Dr. Andrews

Flu - Get a shot or fight the natural way?

Oct 142013
 

Flu, short for influenza, is more than just a hot topic. It is a serious problem and I think it is just the right time to address this illness that has so many parents concerned about this season.  (Republished from Jan. 2013)

The question: Is there a natural way to boost my immune system, prevent flu and even fight the virus off?

The answer: Yes.

Should I get a flu shot?  

It’s been horrendous to hear of people dying from the flu outbreak and exponentially more so when children succumb to the infection.  Parents want to know just what to do to protect their child from contracting the flu.

In fact, I have received calls from parents of my patients and also from friends and family about this situation.

 After careful study, I conclude there is not a definite assurance against contracting the virulent flu viruses.

What I can say is before you decide to get a flu shot for yourself or your child, take a few minutes to look into the research on both their safety and effectiveness. As well intentioned the vaccine programs are, there is a potential negative impact on the natural development of immunity to other viral infection types.

Case in point, new research in the Journal of Virology (Source Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands,  found that the seasonal flu vaccine may weaken children’s immune systems and increase their chances of getting sick from influenza viruses not included in the vaccine.

In other words, annual vaccination against flu virus hampers development of immunity to viruses not included in the vaccine.

Natural Ways to Fight and Prevent Flu

Therefore, the advice I give is to allow your child’s and your own immune system to develop along natural lines and flow. And here are some guidelines to consider reducing your family’s vulnerability to those infections:

  1. Reduce intake of sugar, and high fructose corn syrup. The average person is consuming about 75 grams of fructose per day, and when fructose is consumed at that level it can devastate your immune system by unbalancing your gut flora. Sugar is ‘fertilizer’ for pathogenic (unhealthy) bacteria, yeast, and fungi that can set your immune system up for an assault by a respiratory virus.
    1. Most people don’t realize that 80 percent of our immune system actually lies in our gastrointestinal tract. That’s why controlling sugar intake is CRUCIAL for optimizing your immune system. Even consuming just 75 to 100 grams of a sugar (about the same as in two 12-ounce sodas) reduces the ability of white blood cells to overpower and destroy bacteria. This effect is seen for at least a few hours after consuming a sugary drink. I believe that if the public in general knew this, from Halloween through the 1st of the New Year, consumption of sugar would have been reduced and there would be fewer reported cases of flu and related illnesses. I heard that the flu season is expected to run through May and the invitation to take the vaccine is extended. Is the season extended by Valentine’s Day and Easter candy eating trends?
  2. Fortify with Vitamin C - a very potent antioxidant. Use a natural form, which contains associated micronutrients. You can take an amount every hour till you are better. Supplemental vitamin C may also lessen the duration and symptoms of a common cold and support healthy immune function.
  3. Fortify with Oregano Oil. The higher the carvacrol concentration, the more effective it is. Carvacrol is the most active antimicrobial agent in oregano oil. I pour the Oregano oil into empty capsules and take. (There are many essential oils that have active antimicrobial agents, beneficial for a healthy immune system.)
  4. Fortify with Vitamin D3 with K2. Research has confirmed that “catching” colds and flu may be a symptom of an underlying Vitamin D deficiency. Less than optimal vitamin D levels will significantly impair your immune response and make you far more susceptible to contracting colds, influenza, and other respiratory infections.
  5. Use efficient strategies to neutralize the impact of constant stress. For example, rest, EFT, massage, soothing music, yoga etc. Short-term stress may actually boost the immune system because the body produces more cortisol to make ”fight or flight” possible. But chronic stress has the opposite effect.  It makes you more vulnerable to illness, from colds to serious diseases. Chronic stress exposes your body to a steady cascade of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which suppress the immune system.
  6. Get adequate exercise- moderate exercise. A daily 30 minute walk — increases the level of leukocytes, an immune system cell that fights infection.
  7. Get good night’s sleep. Getting a good night’s rest goes a long way in preventing a cold or flu. If your body is tired, it has a hard time fighting off any invaders that may come your way.
  8. Drink hot tea that promotes sweating. This helps drive a virus from your system: juice of 1/2 lemon, 2 cloves garlic and cayenne (to tolerance); Echinacea with golden seal; tea containing ginger etc.
  9. Drink plenty of fresh, pure water. Water is essential for the optimal function of every system in your body.
  10. Nurture strong relationships and a good social network. Several studies support the idea that feeling connected to friends is important to your physical health as well as your mental health – and specifically your immune system. Those individuals have stronger immunity than those who feel alone. It was thought the impact was on the immune system at a cellular level: the way some genes that controlled the immune system were expressed.
  11. Cover your mouth when you sneeze. Use a tissue or your elbow when you sneeze since sneezing into your hands will make you more likely to transmit germs to others. It also means any germs on your hands can transfer to your face, nose, or mouth.
  12. Vigorous hand-washing is key. Place paper towels or napkins at the sink that you can use and toss. Clean door handles, TV remote controls and faucets with inexpensive rubbing alcohol, antimicrobial herb and spice formulas.
  13. Crack a window or door to let in fresh air.

My conclusion on boosting the immune system and fighting the Flu with natural, healthy measures:

Healthy habits and natural choices go a long way towards both preventing the flu and healing viral infections. Following these simple suggestions can have a major effect on your health in this and every season.

Additional Resources for flu.

 

 October 14, 2013  Posted by at 9:01 am Doctor's Advice, Health, Nutrition and Wellness Tagged with: , , , ,  1 Response »

Goal Achievement Impacted by Health and Wellness

Mar 032013
 

Goal Achievement Impacted by Health and Wellness is article II in our Energy, Health and Wealth Baby Steps series.

Have you set personal and financial goals for 2013? Are you finding goal achievement difficult or impossible even?  Of course, the Health and Wellness group forum takes a look at this common problem from a health and wellness point of view. For example, did you know inner baggage and determining your true purpose or calling have a tremendous impact on your health and emotional wellness, thus an impact on motivation and capability to meet your goals?

Goal Achievement: Taking Those Baby Steps or Not?

Does this sound familiar? Has it ever happened to you? It happens so much that results of an informal survey concluded that large numbers of people have given up on making New Year’s resolutions because they are tired of the let down when their resolve fades. So, what could be the reason for this?  It is an interesting and familiar condition discussed from varying angles in scores of books.  For our purposes it will be explored in the context of health and wellness principles.So, we’re well on our way to achieving our goals.  We’re being coached or engaged in self-help study.  For certain, taking baby steps rings true and is assuredly doable and inspirational.  Yet, discouragement sets in as time seems to be quickly passing by and the baby steps are not achieved. Goal achievement starts to seem impossible. Things are getting in the way of your resolve and there are so many distractions.

Is Baggage Standing Between You and  Goal Achievement?

That leads to the next baby step going forward; Scan your history for patterns. Patterns formed by similar situations and outcomes.  When your pattern yields desirable results that may serve as a model resource to use in other endeavors. When the pattern has yielded less than desirable outcomes, set your decisive intention to change the pattern to one that produces the outcomes you truly desire. Realize your intention is a force to reckon with; resolve and intention provide powerful energetic motivation to move towards goal achievement.

Next, scan for why your outcomes have been disappointing.  Consider how many times that has occurred and the impact it has on your self-image and self-acceptance. Do you have a strong inner critic that pounces on you when you slip up? So the “why” of your pattern of disappointments may have more to do with some personal baggage than your abilities.  Most of the time, barring tangible limitations such as lack of tuition fees, the barrier is ‘baggage”. One way to appreciate the description ‘baggage’ is to consider its effects. Typically, our best efforts to change fall short of our target despite our resolve to let go of old limiting ways. When this occurs repeatedly it may lead to unfulfillment. Furthermore, baggage may lead to feelings of being stuck in a rut, inadequacy and defeat. Baggage rarely leads to goal achievement, but may well lead to unhappiness.

Do You Know Your True Purpose and Calling?

In my practice the most common complaints are fatigue and lack of inspiration to get things done. The next most common complaint is anxiety and close behind  is depression. Despite the most rigorous medical investigations, the findings usually don’t explain the complaints. When I explore further, it is often that people do not believe they are functioning in life according to their “purpose” or “calling”.

There is uncertainty as to what their purpose is and how they can change their direction to be in more agreement with their purpose. When there is agreement there is proper alignment and balance within the hormonal and neurochemical structures  that determine mood, attitude, quality of sleep, energy, appetite and elimination.  Lack of agreement/harmony is a set up for depression, anxiety, fatigue, agitation, mental dullness, poor sleep, and apathy just to short list what can be expected.

“Calling” is an important aspect of health and wellness. Calling inspires us to do something that is bigger than we are and in the process of answering it, we become acquainted with vast internal resources; and that is ideal.

One practical way to determine your purpose is to hone in on what you feel quite passionate about.  Once that is done, ask yourself if you would actually do it even if you were not paid to do it. Raising this question awakens something that has been dormant within and allows you to refocus.  Remember, up  until now your path was full of distractions.

Is Fear a Show Stopper?

Then what happens? Why of course…a barrage of doubt fueled by fear and a litany of reasons answering the call cannot be done!  I often hear that it is too late now. There is no turning from the path one is on. And because I see it differently, I encourage getting in touch with it because it is a unique gift from God and since His word does not come back void, all the individual has to do is garner courage to at least explore and learn more about true purpose. Nothing is lost by doing so but plenty may be gained!

Having said that, baggage may still exert a hindering influence to goal achievement.  The most common associated  emotion is fear. Fear, for example, is a powerful detractor. It triggers unfriendly chemical processes within the body that influence perspective and feelings. In fact, fear prevents one from growing when it triggers the “freeze” response and behavior.

In the next article we will look at some of the sources of fear, how it got reinforced, and what you can do to lessen its presence and impact on goal achievement. It is important in your quest for health and wellness to make decisions based on the consideration of options and outcome rather than decisions motivated by fear.  Until then…

Join our Health and Wellness Group and participate in discussions with our professional team. You can share your own suggestions as well as ask questions about goal achievement, healthy eating, purpose and calling, energy and more.

If you want to improve your health and wellness, improve your chances or goal achievement and fulfilling your true purpose, subscribe to receive updates on our Energy, Health and Wealth, Baby Steps series.

 

 March 3, 2013  Posted by at 11:57 pm Doctor's Advice, Health, Nutrition and Wellness, Tips for Parents and Teachers Tagged with: , , , ,  No Responses »

Energy, Health and Wealth

Jan 072013
 

Energy, Health and Wealth: Take Baby Steps to Achieve it!

What do most productive people want more of? What do they actively seek having more of?

Energy, health and wealth.

Throughout the day, I am told that if these elements were in place, life would be easier to navigate. All issues of motivation to plan and take action towards dream fulfillment would be solved! That being the case, you take a guess as to when they want the energy, health situation solved.  You‘ve got it right.

Yesterday!

In the next few articles, I will talk about the steps necessary to achieve the goals of energy, health and wealth. Before we move on, however, let’s look at some road blocks.

Energy, Health & Wealth “Don’ts”

In general, what happens to make goal achievement difficult is the habit of dwelling in past outcomes. This is an energy, health “zapper” and the practice results in self-discouragement and stops the person before they even take one step.   And when one is discouraged, it is easier to put things off, i.e., procrastinate moving forward.

Perhaps this behavior is in place because of fear.

How does fear factor in?  Well fear of the unknown. Being where we are and have been gives a false sense of security. We call it our ‘comfort zone’, erroneously.  It’s not comfortable to be stuck.  It is natural to try to get unstuck in nature and in our human lives.  Just let your car get stuck in mud.  You strain to get it out.  Watch the fly who gets stuck to sticky substance…it strains to get free.

While it is true that if one changes, it is in unchartered turf, unknown territory. It may also appear to be to circumstances that are not predictable.  Not predictable? Perhaps; but dwelling in the former doesn’t guarantee anything but more frustration and need to try harder to exert control to try and get predictability. In fact, remaining in the place one is, impedes personal growth, the person is left with the same reactions, coping skills and strategies acquired along the way that fall short to support the fulfillment of dreams, desires and your purpose.

So what is the solution?

Making a decision that is personal to you.  It is not someone else’s business or responsibility to facilitate your move along the continuum of life.  It is yours – a God given right and responsibility. It helps in pressing forward toward energy, health and wealth to know that we are not alone for the same God that gave us the right and responsibility, gave us the power as He is with us. What more do you need to obtain energy, health and wealth?

Therefore making that decision to do what is in your heart is a first step and that step is called Intention. It is moving forward consciously with the reward of gaining in confidence, power and authority.   Be forewarned; that particular baby step yields huge and great outcomes toward your quest for energy, health and wealth.

More Baby Steps toward Energy, Health and Wealth are coming soon! In the meantime, join our discussion forum and ask questions about achieving energy, health and wealth or catch up on our Health and Wellness blog posts.

 January 7, 2013  Posted by at 11:47 pm Doctor's Advice, Health, Nutrition and Wellness, Tips for Parents and Teachers Tagged with: , , ,  No Responses »