tips
Warming Socks: Essential Tool Fighting a Cold
January 7, 2012 | 
Author Battling a head cold? Sinus congestion, nasal congestion and/or chest congestion keeping you from getting a good night sleep? Remember to keep Warming Socks (Magic Socks for kids!) in your cold season tool kit! They’re helpful for everyone in the family…infants to elders.
Supplies:
Pair of thin cotton ankle socks
Pair of thick wool socks (or a warm wooly sleeper with feet for the wee ones)
Warm foot bath (optional)
Steps:
1. Make sure your feet are warm before going to bed. Warm them in a warm foot bath, if needed.
2. Soak the thin cotton socks in cold water (as cold as it will possibly come from the tap) and wring them out well.
3. Sitting on the side of the bed, put the wet socks on first, then the dry wool socks and tuck your feet into bed. (I know putting warm feet in cold socks sounds aweful, but be assured, within a few minutes you’ll start to feel a warming sensation in your feet.)
How it works:
The cold stimulation from the cold socks, with the help of the wool socks, brings the warmth of blood flow to your feet. The focus of the blood flow to your feet pulls the congestion away from your face and chest, helping you breathe more comfortably and get a better night sleep. And, when you wake in the morning, your feet will be warm and dry.
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Tags: Cold and Flu, Hydrotherapy, Immune, Warming Socks | 
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Natural Summer: A Brief Guide to Bug Bite & Sun Protection
Ah summer – this wonderful season presents some unique conditions for our bodies to experience, including the arrival of a variety of insects that enjoy their yearly human feast and the increasing heat of the sun. As a result, the necessity for both bug bite and sun protection is greatly increased. Unfortunately, this often contributes to a rise in chemical and toxin exposure, that heightens our stress levels as our bodies cope with processing and eliminating them. For many people, the reduction of our exposure to chemicals and toxins is an important step in maintaining optimal health. Let’s take a look at what that means for summer time.
Bug Bite Protection
We explored our options for effective bug repellants and other preventative measures, last summer, so we’ll begin with a brief review:
Most commercial insect repellents contain a chemical called DEET, a registered pesticide. It is absorbed through the skin and passes into the blood. Most of the health concerns with DEET centre around the skin and nervous system with the potential of creating dermatitis and challenges with neuro-behavioural tasks requiring muscle coordination. There have also been case reports of associating DEET with seizures in children. This chemical also crosses the placenta, raising concern over it’s use by pregnant women.
With these possibilities in mind, Health Canada has phased out all insect repellants containing more than 30% DEET. In addition, Health Canada and the Canadian Pediatric Society advise against the use of DEET in children under 6 months of age. Solutions of up to 10% DEET applied up to once daily on children age 6 months to 2 years and up to 3 times daily for children up to 12 years of age has also been suggested by these groups. If you are choosing to use DEET containing products, follow these guidelines:
- Do not apply over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin.
- Do not apply to hands or near eyes and mouth of young children.
- Do not allow young children to apply this product.
- After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water.
- Wear long sleeves and long pants and spray on clothing, as opposed to directly on skin. Wash repellent treated clothes as soon as possible or keep outside living areas to reduce exposure.
- Apply sparingly.
- Do not spray in enclosed areas and avoid inhaling
There are a number of effective, less toxic insect repellents available. They need to be applied more frequently than DEET based repellents, but they do not carry the same health risks. Many contain a variety of plant essential oils. Though safer for topical application to the skin, it is important to avoid the eyes and mouth when applying these products and be sure to keep them out of reach of children. In your back yard, use yellow outdoor light bulbs. They are less likely to attract insects. Use a fan outside when there is little wind – mosquitoes aren’t very strong flyers. When planning your gardens, plant mosquito repelling plants like lemon balm, catnip, basil and lemon geraniums around outdoor sitting areas. Also consider using bug shirts and hats as other nontoxic forms of protection.
Insect Deterring Essential Oil Blend:
| Thyme | 1 part |
| Lemon Balm | 2 parts |
| Lavender | 1 part |
| Peppermint | 1 part |
| Rose Geranium | 1 part |
Dilute 2 drops of the mixture in 2 teaspoons of carrier oil (ie: olive oil, castor oil or sweet almond oil)
Sun Protection
With the changes to our environment and the thinning of the ozone layer, protection from chronic skin damage by the sun’s rays has become more important to our health in recent years. There are two categories of sunscreen available: those that provide a physical block, like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and those that provide a chemical block, like PABA, benzophonones and cinnamates. With their make up of naturally occurring minerals, physical blockers work as a barrier against sun damage. Chemical sun blockers work by absorbing ultraviolet rays before they reach the skin’s surface. Over time, research has accumulated that suggests some of the chemical sun blockers possess hormone disrupting activity, specifically, mimicking estrogen. Other research suggests that as we rely heavily on the use of sunscreens, our vitamin D production, for natural immune and hormone balancing and cancer prevention, is reduced.
The Moral of the Sunscreen Story
Up to twenty minutes of sun exposure daily (just until your skin starts to turn pink) supports your natural vitamin D production. With any additional
time spent in the sun, protection from chronic sun damage of the skin is important. Explore sunscreens with more naturally based ingredients. The Environmental Working Group has completed a detailed assessment of thousands of sunscreens on the market and has compiled this information on their website: www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen. This wonderful tool can help you determine if the sunscreen you are using is causing more harm than good. Try searching your current sunscreen to see where it rates! Many of the best sunscreens listed (least toxic while still providing sun protection) are available at your local health food store.
I encourage you to practice healthful approaches to bug bite and sun protection. Make them part of the summer routine for the whole family. Your whole body will thank you and you will continue forward on your journey to health.
~ Dr. Sarah
Breathe Some Relaxation Into Your Day
Are You Breathing? “Of course I’m breathing”, you reply, “I’m alive aren’t I?” Perhaps a more complete question would be: Are you breathing healthfully? All too often, people spend their days in a distressed state of existence, complete with shallow, rapid breathing. The results of poor breathing can be very widespread throughout the body:
In the nervous system, it encourages anxiety, dizziness, poor memory, a sense of apprehension, and affecting balance.
It depletes specific minerals in the body encouraging spasms of a variety of muscles and reducing pain thresholds.
It triggers smooth muscle cell contraction. Smooth muscles make up all of the tubes in your body including blood vessels, the digestive tract and the respiratory tract. When these muscles are contracted it can contribute to an increase in blood pressure (because your heart has to pump against the resistance of closed vessels), chest pain (because the vessels that supply blood to the heart aren’t delivering enough oxygen), constipation (because your intestines aren’t moving properly) and aggravation of asthma (because the tubes leading to your lungs are not allowing enough air to pass).
It reduces oxygen release to all of the cells of your body, encouraging general fatigue and pain.
So how do you know when you are not breathing healthfully? Here are some signs:
| High stress levels | Promote shallow, rapid breathing |
| Poor coping strategies for stress | |
| Restlessness | Your body’s attempts to get more oxygen into your system |
| Frequent yawning | |
| Frequent sighing | |
| Stiff neck and shoulder muscles | Naturally you should be using your diaphragm to breathe (the thin muscle between your lungs and abdomen). As you breathe in, your diaphragm lowers towards your belly, the space in your chest increases, your lungs fill with air and your belly moves out. As you breathe out, your diaphragm returns to its original position, air is pushed out of your lungs and your belly moves in. Without using your diaphragm, shallow “chest” breathing results and your neck and shoulder muscles are used to try and bring more air into your lungs. |
| Lack of belly movement with breath |
The transition to breathing healthfully and reducing all of the above signs and symptoms requires practice. Choose a specific time to do it each day: as soon as you wake in the morning, while driving, sitting at a stop light, waiting in a line and/or before bed. There are multiple opportunities to fit in a few minutes of healthy breathing in every day.
Practice the Complete Breath:
I. Benefits: purifies bloodstream, develops diaphragm, strengthens lungs, thorax and abdomen, increases resistance to colds, aids digestion, clears up phlegm, helps to lift depression, calms nervous system
II. Technique:
1. Sit in a comfortably cross-legged position on the floor or in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Straighten your back, which will straighten your chest for easier breathing.
3. Inhale slowly through the nose, breathing deeply, consciously.
4. Take 5 seconds to fill the lower part of the lungs, pushing the abdomen out and expanding the ribs
5. Hold the breath for 1-5 seconds.
6. Exhale slowly for 5-10 seconds until you have emptied the lungs.
7. Repeat 4-5 times more.
III. Do’s and Don’ts
DO establish a rhythmic rise and fall of your abdomen, to promote regular breathing.
DO attempt to breathe inaudibly after you have gotten the hang of deep breathing.
DO push your abdomen out as you breathe in and full the abdomen in as you breathe out.
DO give an extra snort as you exhale to rid yourself of stale waste-matter in the bottom of the lungs.
DO NOT slump. For maximum efficiency your torso must be as straight as possible
I encourage you to practice breathing healthfully everyday. Make it a habit. Your whole body will thank you and you will continue forward on your journey to health.
|
Healthy Breathing Resources Buteyko Canada (www.buteykocan.com) ALL Yoga – Dartmouth (www.allyoga.ca) Pranayama: The Art of Yoga Breathing (http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/pranayama) |
All the best on your journey to heath,
~ Dr. Sarah
How Toxic Are You?: The Basics of Natural Detoxification
Spring is on it’s way and with this season of new growth and renewal, we tend to focus a lot of our energy on spring cleaning. In winter, our modern world dictates a season of over consumption. We eat and drink our way through over commercialized holidays: Christmas, Valentine’s, St. Patty’s Day and Easter. And now the buzz is about detoxification – a spring cleaning for the body. But let’s face it, the newness of each spring shouldn’t mean that we have to clean up the mess we make every winter. Detoxification for two weeks does not balance the re-toxing that’s done the rest of the year.
Before the natural health product industry made it into the newest fad-diet, detoxification referred to the pathways in our cells that transform toxic material into relatively inactive substances that can be readily excreted via the urine or bile. It is a NATURAL process. Our bodies were built to do it every day! Problems arise when our systems are overwhelmed or insufficiently functioning. When not detoxified and excreted promptly, the majority of toxic substances are stored in tissues and organs. With all of our body systems intricately connected to one another, impaired detoxification processes in any one system will lead to low energy and decreased vitality which can ultimately result in chronic illness.
The primary goal of natural detoxification is elimination. Systems of elimination work 24/7 to help maintain a clean internal environment. The lungs handle around 20% of all body elimination through more than 23,000 breaths each day. By breathing deeply and healthfully we improve the volume and the cleansing ability of our lungs. The skin, removes about another 10% of body waste, through sweating. The digestive system is extensive and highly coordinated. Remember, one bowel movement for every meal is ideal for preventing toxic build up in the bowels. If waste is sitting in your gut, the opportunity for toxins from that waste to be reabsorbed into the body is greater – especially if the friendly bacteria or mucous membranes of the gut have been compromised by poor eating habits, food sensitivities, alcohol, coffee, and antibiotics. The kidneys handle about 30% of the body’s elimination. Water soluble waste from the blood is literally flushed out.
In order for many wastes to be eliminated, they must first be processed and transported. The liver, our master detoxifier and one of the most precious organs of the body performs many vital functions. It filters harmful chemicals and bacteria from the blood, breaks down and eliminates hormones, and creates bile which is used to break down fat and carry away waste in the bowels. The lymphatic system is a network of vessels that drain toxins from between the cells in every corner of the body, delivering waste back into the blood circulation, destined for elimination.
This spring, centre yourself with renewed view of detoxification. Focus on year round support of your natural routes of elimination. That’s what your self care practices are all about – dry skin brushing supports the skin and lymphatics; castor oil packs nourish the digestive system and enhance lymphatic and liver functioning; hydrotherapy showers circulate blood and lymph; healthful breathing strengthens the lungs and promotes relaxation; drinking plenty of pure, clean water, flushes the kidneys. For more details and to make all of these practices a part of your daily routine, speak to your naturopathic doctor today and ensure your continued journey to good health.
Posted in newsletter, tips | Tags: Breathe, Detoxification, Hydrotherapy, Self Care, Spring | No Comments »
The Cold & Flu Bugs Are Winning: Now What?
In November, we discussed nutrition for boosting your immune system to prevent colds and flus, the how to set up your defenses. So what happens when the bugs win and you start to feel a cold coming on? Here are a few additional tips that I often provide to my patients this time of year:
Nutrition: Keep up the good work, getting those immune boosting foods into your body. Make yourself a great immune boosting vegetable soup including lots of onions and garlic along with a rainbow variety of vegetables and some herbs and spices like thyme, rosemary, turmeric and sage. They are all great immune boosters and infection fighters. Avoid sugar. I know it can be hard, but a half teaspoon of sugar can knock your immune system flat for hours! Avoid dairy products. They tend to produce a lot of phlegm in the body. Alternatives include organic soy milk, rice milk and almond milk; all found in the health food section of your local grocery store. Most of those alternatives are now fortified with calcium and many of the foods you are eating also include an abundance of it: almonds, collards, spinach, Swiss chard and blackstrap molasses.
Rest: Remember, the best way to stop a cold is to rest and relax. This provides your body with extra energy to fight off the bug that would otherwise be taken up dealing with stress. Take a nap. Give yourself a couple of extra hours of sleep. You’re body is sending you a message that you need it!
Warming Socks: And overnight treatment, warming socks reduce congestion in the head, face, throat and chest to help you get a better night sleep and give your immune system a great boost. They are great for sore throats, bronchitis, nasal congestion, sinus congestion and infections, congestive headaches, coughs and upper respiratory infections.
Supplies: 1 pair of thin cotton socks, 1 pair of thick wool socks, towel, warm bath or foot bath
Directions: Before bed, gather your supplies. If you are someone who tends to have cold feet, make sure your feet are warm to start by sticking them in a warm foot bath for a few minutes and then drying them off. Next, soak the cotton socks in cold water, wring them so they’re not dripping and take both pairs of socks to bed with you. While sitting on the side of the bed, put the wet cotton socks on your warm feet and the dry, thick, wool socks over top and into bed you go. Now I know you’re thinking: cold wet socks on my feet, is this woman crazy?!?! But within a few minutes, your feet will begin to feel warm as your body carries warm blood towards your toes and pulls the congestion away from your upper body. When you wake in the morning your feet will be warm and dry.
The moral of the story: give your immune system the resources it needs to do the healing it was created to do. Along with the preventative nutrition outlined in November’s newsletter, all of these suggestions work with your body’s innate healing wisdom and keep you on your journey to health.
Posted in newsletter, tips | Tags: Cold and Flu, Hydrotherapy, Nutrition, Steam Inhalation, Warming Socks | No Comments »
The Cold & Flu Battle: Are Your Defenses Armed?
‘Tis the season…not only for sleigh bells to start ringing…but for those cold and flu bugs to start their annual attack! With the cold weather on its way, we tend to stay indoors more and more, with less natural ventilation and an increased exposure to the bugs from others around us. Are your defenses armed? This month starts a two part series on giving your immune system the boost it needs throughout the winter, to not only prevent you from getting sick, but also to help you get over a bug once you’ve got it!
We’re going to begin by exploring nutrition for immunity. There are three goals to focus on to provide your immune system with the strong and efficient army it needs:
- Clean, whole foods
- Liver lovers
- Immune boosters
Eating clean, whole foods means choosing organics whenever possible and avoiding processed, packaged and “fast” foods. Doing so reduces the overall stress on your body. And remember, an increase in stress of any kind disarms your immune system quite significantly. When you are grocery shopping, read the labels on products. Avoid artificial colours, sweeteners and additives. They do more damage in our bodies than good, adding to our overall stress levels. Choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats (flax oil, olive oil, sesame oil, nuts & seeds) and lean proteins (chicken, turkey, fish, beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh).
The overall health of the liver is important in immune system functioning for two main reasons. First, it helps manufacture some of the primary building blocks in the immune system. And second, it breaks down and removes toxins and waste in our bodies, to reduce the overall stress on our tissues. It’s interesting that many of the foods that promote healthy liver function can also be classified as immune boosters. In general, immune boosters contain lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that support the immune system (and many other systems) in its overall functioning. Below is a list of foods that are particularly helpful to your immunity. All those that are followed by an asterisk are also liver lovers.
Carrot* Sweet potato Onion* Garlic* Red Bell Pepper Butternut Squash Broccoli* Cauliflower* Cabbage* Beet (root & greens!)* Spinach* Kale* Watercress* Apple* Cantaloupe Red/Purple Grapes Lemon* Mango* Papaya* Passionfruit Pineapple* Blueberries Blackberries Raspberries Beans (all varieties)* Lentils*
One of my favourite side dishes for this time of year uses many of the vegetables in this list, so I thought I would share it you:
Roasted Root Veggies
2 Large Sweet Potatoes, cut into ½ inch chunks
4-6 Medium Beets, cut into ½ inch chunks
3 Large Carrots, coined
2 Large Parsnips, coined OR ½ small rutabaga, cut into ½ inch chunks
½ Large Onion (white or purple), coarsely chopped (about 1 inch pieces)
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced (can add more to taste)
Toss all of the above in a little olive oil &/or sesame oil, enough to lightly coat the vegetables. Sprinkle on generous amounts of black pepper, basil, oregano, rosemary and turmeric. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 350F for 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are soft, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
I encourage you to experiment with all of the liver lovers and immune boosters and to keep your general winter nutrition focus on clean whole foods. Keeping your immune system armed through nutrition will help you win the battle against cold and flu bugs and keep you on your journey to health.
Posted in newsletter, recipe, tips | Tags: Cold and Flu, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Immune, Nutrition, Recipe, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free | No Comments »