SWINE FLU AND YOU
Lately we've all been hearing about Swine Flu. Many numbers and facts have been bandied about, but in truth, most are only guesses. Since working in a clinic in San Francisco, most of the people I see come in the door are relatively poor, working class. I've seen people march in there with all the same symptoms of the Swine Flu for the last 6 months. Almost always, they march right back out again, feeling much better, if not 100%. If they're not feeling much better, they have an additional remedy to take if they feel they're not well on the road to recovery.
What are the symptoms? I've seen many; nausea, vomiting, dry heaves, bitter mouth taste, fever, cough, sore throat, loose stool, congestion of the sinuses, headache, body aches, but above all, the cough with mucus in the chest. Often people complain about having trouble on deep inspiration , and sometimes they say they feel like they're drowning, or unable to get enough air.
In homeopathy, vaccinations are frowned upon. If you read about the philosophy of why, you may or may not understand it. Suffice to say, when you bypass the body's natural immunity, you cause problems. Then there is the composition of the vaccine. What are we being injected with? Why? Some of the reactions to vaccines are very distressing. Personally, my son has not been vaccinated since he was in kindergarten or before.
The key to staying healthy this fall is multifaceted. Eating right, sleeping well, taking supplements, and keeping stress under control are all good ideas for keeping your immune system healthy. Here are a few key points:
1.Eating Right: NO sugar. Sugar has been shown to depress the activity of leukocytes (white blood cells) for at least 4 hours in college students after ingesting it. Keep yourself well with a variety of foods, trying to stay away from things with a lot of packaging, which are usually processed foods, and tend to be low on the nutritional scale. Lots of color is very important; blueberries, squash, pomegranate, oranges, apples, carrots...you get the idea! Try to stay away from white stuff – sugar, flour, bread, pasta, potatoes. If you feel congestion coming on, a stuffy nose or headache, have some broth – plain chicken or vegetable is fine. Onions and garlic are very good for the immune system, but if you cut garlic to cook it, leave it out for 10 minutes to develop the compounds that need to oxidize. Organic food is important too, not just because you don't get the pesticides; you need the trace minerals found mostly in organic foods, ones you can't get from depleted soils.
2.Sleep Well: Your immune system is active at night, and if you don't sleep well, you're bound to be ill. Darkness is important, it keeps your melatonin stable. Switch on a light in the middle of the night, and your melatonin drops rapidly. Don't leave electronics on next to your bed, or within a yard of your head. Many people that have poor sleep tend to develop problems with the HPA – think reproductive system cancers and brain problems. These effects are from the intervention
of the hormones coming from the brain.
3.Taking Supplements: Once you have the basics (vitamins A, C, and E), you can add
others. I'd insist on vitamin D, at least 1000 mg per day, and a good fish oil, at least 1200 mg per day. Zinc has been shown to help the immune system, and is very inexpensive, 15 mg per day is fine. If you're under stress, I'd add
a sublingual (under the tongue – look at those blood vessels!) vitamin B multiple. You can carry around Emergen-C and take one per hour (back off if your stool becomes too loose) if you feel bad.
4.Stressed? Your body uses many more nutrients and can become depleted and more prone to illness and disease. That said, some stress is important. So, if you're feeling ill, take some time to listen to your body, and give yourself a breather.
Now, think about all the things that make you feel good, and give yourself a reason to be grateful!If that doesn't work, call your homeopath!
Training and education: AS in Aeronautics, BA in Art, BS and MS in Natural Health, and completed a 4 year course of study at the Institute of Classical Homoeopathy, with a 2 year internship at the clinic. Although homeopathy is my major focus and modality, having an MS in Natural Health helps me make many simple adjustments that can be tailored to a person's lifestyle to improve and sustain health. As a classical homeopath, I find its methods tried and true; they produce consistant and efficient results. As a world traveler, my research on sleep studies toward a PhD, as well as articles written about sleep and it's elusiveness, give insight into health problems. While also volunteering at a local clinic, my San Francisco practice is central to the Bay Area. Although a resident for over 30 years, my second office is in Willits, 150 miles north of San Francisco.
I have been certified by the Council for Homeopathic Certification, a national organization dedicated to standardizing field and the standard of care, as well as a registered homeopath with the North American Society of Homeopaths.