To be clear, this is NOT prevention or treatment related to the current COVID-19/Coronavirus outbreak, this is general information that may help immune health, and general wellbeing.

I want to give you some Viral (Cold&Flu) Prevention tips, to keep you healthy and feeling optimal as the weather changes, your energy is going up and down, and the stress of too much work and not enough play, wears you down. Keeping you healthy means better work performance, more quality time with friends and family, no missed vacations, & more time for the things you WANT to do.

If you know me and my style of practice, you know that I like to get to the ROOT cause of how and why you're experiencing the symptoms ailing you. So, instead of talking about how to feel better once you're sick, let us explore a couple of reasons why you may be getting sick, and work on helping to prevent infections.

Beyond washing your hands with soap & water prior to eating, and after you get home from a public place, the following tips can help to prevent viral infections….Here are a few tips!

1)Sleep
How good do you feel after a deep, restful nights sleep? Not only does it feel good, but it does you good! In one study, "Poor sleep efficiency(tossing and turning, lying awake) and sleeping less than 7hours/night in the weeks before an exposure to a virus were more likely to then get a cold".
More Sleep = Less Likely to get a Cold.

TIP for TODAY: Try getting an outdoor walk for >20mins a day, the fresh air, exposure to sunlight and exercise can help improve sleep.

2)Stress management:
Research shows, the more stressed you are, the more likely you are to;
(i) become a carrier, ie: ability to spread the virus to family and friends (up to 90% more)
(ii) experience symptoms of a virus, ie: get the cold yourself (up to 50% more).
Managing chronic stress is not only going to help prevent the common cold & flu, it is going to improve your overall health and the future of your health. Stress truly is the root cause of so many symptoms and diseases, you have a duty to yourself to address stress.

TIP for TODAY Try doing 1 minute of ‘belly breaths’ (eyes closed, rest your back on the chair, feet on the floor, arms by your side), inhale through your nose and feel your belly gently rise, and fall, during moments of overwhelm. This can help to ground you by oxygenating your system, allowing for the anxiety/stress response to lower. HOT TIP: Daily walking, outdoors, while practicing deep breathing, is even better!

(3) Gut health
Your Gut Bacteria are king influencers of your overall immune system, and this includes helping to prevent cold and flu. Treat them well! The best way to improve the health of your gut bacteria is to FEED them - eat fruits and vegetables of all colours, and P.S don’t be afraid of root vegetables - gut bacteria need carbohydrates to survive. These carbohydrates are best obtained from vegetable sources for overall health - sweet potatoes, squash, beets, etc. Also, a professional quality Probiotic supplement (as well as Probiotic foods) can help to improve your gut microbiome, along with eating Prebiotic foods to help feed those good bacteria.

TIP for TODAY: Try chewing your food 15x per bite of food. This can help to improve digestion as it signals stomach acid, enzymes and bile to secrete, as well as increases the surface area of your food for these liquids to work their magic.

(4) Vitamin Deficiencies
Low Vitamin D is linked to a higher susceptibility to infections, as it plays a major role in regulating your immune system. Low Vit D leaves you at a increased risk of the flu and respiratory tract infections, not to mention many other diseases. Did you know that OHIP no longer covers the testing for Vit D in healthy populations of people? Naturopathic Doctors have access to this important test.

TIP for TODAY: Get 15-20 mins of sunlight exposure on 80% of your body, daily, OR Check your Vitamin D levels via bloodwork and talk with me about supplementation. Remember, safety first - it is always recommended to test for a deficiency prior to supplementing.

Herbs that help to combat Viral Infections:

There are a number of Herbs that have research backing their use to help prevent viral infections, as well as helping to prevent said infections from getting worse once acquired.

3 I will spotlight are; Echincea Angustifolia & Echincea Purpurea Roots, and Andrographis Paniculata. These herbs have been shown to naturally enhance immune system response. Many viruses have demonstrated sensitivity against these herbs. Remember, there are a lot of brands of herbal supplements out there, quality of the herbal preparation is paramount to ensure efficacy, during our visits together I can educate you on the highest quality preparations.

Overall, studies show that seeing a Naturopathic Doctor was shown to reduce the number days missed at work. Less days missed = more time for the things you need to do, and love to do.

Of course, your foundational aspects of health (diet, exercise, mood/stress management) are paramount for cold and flu prevention. Getting these things straight on your own, isn't always easy. For a personalized, comprehensive analysis of your health, let's talk. My goal is to guide you to optimal health, by creating a plan that works for you and your lifestyle. Let's make you a priority

DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to diagnose, treat or manage illness, infections or disease. This is not intended as medical advice. Please do not make any changes to your prescribed medications or health regimes without first discussing with your healthcare provider.

DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to diagnose, treat or manage the coronavirus. Please discuss with your healthcare provider if you have travelled outside of the country within the last 30 days, and are experiencing symptoms of infection such as runny nose, fever, sore throat, coughing, or any other signs of illness.

Research Citations :

1)Cohen, Sheldon et al. “Sleep habits and susceptibility to the common cold.” Archives of internal medicine vol. 169,1 (2009): 62-7. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2008.505

2) Psychological Stress and Susceptibility to the Common Cold, Sheldon Cohen, Ph.D., David A.J. Tyrrell, M.D., and Andrew P. Smith, Ph.D.,N Engl J Med 1991; 325:606-612

3)Alternative medicine, worker health, and absenteeism in the United States,Department of Economics, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada