It's the season to get hot and steamy

Autumn is here again- what happened to the Summer?- which means that our old friend, the flu could be just around the corner. Should we be afraid? Well, in the local health centres they are certainly warning us to get our flu vaccines. And who knows – maybe soon some of us will have to endure SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), many will have runny noses, chest infections and so on. Many more will get lucky and have nothing of the kind. But the thing we fear most at this time is the dreaded flu!

I agree – a dose of the flu is about as welcome as a cold shower. Nobody wants that. Nobody wants to get sick. And fear of flu is real and can leave us feeling vulnerable.

So, what do i think about the flu? Well, as a health therapist I would say that catching the flu is a sure sign of good health!

Flu, like many acute illnesses, is in fact a great gift that enables you to clear yourself of any toxic overload. Having a flu from time to time is a sure sign that you are healthy and your body is still able to produce an acute episode –a fever - to combat and release toxicity.

So what does a high temperature do to us? It thins the body fluids which is very important, especially for the efficient movement of lymph in the body, and it allows blood to come to the surface of the skin. Thus a movement is created, especially in stagnant areas, causing the body to sweat and detoxify. I still remember my childhood days when my grandmother or mother (a certified therapeutic nurse) made me put my feet in a hot mustard bath and drink warm tea when i felt below par. This raised the body's temperature, enabling gentle perspiration and that alone did the trick. Next morning I would wake up feeling refreshed, as if I hadn't been unwell. Now I know why. The simplest detoxifying procedure was working its miracles.

However, many people have lost the ability to generate acute illness and fever for a day or two (don't get me wrong – very high or prolonged temperatures need special attention). This indicates that the immune system is suppressed; in other words the immune system is not able to 'express' itself 'openly', so the toxins remain stuck within the body.

I believe that with the reduction of acute illnesses we have also seen a dramatic increase in chronic 'incurable' conditions - 'cold' conditions. People who suffer from chronic illnesses often cannot even remember when they last had some acute episode of fever and sweating. Their bodies are unable to do this anymore, possibly because of suppressive treatments. There is no development more positive in a person with chronic illness than gaining the ability to create an acute illness. The fever of an acute illness burns away some of the chronic load and so begins to unlock new potential.

And yet – I certainly don't want to catch the flu this winter! And I hope you can escape it as well, so here is a simple, basic but very effective tip for you, in addition to good nutrition and regular exercise.

One of the most natural methods of prevention (the best cure) is to regularly artificially raise the body's temperature to create movement in the body and recreate the heat needed to burn off toxicity. It is also beneficial for people who have lost the ability to produce enough heat with their own body to do it should start it very gradually.

How? One of my favorite routines in the dark, cold, wet season is on Monday evenings, while my husband is busy working on his projects, to take a very warm bath (38-40 degrees) to heat myself up and get those fluids running. Sometimes I add Epsom salt or essential oils. In Latvia (and many other northern countries) it is a tradition to take a steam bath or dry bath at least once every week. The immune system will be very grateful.(Please note this does not apply if there is any risk of haemorrhaging, high blood pressure or during pregnancy or menstruation.)

That way the body will either avoid the winter threats or experience reduced symptoms of all these bugs. And yet - if it happens - maybe it is just a sign that we need to take a little time for ourselves and simply do nothing for a few days?

Of course, if you are really concerned about getting the flu, you can get a flu jab (which sometimes may cause the flu) though, personally, I would not- check http://www.naturalnews.com/037302_flu_vaccines_H1N1_infections.html ).

So good luck, learn something and simply enjoy the moment! Even if it rains.
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