A gentle guide to listening to your body (and a soup recipe for either way)
There’s a moment every spring where everything blurs.
The light changes first.
It stretches longer across the floor in the evening, soft and golden, like something is waking up. The air shifts. The plants begin to move. You can feel it before you can name it.
And then, almost on cue…
You start sneezing.
Your nose runs.
Your throat feels a little scratchy.
Your head feels just slightly off.
And the question always comes:
“Is this just allergies… or am I getting sick?”
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Why Spring Gets So Confusing
Spring is a season of movement.
After the stillness of winter, everything begins to circulate again—fluids, lymph, heat, pollen, microbes. The environment changes quickly, and the body is trying to adapt in real time.
Which means: symptoms overlap
And that’s where the confusion lives.
Why Colds Often Get Mistaken for Allergies
In early stages, a common cold can look almost identical to allergies.
Both can include:
- sneezing
- runny nose
- congestion
- throat irritation
But the why behind them is different.
Allergies are:
reactive (your body responding to pollen, dust, etc.)
Colds are:
infectious (your body responding to a virus)
In the beginning, the body hasn’t fully declared its direction yet. It’s just… responding.
That’s why so many people say:
“I thought it was just allergies at first.”
Allergies vs. Cold
Allergies tend to feel like:
- Repetitive sneezing
- Clear, watery discharge
- Intense itchiness (eyes, nose, throat)
- Symptoms that shift with the environment and decrease when not exposed to allergen
- No fever
There’s a kind of surface-level reactivity.
A cold tends to feel like:
- Repetitive sneezing
- Clear discharge that thickens into congestion
- Pressure or itchiness in the ears, sore/itchy/raw throat
- Body aches or heaviness
- Fatigue that slows you down
- Low-grade fever (especially in children)
- Duration is usually 1-2 weeks, as opposed to allergen-dependent exposure
A cold has more depth to it.
It pulls on the whole system. One thing that often surprises people is how quickly a cold can come on—symptoms can begin within 24 hours of exposure.
Why We Still Get Colds in Spring
There’s a common belief that colds are just a winter thing.
But viruses don’t disappear when the weather warms up.
What does change is:
- how we spend time (more indoors in winter = more transmission)
- humidity levels (dry air supports viral spread)
- sunlight exposure (affects immune resilience)
In spring:
- temperatures fluctuate
- people start gathering more
- immune systems are still recalibrating after winter
So colds still move through—just often misidentified at first.
A Story from This Week
I got my answer the hard way this week.
I took my son to a playdate. It was one of those normal, ordinary decisions you don’t think twice about—sunlight, connection, a little break in the rhythm of the day.
And then, casually, mid-conversation:
“Oh, don’t worry about it—it’s just allergies. We’ve all been a little sniffly for a couple weeks.”
I remember pausing at "a couple weeks." That internal "wait… what?" moment.
But by then, we were already there.
That night, my son woke up at 2am, congested and crying. He couldn’t nurse because he couldn’t breathe through his nose. His little body felt warm against mine—101°.
By morning, I felt it too. The heaviness. The ache. The low grade fever building. The shift from “maybe” into certainty.
Not allergies. Definitely not allergies.
Plans changed quickly after that.
I had to cancel going to my aunt’s funeral.
I had to pull out of the market I had already prepared for.
My husband left for a four-week hitch the same day.
And there I was—sitting in the middle of it all, holding a congested baby, feeling the first waves of illness move through my own body, and realizing:
The body doesn’t care what we had planned.
It just asks to be supported.
A Quick Note on Fevers (Especially for Littles)
Fever can feel alarming—but it’s also part of the body’s response.
For infants and children:
- A temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher is considered a fever
- Low-grade fevers are common with viral illness
Something many people don’t realize:
Fevers fluctuate throughout the day
Often:
- lower in the morning
- higher in the afternoon/evening
So it’s helpful to:
- check periodically
- not rely on a single reading
You’re watching for patterns, not perfection.
How I Supported Us This Week
Nothing extreme.
Nothing complicated.
Just consistent, layered support.
For Caspian (10 months):
- Breastfeeding as primary nourishment
- Saline + suction for congestion
- Time outside for fresh air and light
- A mild infusion of lemon balm, catnip, and elderflower in a sippy cup, which is calming, supportive, and appropriate for his age
I use an infusion of elderflower, catnip, and lemon balm for little ones during a common cold because together they meet the system gently from a few different angles without overstimulating it. Elderflower helps the body move fluid through the sinuses and supports the natural release of heat when there’s a fever. Catnip is deeply settling for the nervous system, which is especially helpful when a child is restless, uncomfortable, or unable to fully relax into sleep. Lemon balm brings a quiet antiviral support while also easing that wired, unsettled feeling that can come with being sick. Together, they don’t force a shift—they simply support the body as it moves through what it’s already doing. And an infusion (tea) is a safe and easy way to administer to kids.
For myself (breastfeeding):
- Nettle infusions (mineral support)
- Electrolytes
- Elderflower + lemon balm tinctures for fever support
- Sinus rinsing with Lumen
- (this time with a small addition of bayberry root bark—something I’m exploring more for more acute rhinitis/sinusitis)
- Followed by Clarion for astringent mucosal support (Yerba santa heavy)
- Nectar for post nasal drip support (that yucky raw feeling is the worst, so YAY osha root)
- Spring Talisman a few times a day for immune support
And of course… I made soup. Because that's what I do when I am sick.
The Soup That Held It All Together
There’s a certain kind of soup you make when you’re sick. Something you create instinctively, pulling from what you have, what sounds good, what feels right.
Not planned.
Not perfected.
Just… assembled from instinct. Guided by The Holy Spirit and my need for comfort. No real measurements here. Just ingredients. So pray about it and do your best if you end up making it. (LOL)
{RECIPE} Spring Recovery Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
- Chicken thighs (bone-in)
- Bone broth
- Onion (chopped), garlic (minced), leeks (chopped)
- Carrots (chopped), little potatoes (halved), peas
- Fresh okra (from my mom’s garden)
- Egg noodles
Seasoning:
- Mediterranean herb blend (marjoram-forward)
- Zatarain’s seasoning
- Fresh grated ginger (small amount)
- Fresh lemon
Method:
Simmer chicken in broth.
Shred and return to pot.
Add vegetables and cook until tender. Season to taste with Zatarain's and herb blend
Grate in a small amount of ginger.
Finish with lemon right before serving.
Why it works:
- Broth + chicken → deep nourishment
- Garlic + leeks + onion → warmth + movement
- Ginger → gentle circulation + support for congestion
- Okra → soothing, moistening
- Lemon → brightens + helps everything integrate
It’s the kind of meal that doesn’t just fill you up.
It's the kind that walks the line between food and medicine. The kind that helps your body find its way back to balance. Which is what herbalism is all about– supporting terrain.
What it became:
It was warm, a little spicy, deeply savory.
The ginger didn’t stand out—it just made everything feel more alive.
The okra softened the broth in that subtle, almost unnoticeable way, like the soup was gently coating everything it touched.
The lemon lifted it.
And somewhere in the middle of eating it, holding my son while he slept, I felt it:
Not cured.
But supported.
You don’t always need a perfect diagnosis.
Allergies.
Cold.
Somewhere in between.
The body doesn’t always speak in clean categories.
But it does respond to care.
To warmth.
To nourishment.
To being listened to instead of managed.
A bowl of soup.
A little extra rest.
A slower pace than you had planned.
Sometimes that’s the medicine, right there.
Healing isn’t about chasing symptoms. It’s about building relationship. Start with one plant. Start with one ritual. Check out these {Spring Bundles} and {Spring Offerings}