Whooping Cough, Pertussis and Natural Health Tips 1 April 2025
- Bridgitt McNabb
- Apr 1
- 5 min read
Whooping Cough or scientifically known as Pertussis is doing its rounds, as it always does in the cooler temperatures of New Zealand autumn and winter. This is a yearly occurrence at this time of the year. Nothing new! This has a high contagious rate affecting the Respiratory system (anything to do with breathing, lungs).
Whooping cough affecting infants, young children and elderly, needs to be closely monitored as it can quick develop into Pneumonia, seizures and other complications. Please dial 111 for an ambulance if your gut (intuition) tells you a family, whanau member's life is in danger.
Whooping cough is a bacterial infection called Bordetella pertussis. Medical antibiotics do not work on bacterial infection. If left untreated, Whooping Cough starts to affect the respiratory system (lungs) where it then can become viral, that is when medical help is required.
Signs of Whooping Cough
It begins much like a common cold, runny nose and spreads easily through the air after a nearby person coughs or sneezes. So sneezing into your elbow, tissue or hand, then washing thoroughly with hot soapy water is a must. Wiping surfaces with diluted manuka or tea tree essential oil in a spray bottle is a perfect natural antiseptic.
The cough develops and is relentless, ongoing, with excessive mucus (so a wet cough). This coughing is your body's natural reaction to rid itself of mucus. It is when the relentless coughing and mucus greatly affects the breathing (lungs and respiratory system) and the cough sounds like a "Whoop" as the person trys to breathe in. This also creates great fear, especially with Asthmatics.
Maybe as with a common cold, there is a sore throat involved. Stamping this out immediately will stop this developing into what is called Strep Throat (Streptococcus pyogenes). This too is a bacterial infection, not Pertussis. Unresolved Strep Throat can lead to other complications like Rheumatic Fever.
Maybe, as with a common cold, there can be fever. The body is clever, it uses a fever to destroy any invading pathogen e.g. virus, bacteria or fungii. With babies, small children and elderly, please monitor the temperature. Babies, toddlers is roughly 36.4C. Anything over 38C, theoretically, needs to be addressed immediately.
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My Gift for you good folk today are natural health tips to immediately apply upon recognising a cold or Whooping Cough signs and symptoms. Let's get your immune kit ready!
Purchase age appropriate probiotics for your baby, children and adult members. If you get stuck and cannot leave the house, I can organise for quality, Practitioner products to be delivered directly to your door within 2-3 business working days.
Also Check out your local pharmacy, Whakatane Organics, Natures Zone, Healthpost online.
Harker Herbals do a fantastic product for children called Children's Deep Lung Support. (starting at year 1) They also do an adult version.
KiwiHerb (age 0 upwards) do Children's Organic Chest Syrup plus an adult version.
Elderly 75 - 80 plus years will take the dose of a 3year old.
Look for other immune products or check out Bridgitt's NEW ONLINE LIVE HERBAL COURSE about what to plant in your garden for immune support. Saturday 26 April and 17 May 2025, 1pm - 2.30pm $89.00 per person.
https://www.maintainingyourhealth.co.nz/herbal-medicine-garden-for-health
Homeopathy (Check out your local pharmacy, Whakatane Organics, Natures Zone, Healthpost online. or a registered Homeopath), has some very effective, fasting acting remedies in liquid or pillules, take as directed. Safe for children and pregnant Mamas, those folk on medication:
Whooping Cough (Pertussis) 30C
Antimonium 30C
Drosera 30C
Belladona 30C
Let's deal with the fear! the fear of not being able to breathe! Bach Flower Rescue Remedy liquid is perfect for this! Can be dabbed on the lips or sprayed into the mouth. Check out your local pharmacy, Whakatane Organics, Natures Zone, Healthpost online.
Vitamin C with very little sugar content is important (sugar decreases immunity), lypospheric type gets absorbed easier. I recommend taking more than the RDA (Recommended daily allowance) up to bowel tolerance.
Mean intakes for children aged 1-3years 15mgs per day,
ages 4-8 years 25mg per day and
adolescents range from 75mg to 100mg per day.
Adults 1000-3000mg every two hours.
Freshly squeezed lemons and oranges with added manuka honey works wonders! (no honey for babies!) Pay a visit to the Opotiki Honey Shop or support your local honey bee keeper.
Eating a range of Fresh vegetables (not sprayed if possible)
Puha, Watercress, Silverbeet all have vitamin c.
Zinc is crucial - tablet form, ground up pumpkin seeds, seafood (kaimoana).
Vitamin D - get out into the sunshine as much as you can. Take off those sunglasses! Your body absorbs vitamin D through your skin and eyes. Take a vitamin D supplement. Eat more mushrooms (not from a sprayed paddock or sports ground).
Steam inhalation for the entire affected family/whanau to open up the breathing lung airways. Use Olbas, Essential oils of Manuka, Eucalyptus. Some pharmacies hire out Steam Inhalation machines. If you have none of the above, you can also use Vicks. I have used crushed gum leaves and manuka leaves with boiling water poured over them. When it comes to dosage, Less is best for babies, young children and elderly.
Sore Throat. I personally use KiwiHerb Throat Spray and spray into mouth every 10 minutes until pain eases. I have a bottle on hand at work, home and in my bag. It's a little fierce for babies and children. They could do a very weak version of Kawakawa infusion (tea) as it is a natural analgesic (pain killer). Gargling warm Salt water may also provide relief. Check out your local pharmacy, Whakatane Organics, Natures Zone, Healthpost online.
Cough - Cut up a red or brown onion (i prefer red - Allium cepa) and drizzle manuka (or any honey you have to hand) and allow to the onion juices to steep and mix with the honey. Take 1/4, 1/2 to 1 x teaspoon depending on ages.
No word of a lie, I have personally used large slices of red onion, wrapped in muslin cloth, wrapped around my throat! This was after trying every single cough medicine on the pharmacy shelf. This worked! Stopped my coughing for 8 hours. Yes, I timed it! Mind, you, you may need to wear shades, whilst wearing the onion wrap!
Alternatively, you can slice the red onion and place x 1 slice per child's sock and leave on overnight. Try to place it over the pad of the underlying foot (in Reflexology this is the lung area).
REDUCE all foods that are high in sugar, dairy, wheat, refined, processed foods. All are classed as acidic, and create more mucus! Your body is already trying to get rid of mucus.
Water is really important to thin the mucus. Pure, filtered water, Wainui Spring Water. NOT TAP WATER as contains chlorine and flouride which destroy your good gut bacteria, just as they do on the water pipes! Mama's with babies, if you are breastfeeding, increase your water intake.
No smoking or vaping inside or around young children and elderly. This can contribute to their difficulty in breathing.
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Blessings, Love, Light and Healing to you all
Bridgitt McNabb,
Naturopath, Medical Herbalist, Nutritionist, Reflexologist and Lymphatic Drainage Therapist
Maintaining Your Health (Whakatikatika Oranga)
Cell: 027)2843781
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