A Cold

Withania

We have all had colds here.  A head cold is not much fun.  I was just skiting the other day that we haven't had a cold or flu for some time.  We must be a bit run down at present.  Might be something to do with the renovations.  All the noise and dust. And the decision making is quite stressful.  The builders are wonderful and doing a great job but still it is stressful.

We always take preventive measures of homoeopathics, herbs and vitamins when we come in contact with someone with a cold or flu.  But now that we have succumbed to a cold we have also been taking the following:-

Withania somnifera - a great adaptagen to help with stand stress, antioxidant, amphoteric (can help regulate important physiologic processes - helps you feel better) and studies have shown withania to have an immunostimulatory effect.   I have Withania growing in the garden.

Zyzyphus jujube  - sedative - taken just before bed.

Olive Leaf Extract - traditionally used to relief colds, coughs and flu.

BioResearch Homoeopathic Complexes for cold and flu (from health practitioners only)

Oxyrich - oxygen supplement to help keep up body levels of oxygen.

With the above regime we should recover well, ready to face the on-going building extensions.

Please see you health practitioner before considering taking any of the above.

Wrigglers

From the Wangi Garden Journal

I noticed that there are 'wrigglers' in the small garden pond.  I grew up calling mosquito larvae - wrigglers.  When I was a kid growing up on a couple of acres on the outskirts of Brisbane (Australia)  we only had tank water.  Sometimes you would pour yourself a glass of water from the tap and there would be a wriggler swimming in your glass of water. Time to treat the tanks. Of course these days, water tanks have screens and filters to prevent mosquitoes breeding in the tanks.

For my pond I need to get some native Australian fish which will eat mosquito larvae. Kevin Casey suggests in his book "Attracting Frogs to your garden" -

Pacific Blue Eye - I think we are too far south for these

Fly specked Hardyhead

Australian Smelt

Rainbow Fish from your local area

I managed to get Crimson Spotted Rainbow Fish from the local pet store.  Apparently they are native from Coffs Harbour to Tamworth.

I removed the Bacopa plant from the pond and left the Gotu Kola so there would be more room for the rainbows.  

The species I planted is an Australian Native Gotu Kola, Centella asiatica, which is recommended for frog friendly ponds. (Here's hoping - we hear frogs on rainy nights but have not seen any yet)  Gotu Kola also has medicinal properties.  I always found it quite useful for people who have trouble sleeping. It won't help you get to sleep but is more helpful for those who wake up during the night.  It may also be helpful for clarity of mind, arthritic pain and fatigue.  

One of my pet dislikes is the amount of Soy that is in our food.  Most processed food has soy in it.  Soy has been promoted as an amazing health food.  And yes, how it is eaten in the traditional Japanese diet is healthy - naturally fremented and only in small amounts.

We were not meant to eat Soy flour, textured vegetable protein or drink Soy Milk.  For more information go to Soy Alert at The Weston A Price Foundation. Gotu Kola may be helpful to those who have had too much soy in their diet.

The recommended daily dose of Gotu Kola is two leaves of 40mm diameter per adult, or the equivalent in smaller leaves. It will be bitter if grown in full sun.

Gotu Kola is usually considered safe.  However there are a few side effects to taking too much of this herb - mouth ulcers, sensitivity to the sun, increased blood sugar levels, stomach irritation and nausea.  

As with all plants allergic reactions may occur.  

Gotu Kola is contraindicated in pregnancy and while breast feeding.