04 Dec ‘Tis the Flu Season
Last Tuesday on my weekly drive, I began to feel a little “off”. I had encountered more construction traffic than usual and sucked up the tractor-trailer exhaust all around for 5 miles. When I stopped for gas, I got a whiff of the strong fuel vapors from the pump. I winced and shook my head and tried to turn away from the brain cell killing fumes. Then, I drove through a smoke plume that enveloped the interstate reeking of burning styrofoam. I held my breath for as long as I could and when I came out the other side is when the burning eyes and toxic brain pain began.
We had just gone through a cold spell and now the weather warmed and yet the days were getting shorter and shorter. Holidays were just ahead and thinking about family dynamics can stir up some emotions. Later, that evening, came the inflamed scalp and face, scratchy throat, drop in body temp, and post-nasal drip. I curled up in a heated room with my snot rag and plenty of cream and lemonade knowing that my November 2025 detox was about to begin.
I woke several times in the night with a small volume of burning dark yellow pee. By morning, my runny nose was a full on faucet of transparent fluid. By evening, coughing from the post nasal drip began. 24-hours later I had completely lost my appetite. I had constipation. Chills set in and I just couldn’t get warm no matter how hot I got the room temp or the water. I tripled my intake of electrolytes in the form of Primal lemonade, clabbered milk, and tomatoes. By the 36-hour mark, I had full blown flu – full body aches and pains and fever.
I kept turning up the temperature, ate no solid foods, increased the electrolyte liquids, and rested as much as possible. I reminded myself that even though I felt like shit, in a few days, I will feel better than ever. This hasn’t always been the case. For the first 10-years on the Primal Diet™, recovery after detox was unpredictable. I still felt exhausted and could sleep for hours. But, the last 10-years. I have always felt better and it’s not what my pitiful brain wants to hear right now. Rather, it’s looking for someone or something to put it out of its misery.
Image by Mojca-Peter from Pixabay