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The Heartland Naturopathic Clinic Email Newsletter - November 2002  

The following are our email newsletters with helpful information on staying well and our practices. They include articles on home care, natural healing, cured cases, commentary on current issues in the field of health care and medicine and other interesting and useful information. If you are interested in receiving this newsletter simply send your email address, name and a request asking to be added to our email address list to: Staff@HeartlandNaturopathic.com. 

CONTENTS
* Cold and flu home remedies
* HRT in the news
* A cured case of osteoarthritis
* What is true healing?

COLD AND FLU HOME REMEDIES
The cold and respiratory flu season is upon us. It is time to talk about the things we can do to build up our immune system so we can better fight these nasty viruses. It takes both a susceptibility to the virus as well as the exposure in order to get sick. Both of these parameters can be influenced by the choices we make. 

The main way that cold and influenza viruses are spread is through contaminated secretions from coughing, sneezing and the hands of someone sick. We can lessen our exposure by washing our hands with soap and water and using surface disinfectants in contaminated areas (i.e., where other people with colds may be). 

We can avoid spreading it to others by the obvious things your mother taught you - cover your month when coughing and sneezing with a tissue or handkerchief and wash your hands regularly. Another really good way to prevent others from getting sick is to stay home when sick. It will also speed your recovery!

To improve your resistance to the viruses cut down on simple sugars such as desserts, sweet snacks and fruit juice (they depress the immune system), eat a whole foods healthy diet, take a good multiple vitamin/mineral supplement, get enough sleep, and lessen the stresses in your life. Anything that is physically or emotionally stressful can depress the immune system.

Once you sense you may be coming down with something (e.g., a scratchy throat) - don’t wait! This is the time to jump on it. Immediately start high dose vitamin C and an Echinacea/Goldenseal combination herbal formula. We really like Herb Pharm’s Echinacea/Goldenseal but others are good too. Sometimes this will kick the virus out before it ever gets going. If that is not doing enough you can add other herbs like Astragalus and Black Elderberry. There are also herbal cough elixirs that are very helpful for symptomatic relief of coughs and Zinc Lozenges are helpful with sore throats. Don’t forget to do the Cold Sock Treatment and Fever Therapy (see our website for information on those effective home hydrotherapy treatments at www.HeartlandNaturopathic.com).

Recommended adult doses:
Echinacea/goldenseal – ½ dropper 6 times a day (tincture), or 2 capsules 6 times a day
Vitamin C – 1000 mg 6 times a day
Astragalus – ½ dropper 4 times a day, or 2 capsules 4 times a day
Black Elderberry – ½ dropper 4 times a day
For children cut down the doses proportionately by weight. Do not use goldenseal with pregnancy, although echinacea can still be used.

All of these supplements are available through our office and can be mailed.

HRT IN THE NEWS
This summer brought a lot of bad news about the risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It confirmed what naturopaths have always been saying about HRT. So it is important to remind people that natural medicine has always offered alternatives to conventional HRT and effective treatments for the symptoms associated with menopause. Some women find it fairly easy to experiment with natural medicines (like black cohosh and soy) themselves. For others it is more complicated and requires the help of a qualified professional. If your or someone you know is experiencing problems with menopause, please contact our office for an appointment.

AN HOMEOPATHY CURED CASE OF OSTEOARTHRITIS
With chronic diseases many people think that the best that can be achieved is to control the symptoms (called palliation by doctors). To this end they usually take drugs, although today increasing numbers of people are turning to natural medicines like herbs and vitamins. However, if the whole person is treated much more is possible – cure is possible! Here is a case of osteoarthritis in a 40-year-old female. There was severe pain and weakness in her right knee from an injury from 20 years ago. It was worse from the slightest movement. She also had hay fever, abnormal Pap smears, sleeplessness and her eyesight was going. She received a single homeopathic remedy that matched the totality of the expression of her case (i.e., the person is treated, not the disease). At the follow-ups she felt better mentally and emotionally, her pain in the knee was better, her Pap was looking better, sleep was better and her allergy symptoms were improved. Gradually after one and half years all of her health problems were virtually gone and her knee pain was completely gone. This case illustrates what can be achieved over time when treating the whole person instead of just the disease. This approach can be successful with most chronic diseases.

WHAT IS TRUE HEALING?
The basis of naturopathic medicine is the Latin phrase “Vis Medicatrix Naturae.” This means the “healing power of nature.” To most people this means using natural products for health care and wellness. Taking extra vitamin C instead of antibiotics for an infection is one example of this. But wait a minute, aren't some antibiotics made from fungus and therefore natural?

All living organisms, including us, have the innate capacity to heal. This is one of the fundamental qualities that define something as alive (as opposed to non-life). Thus the “healing power of nature” is found in the organism’s power to heal itself and not in the medicinal substance (whether a drug or an herb). Unfortunately, just treating the symptom (doctors call this “palliation”) does not support the body/mind’s ability to heal itself. In addition, palliation can sometimes actually interfere with the self-healing process. Most drugs are designed to palliate and even many natural medicines, such as vitamins and herbs, are commonly used to just control symptoms in chronic conditions (versus acute conditions).

When a treatment for a chronic condition is palliative only the disease is treated (and not the whole person), and while a person may respond to the treatment with symptom relief, the symptoms return when the treatment is stopped. An example of this experience is when a person uses an asthma medication and the asthma symptoms return on stopping the medication. This should be contrasted to a curative treatment that stimulates the body to heal itself of asthma while improving the patient’s overall health. Eventually the medication can be stopped and a person continues to do well. Of course curative treatments are what we all want and need. But there are so many kinds of treatments available, which would you choose?

As naturopathic doctors, we are trained in this philosophy from the beginning of our four years of medical education. We recognize when a treatment is just palliative rather than curative. Because of this understanding we are often able to successfully treat people with chronic health problems that are considered incurable by conventional medicine. 

Many of the supplements specifically mentioned in these articles can be ordered from us by calling (402) 391-6714 or can be found at your local health food store and various online companies.  

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