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Preparing for Winter Cold & Flu Season

This time of year is notorious for coughs, colds, sniffles, sinus and sore throats. We've begun to see people coming through the clinic with these recently and, while we are very good at helping them feel better, we'd prefer they didn't get sick in the first place!

Here are our top tips to keep yourself in good health as we head into the cooler months:

  1. Eat healthy - sounds obvious right? Still, it never hurts to be reminded! Particularly focus on eating foods rich in vitamin C (e.g. red & orange coloured fruit & vegies, broccoli, green leafy vegies) and Zinc (e.g. organic meats, wholegrains, nuts & seeds). Also remember to keep up your fluids - people often forget to drink regularly when the temperature drops.
  2. Herbal teas - not only will this help to keep you adequately hydrated, some herbal teas can help to boost your immune system. Our Cold & Flu Tea for example contains a therapeutic blend including Echinacea, Yarrow and Elder. Some other excellent herbal teas for this time of year include Rosehip, Ginger, and Lemon.
  3. Cook with medicinal herbs such as Ginger, Garlic, Turmeric and Chilli - these not only add flavour to your dishes but also give your immune system a boost!
  4. At the risk of sounding like your grandmother: remember to wash your hands! Particularly at work and around sick family or friends, as this will help to prevent picking up other people's germs.
  5. Don't stress - easier said than done we know, but it's a well known fact that people who experience stress and anxiety are more prone to low immune function. Talk to us if you'd like some stress support and read this post on cultivating a free and easy mind.

It's also a good idea to create your own natural 'medicine kit' at home, so you have remedies on hand for when you need them. These are the things we recommend to take immediately at the first signs of a cold or flu (e.g. sore throat or body aches). We'd recommend including a good quality Multivitamin, Vitamin C (powder or tablets) and Zinc supplement, along with Probiotica capsules, Astragalus Complex (but not if you are pregnant) and Echinacea Premium tablets - all of these will help to keep the lurgy at bay. 

Remember if you are prone to picking up cold and flus either frequently or with intense, prolonged symptoms (e.g. "it always goes to my chest") come and see us for a preventative herbal mix made especially for your individual situation.  Acupuncture can be very useful for headaches, blocked noses, phlegmy coughs and sore throats too.  We can recommend treatments to keep little kids as well as us big kids healthy too.  Our practitioners can design a treatment specifically for you and your family, which will have you all feeling the best you can.

 

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