This is a good time to practice Gratitude.

Gratitude has the power to change the lens through which we view the world, bringing us more joy, health and satisfaction. It’s easy to see the problems in life, not because we are cynical, but because we are looking for what we can improve in our lives. The downside to this is that we can skip over the miracles in our lives, taking the small gifts for granted.

Gratitude is the elemental life force that powers compassion. We are all intricately connected and as such a practice of gratitude gives thanks to the interdependence, interpenetration, and mutuality of living. Gratitude isn’t merely positive thinking; it is a deep appreciation for life. Contrast can also be viewed through the eyes of gratitude. Pain and affliction can be released when they are contrasted with more positive aspects of the now. No matter how small, there is always something to be grateful for. 

3 Simple steps to practice gratitude:

•         Step 1 - Attention - become aware of the blessings in your life that you may have taken for granted. 

•         Step 2 - Tune into the many reasons for gratitude that exist in our lives. 

•         Step 3 - Write it down - Writing is scientifically proven to be more powerful than simply thinking thoughts of gratitude. 

      You can choose to write down one thought a day and place it in a gratitude jar. Or you may like to keep a special gratitude journal and write down 5-10 blessings every day. 

If you choose to use a gratitude jar, you can amplify the benefits by sharing the experience with your family. Sharing a gratitude jar will encourage family members to have a grateful outlook on life. Counteracting feelings of entitlement, envy, and resentment, which are negative feelings that push people away from us. A  gratitude jar encourages each member of the family to practice thinking in a positive way that will bring joy, prosperity and connection into your home.

Self Care Tips For the Coronavirus

This is a good time to start taking care of yourself.

What people should do right now for the coronavirus? We know the coronavirus cannot survive bleach, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. I recommend everyone do a hydrogen peroxide and water 50/50 gargle daily as prevention.  Supplements and herbs that have been studied to support the immune system with this type of virus and can be helpful include:

·         Vit C 3,000 mg/d

·         Vitamin D 5,000 IU/d If you have never had your Vit D checked this should be done because you may need more.

·         Zinc 30-50 mg a day

·         I like my Optimal Health Multiple with all the antioxidants Vit A, C, E, D, Selenium and zinc for immune support. Nine out of ten people today have a nutritional deficiency.  Vitamin from blog http://riverwalknaturalhealth.blogspot.com/2016/07/whats-in-drwianceks-multiple-vitamin.html

·         Organic Elderberry syrup 1tsp kids or 1 tbsp adults daily.  Studies show it is very effective for the flu.

·         My cold, flu & sinus tea or anti-viral tea 2-4 cups a day.

·         Mushroom Blends (Turkey Tail, Reishi, Maitake, Shitake, Chaga)

·         Soups miso, chicken, veggie or bone broth and Organic mushroom with garlic & ginger.

·         Green tea daily

·         It is important to destress with yoga, Epsom salt baths, meditation and deep breathing. 

·         Immune boosting foods organic greens, organic mushrooms, berries, nuts and seeds.

·         Exercise 1 hr 5 x a wk 

·         Sleep 8 hrs a day

If you have not seen my last newsletter on the importance of the immune system in fighting disease, see https://riverwalknaturalhealth.blogspot.com/search?q=immune.

Spring is upon us so this is a great time to do a spring detox.  Check out if you would benefit from a spring detox https://riverwalknaturalhealth.blogspot.com/2016/03/why-do-spring-detox.html.

 It is about taking charge of your health and this too will pass.

Recipes to support the immune system: htttps://riverwalknaturalhealth.blogspot.com/2019/05/mediterranean-quinoa.html

https://riverwalknaturalhealth.blogspot.com/2019/05/beet-carpaccio-with-dark-greens-salad.html

https://riverwalknaturalhealth.blogspot.com/2019/05/mediterranean-red-lentil-soup-with-herbs.html

https://riverwalknaturalhealth.blogspot.com/2018/08/smoky-or-curry-cauliflower.html

The Importance of Your Immune System in Fighting Illnesses

The Importance of Your Immune System in Fighting Illnesses 

Infections are the invasion of body tissues by disease-causing agents such as viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi that are present throughout our environment. We become susceptible to these infections when our immune system is depleted. Our white blood cell (WBC) count is the window to our immune system.  WBC counts can be checked with a simple blood test. The normal range for the WBC count is between 4,000 and 11,000 per microliter of blood. In checking WBC counts in patients for the last 22 years, I’ve found that many patients are in the low range, around 4 K/uL. This means the immune system is not working up to par and the person is susceptible to many of the infections around us.  In fact, nine out of ten people have a nutritional deficiency. 

One does not necessarily need a blood test to detect a compromised immune system. When looking at all the 20 to 30-year-olds at the Burton snowboard event this past week we would hope to see perfect health with glowing skin and shiny eyes. Unfortunately, many of the young adults had severe acne and dull-looking skin which looked very unhealthy. Many of these issues are due to a poor diet. Our diet is the window to our skin and eyes and the immune system. Therefore, it is important to take charge of your health and do what you can to protect yourself.

Infections are everywhere. We cannot get away from them and we cannot count on others to reduce the risk of infection. For example, I was at a presentation last week and the woman next to me could not stop coughing. Since she did not cover her mouth, she risked infecting everyone in the audience.

Ways to Improve your immune system:

• Make sure your sleeping at least 8 hours a night
• Limit your alcohol consumption
• Eliminate all sugar
• Caffeine in moderation
• Do not smoke or vape
• Exercise at least 1 hour 5 times a week
• Eat organic and 5 to12 veggies a day
• Eliminate fast food and eat your meals at home.  Families who cook their meals tend to be less sick and home-cooked foods have fewer pesticides, are less processed and have fewer preservatives. 
• Reduce stress by meditation, yoga and breathing exercises.
• Take drugs and steroids only when necessary; steroids actually turn off your immune response.
• Do not go to work or be out in public if sick.
• Don’t shake hands with people if either of you is sick.
• Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. Do not use antibacterial soaps. 
• Bleach and water work to kill viruses, bacteria and fungi on surfaces.  If someone is sick in the family clean all surfaces often. Mix ¼ cup of bleach in 16 oz of water for cleaning.
• Take a good multiple vitamin with antioxidants such as Vit A, D, E, C, Selenium, and zinc (journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article…).  I recommend my Optimal Health multiple which is high in antioxidants (see blog). My patients rarely get sick when taking a vitamin regularly. I have been taking it for the past 20 years and rarely get sick.
• Foods that help improve the immune system include organic mushrooms, organic greens such as spinach, kale, and chard, chicken or veggie soups, berries, cinnamon, garlic, and ginger.
• My cold, flu & sinus tea and anti-viral tea can work very well at the onset of any cold. I also like my organic elderberry syrup in which has been shown in many studies to prevent the flu.
• A large part of the immune system is located in the colon. Therefore, taking a good probiotic will help.  Not all probiotics are good, and many are not what they claim to be (pediatric-infectious-disease.imedpub.com/probiotics-…).

Remember that antibiotics do not work on viruses and unfortunately, ninety-five percent of colds and sinus infections are due to viruses. However, a variety of natural antivirals work very well although choosing the right one can be tricky as results depend on the type of virus and the symptoms one has whether a cough, sinus, earaches, bronchial issues or stomach problems. Not every antiviral works for every virus. There are certain antivirals that work for the flu, others that work for coughs or sinus and others that work for the coronavirus. I generally use between 8 to 10 different antivirals for many of these infections. Usually, taking 1 or 2 does not work as well and a general antiviral can waste money by not helping at all. There is a long history and good research on the use of herbs as antivirals even for coronaviruses (eg., Using herbal medicine as a means of prevention experience during SARS crisis, AM J Med 2005; In vitro susceptibility of 10 clinical isolates of SARS coronavirus to selected antiviral compounds, J Clini Virol 2004; Small molecules targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome human coronavirus, Pro Natl Acad Sci USA 2004) This is why it is always best to get to the cause of your health issue. I do not recommend going on Amazon and buying whatever antivirals are on the market.  

Labs are important to check your immune response and your overall health depending on your symptoms. 

Please remember that if you feel like you are getting sick, I have a cold, flu and sinus clinic in which we can generally get rid of your symptoms within 48 hrs. Many of these illnesses last 3 weeks without treatment and you do not want to infect everyone at work or home. If you have more than 2 colds a year your immune system is probably depleted. Many people are not going to the doctor unless they are very sick this is just putting more burden on the immune system. It is always best to make an appointment and get to the cause of why this is happening. For an appointment please call 970-926-7606.