Category Archives: Licorice Formula

Immune health, Licorice Formula, Winter Health

Winter wellness: how to stay healthy in the colder months

Like it or not, there’s no scientific research to actually suggest cold, wintry weather on its own makes someone ill. Although lower temperatures cause blood vessels to constrict, thus reducing blood flow and slowing the spread of protective blood cells throughout the body1, it’s always viruses and harmful bacteria that are most likely to make you unwell this time of year – that’s what we’re referring to when we say ‘catching a chill’ or ‘a cold’, yet some of them are just as easy to catch in the warmer months2, 3.

Maybe why such illnesses infect more people in winter is simply because we tend to stay indoors and in closer contact with each other this time of year, ensuring they’re able spread among us all more4. But exactly what sort of complaints are we talking about – and what can you do to prevent catching them?

Common complaints

Seasonal complaints in the winter usually consist of:

• Colds – most adults are likely to catch two or three colds each year5 and, perhaps because of the ‘common cold’ moniker, they’re especially associated with cold weather; they’re caused by viral infections, their most usual versions being human rhinoviruses (HRVs)6, and as if you need telling, symptoms include a runny nose, a cough, a sore throat, headaches and sometimes mild aches in the body7

• Norovirus – a nasty ailment, this one’s a contagious gastrointestinal complaint that results in nausea, vomiting and a watery stool; it’s often referred to as the ‘vomiting bug’ in the UK, tending to play havoc in highly populated communities like hospitals, schools and nursing homes as it spreads easily via inhaling virus particles, eating food contaminated by someone who’s been infected or touching a contaminated surface8

• Sore joints – if you suffer from inflamed joints, then it’s likely your joints are attuned to atmospheric pressure changes (that is, temperature alterations), thus they may be more painful when it gets colder; moreover, they may be stiffer in winter simply because you’re more sedentary this time of year9

• Influenza – flu symptoms are similar to but worse than those of colds (we’re talking chills, fevers and aches); don’t allow the flu to escalate because it could lead to pneumonia or even threaten your life10, so make sure you stay at home, get rest, hydrate yourself and recuperate properly11 and be aware that those infected tend to remain so for up to a week after their symptoms dissipate12.

Prevention – better than a cure

Ensuring your immunity’s firing on all cylinders so you avoid getting ill in the first place is obviously advisable, so try following these steps:

• Eat sensibly – a poor diet leading to high glucose consumption can result in oxidative stress in the blood13, which can weaken your immunity14; to prevent this you might try to prioritise beans, citrus fruits and leafy greens in your diet

• Remain active – regular exercise may not be very appealing in winter but, as it supports the immune system, it aids blood circulation, enabling white blood cells to spread around the body effectively and fight harmful organisms; it also combats stress15 and seasonal affective disorder (SAD)16

• Sleep hygiene – if you sense you’re coming down with something or – because of that – you’re feeling unnaturally tired, get some rest and good sleep, as it’s during your sleep cycle that your immune cells are most active17; indeed, constant sleep deprivation can see the body enter a pro-inflammatory state in just eight days18

• Hand-washing – by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face, you can inevitably become infected with harmful pathogens19, so always and regularly wash your hands

• Gargling – believe it or not, gargling salt water may help prevent upper respiratory infections; indeed, research suggests that gargling green tea may be better than gargling water to stop children developing fevers20.

Supplements

As mentioned above, a good diet (that is, genuine nutrition) is essential to staying fit and healthy in winter and not catching colds, bugs, the flu or anything else. If you’re not getting enough nutrition from your diet, though, you can always try winter supplements; the following are all available from us at The Finchley Clinic:

licorice-formula Licorice formula (adrenal maintenance) (60 capsules) – a botanical product designed to maintain healthy adrenal function, vital for a balanced immune system. optibac-probiotics-for-daily-immunity

OptiBac Probiotics (30 capsules) – an advanced formula of probiotics and antioxidants to support the body’s resistance to infection and promote a healthy immune system. aerobic-oxygen-60ml

Aerobic Oxygen (60ml) – users of this supplement claim it provides benefits in maintaining energy and the health of the immune system.

References

1. Eccles, R. ‘Acute Cooling of the Body Surface and the Common Cold*’. Cardiff University, United Kingdom: n.p., 2002.

2. ‘Flu Virus Fortified In Colder Weather’. National Institutes of HEALTH. National Institutes of Health (NIH), 2016 Mar 30.

3. Becker R. A., Zimmer C. and Eck A. ‘Scientists Finally Prove Why Cold Weather Makes You Sick’. PBS. NOVA Next, 2015 Jan 12.

4. Choices, NHS. ‘10 winter illnesses’. Department of Health. 2016 Sep 30.

5. ‘Common Colds: Protect Yourself and Others’. Centers for Disease Control, 2016 Feb 8.

6. Ikäheimo, T. M et al. ‘A Decrease in Temperature and Humidity Precedes Human Rhinovirus Infections in a Cold Climate’. Viruses 8.9 (2016): 244.

7. ‘Common Cold and Runny Nose’. Centers for Disease Control. 2016 Mar 16.

8. ‘Norovirus’. National Health Institute. Department of Health, 2016 Sep 30.

9. ‘Weather Related Arthritis Symptoms: Medical Fact or Fiction?’ N.p.: University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 2010.

10. ‘Cold Versus Flu’. Centers for Disease Control. 2016 Aug 11.

11. ‘Cover your cough’. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2015 Aug 14

12. ‘How Flu Spreads’. Centers of Disease Control. 2013 Sep 12.

13. Mohanty P. et al. ‘Glucose Challenge Stimulates Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Generation by Leucocytes’. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 85.8 (2000): 2970–3.

14. Evans, P. and Halliwel B. ‘Micronutrients: Oxidant/antioxidant Status’. British Journal of Nutrition 85.S2 (2001): 67–74.

15. ‘Exercise and immunity’. Medline Plus. 2016 Nov 1.

16. ‘Seasonal Affective disorder’. Medline Plus. National Library of Medicine. 12

17. ‘Sleep and Immune Function’. Pflugers Archive 463.1 (2011): 121–137.

18. Besedovsky L., Lange T. and Born J. ‘Sleep and Immune Function’. 463.1 (2011): 121–137.

19. ‘When & How to Wash Your Hands’. Centers for Disease Control. 2015 Sep 4.

20. Noda T. et al. ‘Gargling for Oral Hygiene and the Development of Fever in Childhood: A Population Study in Japan’. Journal of epidemiology. 22.1 (2011): 45–9.

Adrenal Fatigue, Adrenal Support, Endocrine System, Licorice Formula

Combating adrenal fatigue: keeping your endocrine system in balance

Perhaps now more than ever before in history, millions of people across the world are living hectic, time-constrained lives. What’s the result of this? Increasingly so, many of us complain of being tired near constantly – not just mentally and because of too little sleep, but a more general, physical sense of fatigue.

Is this a construct of our minds because we’re working so hard and too often not getting enough sleep, or is there something more, something deeper to it? Scientific research hasn’t definitively backed it up so far, but it’s such a common complaint that a term has been coined for the condition – US nutritional specialist Dr James M. Wilson has called it ‘adrenal fatigue’1.

The adrenal glands and the endocrine system

Adrenal fatigue is inevitably associated with the adrenal glands. The human body has two adrenal glands, one of which sits atop one of our kidneys; the other atop the other. They’re a part of the endocrine system, which is responsible for the production of hormones. Other organs of the endocrine system include the pituitary, pineal, thyroid, thymus, pancreas and the testes/ ovaries. In turn, hormones, as you may well know, are critical among other things in regulating our growth, sleep, moods, metabolism and sexual development and fertility.

The thinking behind adrenal fatigue is that the functioning of the adrenal glands and the hormones they produce is disrupted. These hormones include steroids, cortisol and adrenaline. Obviously the functioning of the body requires these hormones to be produced and regulated correctly, otherwise our health is affected. In which case, adrenal fatigue suggests their disruption leads to symptoms such as poor sleep hygiene, increased food cravings (not least for sugar and salt) and regular physical lethargy.

Where does adrenal insufficiency fit into this?

When we’re talking about adrenal fatigue, it’s important not to confuse it with another established condition, namely adrenal insufficiency. The latter – a manifestation of Addison’s disease – similarly disrupts the work of the adrenal glands, but is specifically due to nutritional imbalances in the body and is often stress-related.

So how can you tell apart adrenal fatigue and adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease)? By the symptoms. The latter’s symptoms can to be far more dramatic and hazardous than those attributed to the former: fatigue, irritability, erratic energy levels, headaches, nervousness, anxiety, inflammation, weakened immunity, frequent respiratory infections, allergies, alcohol intolerance, anaemia, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Conventional treatment of Addison’s often involves hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

How can you keep your endocrine system in balance?

So, unlike for adrenal insufficiency, you can combat adrenal fatigue and its systems by actively working to keep your endocrine system in balance. There are several ways to do this – and it would be smart to adopt as many of them as possible:

  • eat well – try to avoid caffeinated drinks and foods, fruit juices, and alcohol; instead opt for natural foods with proteins and whole grains, as well as vegetables
  • rest – plain and simple; especially if you’re experiencing sleep issues, give your body a break
  • exercise – cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands when you feel stressed (and so possibly when you’re suffering from adrenal fatigue too) and drives up blood pressure, but when this occurs the glands may unhealthily pump out too much cortisol and push your blood pressure level too high; exercise is effective at decreasing cortisol levels2
  • adrenal fatigue supplements – the following are available through The Finchley Clinic, all of which we advise you consider taking:

Licorice Formula

  1. Licorice Formula or Licorice Formula A (the latter contains damiana as opposed to the guarana and Korean ginseng found in the former; thus Licorice Formula A may be better for those that find guarana/ Korean ginseng over-stimulating)
  1. NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydride – the active coenzyme form of Vitamin B3)
  1. Adrenal Support(a proprietary blend of extracts from adaptogenic plants schisandra, astragalus, snow rose, ginseng and rhodiola)

Note: to promote hormone balance naturally, best results may be achieved by combining one of these supplements with Vitamin C and Vitamin B Complex.

To close, consider these wise words from Dr James M. Wilson: “The cost of adrenal fatigue is untold in the loss of productive hours, creative ideas, sound business decisions and other intangibles such as happiness”. In short, it’s not an uncommon complaint at all – and can be combatted by following the steps outlined above, so why would you choose to battle on through life without doing so?

 

References:

1 Wilson, J. M. (2016). https://adrenalfatigue.org. Retrieved 9 May 2016, from https://adrenalfatigue.org/about-james-l-wilson-dc-nd-phd/

2 Alghadir, A. H. and Gabr S. A. (2016). https://nih.gov. Retrieved 9 May 2016, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26311923