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April 2, 2020 Nutrition and Our Immune System - Battling Corona, Flu and other viruses

In addition to those helpful tips listed on Feb 24, 2020, here are some more tips.

Things to help:

The best defense is a healthy body. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables like greens, celery, asparagus, radishes, and cucumbers. Ideally we eat 2 vegetables for every 1 fruit serving.
If you have blood sugar issues, avoid any fruit and high carb vegetables like carrots and potatoes. If you don't have blood sugar issues, green apples, berries, kiwi are on the list of good options.

Herbs high in menthol help with a number of respiratory functions, but especially improving the ability of the lungs to uptake oxygen and release carbon dioxide, as well as clear phlegm. Best menthol options are herbs like Peppermint, Spearmint, Wintergreen and Sage.

Spicy foods like horseradish/wasabi, hot peppers and cayenne also help to clear mucus.

Fenugreek is a mild spice that does wonders for the lungs. It also makes for great breast milk, making an option for pregnant and nursing women.

If you are client, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to help you with additional options specific to your body and its needs.

Things to avoid:

Dairy products are mucus producers, even in people not allergic or intolerant of them. A congested lung is going to have more difficulty fighting off an infection. So eliminate, or at least limit, milk and cheese in your diet. (Butter and heavy cream, which are pure fat, do not have the same impact and are fine to use.)

Sugar and carbs - With all the stress of this declared pandemic, it's easy to want comfort foods like cookies, candy, cake and good ole standards like mac n cheese or other pastas, breads, etc. While a little indulgency from time to time is ok, keep in mind that bugs LOVE these things too, especially viruses, bacteria and yeasts. So go easy on these.

Stress - it's the number one cause of illness. We know how difficult a time this is for so many people. Since stress tends to make many of us hold our breath or breath improperly, we want to remind everyone to just BREATHE. It's FREE and anyone can do it!

The Mask Debate

While social media and even many health care professionals are all about wearing a mask, the studies over the last couple decades have shown that wearing a mask will not keep us from getting sick from a "droplet" spread virus like the Coronavirus. Experts in epidemiology like the CDC, WHO, etc. once insisted that that wearing a mask is only effective at keeping someone who is already sick from spreading the disease. It is only recently that there has been so much conflicting claims about masks and viruses. Wearing a mask can help someone already sick from spreading it, but it will not keep someone from catching it. There are even some experts who warn that wearing a mask can make us more likely to touch our face more often, which will introduce the virus into sights like the eyes. The take away from this data is: if you are going to wear a mask be extra vigilant about not touching your face and make sure you still wash your hands frequently.

March 20, 2020 More Coronovirus Data

French researchers have done a small study on Coronavirus (CoVID-19) and the impact of malaria medications. Thus, the latest craze on the news is the Rx drug hydroxychloroquine. It is basically a form of quinine which has been used to prevent and treat malaria since the mid 1600's. Tonic water is made with quinine. The term "tonic water" is actually a reference to it once being considered a tonic to prevent malaria and various illnesses. It was once common for people to drink their tonic water daily.

While drinking a little tonic water (4 to 6 oz) on a daily basis may be helpful for most people, there are some drawbacks to quinine. So, before you start stocking up on quinine pills and tonic water, be aware of the fact quinine has long been considered a toxin as well as a tonic, especially for certain people. It's a good idea to keep the following in mind:

First, people of middle Eastern and African heritage have been known to react negatively to quinine. They are prone to getting severe flu-like symptoms from it such as exhaustion, muscle weakness/body aches, stomach upset, etc.

It may interfere with proper blood clotting, especially anyone already taking blood thinning medication.

Despite many in the medical world over the centuries successfully using quinine for pregnant women with malaria, there is also some debate about whether quinine should be consumed by pregnant women. So, while most health experts don't seem concerned with pregnant women drinking a little tonic water now and then, they do NOT recommend quinine pills or drinking large amounts of tonic water while pregnant, unless under the watchful eye of their medical professional.

Homeopathic quinine (known as Cinchona) has not been shown to have any negative side effects in strengths of 6x or higher in its 220 years of use. (We use 30C to 200C the most often.) It's been a common component of many a homeopath's approach for dealing with viruses, especially malaria, since the inception of homeopathy. Quinine is actually the very first substance Dr. Hahnemann (the father of homeopathy) used in his development of the field of homeopathy in the 1790's. Therefore, the homeopathic form is the better choice for most people if they want to use quinine.

One last piece of data: while any death is devastating for those and their families who experience it, so far, the number of sick and fatalities is still less than the common flu over the last 6 months. The Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 killed over 50 Million people worldwide. We are nowhere near those kinds of numbers. So practice safe health recommendations (as outlined below), and don't panic!

 

Feb 24, 2020 - The Coronavirus - Deadly Pandemic or Hype?

We have known about Coronaviruses since the 1960’s.  These earliest strains of Coronavirus were responsible for infectious bronchitis in chickens and two that caused symptoms of the common cold in human patients. Since the 1960’s other members of this family have been identified, including a strain that was responsible for the SARS outbreak in 2003.

These days, the common cold we experience may be the result of a Coronavirus or a Rhinovirus, and the Flu is caused by still other types of viruses. While people do die from the complications of getting sick, Flu or cold or other infections (regardless of whether that illness is from a virus or bacteria), most of the time that virus or bacteria is not “virulent” – meaning aggressively  deadly. However, from time to time, some pathogen manages to morph into something mighty nasty and dangerous, like the Spanish Flu of 1918, which was a virulent strain from the Orthomyxoviridae family of viruses.

In 2003, the SARS virus was predicted to be a global pandemic. But we all know that didn’t turn out to be as bad as the media hype said it was. Through out history, there have been virulent strains of viruses that became worldwide “pandemics”.  This happens roughly every century and health experts are warning we are now “overdue for a pandemic”. Whether this newer strain of Coronavirus will turn out to be that pandemic remains to be seen. Once again, from a historical stand point, it’s the second wave of a new strain that usually becomes the most aggressively contagious and deadly. Interestingly, homeopathic doctors had a MUCH lower rate of death from the Spanish Flu at just 3 to 6% depending upon the country, than the emerging Allopathic medical doctors at 10 to 20%.

With all this in mind, we have a Virus Prepared Kit available. The kit contains an old-fashioned homeopathic Virus antidote as well as bottle of herbs, essential oils and other complimentary homeopathic remedies, along with instructions for use.    

In the meantime, if you haven’t had a health assessment in awhile, now’s the time to make sure you are functioning at optimal levels. As the saying goes: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!" Other helpful preventatives are:

1. WASH YOUR HANDS – A LOT!  Make sure to lather your hands up to your wrists thoroughly for at least 60 seconds. You can slowly hum or sing “Happy Birthday” or “Mary had a Little Lamb” if you prefer that to counting or watching a stop watch.
   Some of the most contaminated sources are the things the public touch the most:
   
2. Door handles
   
3. Sink/ faucet handles
   
4. Counter tops
   
5. Pretty much ANYTHING in a check out line, especially the credit card machine and number buttons. 
   And best to put any fresh foods in one of the clear plastic bags in produce section to prevent placing them directly onto a contaminated conveyer belt. And still be sure to wash your fresh fruits and veggies before storing them once you get them home. A simple and effective homemade “wash” is 50% water and 50% white vinegar. We like to add 1 drop of dish soap to a mix of 8oz of vinegar and water that we use in a spray bottle. Soak the fruit or veggies for a good 60 seconds and then rinse well with fresh water.
6. Gas pumps - these pretty much NEVER get cleaned. ALWAYS wash your hands after pumping gas.

Also keep in mind, a cold nose is less able to repel viruses and other pathogens, than a warm nose. So although going outside without a coat in cold weather will not make you sick, a chilled nose that is slow to fight off an airborne virus will. So if your nose is likely to be subjected to the cold, keep some kind of strong mint/menthol available to help it fight. A cup of hot mint or sage tea, a dab of Vick’s Vapo Rub on your collar, a strong mint gum or eucalyptus lozenge in the mouth can all be helpful.

UPDTE Feb 28, 2020

Researchers are looking into whether dogs might be carriers of the latest strain of Coronavirus.

Canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV) is a group 2 coronavirus that we have known about for some time. It is genetically related to the bovine coronavirus (which can cause respiratory infections in cattle) and the human coronavirus that causes the "common cold" in people. There is also another strain in dogs known as a group 1 Enteric Coronavirus that can cause diarrhea in dogs. This enteric group is not the same as the respiratory one that has everyone concerned.

So far, researchers claim one dog "weakly tested positive" for the new human respiratory strain. It was found in a nasal swab, in a dog living in the home of a person confirmed to have COVID19. This is of particular concern as historically, the big pandemic viral outbreaks have been due to a fusion of animal and human strains, or a human strain that animals can carry (though not sick themselves) and infect humans. For example the Bubonic Plague was widely spread to humans by rats. However, the pillow of this same person tested more positive than the dog. So, is it noteworthy or not?

If you own a dog (or any animal) No Panicking Needed, just a bit of caution. Until we know for certain whether dogs are getting and/or transmitting this new Coronavirus, it is best to use a little common sense precaution:

Avoid taking your dog everywhere with you unless you absolutely have to. When you do take them out, keep contact with other dogs and humans to the bare minimum.

Don't let your dog share food and water bowls, balls or other toys with other animals while out in public.

Washing is still key! Most kennels, groomers and quality doggy day care facilities have strict rules about hygiene. But if you do have concerns about such a place - take your dog somewhere else. And if you take your dog out in public, be sure to wash their paws before entering your home again.

AGAIN - NO need panic at this time!

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What is Gluten...  And why do we care?

Gluten intolerance and celiac disease is on the rise. Learn more about this common food filler and why it might be the reason you (and your pet) have allergies, acid reflux, bowel issues, exhaustion, skin problems and your infant or child might have failure to thrive.

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Birthing - The United States now has the dubious distinction of having the highest Cesarean Section rate (over 30%) and the highest infant mortality rate of any country.   

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Favorite Recipes  Hippocrates said, "Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food."   Wise words!  Here are some of our favorite "Food First" recipes for health.  This Month's favorite is Crepes

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What's a Virus?   With all the hype about the swine flu, have you ever wondered: What is a virus and how does it work?  Here's all you need to know about a virus.

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BONE Health -  Fact and Fiction

There's more to our bones than just calcium.  Here's all you need to know to get and keep healthy bones.

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Children's Cough and Cold Solutions -  Pediatricians are urging the removal of decongestant over the counter drugs from the market, however, there are plenty of safe time-tested natural options available  

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NOTE:  We've been receiving a large number of calls about purchasing and/or using Protocel ®, thanks in large part to a number of our  clients who are taking their success stories to the media. While Protocel ® is available on line, we don't recommend trying to treat a serious condition like cancer on your own. Every person is different and has different needs. Make sure you (or your loved one) are working with a qualified health practitioner. 

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Archieves -  Looking for an old news item? Check here

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