Immune Health Program
Not getting your flu shot this year? More than ever before, concerns are being raised regarding the safety and availability of the conventional flu vaccine. For those of you whom are choosing not to have this years influenza vaccination and would like to naturally boost your immune system, our clinic provides a safe alternative. We use a homeopathic injection which has been proven-effective as an effective cold and flu medication. It has been shown to activate the body's own defence system significantly reducing the duration and severity of symptoms during an infection.Please note, this is not a vaccination. Call to book your family an appointment today. Can be done in series or as a single treatment.
Flu Advisory,
If you are experiencing symptoms of fever, chills, cough, headache, extreme fatigue, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches and/or sore throat or stomach symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea along with respiratory symptoms and/or fever please do not come to the clinic in order to help prevent risk of infection to others, especially those in a higher risk group, i.e. pregnant women and young children. Please arrange to speak to one of our Naturopathic Doctors by phone through reception if you have concerns regarding your symptoms or those of your children to deem if further treatment is needed.
If you get sick with influenza:
* Stay home from work or school for 7-10 days
* Limit contact with others to keep from infecting them
* Cover your mouth and nose with the crook of your arm when coughing
or sneezing
* Wash your hands frequently
* Avoid pregnant women and children
* Ensure adequate sleep, exercise and a healthy diet
* If breastfeeding, continue to do so while using a mask, gloves and gown
Naturopathic Influenza Prevention Support:
Our clinic is offering a Comprehensive Immune Support and Influenza Prevention Program. This program involves meeting with one of our Clinic Doctors for a 15 to 30 minute consult during which time a immune support protocol and immune support injection will be provided.
The immune injection consists of a combination of two standard homeopathic medicines: Engystol-Heel and Gripp-Heel. These have been proven in clinical trials to be safe and effective in helping to fight cold and flu by stimulating the body’s own health defense system. With the current prevalence of Influenza, injections maybe recommended on individual basis however, a frequency of dosing is 1x/month for flu prevention.
Questions regarding vaccination, medications, and natural treatments will also be discussed at this time. To book your appointment, please contact reception.
Tips to Protect Yourself from The Flu - by Dr. Montroy
1. Wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds frequently throughout the
day.
2. Cover your mouth with the crook of your arm when you sneeze or cough.
3. Take your recommended dosing of Vitamin D. Research suggests it helps
ward off colds and flus.
4. Gargle with salt water 2x a day to help prevent the onset of colds and flus
as they often start in the throat.
5. Ensure adequate sleep. Sleep strengthens your immune system and helps
you fight off germs.
6. Try to reduce stress. Stress hormones when elevated can lower your
immunity and predispose you to illness.
7. Ensure a whole foods diet rich in fruit, vegetables, legumes and organic
proteins. Use natural sweeteners when needed.
9. Reduce sugar, refined and prepared foods as they can weaken your
immune system.
10. Ensure adequate hydration and reduce intake of caffeinated products.
11. Exercise 3-5 times a week for at least 30 minutes. Exercise boosts your
immune system.
*Never give aspirin to a child or teenager during a flu. This may cause a serious condition called Reyes Disease.
Some of our Product Recommendations:
-D-Mulsion: 400IU for infants, 1000IU for children and 2000IU per day for adults, 4000IU per day for pregnant or lactating women (do not take if you have an allergy to wool)
-Zinc Citrate: 15 mg 1 capsule 2 x a day for adults
-Oscillococcinum: as directed at first onset of cold flu symptoms
-Engystol: 1 tablet dissolved in the mouth daily to support immune injection
-Gripp-Heel: 1 tablet dissolved in the mouth daily to support immune injection
-ACE and Selenium: 1 cap 2-3 x a day for adults (not to be used if pregnant or trying to conceive)
-Thymulin 9CH: 1 pump or vial per week in water or juice
-Influenzinum 9CH: 1 pump or vial per week in water or juice
Contact our reception to order the above dispensary supplements. Please check with your healthcare professional before starting any new supplement protocol. The above is not to replace the advice of your healthcare provider. Do not take if you have any allergies or health conditions before checking with your physician.
____________________________________________________________________
Food Allergies and Children
Peanut-free daycares and schools, and now peanut-free flights, are reactions to an increased prevalence of one specific food allergy. 1 As many of you are aware, allergic disease is becoming more and more common in our society. According to the Centre of Disease Control, in 2007 approximately 3 million U.S. children under the age of 18 were reported to have food allergies, an 18% increase in the last ten years. 2
Many parents question whether or not their children are at risk of developing food allergies or food sensitivities, how to prevent their children from getting them, and how to recognize the symptoms if their children have them. Before discussing the susceptibility of children to food allergies and food sensitivities, let’s differentiate between them. Both food allergies and food sensitivities are a reaction of the immune system to certain components of food. 3, 4 Meaning, just as your immune system would react to a virus or bacteria by forming antibodies, your immune system may form antibodies to particular food components. Allergic reactions to food are either IgE mediated, meaning they involve an antibody known as IgE or, they are nonIgE mediated and typically involve an antibody known as IgG. 3 IgE reactions are commonly known as food allergies and take place within minutes of consuming a food. They can lead to both acute conditions, such as hives and anaphylaxis, or chronic conditions, such as eczema, atopic dermatitis and digestive problems. 5 IgG reactions, on the other hand, are often referred to as food sensitivities and may take anywhere from hours to days to develop. They are associated with a number of conditions including digestive disorders, mood and attention disorders, asthma, eczema, and weight issues. 5
The susceptibility of your children to these health issues depends on many factors, including their immediate family’s history of food allergies. 1, 6 The likelihood of food allergies/sensitivities in children is related to whether one parent, both parents and even a sibling suffers from them. Incidence of food allergies is as follows: neither parent has food allergies, 5-15%; one parent with food allergies, 20-40%; both parents have food allergies, 40-60%; both parents have the same food allergy, 60-80%; and/or, a sibling with food allergies, 25-35%. 3
Another factor contributing to susceptibility in children is exposure to highly allergenic foods at an early age, as early as in utero. 1 There are critical periods in a child’s life where exposure to these foods increases the risk of being sensitized to them. These critical periods include the last trimester of pregnancy and the first months of life. 3, 6 If exposure to allergenic foods is avoided during these critical periods, and even up to the age of two years old, the risk of developing food allergies/sensitivities can be reduced, or even eliminated. 3, 6
Common signs and symptoms in young children include, but are not limited to, persistent colic, frequent “spitting up”, vomiting, diarrhea, nasal congestion, asthma, frequent earaches, swelling and reddening of the mouth, redness around the anus, persistent diaper rash, hives, eczema, feeding problems, low weight and/or small stature. 3 As already alluded to, there are steps that can be taken to help prevent food allergies/sensitivities in children. Ideally, infants should be exclusively breastfeed until six months of age, and preferably longer. 1, 3 Breast-feeding mothers should avoid highly allergenic foods and known food allergies experienced by first-degree relatives. 1, 3, 6 (The child should not be fed these same foods until at least two years of age.) That being said, it is of extreme importance that pregnant and lactating women obtain adequate nutrients from alternative dietary sources, or through nutritional supplementation. In some cases, formula-feeding may be unavoidable. In such cases, it is best to avoid formulas made from cow’s milk until at least one year of age. 3
Though it is ideal to prevent food allergies and sensitivities from occurring, even after their development, avoidance of known allergenic foods can accelerate one’s ability to tolerate them again. When it comes to food allergies and sensitivities, the ultimate diagnostic tools are elimination diets followed by food reintroduction, and serum tests which measure the amount of IgE and IgG antibodies in the blood formed against particular food components. To find out more about food allergies and sensitivities and how to test for them, contact the clinic today and book an appointment with one of our Naturopathic Physicians.
References: - Zeiger, R.S. (2003). Food Allergen Avoidance in the Prevention of Food Allergy in Infants and Children. Pediatrics. 111(6), 1662-1671.
- Center of Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, October 22nd). CDC Study finds 3 Million U.S. Children have Food or Digestive Allergies. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2008/r081022.htm
- Joneja, J.V. (2003). Dietary Management of Food Allergies & Intolerances: A Comprehensive Guide. Vancouver, BC: J.A. Hall Publications LTD.
- American Academy of Family Physician. (1999). http://www.aafp.org/afp/990115ap/415.htmlManifestations of Food Allergy: Evaluation and Management. Retrieved from
- Rocky Mountain Analytical. (2008). Food Allergies: Information for Patients. Calgary, AB: Rocky Mountain Analytical
- Schrander, J. J. P., et al. (1993). Cow's milk protein intolerance in infants under 1 year of age: A prospective epidemiological study. European Journal of Pediatrics. 153(8), 640-644.
Terms of Use
The information on this site is for informational purpose only and is not a substitute for advice from your healthcare professional . You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional taking any supplement, herb or homeopathic medicine/remedy or starting any health related plan or health related protocol. |
