Pal Jalna shared a video about wearing masks – presented by a young girl in the Czech Republic.

Aunty must admit to going on errands and not wearing a mask but after getting coughed on by a clueless girl who didn’t heed the 6 feet apart rule and was coughing without regard, I started wearing a mask and spraying my hands with sanitizer each time I touched something outside of the house.

Then, after watching this video, I will always wear a mask when I go out. Not just for my sake, but for all of us. Then we can get back to normal sooner, with an appreciation for what normal is (was).

Here is a video done by a surgeon teaching us how to make a mask: https://www.drstreicher.com/dr-streicher-blog/2020/3/a-surgeon-sewing-a-surgical-mask

Here is one that Kay of Musings shared and liked:  https://www.craftpassion.com/face-mask-sewing-pattern/ This one looks rather easy (the 1st one by Dr. Streicher is the easiest) but when you click on your pattern choice, do NOT click on anything that looks like a green box with “START” on it.  This will take you to another place – it is a link to an advertiser.  I don’t like that, but the patterns are good.

And here is another one that Kay shared and liked better because of the fit: https://www.unitypoint.org/filesimages/COVID-19/UnityPointHealth-OlsonMask-Instructions.pdf

Here is a no sew mask with a large handkerchief and 2 hair ties: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBVtkX0yJ4Y&feature=youtu.be  Very easy and actually brilliant!  This version and the first version with Dr. Streicher was shared by our president of the Hawaii Stitchery and Fibre Arts Guild.  Mahalo, Aileen!

Best wishes to all, and may the force be with you!

Aunty’s Seattle based daughter sent an easy hand sanitizer recipe that she and her chemist PhD pal (Marcy Kang) made.

8 ounces (1 cup) of 91% Isopropyl Alcohol

2 ounces of distilled water

10 drops of your favorite essential oil

Mix in a bowl, pour into 2 oz. spray bottles and label them. (makes 4 bottles)

Easy!  Right?  Well, with this coronavirus craze going on, finding isopropyl alcohol was very difficult because most stores were sold out.  The only place I could find it was at the Pillbox Pharmacy in Kaimuki.  It was much more expensive there and I also ended up buying a pint of their awesome Oregon strawberry ice cream but both, imo, were well worth it.  You could use the more normal 60% isopropyl alcohol but it won’t evaporate as quickly.

How did it turn out?  Quite nice, with a strong alcohol after smell, which is rather comforting in this day of coronavirus paranoia.

Speaking of which

Dr. Edwin Endo sent an email about this virus and what to do.

Here is the text:

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT – A simple but good to know guide on Coronavirus

1. If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold

2. Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.

3. This new virus is not heat-resistant and will be killed by a temperature of just 26/27 degrees (82-85*F). It hates the Sun.

4. If someone sneezes with it, it takes about 10 feet before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.

5. If it drops on a metal surface it will live for at least 12 hours – so if you come into contact with any metal surface – wash your hands as soon as you can with a bacterial soap.

6. On fabric it can survive for 6-12 hours. normal laundry detergent will kill it.

7. Drinking warm water is effective for all viruses. Try not to drink liquids with ice.

8. Wash your hands frequently as the virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes, but – a lot can happen during that time – you can rub your eyes, pick your nose unwittingly and so on.

9. You should also gargle as a prevention. A simple solution of salt in warm water will suffice.

10. Can’t emphasize enough – drink plenty of water!

THE SYMPTOMS

1. It will first infect the throat, so you’ll have a sore throat lasting 3/4 days 2. The virus then blends into a nasal fluid that enters the trachea and then the lungs, causing pneumonia. This takes about 5/6 days further.

3. With the pneumonia comes high fever and difficulty in breathing.

4. The nasal congestion is not like the normal kind. You feel like you’re drowning. It’s imperative you then seek immediate attention.

Overkill and hype

It is better to be overly cautious but keeping our hands off of our face and clean are the 2 best ways to stop this virus from invading us.  In this day and age of internet news and reports, we sometimes have too much information and this can spread fear and survival behavior out of perspective.

Financially, it is killing the stock market and will affect Hawaii as a tourist destination, which will hurt us for a while.  We can’t do much about that but we won’t run out of toilet paper and water.

A year from now we will look back and breathe a sigh of relief.  For now, please keep on washing hands and don’t panic.

Aunty rarely gets sick.  It could be because she reaches for Congaplex by Standard Process Labs at the first hint of a sore throat, sniffles, or being around others who are sick.

However, this time, with no Congaplex in sight, this cold that started as a slight sore throat became a cough with a fatigued body.  Yuck!

*Update alert!  Ever hear of the hydrogen peroxide trick?  3 drops in your ear, for 10 minutes.  It cackles and crunches in the ear.  Then, remove with a qtip.  Supposedly works 80% of the time to kick out beginning colds and flu!

So Aunty is staying home (couldn’t testify about Monster Houses today, boohoo) and away from air conditioning and drinking lots of warm liquids.  Here is what Aunty is doing, and feeling better.

Oil of Oregano

Oil of Oregano was recommended by Jini of ListentoYourGut.com.  This stuff can burn the lips, so it is important to do as instructed – load up dropperful, tilt back head, insert into open mouth and squirt in.  Close mouth and swallow.  Let this sit in the throat.  It WILL be hot but manageable.  Then, drink water.  Oil of Oregano absolutely kills any bacterial infection and works very well for flu/strep throat and sinus issues.

Stop Eating

There was a saying, “Feed a cold, starve a fever” but Aunty believes in not eating when sick.  Perhaps a little bit of rice and chicken noodle soup.  A bit of crackers.  Nothing greasy or sugary.  By doing this, the digestive system of your body gets a break and you also stay out of the kitchen and stop spreading germs.

Drinking liquids

Years ago, Dr. Bernard Jensen (renown iridologist) taught us about a drink for fasting or while sick.

Maple syrup, 1-2 TSP

Fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste

Dash of cayenne pepper

Hot water

This is actually very delicious and has enough calories to give you energy.   Aunty made a big bottle of it and took it to class yesterday.

Vicks Vapor Rub and Air Detox

Peppermint and eucalyptus oils have such wonderful smell, and Aunty rubbed Vicks Vapor Rub on her chest and sprayed a paper towel with Dr. Schulze’s Air Detox.  This paper towel is very handy to breathe through as well as use to wipe off common areas of exposure such as door knobs and handles.

Tapping

Something new that Aunty tried, with skepticism is “tapping“.  Here is a video explaining the process of boosting your immune system (so you get well).  It was quite revealing to Aunty – and by golly, it works!  Take a number reading, from 1-10 of how bad you are feeling before, then after.

Load up on vitamins and good stuff

We all know that vitamin C is good for colds, so drink a lot of orange juice or take supplements.  B12 patches also help to give you energy and help you heal faster.  Green tea, clothing that keeps you warm but not hot, socks, and

REST!

Take it easy.  Allow your body to heal itself by not doing what you don’t have to do.  Pamper yourself and you will soon be well.

SLEEP….

This is probably one of the most important tips when sick.  When we sleep at night, the body’s immune system kicks in and the healing begins.

Unfortunately, it is very hard to sleep when battling a cold that keeps us up at night and makes us so terribly uncomfortable.  Aunty would toss and turn and watch the clock.  Finally after a couple of nights of poor sleep, she went out and picked lemon balm leaves that grows like a weed, poured hot water over the leaves, and drank the tea before bedtime.  It really helped to calm and aid in a good night’s sleep, and then the real healing began.

Not sure about taking sleep aids such as sleeping pills or cough syrup with codeine.  To each their own and now Aunty will take better care of her lemon balm bush that she would whack at to get rid of.

Aunty and Kay at the tail end of the cold. Notice Aunty wearing a scarf to protect the back of her neck?

It has been years, maybe even decades, since Aunty got sick.  This week, Aunty got sick and felt like she was a 100 year old near dead dog.

However, there are actually some good things about getting sick.  One of them is having empathy (the ability to feel what others feel) when other people are sick.  It feels like the pits.  Sore throat, sore body, weak, depressed, listless, headachey, junk.

Another is being able to try what Aunty preaches to her kids when they get sick.  These are:

• Stay at home!  Not just to get better, but also to contain your germs and not spread them.
• Don’t eat solids and/or greasy foods.  Soups are best.  The best of the best is the Hot and Sour soup from Hale Vietnam for fevers/flu in the first day.  If done early enough, the fever and flu like symptoms are GONE.
• Rub Vicks Vaporub on your chest at night.
• Spray Air Detox (from Herbdoc.com) on paper towels and use to wipe your hands before and after touching “community” items such as door knobs, keys, etc.  Keep your germs, especially from your hands, to yourself.
• Use a cotton neck wrap, like a big handkerchief around your neck, especially keeping the back of your neck protected.  Spray it with Air Detox throughout the day.
• Drink hot liquids, NO sugar-y or artificial drinks.  Aunty started putting kalamunggay leaves in a teapot and adding hot water as her basic daily drink.
• Eat ginger – that’s what friend Rayna said to do.  It is actually good advice – the li hing dried ginger that isn’t too tough.
• Starve a fever, feed a cold?  Not sure about that but one concoction that Aunty believes in is maple syrup (or honey), lemon juice (fresh squeezed), and cayenne powder in hot water.  This is a delicious hot drink that has everything in it to get through the hard times in place of eating.  [note:  Herbdoc.com has a Cold and Flu Shot in a shot glass type bottle but Aunty is allergic to alcohol and hasn’t tried it.]
• Keep your body, especially your neck and feet warm, but not hot.  Aunty’s magic socks are wonderful and comfortable for her feet, and anything will do as a neck wrap to protect the back of our necks from drafts and losing warmth.
• Eliminate the toxins.  In other words, poop.  Aunty’s daily regimen includes Intestinal Formula #1, so regularity is her norm.  If you aren’t pooping, you aren’t getting rid of the bad stuff in your body, and you will remain sick longer.  Here’s a story that will embarrass one of our daughters, so she will be called Bozu, for anonymity.  Bozu got sick and didn’t take care of herself – went out, took meds, got sicker and sicker with a constant fever.  Ah! You might think that she needed antibiotics, right?  Except her mother doesn’t believe in those because of how it blasts everything, even our immune systems.  Meanwhile, she felt lousier and lousier.  She kept refusing Aunty’s advice about having an enema even though she was running a fever, hardly pooping and not eating much.  Finally, after several days of feeling really sick and missing school, she agreed to an enema.  Longs Drugs sells pre-bottled saline water enemas, easy to use by inserting and squeezing.  Aunty warmed a bottle up by standing it in hottish/warm water and let Bozu have it.

The trick to enemas is to hold the liquid in for as long as possible, but keep close to the toilet. After a few minutes, Bozu WENT.  It was not pretty, but it was super effective.  It was as if a toxic dump was cleared out of her.  The entire house reeked of a smell that was like over ripe raw daikon (Japanese turnip) for what seemed like days.

She was quite weak after and went to sleep under covers.  We did not see her for the rest of the day and night, and when we did, her fever was gone and she felt better.  Still weak, but no more fever, and able to eat some chazuke rice (white rice with tea) and ume (picked fermented plum).  She was herself in a few more days and mother prided herself on the merits of the glorified enema.

• Stay out of air conditioning, if possible.  Fresh air is best, sea air on a sunny non windy day is even better.
• Rest and take it easy.  Watch tv, movies, Korean dramas.  Just don’t do much.  Your body’s immune system is working overtime to get you well and it doesn’t need additional stress or demands added to its workload.  Be a couch potato. Take naps.  This time around, Aunty didn’t follow this piece of advice and after feeling a bit better, decided to trim a few trees branches, uproot a couple of papayas and start a patch of kalamunggay trees.  This was followed by weeding an irritating spot in the yard.  Although it felt good to be doing such useful yardwork at the time, Aunty had a slight relapse later that evening.
• One of the worst symptoms of a cold is not being able to breathe easily.  Use a neti pot with warm water and Himalayan sea salt or colloidal silver to flush each nostril gently.
• Give yourself time to heal.  Our bodies are truly miracles that can heal itself.  Some people count on their doctors and modern medicine to fix them.  If that is what you believe, then go for it.
• When you feel that it is the worst that it can be, it probably is.  Little by little, you will get better.

Now that Aunty is just about over this dang irritating cold, life is good again.  Aunty met with fellow blogger Kay of Musings over at travelerswife.blogspot.com for lunch at To Thai For in Kaimuki. Aunty loves their delicious greasy tasty Thai pork chops but settled for Chicken pad thai instead (avoid greasy foods when sick).

Aunty also wore a scarf around her neck and dressed warmly with long pants (Aunty usually wears a skirt) and magic socks.

It was delightful to finally meet Kay and her cute husband Art in person.  Almost like being rewarded for getting over the dang cold that gave Aunty a lesson in life.  It forced Aunty to try a neti pot, thus discovering the benefits of it!  Next time it will be one of the first things done, with salted water and a few drops of wild oregano oil.  It really clears the nasal passages and hastens the healing.

Our bodies CAN heal itself, which is a wondrous and invisible blessing that we don’t always realize until we get sick or hurt.  Take care of it, thank it, and please, be well.

Decades ago, Aunty took tap dance lessons from Jack Cione with pal Cookie and Gayln.  It was fun making feet noise in time with other feet in the room, but it wasn’t a life passion for any of us.

During a tidying session (still to come: Aunty’s review of Marie Kondo’s Life Changing Magic of Tidying), Aunty found 2 thick print outs of Jack Cione’s dance steps and songs.  These did bring a sense of joy because of the memories – though not sure whether to toss or keep, yet.

Then, serendipitously (fortunate chance), an email link about tapping for health came into Aunty’s email box this morning.  It was like a sign to pay attention, doodoodoodoo doodoodoo (theme from Twilight Zone).

Tapping is part of the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) that Aunty had heard about and was curious as to its success and results.  Instead of tapping with clinking shoes, one taps gently on specific points on the body with fingertips.  It seemed like a God/Universe given gift, so Aunty opened up the link and tried it.

Just like Mikey in the Life Cereal commercial (if you are old enough to remember), Aunty liked it!  Ups to you if you want to try it – this first link explains the different point to tap: http://thetappingsolution.com/2016tws/how-to-tap-video.html

And this one will guide you through a 20 minute exercise to tap away stress/fears and begin a great day: http://www.thetappingsolution.com/2016event/R00Ms/D1-MR-3654.php  [Update: this was only available for 24 hours – so solly.  The Tapping World Summit event is going on for the next 10 (and counting down) days and events can be listened to for free during a 24 hour period, daily.  So, once one presentation is up, it then goes away and the next day’s event is up, then away – UNLESS one buys the packages.  Aunty is not planning to buy the packages but perhaps will continue tapping and adjusting the affirmations/confirmations/etc. specific to her own situations.]

[Further update:  Although the packages are available for purchase for those who want permanent access to the Tapping World Summit 2016, Aunty feels that these are good folks because of the limited sharing of some rather excellent material – limited because of the 24 hour FREE online access for each day’s events.  Here is a list of the upcoming topics and speakers: http://thetappingsolution.com/2016tws/schedule.html which included Jack Canfield (pau already, solly), but some rather excellent subjects such as healing relationships with mother on March 1, Tapping for self confidence on February 29, Personal peace procedure on March 3, etc.  Aunty plans to “attend” some of those freebies and has to write the days down on her calendar in order not to miss them. Here is the link to access each live daily (available for 24 hours) event: http://www.thetappingsolution.com/2016event/live.php – hope this helps everyone!]

It is quite pleasant, something that is free to do, and in line with socks being magic in Aunty’s quest for excellent health and well being.  There are other links to different tapping modes but for now Aunty felt very good about this starter tapping exercise and is now motivated to gather all the books in the house in one big pile and sort with Marie Kondo’s criteria of joy.  Aunty’s fear of having a clutter-free house is soon to be conquered.

Happy feet, tapping fingers, clean house.  Sounds quite wonderful, doesn’t it?

Our daughter signed up for Brain Fitness Hawaii sessions because of anxiety last year.  She did well and suggested that I also try it, since I am always under stress.

It is true.   Aunty IS always under stress, juggling too many things, taking care of too much stuff.  Stress makes Aunty thrive.  However, this time, I was at a point in my life with a truckload of crap of my shoulders.  I had extreme tension, and my body, psyche, and emotions were at a boiling point.

Was time to go

I signed up for 10 2 hour sessions for $1200, which was a super discounted price for Aunty.  Best results are achieved with the series of 10 – this will ensure that the benefits of the therapy are more permanent.

Dr. Hana Yin is a beautiful warm doctor with one foot in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) and the other in modern technological advances for our brain.  She speaks softly and listens deeply.  Each session is tailored to the individual depending on what they need from day to day.  Her place is hard to find the first time, it is on Ena Road, the street behind the Alana Waikiki Hotel.  Aunty learned to valet park at the Alana Waikiki and walk through the lower parking to enter the Alana Waikiki Business Center.

First session

The first session was to help me deal with the intensity of my stress.  Earpods in my ears would bleep and ping, with occasional music and soothing voices.  A pair of light pulsing shades (keep eyes closed!) played patterns that filled my “vision”.

A bit strange, but I felt calmer and went to attend a commitment that very evening that I was not looking forward to.  This session must have helped because I was not on edge, I think I seemed very normal, I was able to handle some rather shocking events there with ease.  Thank you, Dr. Hana!

2nd session

This was about building my imaginary safe place, soaring, making a nice place to be.  This time, the first half was pleasant music and reading soothing philosophies on the tv screen.  Very “new age” music and art promoting peace, love, forgiveness and all the stuff that we really do need, whether we know it or want it.

3rd session

This was about relationships, and Dr. Hana led me through a series of imaginary steps to visualize confrontations or issues with people in my past and present.  For some odd reason, I felt more stressed after the session.  I was told to go home and take at least 30 minutes for myself in a quiet space, and spoil and take care of myself.  I began to journal, handwriting my thoughts, my wants, my needs.  Dr. Hana insisted that it be handwritten, and so I complied.

By this time, although I still had that truckload of crap that I was carrying, I felt that it would be okay.  That is a good thing.

4th session and others

The 4th session was about love and miracles.  Mostly eyes closed and visualization.  It made me very tired and I dozed off several times.  Dr. Hana also did a stress test on my brain to see how elastic it is.  She said I did well.

The sessions that followed were not as powerful as the previous ones, and, truth to tell, Aunty forgot what most of them were about – Dr. Hana tailored each session to what I needed at the time.

10 sessions in a row felt like a work schedule towards the end – but Aunty kept on going because Dr. Hana said that 10 sessions would really make the benefits of the therapy last for good.  The last 2 sessions were pretty heavy stuff, and Aunty fell asleep several times.  Dr. Hana would say that was great.

Sometimes the vocals or music would be irritating to Aunty and cause more stress.  If it is so for you, let Dr. Hana know so she can check the brainwave patterns and adjust for beneficial results.

Sometimes Aunty would get some AHA! moments of wisdom, some were fleeting, some stayed with me.  Example is about holding on. (note to Aunty -link to post after formatting.)

Did it work?

It really did!  In the beginning, Aunty was a stress case heading for a wreck because of extreme stress, racing heart, with a vise grip tightness on neck and shoulders.  Much of this was caused by current issues in Aunty’s life – Uncle’s health and one of our kid’s problems.  Aunty was at the point of it being really bad, shaking Aunty’s world.

Slowly a calmness would take over, and sometimes it would feel like a cloak of peace enveloping me and making everything just fine.

The power of peace

They say that love conquers all, and all you need is love, etc. etc.  Maybe that is true for some people, but what Aunty needed was inner peace, to be able to chill out and accept things as they are.  It’s good stuff and it’s still working, like riding on the Peace Train.

Check it out for yourself

The Brain Fitness services web page lists a lot of different products and services.  Unfortunately the services are not covered under medical health plans.  It really should be because then there would be a lot more contented people who are able to deal with their problems.

If you do go to see Dr. Hana, please tell her aloha from Aunty.

Peace be with you,

Aunty