The
Heartland Naturopathic Clinic Email Newsletter - December 2003
The following is an issue our email newsletter 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
* The Flu Season is Here
* Prevention
* The Cold and the Flu - What’s the Difference?
* Treatment
* The Flu Shot
THE FLU SEASON IS HERE
Once again we are not only in the holiday season but also the flu
season. This time of year may not only be stressful because of hectic
schedules and commitments but because of loved ones who may be sick. One
of the best ways to prevent colds and flu is to take care of yourself
and to keep your immune system functioning optimally. This involves
avoiding activities that would weaken or deplete your immune system and
engage in immune strengthening and supporting actions. Here are some
tips.
PREVENTION
Get plenty of rest. Traditionally, people rose with the sun and went to
bed not long after sundown, which meant that in the winter people tended
to sleep and rest more. Heed the urge to nap or go to bed earlier than
usual, and give your immune system the rest it needs to stay strong.
This is something to remember during the holiday rush as well.
Drink plenty of water. Central heating, and the hectic holiday pace
contribute to dehydration, which in turn lowers immunity. Have an extra
glass of water before you feel thirsty. If you start to feel like you
may be coming down with something drink 4 to 6 glasses of water over the
next 3-4 hours.
Eat a diet low in sugar, caffeine and refined products. Most of us know
this already but the holidays are prime time for sweets and candy to be
around the home and office. Sugar in all of its forms depress the immune
system and increase your vulnerability to infective agents like viruses
and bacteria. Plus, alcoholic beverages can act similarly to sugar once
in your blood stream. Instead of having candy, sweets and alcohol,
have nuts or precut veggies such as carrots and celery and stick as much
as possible to teas and water for beverages. When eating meals focus on
“warming” cooked foods and soups.
Wash you hands often, and avoid touching your face. A consistent method
of flu transmission is hand to mouth contact. We are generally not even
aware of how often we touch our faces, especially if we might have a
runny nose. Think of every doorknob or other object we touch daily that
any number of people may have also touched. Stay away from poorly
ventilated places. This increases the likelihood that you will be
exposed to an infectious agent. Also, keep a safe distance from people
who may be ill, if appropriate. Of course, when you are sick cover your
mouth when coughing or sneezing.
THE COLD AND THE FLU - WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Sometimes, even when doing all those good things, we can still start to
feel under the weather. But is it just a common cold or the flu? They
really are different.
The common cold:
The common cold is inflammation of the nose and throat lining caused by
a number of different viruses, too many to name. Colds are more common
during spring and fall and less frequent in winter. Typical signs and
symptoms are a watery running nose and congestion, sneezing, feelings of
chills without a fever and a sore throat.
Flu (influenza):
The flu is a severe respiratory infection caused by a virus of the
Orthomyxovirade family, called influenza viruses. The flu is very common
during winter months and is the illness that the “flu shot” is
intended to be prevent. It usually presents with a headache, aches and
pains in the muscles, sore throat, fever, chills, and general malaise
(weakness, sleepiness and/or exhaustion). Occasionally there can be
nausea or vomiting but usually not. The symptoms are usually much more
severe then the common cold.
Intestinal or stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis):
People often mistakenly think that the “stomach flu” is the same as
the “flu.” This isn’t true. They are completely different viruses.
So don’t expect the flu shot to protect you from the stomach flu. This
infection of the digestive tract is caused by a number of different
viruses. It usually produces a combination of nausea, vomiting and
diarrhea sometimes with abdominal pain or fever. Occasionally there are
some upper respiratory symptoms but usually not.
TREATMENT
We recommend beginning our “infection
protocol” (echinacea/golden seal compound, vitamin C,
hydrotherapy, etc.) as soon as you notice the beginning of any symptoms,
regardless of whether the symptoms are of the cold, flu or stomach flu.
Even if you don’t know which virus it is the sooner you start
stimulating the immune system the more likely you are to shorten the
duration of the illness.
It
is possible to get dramatic relief from the stomach flu, influenza,
bronchitis and other infections by taking the correct individually
prescribed homeopathic remedy. In such a situation the patient’s
symptoms are evaluated to find the most accurately matched remedy for
that person’s particular symptoms and reactions to the illness. When
the remedy is correctly prescribed for the individual instead of the
disease, relief can be dramatic, often within hours. It is also possible
to get relief using the more generic “flu” and “cold”
combination homeopathic remedies that are available in the health food
stories and some pharmacies. While for acute conditions like these
infections, combination remedies are perfectly safe, and they may be
worth a try, they are not individually prescribed and so are often not
be accurate enough to be dramatically effective.
The common cold will of course also respond to the correct individually
prescribed homeopathic remedy but the symptoms are often not severe
enough that people want to invest in the time and money to be treated.
However, this season both the stomach flu and, especially, the influenza
have been severe enough to warrant such an investment. Call the office
for an appointment if you or a family member needs this treatment.
If you are experiencing the STOMACH FLU, in addition to our standard
protocols for infections, we also recommend “activated charcoal.”
This is available though our office or any health food store and most
pharmacies. We recommend two capsules with a glass of water three times
a day as much as possible on an empty stomach.
We are finding that about 75% of the INFLUENZA cases we have been
prescribing for this season are presenting with the specific symptoms of
the single homeopathic remedy GELSEMIUM. If you or a family member are
experiencing a flu that fits the remedy picture of Gelsemium you will
have most of the following symptoms: Severe body aches and soreness,
fever with chills, hot and cold, be very tired and drowsy often sleeping
all day, dull, dizzy and prefer being alone. Often the Gelsemium patient
will have little thirst. If someone you know fits this remedy picture,
odds are good that they will respond dramatically to Gelsemium.
Gelsemium is available from our office or in the local health food
stores. Just follow the instructions on the bottle.
THE FLU SHOT
Many people are asking us whether or not to get the flu shot.
Naturopaths are generally more cautious about vaccines then the medical
establishment. Over the years we occasionally have had to treat patients
who have been sick ever since they received a vaccine. While the number
of these cases appears to be extremely small, they make us cautious. We
believe that the risks of every vaccination should be weighed against
the risks of the disease. In this flu season we are seeing a very
virulent strain of influenza virus infecting people. Many people are
getting very ill. In such a season we are more favorably disposed to
recommend getting the flu shot. However, there are a couple of points we
would like to make.
The flu shot and the new pharmaceutical, FluMist®, are only useful to
prevent the flu if the particular virus infecting everyone is in this
year’s mixture of the flu vaccine. These mixtures are “best
guesses” prepared months before the flu season begins. It is also
important to remind people that it will not protect you from the stomach
flu (viral gastroenteritis) or the common cold viruses, or any other
infection except the particular influenza viruses included in the
particular vaccine taken. Unfortunately, the most severe influenza virus
going around this season is not in this year’s flu shot!
A word of caution is also needed for the new vaccine FluMist®. This is
the first year it has been used so no one knows for sure how it will go.
We do know that anyone using it will shed an attenuated (weakened) live
virus for 21 days following its use. Consequently, anyone who has a
compromised immune system or will be around someone who has such a
condition should consider not using the FluMist® because of the risk of
infection from the vaccine. The people who could be labeled as
immunocompromised includes anyone with cancer, HIV or AIDS, organ
transplants, and the millions of both adults and children on immune
suppressing corticosteroids such as Prednisone®, Medrol®, and a
variety of similar medications.
The good news is that regardless of whether or not a person gets the flu
vaccine and whether or not it prevents the flu, naturopathic and
homeopathic treatments are used to treat the patient who is sick - not
the disease - so we are able to treat people with all of these
infections regardless of the type of virus causing it.
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.
