5 Ways to Win this Cold and Flu Season
What is your plan for the 2020 cold and flu season to stay healthy, happy, and well? It is kind of a big question to consider. Cold and flu season is a very real part of the year. The season brings noticeable change to the environment and our bodies. The cold, wet weather drives us more indoors to stay cozy and warm. It is a time to go inward and hunker down. First, we must acknowledge that, as humans, we have grown and evolved amongst bacteria and viruses. They inhabit the inside and the outside of our bodies. The human body is made of 50 Trillion cells with 200 different types of specialized cells. Bacterial cells easily outnumber the estimated number of human cells. So if we do some basic math, at minimum 100 trillion cells are living on us and in us. These cells live in a community that must be in balance to create harmony. When the body is out of balance then the opportunity for infection can occur. Viruses and bacteria are not predators, but scavengers in the tissue. When weak or damaged tissue is identified, it then gives rise to the possibility of becoming sick.
So, the goal this year and beyond is to take healthy, congruent action to aid in maintaining a happy, healthy community inside (and outside) of our body. How are you going to boost your immune system? Here are a few ideas….
1. Get Entrained: A healthy, clear spine is what you want for an optimally functioning immune system. The nervous system is our tree of life. The more tension in the trunk (spine), then the less vitality can nourish the branches (nerve endings that communicate with the organs). Increased, chronic tension in the body will start to limit the amount of blood flow to tissue, causing an oxygen shortage that is needed for cell metabolism. When this happens, it becomes more difficult to get the nourishment in and waste out. Increasing tension not only uses vital energy but creates inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a route cause of a myriad of dis-eased symptoms and conditions.
Receiving regular entrainments teaches your body how to identify and drop the tension. This gives a person a chance to get out of the sympathetic windup (fight or flight) and pump up the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). The better the skills to identify the tension and drop it, then the better the body has a chance to take care of vital processes so that we can have a strengthened immune system. Learning how to drop tension in the body is a powerful tool to move you forward in all domains of life and is an indicator of health.
2. Myers IV: Now that you can relax and drop the stress in your body, let's make sure that it is getting all the nutrients it needs to function at optimal levels. At Auburn Naturopathic Medicine, in Downtown Auburn, CA, you can easily find yourself in great hands getting your first Myers Cocktail IV (intravenous). This therapy is so relaxing and leaves you feeling so good (I can speak from experience). It was the pick me up that my body needed to work through some persistent allergies but has been shown to aid a wide range of conditions, including migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, seasonal allergies, colds/flus, sinusitis, muscle spasms, and other disorders.
The cocktail contains many B-vitamins including B12, vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium. This IV works by increasing the blood concentration of several vitamins and minerals to levels not obtainable through food or oral supplementation. Inflammation and disease cause the body to use nutrients at a faster rate, so by giving nutrients intravenously we’re not only assuring that the cells are getting the proper vitamins and minerals for energy and healing activities, but we’re also bypassing the digestive tract and ensuring 100% absorption, which is also advantageous in anyone with a compromised digestive tract.
When you visit Auburn Naturopathic Medicine, you will meet Dr. Heidi Hook and this is what she has to say about the Myers IV, “A Myer’s IV is an amazing treatment to support health and healing. IVs are a great way to receive therapeutic levels of nutrients into the blood directly that is difficult to achieve with oral dosing. They contain a great B complex, Hydroxy B12, Magnesium, Calcium and a mineral complex rich in Zinc and Selenium, which are vital for breaking down inflammation and supporting the immune system. It also contains a healthy dose of Vitamin C too, which is the cornerstone of health and healing. Myself and many of my patient’s exclaim how much better they feel even after one IV.
I can absolutely attest to feeling so much better after my treatment with the Myers IV. This is such an amazing preventative and safe to do on a regular basis. Take a moment and visit Auburn Naturopathic to discover their special pricing for new patients. IV Therapy & Injections | Auburn Naturopathic Medicine
3. Sunshine: Vitamin D (from the sunshine) comes from UVB light. The Vitamin D created by this light is confirmed to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and immune strengthening effects on the digestive system (where you can find 80% of your immune system). Vitamin D does this by strengthening the gut lining to prevent leaky gut. It can even influence the ability to regulate calcium, which is important for health of our bones and skeletal system. Proper sunshine will influence our hormones and sleep rhythms. I always find the sun so rejuvenating and the perfect pick me up in the day.
I personally will catch some rays in the middle of the day (11am-1pm) for about 15-20 minutes. Exposing your face and forearms for that length of time should give you a sufficient dose of the sunshine vitamin. You do need to get exposure sans sunscreen though. Don’t be afraid of the sun, it’s light is giving you and this planet energy we all need to heal.
Check out Dr. Courtney Hunt for more information and insight on why sunshine is so powerful on her Instagram @drcourtneyhunt
4. Self-Care: I confidently proclaim that one of my best, and most developed skill, is that of self-care. Self-care is a choice that you make for yourself. These are the activities that fill your cup with joyfulness, gratitude and appreciation for yourself. A well-oiled self-care routine is a health and wellness non-negotiable in my book. Making time for activities that fall into this category will have a positive impact on your overall wellbeing. I am happy to share my favorite things to do for self-care which are recovery floating, massage and sauna. Auburn has the best when it comes to all three options.
Recovery floating at Capitol Floats in Auburn, CA is always a great idea. This is an excellent place to heat it up in the sauna, let it all go with a float and melt into a massage. Recovery floating is such a restorative and healing practice. I enjoy floating at least once a month. It is a self-care practice that truly replenishes my sense of Being. It gives me the opportunity to be free of everything; noise, screens, sounds and just meld with the warm water. The float tanks are filled with 10 inches of water and contain 1,100 lbs. of dissolved Epsom salt. Floating is defined as, “To rest on the surface of a liquid without sinking.” The salts hold your body effortlessly on the surface of the water, which removes pressure from the muscles, joints and bones. Benefits of floating extend into body, mind and beyond. Auburn Center | Capitol Floats
The infrared sauna is a practice that I have been doing for years, whether it is a single bulb at home or immersed in the heat of an actual sauna. Whenever I feel something coming on or need to physically work something out of my body, I get that heat going and let the magic happen. The health and healing benefits of the infrared sauna are many and can be found in this great article 19 Amazing Reasons Why You Should Own An Infrared Sauna—Immunity, Detox, Longevity, and More! | GreenSmoothieGirl
Who doesn’t love massage for stress relief, body rehabilitation and that miracle of what touch does for our healing journey? There are so many different types of massage from Swedish, Sports, Thai and even hot stone therapy. The benefits of massage are a worthwhile and treating yourself to one on a regular basis will really do a Being good. One of my favorites, especially during pregnancy, is the Thai massage. This type of massage is done on a mat with the use of movement and body posturing alongside the practitioner. It is truly one of my favorites. Thai Massage | Align Thai Massage & Yoga | United States (thaiyogini.com)
5. Mindset and Meditation: What we focus on, we get more of. Mindset is showed to be influential on how our immune system functions and how our genes express themselves. (Take a minute to research Epigenetics and Pyschoneuroimmunology.) So where is your mindset? As humans we are hardwired to focus on problems so that we can stay alive. It is an evolutionary mechanism that has served us well as we have evolved. The stresses in life survival have evolved as well, that bear has been replaced by bills and traffic.
Life starts to show up differently when we start to think and perceive life differently. Bringing in a mindfulness practice can create a big impact on your day and your health. There are so many fantastic resources to create a meditation and mindset practice that works best for you. You can discover I AM affirmations for all types of things, guided meditations, binaural beats, books to read, inspirational speakers or just taking 5-10 minutes out of your day to be still. This type of practice nourishes your mind, body and soul while creating healthier, healing habits. Local Auburn Studio Be has some great videos for meditation. 12soundsolutions - YouTube
I could go on and on about taking care of yourself, but these are my favorite ways that I choose to take care of my body. You find that thing that is good for you and make it a priority for your overall health and wellness journey. Health is wealth and that is a story which will never change. Be well sweet friends.
My name is Melissa Moon and I am an ELAN Healing Facilitator & Embodiment Expert. Learning more about ELAN can be found at www.mlmoonstudio.com. Click the icon to Schedule your Free Consultation to explore what ELAN can offer for your optimal health, healing and wellness.
Starting your wellness journey at Moon Healing Studio is easy. Reach out now to to revitalize and transform your life by improving your body, so that you can have the vital energy to be the healthiest you have ever been and become the person you have always wanted to BE. Healing Services | Moon Healing Studio | Auburn CA (mlmoonstudio.com)
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