NATUROPATHIC MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR IMMUNE HEALTH

No one likes to get sick. And unfortunately, this year that feeling is amplified by 1000%! I wanted to share some naturopathic medical suggestions to maintain your health this fall/winter season. There are some simple things you can do and some extra supplements you could take.  Here we go!

 REMEMBER, LET FOOD BE YOUR MEDICINE!

1.     Bring on the ginger!

One of my favorite foods for maintaining wellness during winter is ginger. This warming food has a variety of health benefits for cold winter months. Ginger promotes circulation to help keep the body warm and help your fingers and toes remain toasty. In addition, ginger has wonderful antimicrobial and anti-cough effects!

To incorporate ginger into your diet, try to add it to your stir-frys and soups. To make fresh ginger tea, simply grate a 1-2 inch piece of ginger root and boil in 1.5 cup of water for 10 minutes. Strain before drinking. Because ginger is a root, it needs to be boiled to release its medicinal components. Ginger is also available as a standardized extract.

 2.     Drink your fluids!

With the dryer air inside and outside, winter makes it particularly challenging to stay hydrated. Fluid is especially important in maintaining a healthy immune system. If drinking water isn’t appealing, get your favorite herbal tea to drink or make your dinners count with using yummy bone or vegetable broths. Be sure to bring a travel mug of water or tea with you everywhere you go to encourage yourself to get plenty of added fluids!

 3.     Skip the sweets!

This includes the sweet treats and desserts but also refined grain products like white flour that turns quickly into sugar. Studies have shown that refined sugars can suppress your immune system for hours after ingesting,

 4.     Eat your garlic and onions!

Garlic and onions contain antimicrobial compounds that play an important role in keeping your immune system healthy. In addition, eating the can keep the vampires away :-).

 5.     Eat your mushrooms!

Another food I sneak in many dishes for lunch or dinner (or even breakfast!) to maintain my family’s health is mushrooms. The more variety the better! The edible mushrooms have immune boosting properties built right in. They have been shown to elevate B and T lymphocytes which are own infection fighting cells. In addition, they are packed with important minerals, antioxidants, and minerals.

LIFESTYLE STRATEGIES TO REMAIN HEALTHY

1.     Get adequate sleep!

We ALL know sleep restores and heals the body. As many of you know, my mantra is 7-9 hours per night the majority of the week. If this is something you are not achieving, you should reach out to find ways to optimize your sleep. It’s vital for your health. Without adequate sleep, optimal immune function is next to impossible!

 2.     SWEAT!

Exercise is so important for your health, and in particular immune health. It’s vital to get 30-40 minutes of exercise 4 days per week. Yes! sweating is important for detoxifying your body but avoid overexertion when you are feeling run down this can actually lower your immune defenses.

SUPPLEMENTS TO TAKE FOR IMMUNITY

This is a HUGE topic and I will only list my top 4 favorites. If you have autoimmune or immunocompromised disease’s I would advise you to seek out a naturopathic doctor who can better tailor a supplement plan for you.

 1.     Vitamin D3

Optimal Vitamin D status is critical for health immunity and often times can’t be achieved without supplementation during the winter months. It is best to have your 25 OH Vitamin D level check for accurate dosing. Blood levels should be above 30ng/dl; however, optimal levels are closer to 50 ng/dl. The majority of my patients require 4000-5000 ID per day dosing in the winter to reach that optimal number.

 A recent study published in Epidemiology and Infection showed that people with Vitamin D deficiency were 11 times more likely to get a cold or the flu, while supplementing with vitamin D can reduce colds and flu by 42%.

2.     Astragalus

I love astragalus. It’s an herb that has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is an adaptogen which mean that it helps protect the body against a variety of stressors, whether it’s physical, mental or emotional. It contains antioxidants, and has antimicrobial properties which protect and support the body’s immune system, for preventing colds and upper respiratory infections. It has also been shown to lower blood pressure, treat diabetes, and protect the liver. What more could you ask for in a herb :-)!

 I typically dose Astragalus root extract at 300mg 2x/day for prevention, and increase the dose to 600 mg 2x/day at first sign of illness.

 3.     Zinc picolinate

Zinc can be amazing for preventing cold or flu symptoms from worsening. I don’t suggest patients to take this supplement daily but instead to take it at the first sign of symptoms. Studies have shown that zinc taken within the first 24 hours of symptoms can shorten the duration of the cold by 33% if taken in dosages >75mg/day (for adults). I wouldn’t suggest long term use of zinc at these high dosages since it can block other minerals from being absorbed. I would also suggest it to be taken with food since it can cause nausea.

4.     Elderberry

Consuming elderberry for cold and flu prevention is hardly a new concept, but there is so much research out their proving it to be effective it’s hard not to use this herb during fall and winter season for prevention and treatment. Research has also shown that its anti-viral properties are comparable to Tamiflu (without the awful side effects). It’s also super yummy to taste making it easy to give to kids too! I usually suggest dosing 1-5 mL daily for prevention and then double to triple the dose at the first sign of symptoms.

Here’s to a healthy fall and winter season this year!

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870528/?tool=pmcentrez

 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23775705/ 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19682714/

About the author

Since 2005, Dr Fey has helped women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believes that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms. With her scientific background, Dr Fey uses science based natural approaches to treating disease.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center for Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. Dr Fey is currently offering telemedicine for patients all across the US. To contact the office call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.  

Vietnamese Pho: My Most Favorite Soup During A Snow Storm

I love Pho! I first experienced it while at Naturopathic Medical School in Portland OR. On cold rainy days, I would frequent my favorite pho restaurant near Portland State University. Even today, 15 years later, it’s a favorite of mine to prepare for my family during the winter months.

My favorite recipe is below. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does when its chilly outside.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds (whole)

• 1 cinnamon stick (roughly broken)

• 4 whole star anise

• 4 whole cloves

• 1 quart beef broth

• 1 piece ginger (3-inch size, roughly chopped)

• 1 bunch scallions (or green onions reserve the green parts for garnishing the soup, white parts only)

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

• 5 slices jalapeno pepper (fresh, depending on your spice tolerance)

• 1 handful rice noodles (soaked or cooked according to package directions)

• 1/4 pound flank steak (sliced paper thin)

• 1 bean sprouts (generous handful)

• scallions (sliced, or green onions to taste green parts only)

• 1 sprig fresh basil

• 1 sprig fresh cilantro

• 3 lime wedges

• sriracha

• hoisin sauce

Instructions

1. Place a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium low heat. Add all of the spices and stir them until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully add the beef broth; it will sputter quite a bit. Turn the heat to high and add the remaining broth ingredients. When it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Strain the broth through colander into another sauce pot or soup pot so all the added spices are removed and all that remains is the broth. Keep it at a simmer while you assemble your bowls and garnishes.

2. To assemble and garnish each bowl of pho: Lay desired amount of jalapeno slices in the bottom of each bowl (optional of course). Top with a generous amount of rice noodles. Drape the beef evenly over the noodles and pour the boiling broth over top. Give a quick stir to help cook the beef, then pile on bean sprouts, sliced scallions (green onions), basil, and cilantro. Squeeze a couple of lime wedges and let them rest in the broth to lend to the flavor. Serve with sriracha and/or hoisin sauce. It's best to serve this the traditional way: with chopsticks AND a soup spoon. Slurping is encouraged!

3. Feel free to have fun with it. You can also make it strictly vegan without the beef if you desire. I like to add in vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, and green onions. Each member of my family designs their own bowl and then adds the broth. This works nicely especially for picky kids cause then they get to decide what they put into their soup.

Bon appetit!

About the author

Since 2005, Dr Fey has helped thousands of women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believe that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center For Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. To contact the office call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.

Don't over boost your immune system with Echinacea!

As cold and flu season is among us, many of us stock up on our favorite immune boosting herb, Echinacea. However, many people don’t realize that boosting the immune system too much may cause trouble, especially for anyone with an already diagnosed autoimmune disease.

How does Echinacea work?

The active constituents of Echinacea stimulate the immune response by interacting with various cells of the immune system. Macrophages, natural killer cells, and neutrophils have all been shown to be activated with the use of Echinacea.

So what’s the problem?

Autoimmune diseases are diseases where the immune system is overstimulated and begins attacking itself. For many autoimmune diseases, medications are used to suppress the immune cells that Echinacea has been shown to stimulate. Yikes!

Case Study

A 55-year-old male who was diagnosed as having pemphigus vulgaris, an autoimmune disorder that involves blistering and erosion of the skin and mucous membranes. His disease was gradually controlled with an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant medication. The patient achieved complete clearance of lesions and continued to be clear of lesions 1 year after the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant medications were discontinued.

1.5 years into his remission, he developed an upper respiratory tract infection and began taking an Echinacea supplement daily. He had never before taken an herbal supplement. He developed blisters on his trunk, head, and oral mucosa within 1 week of starting the supplement. He had not had oral mucosal lesions since onset of the disease. After discontinuing the use of the Echinacea supplement, partial disease control, but never complete remission, was achieved with the use of the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant medications again.

What else can I do when I am sick?

Clinically, I am very cautious with using herbal supplements with already diagnosed autoimmune patients or those patients that have a strong family history of autoimmune diseases. There are many lifestyle things to do instead like, watching your diet and avoiding certain inflammatory foods at the first sign of illness. As well as, using vitamins and minerals, like vitamin D, C, and zinc to help the immune system during its battle against cold and flu invaders.

Just because its “natural” doesn’t mean it’s safe! Supplements are sold over the counter with no regulations. This makes them appear to all be safe and to take regardless of your health conditions and the medications you are taking. Seeking out a Naturopathic Doctor who has been medically trained with the expert knowledge in the use of herbs and vitamin supplements for diseases and interactions with medications you are currently taking is recommended.

Article

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/480602

About the author

Since 2005, Dr Fey has helped thousands of women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believe that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center For Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. Her personal website is www.doctorfey.com. To contact the office call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.