Should I get vaccinated in order to prevent the flu?
Well, the CDC’s website says that the flu vaccine is only 40-60% effective. 
(1). How many things do you do when there’s only an average of a 50% chance that it will work?
 
Moreover, the website also states that the vaccine only really “works” when the scientists correctly predict the strain of the virus that will present for that respective year. So, if they guess wrong, the vaccine is much less effective, if at all. If they predict correctly, the flu vaccine MAY help reduce your symptoms of the flu.

Furthermore, there’s always the chance that you may actually get symptoms of the flu with just the vaccine itself – how nice!

Is there anything else I can do to prevent the flu?
Yes! Immune support, immune support, immune support! I’ll say it again – immune support! When our immune system is healthy, we may still get symptoms of the flu, but our bodies will contend with the virus faster and easier.
 
The flu is most detrimental to those with a compromised immune system (typically elderly folks and otherwise ill people). If you are a generally healthy person with a healthy diet and lifestyle choices, yes, you may get the flu, but it will come and go relatively unremarkably as your immune system deals with the virus.

Sometimes, when your immune system is very strong, you may come in contact with the flu virus, but it will last only hours or days, or sometimes not even at all!
 
So then, how do I support my immune system? 
There are several vitamins and herbs that support your immune system. The most important of these seems to be Vitamin D3. Dose recommendations vary from doctor to doctor, but one article showed a reduction in the incidence of the flu when taking 1200 IU of vitamin D3 daily (2).
 
The other most important things to keep your immune system healthy and strong is a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and exercise including fresh air and sunshine.
​
Beyond this, it is best to review other flu-prevention and immune system building products and activities with your physician. If you don’t yet have a naturopathic physician, give us a call today for an evaluation of your current immune function, vitamin status, and ways to reduce your risk of getting the flu this year.
 
Written By Dr. Jessica Corbeille, ND, CES
Elevated Natural Health 
 
Resources:

1. CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm.

 

1.  Urashima, M., Segawa, T., Okazaki, M., Kurihara, M., Wada, Y., and Ida, H. “Randomized trial of Vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza in schoolchildren.” Am J Clin Nutr 2010:91:1255-60.

If you are like me, your family can always look forward to a few bottles of whatever your newest favorite supplement is this year in their stocking! I always think, instead of packing the stocking full of candy (which is terrible for us) or tiny trinkets (that really never get used for anything), why not spend our time and money shopping for things that can improve the health of our family members!? Stuff those stockings with vitamins and healthy snacks this year! If you need some ideas,
 
These are a few of My Favorite Things…

1. Needing some extra ENERGY and brain power for the holidays? Try CoQ10 with PQQ to support your mitochondria! Ok, you don’t remember what mitochondria are? You might remember from high school biology that the mitochondria are the “powerhouse” inside your cells. They are literally responsible for making every single thing in your body work – from your brain, your heart, your lungs, your feet, your mouth, and so on. Without the mitochondria functioning at full force, the body is not able to create energy or antioxidants, which increases the rate of exhaustion and the rate of aging! (Who wants that!?) With CoQ10 and PQQ, you should start to feel more energy, better brain function, and faster recovery in sore muscles. [Shop for SR CoQ10 with PQQ by Pure Encapsulations]
2. Have all the cold weather and holiday parties given you a back or neck ache? Try InflaCalm proteolytic enzyme and anti-inflammatory herb combo product: Finally, an answer to the sore/stressful neck situation! Who knew there was a natural alternative to taking an ibuprofen that is just as effective? This super powerful all-in-one capsule combines the anti-inflammatory healing properties of some famous herbs like Curcumin and Bromelain with the PacMan like, inflammation-eating power of the proteolytic enzyme serratiopeptidase (enzymes taken between meals actually “chew up” plaques, biofilms, and inflammatory molecules in the body). [Shop for InflaCalm by NFH] 
3. Time to R-E-L-A-X and enjoy the moment… Try LemonBalm herbal tincture: This handy and super-safe* liquid tincture is the perfect asset to any holiday gathering with its uses ranging immune support to mild anxiety relief/ mood stabilization to insomnia. Give your family the gift of happiness this holiday season and even help ease the tension for family dinners! [Shop for Lemon Balm by Herb Pharm]
4. Need a little extra BOOST for your day? Try Electrolyte/Energy Packets: Keep the adrenals (organ of energy) happy this holiday season with a few extra electrolytes. Whether you are draining your body of electrolytes with holiday parties, family hikes, or extreme workouts, nearly every body does a little better with electrolytes. Electrolytes are foundational for our health as they contribute to the functionality of every cell in our body and support many detox pathways. You can ready more about electrolytes here. [ Shop for Electrolyte/Energy Packets by Pure Encapsulations]
5. While enjoying the holiday treats, keep your digestion smooth and even start the detox process. Try GastriGest digestive enzymes: Don’t leave home without these!! Before you head out for the holiday party with Great Aunt Louise’s homemade parmesan crab dip, pack yourself some GastriGest enzymes so that creamy sauce and bread doesn’t sit like a brick in your stomach for four days. Digestive enzymes support your body’s own digestive processes by adding a little more fuel to the system. Taking enzymes with meals helps the food to digest faster and better which makes you feel uncomfortably full for less amount of time and meanwhile improves the absorption of the nutrients from the foods you eat. [Shop for Gastri Gest by Priority One]  

I hope you and your family enjoy some of these fabulous supplements this holiday season! *Please remember to consult your physician before using any medical product, including natural supplements like those listed above. While many supplements are safe for most people, even natural products can interact with other medications you may be taking. Feel free to schedule a consult today to discuss any questions or concerns about medication or supplement interactions.
 
Warmest of wishes to you and yours!
-Dr. Corbeille

Potassium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, calcium….electrolytes. It’s not just athletes that need to replenish daily with electrolytes, it’s all of us! Why is that? What do these electrolytes do in our bodies? Let’s take a look.
 
Potassium: Almost everyone consumes far less than the recommended adequate daily intake – some of us not even half of what is recommended. What kinds of issues could be coming up as a result? Well, potassium is responsible for a multitude of functions in the human body. The most important could be the conduction of signaling in cells (muscle cells, nerve cells, brain cells, etc.). Without potassium cells cannot function, leaving a person with inappropriately or poorly working muscle cells (leading to muscle cramps, weakness, fatigue), nerve cells (leading to numbness, tingling, poor nerve conduction), brain cells (leading to mental fatigue, brain fog) and so on. Another notable issue that can arise without enough potassium is elevated blood pressure and increased salt sensitivity.
 
Magnesium: Perhaps the most important electrolyte in the body is magnesium. Magnesium is involved in countless biochemical pathways which end up influencing the way your entire body functions. Some conditions that magnesium can help include: breathing issues/asthma, high blood pressure, constipation, muscle cramps, muscle fatigue, muscle pain, nervousness, moodiness, anxiety, decreased cognition, and poor circulation, among several others. The simplest way to think about magnesium is that it can promote vascular (blood vessel) relaxation, which will improve blood flow and decrease pressure. So, anything that would improve with better blood flow and lower pressure is likely to benefit from magnesium.
 
Sodium: This electrolyte gets a bad wrap due to its relationship with elevated blood pressure. If you noticed above that both potassium and magnesium can help to lower blood pressure, perhaps it’s really the relative deficiency of those electrolytes compared to sodium that cause the problem. Sodium is absolutely necessary to the normal functioning of our body. For all of the cellular signals that we mentioned potassium is needed, sodium is also a piece of that equation. Sodium is also hugely important for the overall blood volume and hydration stabilization in the body. Without sodium, hydration is not possible.
 
Chloride: With fear of sounding redundant, chloride is the third electrolyte responsible for widespread cellular conductions throughout the body. Again, without chloride, no cell signaling can occur. Chloride is also hugely responsible for maintaining blood pH and overall body hydration – two very important tasks necessary to maintain life. Another pivotal role of chloride in the body is to make hydrochloric acid (stomach acid). Without stomach acid, digestion weakens and the absorption of essential nutrients, like B12, will not occur.
 
Calcium: Most people think of bone density when they think about calcium. Bone density is an essential task for calcium as our bones are prominently composed of calcium, but that’s not the only task calcium has in the body. Calcium is also used with magnesium to support proper muscle contractions. In fact, even though magnesium is needed to relax and repair the sore muscles, calcium is the electrolyte that is released inside the muscle fibers to initiate the contraction of the muscle. So without calcium, we would not be able to use our muscles at all!
 
 
For recommendations on how to improve your electrolyte intake or for a personalized look at your electrolyte status, please call our office to schedule a time to meet with a physician.
 

There are two simple home exercises that research has shown to be the best at preventing osteopenia and osteoporosis - one upper body exercise  (to target the shoulder joint and it's involved bones) and one lower body exercise (to target the hip joint and it's involved bones).  
Please consult a physician before beginning any exercise protocol.  

How:  Bring your feet about hip-distance apart at about 3-4 feet from the wall or counter.  Lean forward to bring your hands to the wall or counter at a distance slightly wider than shoulder distance apart while keeping your heels on the floor, if possible.  Take a breath in, as you exhale slowly lower yourself down to the wall and slowly back up.  
How many:  Do 10 repetitions at a time; repeat for 1-3 sets 3-7 times per week.  
To increase intensity:  As these become easier, move your feet farther from the wall to increase your incline.  Also try these on a lower counter or on the floor to maximize the angle against gravity.  

Tip from Jessica:  Keep your bottom down so your body stays in a straight line. 

How:  With feet a bit wider than hip distance apart, inhale and slowly lower yourself down to a squat position.  As you exhale, slowly raise yourself back up to a standing position.  Keep your knees tracking directly above and behind your toes at all times.  Also keep chest and head up and squeeze glut muscles.  How many:  Do 12 repetitions at a time; repeat for 1-3 sets for 3-4 times per week.  
 To increase intensity:  As these become easier, try moving your arms to different positions - lift them over your head, out in front of you, out to the side, hold a small weight, etc.  As long as you keep your back straight and strong, these arm positions will all increase the intensity of the exercise and enhance the benefits of the exercise.    

Tip from Jessica:  If balance is an issue, try doing these in front of a chair.  

Have you been burning the candle at both ends again this winter season?  When work and play aren't leaving us with many hours for sheep-counting, a sore throat seems to be the first way we realize we are getting a bit too worn out.  If this sounds familiar, try some of these Sore Throat Shots to ease that prickly throat:

The Spicy Lemon Drop
- 0.5 oz very warm water
- 0.5 oz lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- a pinch of cayenne pepper (as tolerated)
Shake and shoot - but WAIT!  Before you swallow, gargle this shot in the back of your mouth for 1 minute for an added pain killing affect.  Enjoy!

Warming Winter Punch
- 0.5 oz very warm water
- 0.5 oz apple cider vinegar 
- 1/4 tsp grated fresh ginger root
- 1/4 tsp grated fresh garlic 
- a pinch of cayenne pepper
Shake until well combined.  Gargle and shoot!  
Tip:  Make this shot in bulk  so you can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for the cold/flu season.  The vinegar acts as a preservative as the antimicrobial constituents of the ginger and garlic infuse into the water-soluble mixture.