Where to start.
#2 Take advantage of a great deal from The Gym, downtown Salt Lake. As we get more gyms involved, I'll bring them to you.
#3 If you tend to start the new year like a house of fire, then give up on your goals by March, then you might like our year long health classes.
If you do happen to get ill.
Probably the most annoying illness is a sore throat. If you can't get on top of it, go get a culture done, just in case it's Strep. Remember, these aren't cure's per se. These are just a few ideas I use to feel better.
Sore Throat
#1 Probably the easiest thing is to go to the grocery store and get some Throat Coat Tea from Traditional Medicines.
#2 Some cod liver oil is great. The natural vitamin A is a powerful vitamin for the immune system, perhaps more so than vitamin C. Standard Process makes a unaltered cod liver oil.
#3 Congaplex from Standard Process is great for all illnesses. This is a special formula that gives the immune system a shot in the arm and kicks it into high gear. I have used this to help get over the worst infection I ever had in 3 days. I got that nasty infection in my mouth from the dentist. I wasn’t too happy about that.
#4 Gargle with a little water in a glass and add a teaspoon of high grade licorice from Mediherb, gargle and let it cover the throat. The herbal licorice has natural antiseptic properties. It feels good. Plus, the licorice helps the adrenals, which in most cases are shot. The adrenals control your mucus membrane immunity, like in your throat. One of the worst sore throat cases I have ever seen, he took the licorice straight and couldn’t wait to take it because it felt so good. A warning though, if you don’t like the taste of black licorice candy don’t try this. You will probably gag. If you don’t have high grade licorice at home or don’t like the taste of black licorice, just try some salt water and honey.
A Stuffy Head
This is another misery, that can dampen your day. One of the easiest things, is to do some steam inhalation with Olbas oil. If you don't have it, you can get it at any large health food store (if you buy it, it will likely last for years). Often tea tree oil is substituted, but I don't think it is quite as effective.
Basic plan
#1 Put steaming water in a cup.
#2 Put one or two drops of Olbas oil in.
#3 Grab a towel and put it over your head
#4 Close your eyes, it can burn. It's strong.
#5 Lean forward slowly, breathe deep
#6 Make a tent with the towel over your head, to trap the vapors.
#7 Enjoy some good breathing for an hour.
Use a Neti Pot
I think all houses would do well to have a Neti Pot. If you have never used one, and have a stuffy nose, you are missing out. Once again, easy to get at a health food sore or even Walgreens. All you need is salt and water.
If you have chronic sinusitis try brewing the thyme tea and adding it.
Thyme Tea
1. Start with Thyme Spice -from your spice rack.
2. Sprinkle it over the bottom of a coffee cup, cover the bottom.
3. Pour in about an inch of steaming water. You are not making a full cup of drinking tea.
4. Cover the cup
5. Steep for 5 minutes
6. You have a few choices here. You can either dip a Q-tip in the solution and roll it around inside the nose. You can fill a spray bottle and squirt it in the nose. Or…
My favorite: Filter the solution, so you only have a liquid. Then fill the Neti Pot about a 1/3 full, then fill the rest with warm salt water. Pour through your nose, following the instructions that come with the Neti Pot.
7. Make a new batch for the next day.
8. If your sinuses feel better, then tell me. There is a very specific reason this helps some people more than others.
Happy breathing
A few tips that help nearly everything
#1 Adjustments. A chiropractic adjustment to keep my nervous system functioning is number one. I can’t even remember all the patients who flew through winter with no illness after they started getting adjusted. When I was in school, we'd get adjusted 3-4 per day. We were always 80-100% better the next day. I'm not joking. Try it. All the visits after the first one, are free, in the office.
#2 Guacamole. It has some good natural immune boosting properties. If your head is stuffy, add as much RAW garlic, and Cayenne pepper as you can stand.
Mexican Guacamole
-couple tomatoes
-cilantro
-lime juice (squeeze from real limes)
-serrano pepper (choose your pepper on how hot you like it)
-red onion
-2 avocados
-salt and pepper to taste
cold fighting Guac (add as much as you can stand)
-add raw garlic
-add cayenne pepper
--your nose should run in a few minutes, if you get it right.
#3 Congaplex from Standard Process. This has some legendary powers. It is best to have some handy in the house. The faster you can start taking it, the better. For an adult, I like to get 20 a day in. Yes, 20! This is like a shot of adrenaline for the immune system. It has saved countless patients, including me.
#4 Probiotics. The number one controller of your immune system is your nervous system, hence the reason to get adjusted. The number two most powerful influencer is your digestive tract. You might as well boost your chances.
#5 Avoid Sugar. If you want to cripple your immune system, eat a bunch of sugar.
#6 If you get chronic reoccurring infections a good combination to help fly through the winter would be Cod liver oil, All Organic Trace Minerals, and Immuplex from Standard Process. The immune system isn’t to be taken lightly. If you get sick easily your body is weak and is going to need some help rebuilding. Antibiotics don’t rebuild your body, they make your immune system weaker over time.
Two things that will bring any one to their knees. No matter what you do.
#1 Stress
#2 Lack of sleep
Hopefully this helps
This is meant to be a simple list of ideas that are readily available, inexpensive, and fast ways to try and help yourself in the middle of the night, if you need to. The only item that's expensive is perhaps the High-grade licorice, it just happens to work really well, and a number of patients are already taking it for adrenal fatigue.
The immune system, is just that, a system. It's complicated, and there are many, many more things you can do. The amount of herbs and supplements you can potentially take is exhausting. If you are having real serious issues, send me a quick email.