Influenza Blues? Seven Tips to Prevent Infection...

Cold and flu season are in full swing.  I frequently get asked if I recommend the flu vaccine.  My answer is simple...  a healthy immune system is the best defense against colds and flu.  If you have an immune deficiency or other serious illness it may be appropriate.  However, for the rest of us, strengthening your innate immunity is the key!  Besides, who willingly has formaldehyde, aluminum, MSG, or thimerosal injected into the body, anyway?

Seven Tips for Preventing and Treating Viral Infections:

1. Basic Immune Nutrients - Make sure you are getting adequate immune supporting vitamins.  I recommend Vitamin D3, Vitamin C, Zinc, Omega-3 Fish Oil and high potency probiotics as some of the basics
2. Hydration & Sleep - Often overlooked but essential!  Drink plenty of fluids and avoid sticky and sweet soda or fruit juice.  Get 7-8 hours of sleep per night.  It is no coincidence that we often get a cold or the flu after activities like the holidays or travel, when we return to high stress and fail to get adequate sleep.
3. Homeopathic Medicines - One of my very favorite homeopathic flu remedies is Boiron Oscillococcinum.  I am never without this helpful cure!  It comes in adult or kid friendly versions.  Take 1 vial weekly for prevention of flu. My husband & I do this all through the winter months or when flying.  Upon the first sign of sore throat, fever or myalgias, take one vial up to 3X daily for acute illness.  It's safe at any age and has been shown to limit the severity and duration of the flu symptoms.  For best results, take at the very beginning of symptoms.  Some of my other favorites by Boiron are ColdCalm for cold symptoms and Sinusalia for sinus symptoms.
4. Elderberry - Elderberry syrup (such as Sambucol) is a great alternative to anti-viral medication.  Take one tablespooon 4X daily for up to 3 days when symptoms begin.  One study suggested that using a standardized elderberry extract, Sambucol, could shorten the duration of flu by about 3 days.
5. Avoid sugar - Perhaps the most important thing you can do to boost your immune strength is get rid of the sweets!  Avoid all sugar and highly processed foods.  Even small amounts of sugar can significantly impair the immune system, making one more susceptible to a flu infection.  One classic study showed that sugar decreased neutrophil activity (your cells that fight infection) for hours after sugar ingestion.
6. Functional Foods - Many foods are helpful to boost immunity.  Drink organic green tea, eat garlic raw or cooked, use fresh oregano and thyme to spice your foods, and enjoy fresh ginger in cooking or smoothies or make a cup of honey ginger tea.  Cruciferous veggies and certain mushrooms are also loaded with immune boosting properties.  Both garlic and onions contain compounds that rev up the activity of immune-system cells called natural killer cells and T-helper cells.
7. And don't forget to wash your hands... a simple but effective way to wash away the viruses that cause cold and flu.  Use plain soap and water (NOT the anti-bacterial soaps which contain the toxin, Triclosan)  Make your own hand sanitizer with the following simple recipe.
• Fill 4oz glass spray bottle with sterile water
• Add 1 tsp aloe vera gel
• Add 5 drops each of the following essential oils:  cinnamon, clove, rosemary, eucalyptus
• Mix 10 drops of lemon or wild orange essential oil
• Shake gently and use 2-3 sprays on your hands as needed.

Take to heart these simple tips and you should be WELL on your way to a healthy, happy, virus-fighting immune system this flu season!

Healthy Gut = Healthy You!

There is a microbial zoo living inside you, literally trillions of microscopic organisms―more than 10,000 different kinds of them―all co-existing with each other and you.

In fact they outnumber you ten to one and ninety percent of the genetic material, (DNA and RNA) in your body is not yours, it belongs to the bacteria that is located mostly in your gut, but some also live on your skin and even in your nose.

Exactly what those different life forms do has been the subject of some exciting research in recent years, and while a few of these organisms can sometimes wreak havoc with your system, the majority of these little "bugs" are good, helping you digest your food, stay protected from infections, and even keeping your immune system properly regulated to fend off autoimmune diseases like asthma, allergies, and diabetes.

The community of microbes living on and in your body is unique to you – like your fingerprints – and is now being regarded as a key contributor to your overall health.

More and more, science is finding that teeny tiny creatures living in your gut are there for a definite purpose. Known as your microbiome, about 100 trillion of these cells populate your body, particularly your intestines and other parts of your digestive system.

Although some of these bacteria can make you sick, the majority are good, and they work together as to aid your digestive system and keep you well. Beneficial bacteria, better known as probiotics, along with a host of other microorganisms, are so crucial to your health that researchers have compared them to "a newly recognized organ." We now know that your microflora influence your:

• Immune system function
• Brain development, mental health, and memory
• Obesity
• Genetic expression 
• Risk of diseases, including autoimmune disease, cancer, diabetes, and autism

According to the featured article in Time Magazine:

"Our surprisingly complex internal ecology has been a hot topic in medicine lately. Initiatives such as the Human Microbiome Project, an extension of the Human Genome Project, have been working tirelessly to probe potential links between the human microbiota and human health, and to construct strategies for manipulating the bacteria so that they work with us rather than against us.

...They've been linked to a range of nasty conditions, including obesity, arthritis, and high cholesterol. Now, two newer areas of research are pushing the field even further, looking at the possible gut bug link to a pair of very different conditions: autism and irritable bowel disease."

Most people, including many physicians, do not realize that 80 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive tract, making a healthy gut a major focal point in your efforts to achieve optimal health. In fact, the root of many health problems is related to an imbalance of intestinal bacteria.  

The beneficial bacteria in your gut has actually been found to help prevent allergies by training your immune system to distinguish between pathogens and non-harmful antigens and respond appropriately – and this may be one reason why they also appear so beneficial in conditions like allergies, asthma, and eczema

 Like it or not, the bugs in your gut have a lot to say about your health!  This is why I frequently test patients gut function for common complaints such as fatigue, migraines, mood disorders, depression, anxiety or insomnia, ecezma, allergies, asthma, autism, and even trouble with concentration & memory.  Getting the gut bugs back into proper balance is critical to your overall health and especially the health of your immune system.  The simplest way to jump start your overall health is pay attention to the gut...  Eliminate sugar and refined flours from your diet and add a high dose probiotic to you regimen.  You'll be well on your way to a happy and helpful intestinal "zoo"!

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-gut-brain-connection
http://www.mercola.com/
http://www.metametrix.com/test-menu/profiles/gastrointestinal-function/dna-stool-analysis-gi-effects
https://wsunews.wsu.edu/pages/publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=32253&TypeID=1

Tips for Dealing with Herxheimer or Die-off Reactions

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Dealing With Yeast Die-Off (Herxheimer) Reactions

  

Yeast overgrowth can happen in response to improper diet, poor immunity, difficulties in digestion and antibiotic use. Poorly digested food can lead to putrefaction (rotting) and encourages the growth of organisms.  Antibiotic use destroys the normal balance of gut flora and leaves an open field for bad bacteria and fungi to move in.  Hormones and steroids can make this condition worse, too.  Most importantly, over-consumption of simple sugars & refined carbohydrates will feed the yeast.  If the immune system is weakened or there are not enough probiotic ("good" bacteria) to combat the yeast, then it begins to grow unchecked and cause symptoms, such as "leaky gut".

In this blog, I am addressing specific patients who are being treated for fungal dysbiosis (yeast overgrowth), who may experience a worsening of their condition after starting a program for yeast control. This may be very unsettling & discouraging if it is not understood.  It must be addressed effectively in order to avoid worsening symptoms. Here are some strategies to minimize the chances of suffering unnecessarily from a Herxheimer (die-off) reaction.

Common Symptoms of yeast die-off include:

Fatigue, brain fog, gastrointestinal distress such as nausea, gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, low grade fever, headache, sore throat, body itch, muscle and joint soreness or pain, flu-like symptoms. Other symptoms include: lethargy, intense sweet cravings, rashes, irritability, joint stuffiness, or muscle pain. In susceptible individuals with pre-existing neurological symptoms such as hyperactivity, irritability, tantrums, and difficulty concentrating, their symptoms may temporarily intensify.

Yeast die-off reactions are not necessarily a sign that yeast treatment is succeeding. It may be an indication that yeast cells are dying in large numbers, and an indicator of the body's toxic overload. At that point, more poisons are being released than the body can adequately cope with at one time and may be a sign the system's elimination pathways (liver, kidneys, & bowels) are overburdened or blocked (as in constipation or liver congestion)

If properly undertaken, treatment for yeast related health problems should not lead to severe yeast die-off reactions.  Patients with elevated heavy metal levels may more problems with “die-off” symptoms

Strategies to minimize discomfort & shorten duration of die-off reactions

·       Reduce the dose of anti-fungals: Some patients may have to stop altogether for a few days. Dr Jill will generally start doses slowly and increasing them over time to help you deal with the possible die-off symptoms

·       Enzymes: Adding enzymes with meals may improve the digestion of foods and limit putrefactive short chain fatty acids with enzymes.  Use pancreatic enzymes, NOT fungal or plant based enzymes.

·       Stay hydrated:  Dr Jill recommend 4-6 fluid ounces of warm water every forty-five minutes, throughout the day.  Mineral water may help, too!

·       Get your sleep:  It is imperative to rest when experiencing yeast die-off reactions – 8-10 hours per night is essential.

·       Neutralize toxins:  There are ways to neutralize fungal toxins. Dr. Jill may recommend molybdenum, biotin, pantethine or liver support to accomplish this.  Activated charcoal may also help.

·       Alkalinize:  You may buffer the toxins by taking alkalizing agents immediately upon experiencing die-off symptoms. Such products as AlkaSeltzer Gold. Drinking mineral water may also help.

·       Antioxidants:  Provide extra antioxidants to quench the oxidative reactions created by the toxins.  Dr Jilll may prescribe vitamin C, Vitamin E or A, alpha lipoic acid or N-acetylcysteine.

·       Sauna & baths:  If you have access to a sauna, begin slowly (15 minutes per session) scrub all skin surfaces with a stiff brush and shower immediately afterwards. Another helpful detox regimen is Epsom salt baths – use 3-4 cups in hot bath and soak for 20min every night.

·       Keep your bowels moving:  You must address any issues with bowel elimination if you have constipation – if you are not eliminating, you will reabsorb any die-off toxins being released! 

More remedies for constipation:

·       Use magnesium citrate 500-1000mg daily or until normal, soft bowel movements 1 or more X daily.  You may also add Ascorbic Acid 5-10grams daily to bowel tolerance.

·       Start every morning with a tall glass of warm water.  8 oz of coffee may also be helpful.

·       Try a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, several times daily on an empty stomach.

·       Mix 2 TBSP of ground flax or chia seed into water & stir , let sit for 10minutes, stir & drink on an empty stomach.

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Top 10 Secrets to Fabulous Looking Skin!

 Top 10 Secrets to Fabulous Looking Skin

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1. Keep your gut bugs happy! Take a high-quality probiotic supplement can promote a healthy balance of gut flora and support your immune system.
2. Optimize your vitamin D levels – Vitamin D is crucial for establishing a healthy immune system and to help promote healthy-looking skin.
3. Eliminate sugar in your diet – Like grains, sugar causes an insulin spike which can lead to  skin break-outs and imperfections.
4. Avoid eating grains, especially wheat – Bread, cereal, pasta, rice, potatoes, and corn can cause surges in insulin production. Instead, eat vegetable sources of carbs, which your body digests easier.  Consider a gluten-free diet if you suffer from gluten intolerance, which may help you avoid toxins being pushed through your skin due to the intolerance.
5. Drink plenty of fresh pure water – Hydrating your body facilitates cell growth and regeneration, elimination of wastes, and helps remove dead skin cells.
6. Might you have hidden food allergies?  wheat, milk, egg, and soy are common foods that people are unknowingly sensitive to.  If you don't know, try eliminating all of these foods and sugar for 14 days to see if your skin clears.  If you aren't up to an elimination diet, ask for the IgG/IgE blood test.
7. Eliminate all sodas, juice, and energy drinks – These drinks mostly sugar, artificial flavoring, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and artificial colors. As far as juices, eat the whole fruit in moderation instead.
8. Reduce your stress & Get your sleep – Research suggests that changes in skin often correlate with increased stress. And your body's time for rejuvenating (including your skin!) is at night while you sleep.
9. Exercise regularly – Getting plenty of high-intensity exercise helps your body flush out toxins, including those in the pores of your skin. The more you sweat, the better your body can get rid of toxins and impurities
10. Naturally cleanse and moisturize your skin – Avoid toxic skin care products with risky chemical ingredients. They can cause more skin problems than they solve.   For non-toxic products, visit the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database.

Constipation Trouble? Here's 5 Tips to Get You Going...

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Here's 5 Simple Tips to Keep You Going...

Constipation is one of those topics few like to talk about. If you've suffered from this problem, though, you know it can be both painful and frustrating.

Almost everyone gets constipated at some time during his or her life. It affects approximately 2% of the population.  Women and the elderly are more commonly affected.

You are considered constipated if you have two or more of the following for at least 3 months:

• Straining during a bowel movement more than one-quarter of the time
• Hard stools more than one-quarter of the time
• Incomplete evacuation more than one-quarter of the time
• Averaging less than one normal formed, but soft stool daily

Common causes of constipation include:

• Inadequate water intake
• Inadequate fiber in the diet
• Disruption of regular diet or routine
• Traveling
• Inadequate exercise or immobility
• Eating large amounts of dairy products
• Stress
• Resisting the urge to have a bowel movement too frequently
• Overuse of laxatives (stool softeners) 
• Low thyroid hormone
• Neurological conditions, like Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis
• Too much calcium in supplements or antacids
• Certain medications, anti-depressants, pain killers, and iron supplements
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Pregnancy
• Colon Cancer

If you simply treat the causes and the symptoms go away!

Here are five simple natural suggestions to "keep you going":

1. Probiotics - When the wrong bacteria or yeast gain control of the bowels, they slow things down to ferment foods just how they like them. A good quality probiotic like, lactobaccilus or bifidobacter can help change that. You'll want to take a dairy-free brand with at least 25 billion cfu's per capsule daily
2. Dehydration - Without enough fluids to move things through the intestinal tract, the feces becomes hard and your digestion slows way down. Drinking a large glass of water upon waking improves bowel movements in most cases. Drinking a large glass of water few hours of the day can also alleviate IBS symptoms.
3. Fiber - For both constipation and IBS, dietary fiber is the first line of intervention for symptom relief. I usually recommend patients add 2 TBSP of ground flax seed or chia to their breakfast or smoothie.  Another way is to use psyllium caps or powder. 
4. Vitamin C - One symptom of vitamin C deficiency is constipation. Taking vitamin C in amounts just below bowel tolerance (gas, bloating or diarrhea) can definitely improve bowel movements and regularity. Start slow with 3000 mg spread throughout the day and every 2-3 days add another 1,000 mg to the regimen. When you reach bowel tolerance and stools loosen up, back off a little and maintain the dose that works for you
5. Magnesium - if patients I see are complaining of difficulty with constipation, the first thing I usually recommend is adding magnesium citrate at bedtime.  Many patients sleep better, have less muscle pain and bowel function dramatically improves with a little magnesium.  Doses typically range from 300-600mg but may go upwards of 1000mg daily.  

Still no relief?!  If the five suggestions above don't relieve your constipation, then you might have food sensitivities...  A common symptom of food sensitivity is constipation. Studies show that milk can cause constipation and a more recent study also implicates gluten. Constipation is more likely to occur in children fed gluten at at less than six months of age with a 35% increased risk of constipation.  You might try doing a three week elimination diet avoiding the common culprits:  gluten, dairy, sugar, and soy. 

If you have slow moving bowels, bowel pain or both, find the cause and fix it! Treating the symptoms only hides the causes, allowing your problems to grow into bigger problems.

Is Leaky Gut Causing Your Eczema or Psoriasis?

How Leaky Gut is linked to Skin Conditions, like Eczema & Psoriasis...

First a little background ... When the body doesn’t tolerate a food or has created antibodies to that food, ingesting it creates a chronic, low-level irritation or inflammation in the gut. Over time, with regular exposure, the irritation worsens and creates spaces between the cells. (Picture the walls of the gut, once tightly knitted together, looking more like swiss cheese!)   This is what is commonly known as, Leaky Gut.  These holes allow bacteria and their toxins, as well as incompletely digested proteins and fats, to “leak” out of the gut and into the bloodstream. Leaky gut syndrome (or increased intestinal permeability), sets the stage for myriad health problems, including rashes and skin problems, like eczema and psoriasis.  The skin is the body’s largest elimination organ so it’s not surprising that it comes under assault when toxins careen through the bloodstream.   A skin rash or eczema is a sign that the body is trying to slough out these toxins.  Some people will also experience increase in acne or be told they have "rosacea".   The body is trying to eliminate the problem the best way it knows how, and unfortunately you may see the nasty effects of leaky gut manifest in skin problems.  In addition, you might also experience gas, bloating, fatigue, sinus congestion, or foggy thinking.  Many other autoimmune conditions are also linked to the underlying problem of leaky gut.

An Elimination Diet Can Heal Your Skin Conditions

An elimination diet is the best way to pinpoint the offending food.   Here's some practical tips and recipes on how to get started.

Don’t know where to start? Foods that are most likely to wreak havoc on the gut include wheat and gluten, dairy products, sugar, soy, eggs, corn and yeast. If you’re highly motivated go off “the big five” for at least 3 weeks: wheat, dairy, sugar, caffeine and alcohol.

Although this isn't easy, you're guaranteed to notice the foods you are reacting to and 90% of patients feel dramatically better after a 3 week elimination plan. You might also consider keeping a food journal. Spend a week or two writing down what you eat and how your body feels in the minutes, hours and days afterward (e.g., an hour after you eat dairy, you feel bloated). It’s about pattern and symptom recognition and connecting the dots which in turn helps you decide which foods to eliminate first.

If you are a "show-me the data" type of person, there are labs that will test the blood for levels of IgG4 against certain foods and may be a predictor of what foods you are the most sensitive to.  In addition, if you have many reactions to a variety of foods, this is almost diagnostic for leaky gut syndrome and you should consult with a functional medicine doctor to start the healing process.

Low SIgA and why it matters to your gut health!

What is SIgA?

IgA is a type of antibody that protects against infections of the mucous membranes lining the mouth, airways, and digestive tract... it is your first line of defense on the mucosal lining and it makes up a majority of your entire immune system.

Some people have a genetic deficiency and present with low levels of SIgA and frequent infections.  Others acquire a low level after their intestinal tract becomes over-run with abnormal microbes.

SIgA helps to shape the composition of the microbes in your gut!

Extraordinary amounts of immunoglobulin A (IgA) are produced in your intestinal mucosa daily, it is known as SIgA and is secreted into the human gastrointestinal tract. SIgA production is driven largely in response to mucosal antigens (bugs or food) encountered by gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT).  It is clear that secretory antibodies are directed against at least two broad classes of antigens. The first is associated with enteric pathogens (the "bad guys" or infections) and their virulence factors, or things that the bugs secrete, like toxins.


The second broad class of antigens recognized by SIgA is associated with the intestinal microbes or commensal microflora (the "good" guys, like probiotics). In experimental animal models commensal bacteria are potent inducers of secretory antibodies; in humans, it is estimated that between 25 and 75% of intestinal bacteria are coated with SIgA.  This could explain why one of the most basic ways to improve levels of SIgA is to give a patient probiotics and saccromyces boulardii. 

There is also evidence from mice that secretory antibodies play an important role in shaping the composition of the intestinal microbiota, which in turn can influence your gut's defense against invaders and enhance resistance to the intestinal infections.
  
Profound Role in Intestinal Balance and Your Health

So because SIgA can neutralize the "bad guys" and shape the "good guys" SIgA plays a profound role in intestinal balance and health.  SIgA is the main immunoglobulin in mucus secretions. The intestinal cells produce about 2-3grams of SIgA every day!  And production tends to peak in childhood and start to decline after about sixty years old.

This is our first-line defense against gut pathogens like bacteria, food proteins, parasites, fungi, toxins and viruses. SIgA antibodies prevent micro-organisms, food proteins and cancer-causing substances from binding to the surface of absorptive cells. Effectively, they attach themselves to invading bugs and trap them in mucus to prevent them from going anywhere!

The antibodies also 'tag' foods as acceptable to the body and this suggests why low SIgA levels can be a factor in developing and progressive food allergy and intolerance. Intestinal permeability is also related since, if levels are low, repair of mucosal tissues can be compromised.  This is often referred to as Leaky Gut and can coexsist with low levels of SIgA.

Certain SIgA antibodies have been shown to directly quench bacterial virulence, whereas others help with uptake of SIgA–immune complexes by mucosal dendritic cells and result in down regulation of pro-inflammatory responses normally associated with pathogens and allergic antigens.

In fact it is becoming increasingly evident that human health is inextricably linked to the gut microbiota, intestinal homeostasis, and mucosal immunity. IgA is at the centre of this dynamic. 

Testing your SIgA

Secretory IgA is quite independent of blood IgA levels so just because one is normal, doesn’t mean the other is.   SIgA can be measured in different ways, including stool and saliva. Levels can turn out to be low or high. Stool measurements have traditionally been based on sample extractions from animal models – it is hard to ask a mouse to spit! Salivary samples provide a systemic overview of circulating SIgA.

Ongoing low levels can help to explain why people can’t shift an immune problem like allergies, chronic skin conditions or infections. It can also explain why they find it hard to get rid of a microbial infection, too. Celiacs and those with IBD can have low levels and chronic stress has a major effect on SIgA levels. Certain medications can lower levels – including anti-inflammatories.   Other factors  includeviral infections (like Epstein Barr viruses), poor nutritional status, food allergies, ongoing stress. Interestingly some studies have shown variations in levels with gender and age – male patients often have lower levels.

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