Natural Remedies for the Common Cold

Why do people still suffer so much from the common cold?  Hopefully this blog will help you better understand the nature of a cold and how you can better prevent and treat them.

A cold is a viral infection that affects the upper respiratory tract.  Because it is a virus, a cold does not respond to antibiotics, which are only for bacterial infections.  There are several variations of virus than can cause a cold so it is hard to find a treatment in standard medicine which is usually targeting an individual virus.

Strictly speaking, the cold weather does not cause a cold.  But there are many stresses on the immune system in colder weather that may make you more susceptible.  For example, just the extra energy you must expend to stay warm may take energy away from your immune system.  Going in and out of the cold air requires more energy.  Being indoors or in enclosed spaces makes it easier to spread the virus.  If your immune system is weak anyway from poor nutrition, stress, or lack of exercise, this is even more of a problem.  I would say that this is the biggest problem.

The most important thing you can do to prevent a cold is to stay healthy.  As simple as that sounds, it really goes back to all the basics of good health that you have probably already heard about (but may not do :)).  Eating right, moderate exercise, chiropractic care, reducing stress, and avoidance of drugs and toxins will go a long way towards strengthening  your immune system.  Each item could have multiple blog posts or articles written about it.  Suffice it to say that doing those things is much more important than a miracle drug or herb to cure a cold.

But what if you already have a cold?  The following herbs and products have been found to be helpful.  Astragalus has been used for thousands of years to boost the immune system.  Andrographis paniculata does as well and has been found in at least one study to be effective at treating upper respiratory infections.  Cat's claw has both anti-inflammatory and immunostimulant properties.  Elderberry may be effective in treating colds and flu as it is loaded with antioxidants.  Eucalyptus oil is best used by putting a few drops in hot water and inhaling the steam.  Juice Plus is a supplement that combines many fruits and vegetables dried in capsule form.  The antioxidant powers appear to be quite high.

Again, the most important thing is to strengthen your immune system on a regular basis by healthful living.  I hope that this article has helped you think about some ways to begin or improve that process.

6 Strategies to Overcome Worry

I've noticed that the economy seems to be improving somewhat but that there is still an environment of fear and uncertainty.  Science reveals that some people are more wired for worry than others.  This can be a result of several factors, including genetics, environment, and upbringing.  From a biological stand-point, consistent worriers may have highly sensitive nervous systems.

Whether you worry all the time or only occasionally, you may feel helpless or vulnerable.  But even if you have a biological disposition for worry, you can still tackle troublesome thoughts and lower your stress level.  Try these six techniques:

1.  Write away your worries.  When these thoughts constantly float around in your brain, worries seem intangible and much bigger than they need to be.  Writing them down gives you more control over them.  Also write down possible solutions for each concern.  In one study, people wrote down their worries for 14 days.  When they reviewed their lists after that period, they found that 85% of their worries never came to pass.

2.  Cut yourself some slack.  Self-criticism is a huge problem.  It lowers self-esteem and increases the risk for depression.  The number one requirement for healthy change is a sense of worth.  Self-criticism destroys that.  Some think that constant self-assessment and criticism will spur them toward their goals when in reality it usually has the opposite effect.

3.  Be in the present without judgement or self-evaluation.  Spending time feeling guilt about the past or worrying about the future keeps us from being in the present.  Psychologist Richard Carlson said, "As you focus on becoming more peaceful with where you are, rather than focusing on where you'd rather be, you begin to find peace right now, in the present."

4.  Meditate.  This helps boost your present time consciousness.  Techniques vary but most focus on breathing.  Try setting aside a few minutes morning and evening.  Settle into a comfortable position and just breath deeply.  You can also try focusing on an object to keep your concentration.  Random thoughts or worries may intrude at first.  That is normal.  Accept that and then let them float away and return your focus on breathing.

5.  Play time warp.  Pretend you are in the future.  Look back on the problems you are worrying about today.  Do they look as difficult or scary as they do today?  Frequently you will find that this perspective helps to see your current difficulties in a different light.

6.  Be grateful.  Gratitude can have a profound effect on calming fears, reducing envy and cooling anger.  When you look at the rest of the world, where hundreds of millions of people struggle every day to find enough food to eat and clean water to drink, most of us in North America have much to be grateful for.  One study revealed that people who kept a gratitude journal were significantly happier than those who did not.  Gratitude creates a healthier perspective and a more hopeful outlook on life.

How Does Chiropractic Promote Wellness?

Many people seek Chiropractic care for back or neck pain.  But chiropractors know that adjustments are good for your general health too. 

The nervous system is the one system in the body that directly affects every other system.  This is because nerves conduct sensory information from every part of the body and deliver it to the brain.  Once there, the brain analyzes the information to determine what the body needs to maintain a healthy state.  So the health of this system is critical to the good health of the rest of the body.

Misalignments in the spine can interfere with the proper nervous system function.  These "subluxations" cause imbalance, irritation, and inflammation.  That then affects the flow of information transmitted along the nerve.  Loss of correct communication within the body leads to poor health.  Chiropractors are the only health care professionals specifically trained to locate and correct spinal subluxations.

Resveratrol

What if I told you that there was a compound that if taken regularly could reduce blood pressure, cut obesity, decrease inflammation, control blood sugar, reduce strokes, and fight cancer, would you want some?

Recent studies have shown that resveratrol can help with all those things.  Resveratrol is a natural substance used by some plants to protect themselves from fungus and bacteria.  The best sources are red grapes, pomegranates, and blueberries.

So eat more red grapes.  Add fresh or frozen blueberries to your diet on a regular basis.  Pomegranate juices are widely available but watch out for the added sugar.  Red wine is also a good source.  In fact, that is how this gained public attention.  It was noticed that the French eat a relatively high fat diet but have lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than North Americans.  Many believe that the difference is that the French drink considerably more red wine.  Enjoy!

Sacroiliac Joints and Chiropractic

What are the sacroiliac joints you might be thinking.  They are two large very important joints in the pelvis.  They play a key role in lower body stability and movement.  When they get strained repetitively, the ligaments around the joints can lose some of their structural integrity.  Since these joints work together, if one becomes unstable or restricted in it's motion, the other joint will often be affected too.

They are also part of the foundation of your spine and if malfunctioning can cause stress and strain at many places above.  The hip joints can be affected as well.  In my practice I commonly see patients with hip pain where the likely cause is chronic S-I malfunction.  Sometimes people will come in with groin pain, pain into the buttocks, or pain down the leg like sciatica.  Frequently these symptoms are related to S-I problems too.

The best possible treatment for S-I problems is chiropractic adjustments.  You may also need stretching or strengthening exercises, orthotics (arch supports), braces, massage or other treatments.  However, the first step for best results is the adjustment.

Medications affect nutrients

Many Americans eat a diet high in fat and sugar and low in fruits and vegetables.  We also take a very large amount of prescription drugs.  48% of the population has taken a prescription drug in the last month.  These two issues are very interrelated.

Eating a diet like that will cause depletion of many nutrients and an inadequate intake of many others as well.  Plus, half of the top 20 most prescribed drugs cause nutrient depletion.  This doesn't mean you should just stop taking your medications however.  Talk with your doctors, pharmacists, and other professionals.  Become educated on which ones can cause this type of problem.  If you take medications regularly, ask your doctor if there are more natural alternatives or if one or more medications could be eliminated.

For more information, ask me for a copy of our newsletter of the week which goes in to more detail about specific types of drugs and the associated nutrient depletions.

Can Chiropractic help depression?

Although most people originally seek chiropractic care for back or neck pain, many people are surprised by the positive effect chiropractic adjustments can also have on their state of mind.  In fact, people with depression are much more likely to also be experiencing chronic pain.  So when we relieve that pain, it is a great emotional relief as well.  I see it almost every day in the faces of my patients. 

Just recently a patient came in who had been in chronic pain for over a year.  She had many tests, blood work, MRI's, and etc.  The doctors suggested that it was in her head.  She was of course depressed over that and the fact that she was almost always in pain.  After just her first adjustment, there was relief.  She slept better than she had in a very long time.  The relief and a good nights sleep made all the difference for her.  I could see in her facial expressions that she had a totally improved attitude. 

The irritation to the nervous system that spinal problems can cause not only brings you down physically but mentally as well.