So my head is a little cloudy...

"When we have a toothache, we think that not having a toothache will make us very happy. But, when we don't have a toothache, often, we are still not happy."
-Thich Nhat Hanh

Right now I have a cold. It is the first cold in my entire life that I have not taken any medications (over the counter or otherwise) to combat. I have to say, it's a different experience.

As a child I had terrible asthma, and anytime I got so much as a sniffle I had to be hooked up to a machine that blew a saline solution into my lungs to keep them from closing up altogether. It's been years since I've had that problem (and was likely a result of living with a smoker), but never the less, every time I've felt even a little under the weather, I'd pop a few cold pills to keep it in check. Why be slowed down by a cold if I didn't have to be? Over the years, it's gotten to the point where my body has built up such a resistance to these medications that in order to achieve any results I need to take several times the recommended dosage. Not a good idea when you're effectively the life support system for another human being - something which gave me pause this time around. My ill health as a child was a direct result of my own mother not worrying about what she put in her body while pregnant - did I want to pass this legacy on?* And, if these things were dangerous to put into my system while carrying a child, could they really be a 'good' thing for me to be consuming at all?

The last few months have been life changing for me in so many ways, and my new-found appreciation for natural and herbal healing has kept me from reaching so quickly for the pharmaceuticals. Instead, this cold is being combated with a strict regimen of broth, various teas, orange juice, lemon water and rest. The fact that my 11 month old daughter has the same cold (and was actually the one who very generously gave it to me) isn't making the 'rest' part of this routine very easy to achieve, but we're doing our best.

*After re-reading this post, it occurs to me that this sentence comes across as judgmental. I'm not at all, nor do I harbour any bad feelings toward my mother for her decisions while pregnant. Just so we're all clear.