ALLERGY CHASER!

123RF.com





It's almost allergy season again. I used 
to suffer from minor sniffles and stuffiness when I was a young mother. Now I have developed most of the textbook allergy symptoms during the spring and fall seasons. 

I have over the counter pills and capsules for  those rough days of itchy eyes, irritated nose, and sinus pressure.
I find strong allergy nasal sprays and nasal rinse pots disgusting. But I have friends  who swear by them.  I say, "To each is his own! "

I enjoy using Home Remedies and Naturopathic remedies also. I prefer 
them if I am able to start this treatment before my symptoms excerbate. They

work well and I  don't have any side effects from them. I will buy a sterile
saline solution from a dollar store
for convenience sometimes.

Here are my "go to" treatments for minor allergy and sinus symptoms:

Saline Nasal Spray for sinus pressure:

This a cheap and convenient remedy. 
My 90 y.o neighbor only uses saline for 
all of her sinus and allergy problems. 
She doesn't buy water from the store. 
She boils her water 15 minutes then 
puts it in recycled plastic milk jugs. She uses it in her own recipe for the saline solution. I tried her recipe when I ran out of my medication one night. It worked instantly and most of my sinus pressure was gone! I am also sharing recipes for solutions using items in your kitchen for
colds and allergies. 

MRS. M'S SALINE SOLUTION

1 cup boiled water
1/2 teaspoon  table salt

Combine all ingredients in sauce pot.  
Boil solution 1 minutes or until salt has dissolved. Cool and put in clean jar.  


MS. LYDIA'S SALINE SOLUTION

1 cup purified or spring water
1/4 tsp sea salt or Kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in microwave safe dish. Boil solution 15 minutes or until salt
has dissolved. Cool and put in clean jar. 

How to use:

Wash hands and place small amount
of saline in palm of your hand. Sniff a 
little saline up both nostrils. I suggest sniffing a little at a time to avoid letting any solution going down your throat.

https://www.amazon.com

 

MS LYDIA COLD SOOTHER


ONE STRONG MENTHOL COUGH DROP
OR HERBAL COUGH DROP
1 MUG HOT BREWED BLACK TEA

ADD COUGH DROP TO MUG OF HOT TEA.
STIR VIGOROUSLY UNTIL COUGH DROP DISSOLVES.

TIP:

I SIT UNDER COZY BLANKET AND SIP UNTIL I FEEL BETTER!!

https://en.wikipedia.org




DOCTOR B'S HOT TODDY

I had the best peditrician when my children were young.  I was surprised when he gave me this recipe. He said 
he used it on his children when they
wer small. Don't be alarmed about the alcohol. Some of the cold/allergy meds that I buy over the counter have some alcohol in them.  It helps me sleep when  the nasal congestion makes me feel awful.


1 MUG OF HOT WATER
1 TABLESPOON HONEY
1 TEASPOON CHEAP WHISKEY 
OR BOURBON
1 TEASPOON LEMON JUICE

ADD ALL INGREDIENTS IN MUG. STIR VIGOROUSLY UNTIL HONEY HAS DISSOLVED.

TIP:
* CAN ADJUST WHIKEY TO TASTE
* DRINK BREW WHEN STAYING INSIDE ALL DAY. IT OPENS YOUR PORES AND MAKES YOU SWEAT. 

https://www.walgreens.com



HERBAL DECONGESTANTS



My doctor told be to stop using over the counter decongestants because it was raising my blood pressure. I went to Whole Foods Store. A clerk showed me lots of herbal decongestants in liquid and pill
form. I have tried a lot of them. NatraBio Sinus Relief tablets work the best for me. They are chewable and work fast to relieve my severe sinus pressure. They are now available at some Whole Foods Stores and Walgreens Stores.

ITCHY EYE RELIEF


Last year my allergy symptoms were severe and I developed "pink eye" if I
went outside without my shades on! 
The doctor can prescribed medication for pink eye which does clear it up quickly.  I discovered that CVS has a tried and true homepathic soultion by Similasan. Their eye drops soothes my irritated eyes
when my over the counter eye drops stopped working. I also saved money 
by not paying for any office visit and an expensive prescription. Similasan also have an ear infection solution that works like a charm too.

HERBAL COUGH DROPS


I discovered that herbal cough drops can knock out minor allergy, sinus, and cold symptoms.  They contain horehound
and other great herbal ingredients. My mom gave me horehound candy for colds when I was young. The Ricola brand and generic store brand herbal cough drops are available at most retail stores. Believe it or not, Family Dollar Stores have their
brand of herbal cough drops for $2!! 
I started keeping them on hand because 
I know horehound works for relieving cold symptoms. My allergy/sinus symptoms clear up quickly if I take them three times
a day during the allergy season. The Ricola Lemon & Echinacea brand
works best for me. Echinacea works like
an antibiotic.  I also use herbal cough drops for my allergy when I must avoid driving when I am drowsy. 





DISCLAIMER: I HAVE NO MEDICAL TRAINING. YOU SHOULD CONSULT 
WITH YOUR DOCTOR FOR MEDICAL ADVICE & TREATMENT.
 

THE MEDICARE MAZE GAME!

I became age 65 in 2016. I did not know reaching age 65 would make me so important to insurance companies.
My mailbox became flooded with letters, brochures, MEDICARE booklets from every health insurance company known
to man or woman.  I even had a couple 
of fast talking insurance agents show up at my door. They claim that they wanted
to explain MEDICARE BENEFITS to me.
Of course, I didn't let them in my house. 
I told them to leave because I didn't
transact any business with door-to- door!  
It's 2017 and apparently I'll be bothered by MEDICARE AGENTS this year too.  I had to get rid of an agent yesterday.

I suddenly recalled my mom calling often to complain about getting numerous calls from MEDICARE AGENTS. They were trying to get her to sign up with them.
I told her to hang up immediately!! A few
even knocked on her door. She knew better than to let them inside.

 
 
I learned a few do's and dont's from listening to Seniors at the Senior Center
that I go to every week:


DON'T TALK TO THEM ON PHONE. YOU MAY GET CONFUSED & SIGN UP FOR A BAD POLICY. SOME THEM GOT STUCK WITH POLICIES THAT DIDN'T HELP THEM WITH THE COST OF THEIR MEDICATION. THIS EXPENSE CRIPPLED THEIR FINANCES FOR 12 MONTHS.


DO BE CAREFUL WITH THE MEDICARE MAILERS! SOME ARE FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT & SOME ARE NOT! 
READ SMALL PRINT AT BOTTOM. IT SAYS
NOT AFFILIATED WITH A GOVERNMENT!  AGENCY! 

DO CALL SHIPP! THIS IS A GOVERNMENT SPONSORED CALL CENTER. THEY HELP YOU SORT THROUGH THE MEDICARE
MADNESS. THEY ARE TRAINED TO HELP PEOPLE CHOSE A POLICY TO FIT YOUR BUDGET & HEALTH NEEDS. THEY
ALSO KNOW WHICH AGENTS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE IN YOUR STATE-SOME ARE NOT!! VISIT THIS
WEBSITE FOR HELP WITH FIND YOUR STATE'S WEBSITE & PHONE NUMBER:

http://www.seniorsresourceguide.com/directories/National/SHIP/







DO VISIT AARP WEBSITE. THEY HAVE OF THE MEDICARE GUIDE THAT'S  EASY TO UNDERSTAND:

http://www.medicareadvantagesupplementplans.com/wp-content/uploads/AARP-retirement-survival-guide.jpg





DO ASK THE MEDICARE AGENT YOU
CHOOSE IF THEY OFFER  VISION &  DENTAL PLANS!

DO INVESTIGATE MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLAN IF YOU 
REQUIRE A LOT OF MEDICATION
& HAVE FREQUENT OFFICE VISITS.
MY HUSBAND GOT IT BECAUSE
HIS CO-PAYS WERE EXPENSIVE.
OUR INSURANCE CO ALREADY
COVERED OUR AUTO & HOME
OWNER INSURANCE. THEY JUST
ADDED THIS FEE IN OUR MONTHLY 
PREMIUM.



I hope that the new health insurance that the government is proposing will not be detrimental to MEDICARE for seniors.
The MEDICARE benefits we have now is not perfect but most seniors couldn't afford an increase in their MEDICARE
insurance premiums or  cuts in the benefits that we are currently receiving.