With all the media hype surrounding the H1N1 influenza a.k.a. swine flu, I have had many friends and patients approach me asking me what they should do to boost their immune systems, and so I have decided to hold a seminar called "Building Your Immune System" on Sunday November 1st at 10am at ISM Health & Wellness Center at 230 Brown's Line.
The seminar will cover:
* diet do's and don'ts for building and supporting healthy immune function
* preventative nutritional supplements you can take to boost your immune system
* supplements you can take if you find yourself getting sick, to support your body, and speed recovery.
This seminar is not about avoiding swine flu, but rather about building your immune system overall.
If this is a seminar that you are interested in, please call ISM at 416-620-6861 to reserve your spot. The seminar fee is $25
Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday!
:)
m
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Do you have a Cold or the Flu? How to Distinguish the Two?
Do you have a Cold or the Flu? How to Distinguish the two?
Onset:
Colds: Slow onset, starting over 1-3 days
Flues: Abrupt onset, starting within 24 hours,one minute fine, the next very ill
Lasts for:
Colds: 4-10 days
Flues: 1 week – several weeks
Fever:
Colds: Little or none, except sometimes in young children
Flues: Usually high with chills
Runny nose: Yes ~ for both
Sneezing: Yes ~ for both
Throat:
Colds: Feels scratchy, sore, like swallowed razor blades
Flues: May not be as bad, but at the same time, likely to get a lung infection
Cough:
Colds: Thick and mucousy
Flues: Initially dry, then can get very severe and last a long time
Headache:
Colds: Possible, but unlikely
Flues: Yes, skull may hurt as if brain is too big for skull; eyes light sensitive
Aching:
Colds: Not much
Flues: Yes, especially in legs and back
Secondary bacterial infections
Colds: Sinus and ear infections
Flues: Pneumonia and bronchitis
Runny eyes:
Colds: Yes
Flues: No
Hope this helps a bit!
:)
m
Onset:
Colds: Slow onset, starting over 1-3 days
Flues: Abrupt onset, starting within 24 hours,one minute fine, the next very ill
Lasts for:
Colds: 4-10 days
Flues: 1 week – several weeks
Fever:
Colds: Little or none, except sometimes in young children
Flues: Usually high with chills
Runny nose: Yes ~ for both
Sneezing: Yes ~ for both
Throat:
Colds: Feels scratchy, sore, like swallowed razor blades
Flues: May not be as bad, but at the same time, likely to get a lung infection
Cough:
Colds: Thick and mucousy
Flues: Initially dry, then can get very severe and last a long time
Headache:
Colds: Possible, but unlikely
Flues: Yes, skull may hurt as if brain is too big for skull; eyes light sensitive
Aching:
Colds: Not much
Flues: Yes, especially in legs and back
Secondary bacterial infections
Colds: Sinus and ear infections
Flues: Pneumonia and bronchitis
Runny eyes:
Colds: Yes
Flues: No
Hope this helps a bit!
:)
m
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
H1N1 thoughts by Dr. Mercola
Although I don't always agree with all that Dr. Mercola says, the following article is worth reading, and of course, please come to your own conclusions!
By Dr. Mercola
This year it is more important that you protect your children and loved ones from the flu vaccines than influenza itself. In his article published on LewRockwell.com, Bill Sardi details 18 reasons why you should not vaccinate your children against the flu this season. Here are nine of them:
By Dr. Mercola
This year it is more important that you protect your children and loved ones from the flu vaccines than influenza itself. In his article published on LewRockwell.com, Bill Sardi details 18 reasons why you should not vaccinate your children against the flu this season. Here are nine of them:
- The swine flu is simply another flu. It is not unusually deadly.
- This is the first time both seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines will be administered. Both seasonal flu and swine flu vaccines will require two inoculations. This is because single inoculations have failed to produce sufficient antibodies. This is an admission that prior flu vaccines were virtually useless. Can you trust them this time?
- Adjuvants are added to vaccines to boost production of antibodies but may trigger autoimmune reactions. Some adjuvants are mercury (thimerosal), aluminum and squalene. Why would you sign a consent form for your children to be injected with mercury, which is even more brain-toxic than lead?
- This is the first year mock vaccines have been used to gain FDA approval. The vaccines that have been tested are not the same vaccines your children will be given.
- Over-vaccination is a common practice now in America. American children are subjected to 29 vaccines by the age of two. Meanwhile, veterinarians have backed off of repeat vaccination in dogs because of observed side effects.
- Modern medicine has no explanation for autism, despite its continued rise in prevalence. Yet autism is not reported among Amish children who go unvaccinated.
- Researchers are warning that over-use of the flu vaccine and anti-flu drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza can apply genetic pressure on flu viruses and then they are more likely to mutate into a more deadly strain.
- Most seasonal influenza A (H1N1) virus strains tested from the United States and other countries are now resistant to Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Tamiflu has become a nearly worthless drug against seasonal flu.
- Public health officials are irresponsible in their omission of any ways to strengthen immunity against the flu. No options outside of problematic vaccines and anti-flu drugs are offered, despite the fact there is strong evidence that vitamins C and D activate the immune system and the trace mineral selenium prevents the worst form of the disease.
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Mayo Jar & Coffee
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar... and the coffee.
A professor stood before his Philosophy class and had some items infront of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes"
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured them into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed
"Now", said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life"
"The golf balls are the important things - your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."
"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff"
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there would be no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life"
"If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you"
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness
Play with your children
Take time to get medical check-ups
Go out for dinner with your spouse or partner
Get together with your friends
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal
Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter
Set your priorities, the rest is just sand
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented
The professor smiled, "I'm glad you asked"
"It just goes to show that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend"
I thought this was uplifting and so very true. In today's world, we stress too much, sleep too little, and miss opportunities to rest, play and laugh. So, be sure to think of this whenever life gets hectic, and go grab a coffee (or tea!) with a good friend.
:)
m
A professor stood before his Philosophy class and had some items infront of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes"
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured them into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed
"Now", said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life"
"The golf balls are the important things - your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."
"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff"
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there would be no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life"
"If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you"
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness
Play with your children
Take time to get medical check-ups
Go out for dinner with your spouse or partner
Get together with your friends
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal
Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter
Set your priorities, the rest is just sand
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented
The professor smiled, "I'm glad you asked"
"It just goes to show that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend"
I thought this was uplifting and so very true. In today's world, we stress too much, sleep too little, and miss opportunities to rest, play and laugh. So, be sure to think of this whenever life gets hectic, and go grab a coffee (or tea!) with a good friend.
:)
m
H1N1 Flu Frenzie
You'd have to live under a rock these days not to have been bombarded by all the warnings to get the new H1N1 flu vaccine that is just hitting the market. But let us consider a few things...
The best thing you can do for yourself is keep your immune system strong and research, research, research before injecting yourself with anything, because sadly, sometimes the things that are claimed will protect us, can actually hurt us!
Next week get an in-depth naturopathic prespective on what you can do to boost your immune system to reduce your risk of getting sick, naturally.
In good health,
:)
m
- Thousands die from the regular flu each and every year, but they usually have some other condition or compromised immunity. The Center for Disease Control in the US estimates that on average 36 000 people die of the seasonal flu each year - and this number includes cases where the flu was a contributor to the death and not necessarily the primary cause. In Canada, Health Canada estimates that between 4000 & 8000 die, most of which are seniors
- This strain of H1N1 is turning out to be not as bad/deadly as previously thought. To date worldwide, there have been 5335 deaths, 484 of which were in the US, 86 in Canada. Do these numbers really necessitate all the media attention to this p'pandemic'??
- Every H1N1 death reported thus far has also had serious underlying medical complications
- There have been no long-term studies to show the effectiveness or side-effects of this new vaccine (remember, H1N1 just started just last April!).
- Did you think it was conspicuous that the minute H1N1 became known, they were already developing vaccines for it and talking about how much we need this vaccine as soon as it is available; and now flu season is barely underway and already there is talk about possible shortages (moreso in the US) to make sure people rush out and get vaccinated
The best thing you can do for yourself is keep your immune system strong and research, research, research before injecting yourself with anything, because sadly, sometimes the things that are claimed will protect us, can actually hurt us!
Next week get an in-depth naturopathic prespective on what you can do to boost your immune system to reduce your risk of getting sick, naturally.
In good health,
:)
m
Monday, October 19, 2009
GMO Foods
Have you ever wondered what the top GMO - Genetically Modified Organisms are? Here is a list
1. Corn
2. Soy
3. Potato
4. Tomato
5. Canola
6. Cottonseed oil
7. Papaya
8. Radicchio
9. Squash
10. Salmon
What's more, if you are eating a lot of processed foods (anything packaged, premade, frozen etc) or take out from fast food places, you are most likely consuming a fair amount of GMOs as they are cheap to use in the food industry. Best thing to do if you want to avoid them is to eat organic!
In health,
:)
m
1. Corn
2. Soy
3. Potato
4. Tomato
5. Canola
6. Cottonseed oil
7. Papaya
8. Radicchio
9. Squash
10. Salmon
What's more, if you are eating a lot of processed foods (anything packaged, premade, frozen etc) or take out from fast food places, you are most likely consuming a fair amount of GMOs as they are cheap to use in the food industry. Best thing to do if you want to avoid them is to eat organic!
In health,
:)
m
Sunday, October 18, 2009
20 Uses for Tea Tree Oil
20 Great Ways to Use Tea Tree Oil
For Health
1. Use a dab to treat acne.
2. An anti-fungal for treating Athlete’s Foot, eczema, various yeast infections, etc.
3. An antiseptic to be used on cuts and burns.
4. An anti-viral: it may lessen the symptoms of colds and flu. Try using a few drops in the bath.
5. Add to a vaporizer to loosen chest congestion.
6. Add a small amount to shampoo to destroy head lice.
7. A small amount added to your bath can help with persistent body odor.
8. Treating sinus infection.
9. For dandruff and dry scalp.
10. In the form of aromatherapy, tea tree oil is used to treat colds, persistent coughs, acne, toothaches, and sunburn.
For Cleaning
11. To create an all-purpose cleaner, combine 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil in 2 cups of water in a spray bottle.
12. Another version would be 14 ounces of water with 1 ounce of Murphy’s oil soap and 10 drops of tea tree oil.
13. Mix the above solution with kosher salt to scrub bathtub and bathroom tiles.
14. Add a few drops to dishwasher dispenser, then fill with a green dishwashing soap.
15. A few drops added to each load of laundry leave your clothes smelling cleaner.
16. Control mold with a tea tree oil/water spray.
17. Remove mustiness with that same tea tree oil/water spray.
18. To keep germs at bay, spray it on high chairs, car seats, and other high traffic spots.
19. 15 drops in a quart of water can be an effective insect repellent.
20. Be sure to take some with you when hiking and camping to put directly on insect bites or blisters.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Stock the Essentials for When Life Gets Hectic
Having kids and ensuring that they eat healthy, can be quite a challenge... however, staying organized and having healthy essentials will help you whip up a quick and healthy meal, even if you haven't had time to go to do your weekly grocery run...
Keep your pantry stocked with these and you will always be able to make healthy meals
Dried goods: whole grain pasta (kamut, corn, rice); lentils, beans, rice, grains (millet, buckwheat, quinoa), cornmeal, flour (all purpose, gluten-free pancake mix, brown rice), nuts & seeds, dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, prunes, apricots etc)
Canned or jarred: beans, tomato sauce, tuna or salmon, pickles
Other: organic chicken or veggie stock, spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg etc), herbs (have an assortment, blends are great as well),
Condiments etc: mayo, mustard, rice vinegar, olive oil, hemp & flax oil, tamari soy sause, teriyaki, BBQ sauce
Freezer: frozen mixed veggies, multi-grain chicken & fish sticks, healthy fries, frozen fruit (mango, berries, peaches ...), any kind of protein (fish, chicken, beef or pork)
Fridge: eggs, butter, cheese, yogurt
This way, if you are running low on fresh fruits and veggies, you will still be able to make something healthy to get you through to grocery day. What's more, you may even surprise yourself at how tasty and creative your meals will be.
Good luck,
:)
m
Keep your pantry stocked with these and you will always be able to make healthy meals
Dried goods: whole grain pasta (kamut, corn, rice); lentils, beans, rice, grains (millet, buckwheat, quinoa), cornmeal, flour (all purpose, gluten-free pancake mix, brown rice), nuts & seeds, dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, prunes, apricots etc)
Canned or jarred: beans, tomato sauce, tuna or salmon, pickles
Other: organic chicken or veggie stock, spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg etc), herbs (have an assortment, blends are great as well),
Condiments etc: mayo, mustard, rice vinegar, olive oil, hemp & flax oil, tamari soy sause, teriyaki, BBQ sauce
Freezer: frozen mixed veggies, multi-grain chicken & fish sticks, healthy fries, frozen fruit (mango, berries, peaches ...), any kind of protein (fish, chicken, beef or pork)
Fridge: eggs, butter, cheese, yogurt
This way, if you are running low on fresh fruits and veggies, you will still be able to make something healthy to get you through to grocery day. What's more, you may even surprise yourself at how tasty and creative your meals will be.
Good luck,
:)
m
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Hello,
This is my first step into this wonderful (??) world of cyber communication...and I welcome you along with me for this journey. Each week I try to share with you some of my knowledge in the wonderful world of natural medicine. I welcome your comments and your questions...
Until we chat again...
:)
m
This is my first step into this wonderful (??) world of cyber communication...and I welcome you along with me for this journey. Each week I try to share with you some of my knowledge in the wonderful world of natural medicine. I welcome your comments and your questions...
Until we chat again...
:)
m
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