Treating and preventing colds and flu naturally

A homeopathic prophylactic immune injection will help boost natural immunity against colds and flu.

Written by: Dr. Rikst Attema, ND, MSc

The sneezing and coughing have started! It’s inevitable…cold and flu season is here. Preventing a cold or flu however, doesn’t mean you have to become a hermit or a germaphobe. What it does mean is getting your immune system in check and having an action plan ready for the moment you feel that tickle in your throat!

Every day we are exposed to viruses and bacteria but, thankfully, it is not everyday that we get sick. Some of us get sick more often while others rarely catch anything. Some of us get very sick and recover quickly while others are sick for weeks on end. The difference is all in our immune systems.

So what can be done?

1. Watch your stress and get adequate rest! Stress and lack of sleep are probably two of the biggest contributors to immune system deterioration

2. Up your Vitamin D – As soon as we hit October in Vancouver we are no longer able to produce any Vitamin D naturally from sunlight. Vitamin D is very closely linked to immune function. Talk to your health care practitioner about how much Vitamin D you should be taking—it may be more than you think! Getting your Vitamin D levels tested is the best way to know just how much you need.

3. Reduce your intake of sugar – Just as little as a teaspoon of sugar can decrease your immune function for up to 6 hours. Eat real food and avoid processed, packaged and sugary foods.

4. Immune boosting herbs and supplements – Not everyone needs to, but those of us who are susceptible to getting sick can use an extra boost. Herbs like Ginseng, Echinacea and Macca help strengthen and stabilize our immune systems so that extra stress won’t inevitably lead to a cold or flu. These are herbs you can use throughout the season to strengthen your immune system. Ask your health care practitioner about dosing and the herbs that would be right for you.

5. Have a plan the moment you feel something coming on- The earlier you catch something the more likely you are to stop it in its tracks. The beauty of natural medicine is that many of our herbs and homeopathics do not just work on bacteria—they work on viruses too to provide broad spectrum protection.

6. Get a homeopathic prophylactic immune injection – As an alternative to the flu shot, choose a homeopathic injection instead. These have been scientifically shown to increase white blood cell activity by over 30%. This injection is safe and without side effects. Call our office to find out more.

And if you’ve got it and you’ve got it bad…

Don’t just suffer in misery. Come in for acupuncture, an immune boosting injection, a personalized herbal tincture and more. There is so much you can do to help your immune system conquer that little bug inside of you that is keeping you from fully enjoying your life!

Get help today and prepare for this season’s winter ills. Call 604-734-7760 to book an appointment with Dr. Rikst Attema for a homeopathic flu prophylactic injection or a personalized plan.

Naturopathic physicians granted prescribing authority in B.C.

Naturopathic doctors may now write prescriptions

Finlandia’s naturopathic doctors operate under the principle of using natural modalities like nutrition, supplements, herbs and homeopathy as first-line therapies to address your specific health issues. However, there are some circumstances where prescription medications can be useful or necessary. A barrier to integrated health care in BC has been the inability of naturopathic physicians to be involved in the prescription process.

If you have chosen or would like to use a naturopath as your health care provider, you may have run into some of the following problems:

* wanting to work with a naturopath to gradually decrease the dose or discontinue some of your prescription medications, while using natural alternatives to manage your condition.

* being interested in treatments like bio-identical hormone therapy, dessicated thyroid hormone medications, or high-dose vitamin therapy. Few medical doctors have training in these areas, but until now have been the only ones able to prescribe such treatments.

* wanting to have one primary practitioner who can help guide you through the majority of your healthcare decisions, including your prescription drug choices.

* feeling frustrated that you need to make visits to a medical doctor simply to obtain refills for your current prescriptions, when you regularly visit a naturopath.

This new legislation allows you to have more choice when it comes to getting the best care for your health.

Our naturopaths work within Finlandia’s retail store and pharmacy, allowing convenient access to high quality natural health products and prescription medications in an environment that has been successfuly integrating allopathic and natural medicine for over 30 years. Our on-site pharmacists are available 6 days a week to dispense and counsel on pharmaceuticals while being supportive of the recommendations made by your naturopathic doctor. Combined pharmacist and naturopathic consultations may also be an option.

Both of Finlandia’s naturopaths are excellent at working with women’s health, hormones, and digestive issues, and each has a few additional areas of specialization:

Dr. Ana Lopez has a family practice in Vancouver and specialises in hormonal balancing, insomnia, stress and anxiety and women’s health. She also is an advocate of providing natural health care to children, and is a great source for pediatric health issues.

Dr. Rikst Attema, having completed her master’s degree in exercise physiology prior to her career as a naturopath, has a special interest in sports medicine, and additional training in Bowen therapy and Cold Laser Therapy. Her thesis work was related to Type 2 Diabetes and she is particularly interested in the growing field of using natural therapies for mental health issues.

For more information, or to book an appointment with one of Finlandia’s naturopaths, please call 604-733-5323 ext 205.

Details on Naturopathic Prescriptive authority can be found here.

Probiotics for children

Probiotics make for a happy, healthy childhood

Parents often ask what they should give their children to ensure they are keeping them as healthy as possible. One of the supplements I often recommend are probiotics, which are beneficial microorganisms that inhabit our digestive tract. We have about 400 different species of bacteria present in our body that are considered either beneficial or harmful. Sometimes, when the harmful bacteria become dominant, various conditions can ensue, including diarrhea, colic, eczema, and a weakened immune system. Probiotics help reestablish the balance between the microorganisms, tipping the scale towards the good bacteria, thereby strengthening and supporting our body’s own health and function.

Probiotics can be given right at birth and are very safe to take, without any side effects. Mothers who are breastfeeding will benefit from taking probiotics as some of the bacteria will be passed along in the breast milk. Depending on the age of the child and the health concern, typical doses can range from 1 billion to 10 billion live organisms or colony forming units (CFU) per serving. Different strains available range from the commonly researched bacterial species Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium to the Streptococcus and Saccharomyces species. The combination and amounts of these strains will vary and so it is important to find the right probiotic to match the needs of your child. Once you find a good probiotic, it is important to keep it in the refrigerator in order to ensure potency at date of expiration. If it is left out of the fridge for a day or two but kept in a cool dry place, the bottle will still contain viable organisms and so there is not much cause for concern. A qualified health practitioner can help answer any questions you may have and provide appropriate recommendations based on a thorough initial assessment.

For more information on what probiotic is right for you and your family, book a consultation with one of our Naturopathic Doctors today.

Ana Lopez, ND
email: dr.analopez@gmail.com

Rikst Attema, ND
email: drattema@gmail.com

Phone: 604-733-5323 ext 201