FEVER: A Weird Reason To Celebrate
Whenever “fever” shows up in song lyrics, it’s usually in the context of a steamy romance. When fever shows up in our bodies, we don’t tend to wax poetic. Unless you are a naturopathic doctor. Naturopaths can get weirdly celebratory about a fever. To us, it represents a body that is doing its job efficiently; mobilizing the troops, sending out the white blood cells to take down the invaders, cleaning up toxins, and making the environment inhospitable to viruses, bacteria, fungi and cancers.
We know that fevers can be uncomfortable; they bring chills and sweats, achy heads and bodies, and induce strange states in the mind. I highly recommending holding out with these uncomfortable symptoms for as long as you can tolerate them, before knocking that fever back down below 101° F.
Which brings us to the next topic... how to safely bring a fever down. Most western medical professionals typically recommend Tylenol (acetaminophen), Advil (Ibuprofen) or Aspirin. None of medications fall within the realm of harmless.
Acetaminophen depletes glutathione, which is the master antioxidant in the body. Glutathione is needed to support the liver and the immune system. It clears toxins and free radicals, protects the lungs, and does a myriad of other processes necessary for a body to stay healthy. Tylenol overuse is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the U.S.
Long term Ibuprofen use is associated with damage to the kidneys, heart and intestines. It’s misuse can also lead to musculoskeletal dysfunction. It can cause insomnia and it decreases the body’s natural ability to deal with inflammation which causes stress on the immune system.
Aspirin is known to cause bleeding in the digestive tract and brain.*
Judicious and occasional use of these pharmaceutical NSAIDS, may be called for in specific instances. If you are dealing with a chronic health condition, it is wise to have a conversation with your health care practitioner when choosing medications for long-term pain management or fever relief.
There are many natural ways to treat a fever. The simplest - cool cloths on the forehead and neck. Warming socks are a wonderful hydrotherapy treatment that is used to strengthen the immune system, bring down fevers, soothe headaches, and draw congestion out of the head and chest (see note at end of article).
Yarrow flowers, elder flowers, chamomile, peppermint, thyme and oregano are all plants that grow in our gardens. Dried or fresh, they can be used as a tea to help strengthen the immune system and bring down a fever.
Ginger and Turmeric are wonderful immune support for fevers, pain and inflammation. Curcumin is the active ingredient of turmeric and can be found in supplement form. Resveratrol is another supplement that can help lower fever.
If you are concerned about letting a fever burn, below are some guidelines. The most important thing to remember is to stay hydrated.
If an infant under 6 months old has a sustained fever of 102°F or higher, call your pediatrician or go to the ER. Older children can tolerate high fevers. Generally, the recommendation is to keep the fever below 105°F, as febrile seizures have been known to occur at temperatures of 106° or higher. A fever is not considered dangerous until it is over 107°. Watch for signs of listlessness, dehydration and strong headaches. Go immediately to the ER if any of these occur. Adults typically do not to get fevers as frequently as children. Remember, it is not dangerous until it is near or above 107°F.
I generally recommend to my patients to keep fever below 104° and let me know if a high fever persists for more than a few days.
On a side note, Pycnogenol derived from the bark of maritime pine trees, has been well-studied as a safe alternative to the frequently prescribed baby aspirin. This natural alternative safely assists in the prevention of blood clots, strokes and heart attacks.
WARMING SOCKS for Immune Support:
(A brilliant remedy for fevers, coughs, headaches, insomnia, colds, sinus congestion.)
Warm up your feet in a hot foot bath or the shower.
Soak a pair of thin, cotton socks in ice cold water and wring them out well.
Put on the cold socks over your hot feet.
Cover the cold socks with thick wool socks. (100% wool works best.)
Go directly to bed and cover up so that you don’t get chilled.
Keep the socks on until they are dry.
Use nightly until you are better!