Ø Rest, Rest, Rest…and rest some more – down time is critical for repair and restoration.

Ø 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.

Ø Neti Pot Nasal Wash – a warm salt-water rinse for the nasal and sinus cavities.

Ø Sinus Steam – Add a drop of Refresh peppermint oil, tea tree oil, or eucalyptus essential oils to a bowl of hot water, lean over the bowl, cover the head with a towel and breathe deeply.

Ø Infrared Sauna – eases body aches and pains and by raising body temperature you’ll increase immune activity.

Ø 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”

Ø 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, and grains such as brown rice, quinoa, millet, and fresh fruits.  Add spice especially garlic, ginger, thyme, and cayenne.

Ø 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.

Ø 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 coconut milk.  Add a serving of PaleoGreens, Vitality Greens, or NanoGreens (for the added alkalizing nutrients, antioxidants, and superfoods), a handful of berries, ½ an apple, and ground flax seeds or PaleoFiber.

Ø 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, CocoBiotic, InnergyBiotic. Dr O’s or Flora Synergy capsules provide therapeutic doses of beneficial bacteria to keep the inner ecosystem healthy.

Ø Cod Liver Oil is rich in vitamin A and D to support immunity.  1-3 tsp/day.

Ø Water – drink plenty and avoid caffeine.  Enjoy hot herbal teas such as lemon, ginger, licorice, peppermint, elderberry, and fenugreek.

Homeopathic remedies, botanicals, and nutritional supplements can help provide relief and strengthen a weakened immune system during cold and flu season. Be prepared by stocking your natural pharmacy with professional quality products before you need them.

Primary Support Considerations (adult doses)

Ø XenoForce – is an excellent phyto-nutritional for anyone needing an immune boost, such as traveling business people, teachers, and healthcare professionals.  This powerful combination supports the immune system and offers protection during the cold and flu season.  Enjoy a cup of XenoForce Tea: empty 3-4 capsules into a mug, add boiling water, honey or xylitol to taste if needed, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

o   Prevention: 2 caps daily

o   Acute: 2 caps/hour for first 24-72 hours

Ø Temple Guardian – is a wonderful Chinese botanical supportive of the lungs.

o   Prevention: 30 drops 1x/day

o   Acute: 20 drops/hour for first 24-72 hour

o   30 drops 3-4x/day while symptoms persist

Ø Flu-Tone – homeopathic support for cold and flu symptoms.  Powerful and more complex than the common homeopathic flu remedy Oscillococcinum.

o   Prevention: 30 drops 1x/day

o   Acute: 20 drops/hour for first 24-72 hours

o   30 drops 3-4x/day while symptoms persist

Ø Drainage-Tone – offers homeopathic drainage for healing the lymph, spleen, and thymus, with immune support. This potent blend helps clear congestion.

o   Prevention: 30 drops 1x/day

o   Acute: 20 drops/hour for first 24-72 hours

o   30 drops 3-4x/day while symptoms persist

Ø Core Sambucus – a spagyric botanical used for support with influenza, sinus issues, mucous, and lymphatic drainage.

o   Prevention: 30 drops 1x/day

o   Acute: 20 drops/hour for first 24-72 hours

o   30 drops 3-4x/day while symptoms persist

Ø Monolaurin (lauric acid from coconut oil) 600mg capsules – offers profound immune support for viral specific diseases.

o   Prevention: 1 capsule daily

o   Acute: 3 capsules 2x/day on an empty stomach

Ø 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 especially use when you are around people who are sick.

Secondary Support Considerations

Ø 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.

Ø Core Echina-B – helpful for bacterial infections, the respiratory system, colds, flu, and low immunity.

Ø Core Echina-V – same as above, yet targeting the viral load on the body.

Ø Core Myrrh – a spagyrically processed botanical blend traditionally used for lung congestion, breaking up mucous and pathogenic burden.

Ø Sinus-Tone – provides relief for inflammation and congestion of the sinuses.

Not feeling well?  Unsure what remedies you should be using? Come in for a quick remedy check to see what products will offer the best support for moving the infection out.

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 our 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.

• 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.
• Include foods rich in vitamin D: oily fish such as sardines, cod liver oil, and animal fats. Studies have shown that low levels of vitamin D contribute to higher rates of the flu.
• 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 not only toxic to you and our environment, it also 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 both of which are potential carcinogens.

• 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”?  Pour into a wine glass sparkling mineral water such as San Pellegrino; 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.

Vitamin D is a hot topic right now as more and more research points to its importance on our health and wellbeing.  Vitamin D deficiencies are a growing epidemic around the world and contribute to many chronic diseases.  Why? One reason may be that we’ve been taught to fear sun exposure, spend less time in the sun, and when we do slather ourselves with sunscreens that are often loaded with toxic cancer causing ingredients!

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin” is produced by the skin when exposed to ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays from sunlight.  The natural form of vitamin D is cholecalciferol, is not really a vitamin but a prohormone that your body actually produces from cholesterol.  Vitamin D3 benefits much more than your bones; it stands in a class by itself as it targets over 2000 genes in the human body, has receptors in the brain, and is an important immune system regulator. Learn more at http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Why is Vitamin D a hot topic?

Many healthcare providers see that Vitamin D is one of our most important nutrients with numerous benefits. Dr. Mercola says “I believe optimizing your vitamin D levels may be one of the simplest, most effective ways you can significantly improve your health.” Vitamin D insufficiencies have been linked to:

• Asthma and other lung diseases
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Depression
• Hearts disease
• Chronic pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Neurological diseases
• Cancer (doubles the risk)
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases
• And other health challenges

Vitamin D also plays an important role in activating your immune defense against infectious diseases like the flu.  As we will again soon start hearing much about the upcoming flu season now is the time to make sure you are not deficient in vitamin D for the best protection.

What You can do!

You know my credo by now: Good health is a choice that YOU can make today. Below are three actions that you can choose:

1. Let the sunshine warm a large portion of your body for at least 15 minutes per day. That’s all it takes for your body to generate Vitamin D3 in your skin, however, that still may not be sufficient. Of most importance though, do not burn your skin!
2. Increase the amounts of Vitamin D in your diet. Oily fish, organ meats, cod liver oil, animal fats, and whole eggs are good sources.
3. Find out what your Vitamin D level is by getting your blood levels checked.  Nourishing Wellness now offers 25-OH Vitamin D testing at a very reasonable price and is billable to your insurance. This test is currently the only way to tell if you have or are taking the correct amount of Vitamin D3. Contact us to find out more. (link)

To learn more visit www. www.vitamindcouncil.org or www.mercola.com