Fall marks a change in seasons, which leads to the dreaded cold and flu season. Post-pandemic, we’ve seen an increase in community infections — upper respiratory tract infections, influenza, strep infections, RSV, shingles, etc. For this reason, we have decided to bring a new fall offering to the clinic: Naturopathic Immunity Clinic Visits!
The Naturopathic Immunity Clinic visit is all about supporting your immune system so it can support you! It is a great way for everyone to support their immune system via a very simple, one-time high dose vitamin D and/or vitamin A in-office treatment. Why vitamin D and vitamin A? We can be deficient in these vitamins, and they are absolutely foundational for our immune system to fight viruses or bacteria effectively.
High-dose vitamin dosing is a great way to get your levels up quickly and in time for cold and flu season. With usual daily dosing, it can be hard to get one’s levels up in a timely manner. In fact, it can take some patients a year or more to reach healthy levels through regular daily dosing. And because vitamin D and vitamin A are fat-soluble vitamins, self-treating with high doses is dangerous and can lead to serious vitamin toxicity.
What does the Naturopathic Immunity Clinic Visit look like?
Visits are yearly or biyearly and include 3 simple steps:
- Initial assessment (15 min) – To discuss high dose vitamin D/A therapy (orally or by injection) and order lab work to assess current levels (adults). Kids will be treated and be finished.
- Order basic lab work — Completed at any Lifelabs.
- Subsequent treatment (5 min) — In-office treatment of vitamin D (oral/injection) and/or vitamin A based on your current blood levels.
Who can benefit?
Everyone! The naturopathic immunity clinic is a great option for new and current patients of all ages — newborns, young children, pregnant/lactating moms, older adults, teenagers and everyone in between!
Vitamin D: The “Sunshine” Vitamin
In Canada, it is well known that the majority of people suffer from low levels of vitamin D due to lack of sun exposure. Many Canadians can have a vitamin D “deficiency” or “insufficiency” despite regular daily supplementation.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with many negative health outcomes, including:
- Increased risk of bacterial and viral infections
- Osteoporosis
- Increased cancer risk (ie. colon, breast, prostate)
- Autoimmune disease (ie. multiple sclerosis)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Psychiatric illness (ie. depression, post-partum depression)
- Adverse pregnancy outcomes
Vitamin D injections have been found to be more effective than oral supplementation at:
- Raising levels of vitamin D
- Maintaining levels 3-4 months post-treatment
Oral vitamin D supplementation, in the form of oral megadoses, has been found to be nearly as effective as injections at raising blood levels. However levels from oral megadoses do tend to wane after 6-10 weeks.
Vitamin A: The “Anti-Viral” Vitamin
Vitamin A is a potent immune-enhancing fat-soluble vitamin — it allows your immune system to be on “offence” against viruses and other pathogens. It is available in our diets in two forms: 1) Retinol, and 2) Beta carotene. Though beta carotene does not have the same immune-enhancing benefits as retinol.
Vitamin A (retinol) has multiple positive health functions:
- Vitamin A strengthens the mucosal barriers of the mouth, intestines and urogenital tract, our first-line defence against viruses and bacteria.
- Vitamin A regulates important immune tissues (ie. thymus, bone marrow).
- Vitamin A is needed for proper function of immune cells (ie. T-cells, B-cells, neutrophils, macrophages).
- Vitamin A plays a role in maintaining lung health during infectious diseases and upper respiratory tract infections.
Next Steps
Interested in learning more? Give us a call for more information or to book visits for you and your family: 289-668-5433.
