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Prevention – Don’t let the cold or flu catch you
Your Natural Pharmacy Medicine Chest
Tips for the Season
- Most of our holiday events center around food. Be sure to eat something prior to the gathering and focus more on enjoying the company of others rather than the buffet table.
- Set an intention and have a plan. Include plenty of veggies and some good quality protein instead of filling up on bread, chips, crackers, and sweets. Perhaps a bite of dessert will be more satisfying than a plateful of sugar that not only zaps energy but also suppresses immune function.
- Rather than indulging on alcohol why not enjoy a “healthy cocktail”? Fill a wine glass with sparkling mineral water such as Gerolsteiner or Apollinaris mineral water; add a splash of cranberry concentrate, and a twist of lime. Better yet add an ounce or two of Body Ecology’s CocoBiotic or InnergyBiotic (available in the office), which are naturally fermented, refreshing probiotic beverages that support digestion, the immune system, and reduce cravings for sugar!
- Aim to be 80% perfect and 20% human. If you’ve over indulged have a small glass of water with 2 teaspoons of raw apple cider vinegar to help balance blood sugar and pH. Toast the day and “begin again”.
- Don’t skip exercise! As it improves circulation and keeps the lymphatic system flowing. Important components of immune health.
- Sleep and rest are crucial to keeping your energy, mood, and spirits high and immune system strong.
- Take time out to relax with yoga, meditation, and quiet time.
- Count your blessings! An attitude of gratitude makes one happier and healthier too.
Prevention – don’t let the cold or flu catch you
The moment a cold or flu virus enters the body, the immune system goes into action to eliminate it. When the immune system is weakened the body is more prone to infections. Maintaining a powerful immune system is essential to addressing bacteria and virus infections.
The best way to stave of illness is to support your immune system with better diet and lifestyle choices. Good health starts with good nutrition!
- Avoid immune weakening substances by reducing sugar as it suppresses immune function for up to 4 hours!
- Eliminate the highly refined and packaged junk foods that contain many hidden sugars and bad fats.
- Reduce caffeine, soda, and alcohol. Best to cut them out totally!
- Nourish yourself with whole foods and stay hydrated with pure water.
- What is your vitamin D level? Studies have shown that low levels of vitamin D contribute to higher rates of the flu. Vitamin D Synergy or Vitamin D Supreme will optimize your vitamin D level and support a healthy immune system. Include foods rich in vitamin D: oily fish such as sardines, cod liver oil, and animal fats.
- Wash your hands! Most infections occur via hand-to-mouth, hand-to-nose, and hand-to-eye transmission. Wash frequently with plain old soap and water for at least as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday. Do NOT use anti-bacterial soaps with triclosan, which is toxic to you, the environment, and creates antibiotic-resistant germs.
- Soaking your toothbrush in 3% hydrogen peroxide is a good inexpensive and safe way to kill germs on a toothbrush.
- Avoid the flu vaccine. Not only is the effectiveness exaggerated, the vaccines also have toxins such as thimerosal (a preservative with mercury), formaldehyde, and polysorbate 80, and other potential carcinogens.
Your Natural Pharmacy Medicine Chest
Homeopathic remedies, botanicals, and nutritional supplements can help provide relief and strengthen the system during the cold and flu season. Be prepared by stocking your natural pharmacy with professional quality products before you need them. Some can be used for prevention and are especially helpful for those working with children, or when around people who are sick, or if you tend to need more immune support.
Cold and Flu Considerations (adult doses – children use ½)
- Flu Tone homeopathic support for the onset of cold and flu symptoms. Powerful and more complex than the common homeopathic flu remedy Oscillococcinum.
- Drainage-Tone offers homeopathic drainage for healing the lymph, spleen, and thymus, with immune support. This potent blend helps clear congestion.
- Sinus-Tone provides relief for inflammation and congestion of the sinuses.
- Core Myrrh a spagyrically processed botanical blend traditionally used for lung congestion, breaking up mucous and pathogenic burden.
- Core Sambucus a spagyric botanical used for support with influenza, sinus issues, mucous, and lymphatic drainage.
- Prevention: 30 drops 1x/day
- Acute: 20 drops/hour for first 24-72 hours
- 30 drops 3-4x/day while symptoms persist
- Viru-Chord homeopathic support for viral infections.
- Bacteria-Chord homeopathic support for bacterial infections.
- Prevention: 5 drops 1x/day
- Acute: 20 drops/hour for first 24-72 hours
- 30 drops 3-4x/day while symptoms persist
- Immunitone Plus the perfect immune support formula with powerful ingredients that have antiviral and antibacterial abilities. Can be used for chronic conditions.
- Acute: 3 capsules 3-4x/day
- Silvercillin broad spectrum antimicrobial support for the immune system, can be safely used both internally and externally with no known side effects.
- Prevention: 1-2 tsps/day orally
- Acute: 2 tsps/3-4x/day
- Ginger-Tussin Syrup a pleasant tasting, throat soothing, herbal elixir offering immune support and cough relief. This formula is especially beneficial as it helps to warm the body and activate the immune system.
- Prevention: Add 1/2 teaspoon to hot water
- Acute: 1 teaspoon to hot water 3x/day
- ImmunoBerry provides botanical support for a healthy immune system in a delicious raspberry flavored liquid especially good for children, offers immune defense for colds and flu.
- Acute: 35 drops 1-3x/day
- Throat Spray Tone eases ticklish throats, sore throats, and coughs. This is an excellent remedy for cold, flu, and allergy season. Whenever there is inflammation of the throat, Throat Spray Tone offers instant, soothing relief. For added respiratory protection use when around people who are sick.
Additional Considerations
- C Bio Fizz a delicious powdered buffered vitamin C formula with antioxidant and immune protective bioflavonoids. Stir into water or tea for a tasty immune enhancing beverage.
- Probiotics Dr O’s or Flora Synergy helps build a healthy immune system and gastrointestinal tract.
Not feeling well? Unsure what remedies you should be using? Come in for a quick remedy check to see what products will offer you the best support for moving the infection out.
Your Kitchen Pharmacy
- Eat lightly but with good nutrition Light meals of miso soup with garlic, ginger, and leafy greens such as kale or collards. Include fresh and steamed veggies, cultured veggies (raw sauerkraut), and grains such as brown rice, quinoa, millet, and fresh fruits. Add some spice with garlic, ginger, thyme, and cayenne.
- Chicken Soup made with bone broth. Grandma was right! Research has confirmed chicken broth as a treatment for colds and flu. The gelatin rich broth heals the nervous system, improves digestion, and supports mucous membranes.
- PaleoMeal smoothies are easy to digest, yummy, and support the immune system with whey protein from “happy cows”. Blend with water, mineral rich coconut water, or unsweetened coconut milk. Add a serving of PaleoGreens (for the added alkalizing nutrients and antioxidant super foods), a handful of berries, ½ an apple, and ground flax seeds, chia seeds or PaleoFiber.
- Probiotics and cultured foods provide the beneficial bacteria that help support our immune system and fight off infections. Include cultured veggies (raw sauerkraut), probiotic beverages such as kvass, kombucha, Kevita, CocoBiotic, and InnergyBiotic. Dr O’s or Flora Synergy capsules provide therapeutic doses of beneficial bacteria to keep the inner ecosystem healthy.
- Cod Liver Oil is rich in vitamin A and D to support immunity. 1-3 tsp/day.
- Water drink plenty and avoid caffeine. Enjoy hot herbal teas such as lemon, ginger, licorice, peppermint, elderberry, and fenugreek.
Feel Good Therapies
- Rest, Rest, Rest…and rest some more down time is critical for repair and restoration.
- Ginger Baking Soda Bath add 1/3 cup each of baking soda and ginger powder to a hot bath. By creating an “inner fever” you’ll assist in burning up bacteria and virus and wake up the immune defense system.
- Neti Pot Nasal Wash a warm salt-water rinse for the nasal and sinus cavities.
- Sinus Steam Add a drop of peppermint, tea tree, or eucalyptus 100% essential oils to a bowl of hot water, lean over the bowl, cover the head with a towel and breathe deeply.
- Infrared Sauna eases body aches and pains and by raising body temperature you’ll increase immune activity.
- Ionic Detox Footbaths a relaxing way to open up the flow of the lymphatic system and gently detoxify.
Think positively. Affirm “my body is cleansing itself of wastes and poisons”