contracting a stomach virus from a sick child.  The virus began to spread rapidly among group. 

I started to worry that I would get sick and a nurse friend who was working alongside me assured me that our group would not get the virus. I asked her how she could be so sure and she said, "We're working hard out here on the roof and our body temperatures are higher than the others'. The virus can't thrive in our bodies. Don't worry. We will be fine." 

 I have never really done any research on whether this is true or not, but I have to say, I became a believer that week.

Food for thought anyway.

So, even though you may not have a cold or the flu now, when you do get one, here's what you need:

This stuff is straight up AMAZING. It is Black Elderberry Extract in the highest concentration available and you can get it over the counter at any drugstore (or on drugstore.com.), many health stores (Vitamin World), grocery stores and, of course, Walmart. 

The bottle says you can use it daily as an immunity booster, but I don't know anyone who can afford it.

This stuff is $12-$16/bottle, depending on your location and where you buy it, and the dosage for adults is 10 ml 4 times a day. If you use it daily, you'd probably go through a couple bottles a week.

I have found that is not necessary. Any time I feel a little funky, I start taking the stuff to ward off any sickness that might be beginning to attack. I can honestly say, and the M.O.T.H. (Man of the House) can attest to this, this stuff works. Period. 

I actually bought it at a local drug store because it was on sale and I thought I'd give it a try. Now, I always keep a bottle of this stuff on hand, especially during the sick seasons.

I actually came across this article on WebMd from 2003 that concluded that Sambucol helps flu patients recover in half the time! 

It really has helped our family stay healthy when sicknesses are floating around.

Lastly, I want to share with you one other medicine cabinet stable in our house:

My boss, whose son is a First Responder, told me about this stuff. She said her son swears by this stuff. And now, so do I. Now, be careful when purchasing "Emergen-C." There are a couple of different varieties.
I have tried the Vitamin C only packet and really didn't have any luck overcoming colds any quicker. So, be sure to get the "Immune Plus" kind. I can always tell a difference with that one!

Mix a packet into 4-6 oz. water at the first signs of a cold and you'll be good to go.

Got any good staying healthy tips you wanna share? I'd be glad to hear them!

Email me or post in the comments below and stay well!