Category Archives: Winter Health

Colds and flu, General Health & Nutrition, Green Magma, Probiotics, Winter Health

A gateway to winter illness: treating and preventing a sore throat

It’s something that automatically causes dread in people this time of year – a tickle in or at the back of the throat. The reason? Because, in so many cases, it tends to indicate an oncoming sore throat. Granted, on its own a sore throat’s usually a minor complaint, but too often it’s also a gateway to something that truly has to be endured (a cold, the flu or another type of viral infection), forcing many people to try and battle through work during the cold, dark days of winter while they feel unwell. So what can you do to treat a sore throat – and can you prevent yourself from ever getting one in the first place? Good question…

Causes and symptoms

The causes of a sore throat are many and various. In the vast majority of cases in both adults and children (as many as 95%), the reason for one developing is because of the onset of a virus like the common cold or influenza (the flu)1. Less often but occasionally, a sore throat may be caused by the likes of allergies, dry air, pollution, smoking, tonsillitis or acid reflux 2, 3.

As pointed out then, a sore throat is, of course, a symptom itself, yet owing to the fact some can be more severe than others, it can practically feel like they’re made up of their own various symptoms. For instance, you may merely experience a tickling soreness and a hoarse voice or you might have swollen glands around your throat and neck and find swallowing painful and difficult1. Moreover, you may be suffering from other symptoms in addition to a sore throat, such as congestion, a headache, a runny nose, a fever and even abdominal pain or vomiting. Obviously if you feel your sore throat’s part of something serious, you should consult a doctor – in fact, it’s advisable to do so if it alone lasts more than a week.

Natural remedies

There are several natural sore throat remedies you can turn to:

  • Drink warm beverages – they can moisten and make comfortable an inflamed, painful throat; ordinary tea is an obvious choice here but healthy green or oolong tea are excellent options too
  • Gargle salt water or try garlic – gargling warm water with half a teaspoon of salt is great for quick relief from throat pain4, or how about trying the fantastic health-giving properties of this odourless, aftertaste-free garlic?
  • Honey and black seed oil – research suggests that honey can provide relief to children’s coughs5; just a teaspoon in a drink or on its own will suffice each time and you might add to it two or three drops of black (cumin) seed oil, as it’s anti-inflammatory so ought to further aid pain relief6, 7
  • Essential oils – inhaling the vapours of myrrh8 and eucalyptus are recommended for a sore throat, as is gargling with the former; while applying two drops of Lavandula angustifolia (lavender oil) to the back of the tongue may also prove effective
  • Spices – both turmeric and ginger have been recognised for centuries for their therapeutic aspects9; as such, ginger is thought to alleviate sore throat pain, while turmeric contains the soothing component that’s curcumin (see many of the products we stock that contain turmeric and curcumin here)10.

Prevention

Finding natural resources for relief to a sore throat’s all well and good, but what about preventing one from developing in the first place? Well, you might try to limit your exposure to people whom seem to be ill and could give you one, but this isn’t always particularly practical. However, making sure to wash your hands regularly and avoiding smoking and second-hand smoke are easier achievable aims that’ll cut the likelihood of a sore throat.

Meanwhile, a failsafe way to reduce the chances of catching a cold, the flu or putting yourself at risk from sore throat-causing viruses and infections is to try and boost your body’s immunity. To that end, introducing into your diet cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, bok choy and cauliflower)11 and carotenoid-rich tomatoes12 comes highly advised.

Supplements

That said; it ought to be pointed out that some people have dietary constraints, so it may be best for them to boost the infection-combating Vitamins B and C in their bodies – as well as improving or maintaining their immunity – via vitamin supplements. The following are all advisable and available through us at The Finchley Clinic:

Aerobic O7 (70ml) – nascent oxygen, when taken as Aerobic O7, prompts the formation of white blood cells, which are critical in helping the body fight infections.

vitamin-c-ultra-pure

Tapioca Vitamin C (90 capsules) – contains the immune-building and infection-fighting Vitamin C.

Echinacea Cold Flu Relief (capsules) – a traditional herbal medicinal product used to relieve symptoms of the common cold and flu-type infections; can be used in combination with our Liquid Oxygen products (including Aerobic O7) and others.

 

References

1. Worrall G. J. ‘Acute Sore Throat’. Canadian Family Physician 53.11 (2007): n.pag.
2. CDC. ‘Sore throat’. Centers for Disease Control. CDC. 23 July 2015.
3. ‘Sore throat’. Medline Plus. National Library of Medicine. 21 Oct 2016.
4. ‘Strep throat’. Medline Plus. 2 Dec 2016.
5. Paul I. M. et al. ‘Effect of Honey, Dextromethorphan and No Treatment on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep Quality for Coughing Children and Their Parents’. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine. 161.12 (2007): 1140–6.
6. Ali B. H. and Blunden G. ‘Pharmacological and Toxicological Properties of Nigella Sativa’. Phytotherapy Research 17.4 (2003): 299–305.
7. Padhye S., Banerjee S., Ahmad A., Mohammad R. and Sarkar F. H. ‘From Here to Eternity – the Secret of Pharaohs: Therapeutic Potential of Black Cumin Seeds and Beyond’. 6.b (n.d.) (2008): 495–510.
8. El Ashry E. S. H., Rashed N., Salama O. M. and Saleh A. ‘Components, therapeutic value and uses of myrrh’. Die Pharmazie – An International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Avoxa – Mediengruppe Deutscher Apotheker GmbH, 1 Mar. 2003.
9. Baliga M. S., Haniadka R., Pereira M. M., D’Souza J. J., Pallaty P. L., Bhat H. P. and Popuri S. ‘Update on the Chemopreventive Effects of Ginger and Its Phytochemicals’. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. 51.6 (2011): 499–523.
10. Lim T. K. ‘Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants: Volume 12 Modified Stems, Roots’. N.p.: Springer. 2016.
11. Veldhoen M. and Brucklacher-Waldert V. ‘Dietary Influences on Intestinal Immunity’. Nature reviews. Immunology. 12.10 (2012): 696–708.
12. Watzl B., Bub A., Brandstetter B. R. and Rechkemmer G. ‘Modulation of Human T-Lymphocyte Functions by the Consumption of Carotenoid-Rich Vegetables | British Journal of Nutrition | Cambridge Core’. British Journal of Nutrition 82.5 (1999): 383–389.

Christmas, MicroFloraGuard, Samento, Tapioca Vitamin C, Winter Health

Have a great Christmas – how not to get pulled down by Holiday-related stress

Did you know an estimated eight out of 10 Americans feel stressed around Christmastime? When you think about it, it’s hardly very surprising – there’s probably a similar number in the UK and elsewhere in the world. All that pressure to find and buy presents for everybody, to make food, travel and family arrangements, to fit work in around a few days away from the office and so many other things. For some people, the most wonderful time of the year can be anything but.

The trouble with giving in to stress this time of year – aside from the fact it ensures you don’t enjoy Christmas – is that it can force you into bad habits and ill-health. For instance, along with festive indulgences, you may truly end up drinking and eating more than you intend (toxin-rich alcohol and glucose-heavy food), which can cause anxiety in itself and hinder your immunity system, ensuring it’s harder to remain healthy throughout the rest of winter – as you become more susceptible to picking up viral infections like colds and the flu1.

Yet it needn’t be this way. With a little common-sense stress-planning, Christmastime needn’t be such an anxiety-inducing few weeks. Here are some points to consider…

Budgeting and spending

Another far from surprising fact is that nine in every 10 people buy something for others this time of year merely because it’s Christmas1, ensuring the pressures of conforming to the consumerist demands of the season can become all too much for some, especially if they’re already struggling financially. While it’s undoubtedly emotionally rewarding giving someone a gift – not least if, in your eyes, they deserve it – it’s bad news for you if your spending exceeds your budgeting.

Feeling low

The pressures of Christmas and the anxieties they can bring may only be exacerbated by the reality that many can slip into a groove of feeling low in winter, when compared to other seasons. Why do they feel this way to start with, though? ‘Winter blues’ may occur as a result of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which nowadays is recognised as a form of depression and comprises symptoms brought on by changes in weather and temperature and the time of year2, as well as the fact people get less exercise in winter owing to the cold weather, thus impacting on their psychological and physical health (not least, in the latter case, their immunity levels)3.

Work and social obligations

Fitting the festivities of the season in and around work is often easier said than done. With potentially pressing deadlines to meet by the end of the month – and year – along with other Holiday-related pressures, it can feel like things pile up on you. Moreover, for retail and service staff, Christmas can be the busiest time of year, when a business’s performance is critical to having a successful 12 months, working days become longer and customers are more frantic and less understanding. All this doesn’t mix well with social traditions and obligations; the requirement that we all get involved in things with family and last-minute guests, whether we always feel like doing so or not. In short, it’s all a recipe for festive stress.

Managing stress

It’s important then to successfully manage your stress over Christmas in order to look after yourself in the short term – both psychologically and physically. In order to do that, these are some important areas to get right:

  • Healthy diet – as noted, by their very nature the Holidays are a time of indulgence, however that doesn’t have to become overindulgence; it’s OK to moderate your intake by having smaller courses, drinking water while dining and upping the anti-inflammatory foods that are good for your gut like leafy greens, beans, broccoli, citrus fruits and walnuts (and if that isn’t possible, why not try probiotics and supplements for winter – see below?)
  • Exercise – don’t forget to get out and remain active over the festive period, as it’s great for combating both depression4 and anxiety5; just a half-hour or hour-long, brisk walk in a natural environment will be worthwhile
  • Don’t skimp on sleep – for many, time off over Christmas can be an opportunity to catch up on sleep and there’s something in that; ideally, most of us should be getting regular, decent sleep of around 7-8 hours a night to keep our emotions balanced6, 7 and to help stave off high blood pressure, obesity and heart and kidney disease (sleep deprivation’s been linked to the development of all these conditions)6
  • Try to enjoy yourself – this may seem obvious, but when you’re finding life trying it’s sometimes not easy to see the forest for the trees; whether you’re really where you want to be and feel altogether comfortable or not, it can do you good to try to smile, laugh and enjoy yourself (it’s proven that laughing out loud has genuine health benefits8); plus, getting along with those you’re with over Christmas and avoiding tension and disagreement will inevitably ensure the time passes more smoothly and easier and this extends to spending money on presents, so be sensible, do research, maybe shop online away from the crush in the shops and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
  • Do seek help if you need it – if you sense you’re really dropping into a low place, reach out for help from friends and family you trust and can rely on and seek out professional help; share and be honest with others and yourself. 

Supplements

As mentioned above, it’s not always easy to maintain an ideal diet over the Christmas period, so if you’re concerned your body isn’t likely to receive all the nutrition it might at this time of year or if, owing to the stresses of the season, you feel boosting your immunity through other means is an option you’d like to follow, you can always try supplementation – the following products are all available through The Finchley Clinic:

samento-15ml

Samento (15ml and 60 capsules) – contributes to the immune system and can help with candida and viral and bacterial infections.

vitamin-c

Tapioca Vitamin C (90 capsules) – contains the immune-building and infection-fighting Vitamin C.

micro-floraguard

MicroFloraGuard (30 capsules) – releases into the gut probiotics (‘good bacteria’ that combat infection-carrying microbes or ‘bad bacteria’) and botanical oils at very effective, separate intervals.

References

1. ‘Fact Sheet on Stress’. National Institute of Mental Health. n.d.

2. ‘Seasonal Affective disorder’. Medline Plus. National Library of Medicine. 2016 Oct 12.

3. Bagchi D., Nair S. and Sen C. ‘Nutrition and Enhanced Sports Performance’. N.p.: Academic Press. 2013 Oct 8.

4. Craft L. L. and Perna F. M. ‘The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed’. The Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 6.3 (2004): 104–111.

5. Anderson E. and Shivakumar G. ‘Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity on Anxiety’. Frontiers in Psychiatry 4. (2013): n.pag.

6. Gibbons G. H. ‘Why is Sleep Important?’. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. 2014 Aug 19.

7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ‘How Much Sleep Do I Need?’. CDC.gov. 2015 Nov 12.

8. Strean W. B. ‘Laughter Prescription’. Official Publication of the College of Family Physicians of Canada 55.10 (2009): 965–967.

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.