The Road Less Trodden

I had to get ill last night when my weekend snorkelling trip is just around the corner. What do you call this? No rest for the wicked? It never rains it pours? Whatever. But it irritated the hell out of me. I thought hard of all my recent previous points of contacts to pinpoint exactly when and whom the virus was transmitted from . And I am certain that it must be from this innocent sip I took from Colin's drink just yesterday evening!!! Now I recall that he had a bad bout of cold just days before. No thanks to my own greed I forgot all about it when gleefully taking sips from the same straw that he used! Choices have consequences. Normally I should have been able to ride the storm but my lack of sleep the past few nights did not exactly foster my immune system to be a well prepared army. I must get well again, and since I shun the likes of panadol and its family, I will go the narrow, arduous and winding road of natural therapy to recovery.

On normal days I would have masochistically enjoyed being down with cold or fever: the wrenching ache of your fingertips, the torturous zing of splashes of cold water or that gush of chill wind that got onto you, the constant damp perspiration on the back of your tee-shirt, the spaced out head you get to wear all day, and I would have observed. I would have sat back and observed how my little immune system soldiers fought the raging war until four five days later I would emerge the undisputed winner.

But that is only when I have the luxury of time. Or when I was still under nine-to-five employment where I could take medical leaves so as to save myself from seeing my imbecile ex-bosses. Right now I don't have the time. I want my recovery to come save me, zap me out of this pain, pronto.


For the whole day I ate almost nothing save the few bits of raw almonds, one organic apple, two slices of water melon, a spoonful of korean kimchi and slices of ginger. I felt fine and surprisingly not at all hungry. I gulped copious amount of distilled water and downed cups of ginger tea. The revered ginger has been used by Chinese herbalists for generations to treat colds and flu, and it has been confirmed by modern studies that ginger helps kill the influenza virus and helps the immune system wage war on infection. I almost cried in gratitude for such healing powers this not very pretty and humble plant's willingness to bestow upon me its curative powers.

My mother would have said I'm crazy. Why all the bother when one can just pop by one's doctor and get a relief immediately. Or just purchase those over the counter cold relief. But she's missing the point here. To rely on your body's own power to heal is a liberating experience.