Cold and flu season

By Lisa Yang, ND

Its that time of year again, cold and flu season is rapidly approaching. There are many different prevention strategies and remedies that are available to lower the risk of getting sick and for immune support this fall and winter season.

Prevention steps:

First and most importantly, washing hands regularly is the best way to prevent germ transfer from one surface to the next. This means hands need to be washed before and after each meal, after coming home from school or playing on the playground and toys. Washing with plain soap and hot water is all you need to wash germs away. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

As the cold air becomes more prevalent, keeping your child bundled in layers can be vital. Allowing your child to take off and add clothing as needed during school can help to keep the body warm. Sharing food may be a difficult to control, especially at school, but limiting touching of food and sharing of drinks and food can help to reduce spread of germs. Using clean and disposable tissues to blow noses and not coughing into hands can help to reduce respiratory droplets.

Immune support:

Vitamin D plays an important role in the body’s ability to mount the appropriate immune response.  Knowing your child’s Vitamin D level can be helpful in supporting the immune system. There have also been recent studies that have shown the benefits of Vitamin D as a mediator for inflammation in respiratory health.

Probiotics play a major role in the gastrointestinal tract as a barrier against microorganisms and allergens. With a healthy gut flora, the innate host gut defense can be enhanced and intestinal inflammation that is present when gut flora in imbalanced can be reduced.

Avoiding food allergies and food sensitivities is important for immune support and inflammation regulation. Food antigens can mount immune responses which increase inflammatory markers in the body and therefore increases the overall inflammatory burden on the body.

Cold and flu remedies:

Warming socks is a very simple and effective hydrotherapy treatment for the acute onset of a cold or fever. The concept is to help your child increase body temperature and then draw that heat away for help fight the infection.  If interested in learning if this treatment would work for your child, schedule a brief appointment to go over the procedure and benefits.

There are many combinations of immune modulating herbs and mushrooms. These compounds are able work together and stimulate immune activity and mount a response to pathogens.

Vitamin C and antioxidants are powerful detoxifiers and immune modulators. Including blueberries, citrus, raspberries, cherries, pomegranates into the diet can help to boost our bodies’ production of glutathione to help reduce inflammation.

Winter traveling:

Traveling, especially through airports and on airplanes may increase the risk of catching a bug. Keeping your go-to preventative remedies on hand and washing hands are the best ways to ward off pathogens. But if you know you will have long travel plans, coming in and getting a series of immune support IV pushes can help to prime and boost the immune system. Some nutrients are better absorbed through the blood. For example higher doses of vitamin C, NAC and GSH are important for immune support, reducing inflammation, and have mucolytic affects.  Don’t hesitate to make and appointment and ask about these IVs.

Be prepared for the cold and flu season. If you suspect your child to be sick or need more support, go ahead and make an appointment. We are here to serve you and your family, remember healthier children lead to a healthier world!