8.  More on the Cold/Flu Season.
 
With the cool brisk air comes a predisposition to catching any of the local viruses this season, including H1N1. It is a healthy response to get the common cold or flu at this time of year. Know when enough is enough. Two things I don’t like to hear in my practice are “ I always get sick” or “when I get sick I am sick for weeks at a time.” • Fatigue • Decreased sleep • Stress • Chronic congestion/ allergies • Constipation • Poor diet/ low nutrition value • High sugar diets • Many more!!!! All these are risk factors which may make a difference from being sick a few days to being sick a few weeks. Hospitalizations so far for the flu, are usually as a consequence of a super-imposed bacterial infection. Having the flu predisposes your susceptibility to getting a bacterial pneumonia. So it is a good idea to start early this season and take care of your self. Know your baseline temperature. If normally your normal temperature is 97.9 then a fever for you may be at a lower value than if your normal temperature is 98.6. Over-the counter recommendations: Try and stay away from cough suppressants, Tylenol for low grade fevers or other medicine who act to prevent normal detox from your cold/or flu. • Do use a Neti-pot with essential oils or salt • See a Naturopathic Doctor early to optimize your health. • We will have recommendations on herbs, and dosages, and time forgotten home remedies. Wellness is what we do. • Keep Hydrogen peroxide, Epson salt and regular salt handy. • Warm salt gargle frequently, hydrogen peroxide gargle occasionally. • Keep warm; take a warm Epson salt bath to bring up your body temperature if you feel chilly. • Avoid Milk and dairy products. This will help reduce congestion. Even if you think you handle dairy well, chances are if I put you on a cleanse you would realize, you do indeed have a sensitivity to dairy. • Eat plenty of garlic, onion, cinnamon, ginger, and a peppermint, cranberries. All these have antioxidants, and/or a warming affect or have antibacterial properties. You may also consider these as teas. • Increase your Vitamin C; it will take a lot more than orange juice for this. • Hygiene is very important during the cold season. Wash hands frequently. Make sure you clean your bedding often, especially your pillow. Also take care to change your tooth brush. Believe it or not, the most common way to keep yourself sick is to brush your teeth with the same tooth brush you used during your cold/flu. All your doing is re-inoculating yourself, so throw it out as soon as you start to recover. • See http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/ Come see what other health tips we have for you. Dr’s Voicemail 818-484-5185 Two Locations in 2769 W Broadway, Los Angeles, 90041 and 25612 Crown Valley Pkwy, Ladera Ranch, CA in Orange County See us at: www.naturalrootsmedicine.com http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/http://www.naturalrootsmedicine.comshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Naturopathic Wellness Center Written By: Micaela Finlayson, ND 15-minute Free Consult Natural Roots Medicine Naturopathic Wellness Center