Symptoms Are Not the Enemy, Just the Messengers
We’ve Been Taught to Fear Symptoms
Headaches, fevers, rashes, coughs… our instinct is to make them go away now. But what if I told you that Symptoms aren’t the problem. They’re the messengers. They’re your body’s way of waving a flag, saying, “Hey, something’s not right in here.”
Instead of rushing to silence these messages, what if we paused and asked to think what is my body trying to tell me?
Of course, nobody wants to feel awful. A burning UTI, pounding migraine, or sleepless cough can ruin your day. And yes, relief is sometimes needed, especially in emergencies. But using herbs or pharmaceuticals only to erase a symptom, without understanding what’s causing it, often backfires.
Why the Fever Isn’t the Enemy
In a fever, the body turns up the internal heat to make it harder for viruses or bacteria to survive. It’s not the illness, but the response.
And what do most people do? Take an ibuprofen to shut it down. But here’s the thing… Ibuprofen don’t just lower the fever, it drives blood inward… pulling pathogens deeper into the body, interrupting the body’s effort to purge them.
Supporting the Process With Diaphoretics
Instead of blocking a fever, we can support it with a class of herbs called diaphoretics, which promote sweating and help the body eliminate heat.
Warming diaphoretics (cayenne – strongest, garlic, ginger, and chamomile – mildest, best for children) stimulate blood flow toward the skin, encouraging sweating. They are used when someone feels chilled, has cold extremities, or isn’t sweating yet.
Cooling diaphoretics (peppermint, elderflower, lemon balm, catnip) are best when the body is already hot, flushed, or sweating. They help guide the fever process without overheating you further and are gentle enough for children.
The key is matching the approach to the body’s state. You support the purge, not suppress it. And this is just one example… there are so many ways herbs can be used to work with your body’s natural responses, and I can’t wait to share more beneficial knowledge with you.
Work with Your Body And Not Against It
Suppressing a signal or symptom without resolving the root often drives the imbalance deeper. Worse symptoms may follow especially confusing, chronic, harder-to-trace ones. Every fever, every rash, every runny nose… it’s not random and it’s not just discomfort. It’s communication. It’s a detox in progress. It’s a warning flare.
If you vomit after eating something contaminated, that’s your body eliminating something harmful. Should you stop it immediately with ginger or peppermint? Or should you pause and ask: Is this helping my body get something out or keeping it in? Yes, it’s uncomfortable. But discomfort isn’t always damage, it’s often detox.
Symptoms Show You Where to Look
Instead of fearing symptoms, get curious and start paying closer attention: What set this off? What is my body asking for? Where might I be out of balance, physically, emotionally, or energetically? The more observant and aware you become, the more clearly your body’s messages start to make sense.
When we look at symptoms as messengers, we stop treating them like enemies. We stop silencing them and start listening. And when we listen, we learn. That’s where true healing starts.
Whether you’re working with herbs or navigating conventional options, the goal shouldn’t be to just make symptoms disappear—it should be to understand why they showed up in the first place.
Because the body doesn’t make mistakes. It speaks. It signals. And when we support it rather than silence it, everything shifts.
Ready to Understand Your Body’s Messages?
Think back to the last time you had a symptom, big or small. Did you try to silence it right away, or did you pause to ask what it might be telling you?
Here’s your challenge:
Pick one symptom you’ve experienced recently.
Write down when it happened, what was going on in your life at the time, and how you responded.
Ask yourself: Was I supporting my body or suppressing it?
If you want help decoding those signals and finding a way forward that supports your whole health, I’d love to walk you through it. Share your observations in the comments, or send me a message so we can explore your body’s “messenger system” together. Because the more you practice listening, the clearer your body’s language becomes.
