For the past 4 years, I have been running an immune supportive program from September through April. This years’ participants did just as well as all the other years. The goal is to:
- Take a proactive approach during the winter months, when sunshine is less, activity may be less, and nutrition and sleep may suffer from the series of holidays – Halloween, thanksgiving, Christmas and holiday parties, and new years eve parties.
- Be armed with what to do if you do get sick; it is normal and healthy to get sick once per year. Ideally, we are able to rest, drink fluids, and avoid suppressive therapies like fever reducers and antibiotics. Or use natural therapies that are supporting what the body is trying to do while it is sick. If we can do that, we end up healthier than before the illness – our metabolism is better, and our cells are detoxified.
Usually, everyone is able to prevent a bad cold or flu while people around them are experiencing it. This year was no different. Some notable results were:
- A patient who, for the past 2 winters struggled with an upper respiratory tract infection that lasted a month or more, did not suffer this season. She noted for one week there was a tickle in her throat, but it subsided.
- A patient became sick with tonsillitis (during the concurrent stressful times of this pandemic). We supported her naturally and she was able to avoid antibiotics, and was better in a few days.
- One patient got the stomach flu from her child. It was quick, and she bounced back within 48 hours. The rest of the season, she was able to fight off other illnesses her kids brought home.
- Everyone else remained healthy throughout the winter. These results are typical every year.
New for 2020!
I am excited to bring into the clinic one of my favourite modalities of Naturopathic Medicine; Constitutional Hydrotherapy. Next cold and flu program will include an option for this water-cure therapy. For more info about this traditional therapy, check out this post.
