Holiday Health
With this Wintery season upon us and sugary goodies and naughty temptations around, you may be asking yourself, how do I possibly stay healthy despite all of this?
Below I will outline a few obvious and maybe not so obvious ideas on staying healthy this holiday season. My goal is to not only help you stay disease free but to also feel nourished while the dark settles around us as it offers us an opportunity for personal reflection and a reset from our busy lives.
Lifestyle modifications
Please support yourself by setting up a warming environment:
Get plenty of sunlight in and out of your home
Play relaxing music
Surround yourself with pleasurable aesthetics and take the time to clear you’re your clutter so that you have room to breathe physically and emotionally
Practice self care like dry brushing, Epson Salt baths, get body work such as massage and consider acupuncture
Please get enough sleep by getting to bed early, consistently and on a schedule ideally get 8 hours of sleep!
I strongly suggest you TURN OFF your Wi-fi at night and preferably a few hours before you intend to fall asleep
As always, I am recommending a daily meditation practice or mindfulness practice to calm the mind. If you are saying “ It’s too hard as my mind just races all the time” than you are the ones who especially need this practice.
Practice gratitude daily
If sleep is still a challenge for you and you need supplementation, my favorite is Kavinace Ultra PM. Dosing 1-3 per night (start low)
Melatonin is also an excellent way to correct your circadian rhythm and this wonderful hormone starts to decline in adults starting age 20 with a significant decline past 40! Dosing 1-3 mg and if you feel this doesn’t work or gives you strange dreams, try 20mg for weeks and then you can slowly reduce your dose.
Consider an infrared sauna for your home which removes toxins through seat. There are lots of health benefits. I recommend High Tech Infrared Saunas. They are having a $500 off and free shipping Christmas special. Tell them I sent you. For more information HighTechHealth.com or 1-800-794-5355
Prevention
Wash your hands and avoid touching your face and eyes -I prefer Clean Well for my antibacterial hand sanitizer (non alcohol based which is drying and does not have the toxin Triclosan ) https://www.cleanwelltoday.com/products/sanitize/sanitizers/original-hand-sanitizer/
Protect yourself from microbes using the Essential oil Thieves by Young Living as a topical treatment and/or in a diffuser to clean the air (we are now selling here through a local distributor for ease of accessibly if you are interested at $40 per bottle) I personally never travel without and I keep a bottle on my desk for daily protection https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/thieves-essential-oil There are several ways to use this oil, choose the one your prefer. Several drops in your palm - rub together, inhale deeply 3 times. Place several drops on the bottom of your feet and rub in. Place a drop on your finger tip and rub in under your nose - this might sting.
Dietary recommendations
Avoid inflammatory foods, especially Gluten and Dairy
I’ve already discussed the key points in supporting immunity through GI health in a previous newsletter but as a reminder 70% of our immune system function takes place in the gut .
Here are a few reminders...
Eat Organic Foods
Minimize Alcohol
Consider taking Bitters or Digestive Enzymes and Betaine HCL to help you break down all the yummy holiday food (digestion starts with acid in the stomach)
Support your gut lining with bone or vegetable broths and collagen powder, I like the Great Lakes Collagen
Take a daily Pre & Probiotics - around 20 billion is best
Consider SBI Protect, which is a bovine immunoglobulin treatment that support immunity in the gut, ideally a 12 week treatment program (Whey Colostrum is another option as IgG 2000 CWP)
Local raw unfiltered honey or my favorite Bjorn propolis (if you are not allergic to bees)
Build your metabolic reserve
You can do this by supporting your “stress “and “hormonal” system called the Hypopituitary Axis (HPA) system.
Two key hormones that are important around stress are DHEA and Pregnenolone (You should measure and monitor if you plan to support these hormones) If you are feeling extra stress there are adaptogenic herbs that can balance your system, such as Ashwagandha, Rhodiola , Licorice and Ginseng
Control your sugars “Glucose” by not skipping meals and not overeating either (I do like the practice of Intermittent Fasting but it’s not ideal if you have cortisol and blood sugar disruption)
Please Please Please avoid those refined sugars as they will not only disrupt your immune system but simply make you feel terrible in the end so it’s just not worth those sugary ‘treats’.
Key nutrients needed for optimal immune function: Vitamin C, E, D, Zinc, Selenium and Allicillin.
Vitamin C is not only an antioxidant but also an immune support
Our white blood cells are saturated with Vitamin C so if you are depleted (and we don’t make it naturally ) than you are at risk of infections Vitamin C also enhances lymphocytes and mobilizes phagocytes to help kill invading organisms, therefore it has potent anti-viral and antibacterial properties. Vitamin C reduces inflammation by reducing Prostaglandins in the body Vitamin C regenerates Vitamin E in the lipid membrane (see Neuroinflammation newsletter)
And if you happen to get treatment with an Antibiotic, Vitamin C can by synergistic in fighting the infection. Oral dosing for Vitamin C 1000mg daily minimum and increase until loose stool then back off to tolerated dose.
Foods rich in vitamin C foods include oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, kale and broccoli, Brussel sprouts
I strongly recommend IV Vitamin C therapy as well. High doses of Vitamin C has a very potent impact and our bodies but we cannot tolerate high doses without bowel distress therefore IV therapy is an excellent alternative. The patients who get weekly IV Vitamin C are reporting significant reduction and even elimination of contracting illnesses during the “Cold and Flu” season
For this reason, I am running a very special for a package of Buy 3 and get 1 IV Free! This is a $125 value. This special will apply for both the IV Regenerate or IV Rejuvenate.
Vitamin E will also boost our immune system so that it can fight off invading bacteria and viruses as well. It has been studied to reduce the Influenza (Flu) viral infection load as well Vitamin C and E are a potent combination Foods rich in vitamin E include nuts, seeds and spinach. Vitamin E (mixed tocopherol but highest in gamma) – 400 iu daily with fatty meal
Study on Vitamin E and C on immunity https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK230984/
Vitamin D is a hormone (not really a vitamin) that has amazing properties to support our health but regarding immunity it promotes antimicrobial responses to pathogens in macrophages and for regulating the maturation of antigen-presenting dendritic cells, so this means it’s good for both acute infection and auto immunity protection. In fact, this research says Vitamin D is as protective as the Flu Vaccination
I am getting a lot of questions about Flu vaccinations and my opinion is to not get the vaccine unless you are immunosuppressed and in close and often contact with influenza patients. Most vaccinations contain Mercury or Formaldehyde as the preservative so please get the preservative free if you do get vaccinated.
Instead I recommend you protect yourself with all of the above and especially Vitamin D! Vitamin D – dose is very individual and dependent on lab result but the average dose is 5,000 iu daily with fatty meal and it is best to take Vitamin D with K2 to help take calcium from the blood and into the bones
Dr. Mercola certainly has something to say about this too
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/02/27/vitamin-d-better-than-flu-vaccine.aspx
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170216110002.htm
If you feel a virus coming on – call BIH for IV appointment asap for an IV Vitamin D injection, a H202 IV or even the Vitamin C Rejuvenate to boost your own immune fighting support Zinc taken within one day of the first viral symptoms can cut down the time you have a cold by about 24 hours. Zinc must be balanced with Copper if taken long term at a 10:1 ratio Example: Zinc 50mg you would need 5mg of Copper as well Dosing: Zinc Glycinate 20-50mg daily with food to avoid GI upset.
Selenium is another key mineral in supporting immune function (as well as being critical for thyroid function). If you are deficient you have an increased risk of microbial and viral infections as well as more autoimmune diseases.
One major way Selenium support against colds and the flu is around Neutrophils support, which are the immune cells that are called in for a “new” infection to fight microbes Selenium 200mcg daily https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/133/5/1457S/4558526
Allicillin or potent Garlic has natural antiviral, antibiotic and anti-fungal activity and has long been hailed for its immune boosting effects as well. Allicillin – 1-2 daily or add fresh organic garlic to your holiday cooking.
May you stay healthy, happy and vibrant this holiday season,
Carrie Ballas
