- Holistic Alternativesat Essentials Day Spa
34302 US Hwy 19 N
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
Herbs
COVID-19: Immunity & Our LI Community
Dear LI community,
As you already know, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is very real and it is everyone’s responsibility to help keep our community safe from the rapid spread of Coronavirus. To help slow the spread of this virus, it is now more important than ever to take an abundance of caution to help protect you, your family, our community and our healthcare system. Prevention is the best medicine. Below are some resources for our patients and community during this critical time.
What You Can Do To Take Care Of Yourself
The most important things you can do to support your immune system are basic:
- Don’t panic. Stress is bad for your immune system. It’s normal to have worried thoughts. Just don’t entertain them for too long. Make some time to do something enjoyable each day and connect with loved ones.
- Wash your hands frequently and don’t touch your face unless you just washed your hands.
- Get enough sleep. Turn off the screens and start winding down a little earlier.
- Drink lots of water to support healthy mucous membranes as a first line of defense. Hot water and tea have been shown to inhibit viruses in our throat.
- Eat more nutrient dense whole foods, soups, and bone broth.
- Eat less inflammatory foods: sugar, industrial seed oils, processed foods, alcohol, and foods you are sensitive to (wheat, dairy, eggs, nightshades etc.)
- Support lung health by doing some even breathing, preferably outdoors in fresh air, to move circulation and clear out toxins. Breath in through your nose for a count of 5, hold for 1 count, then out through your mouth for a count of 5, hold for 1 count. Repeat. Make counts even and not too long that you struggle.
What You Can Do To Help Boost Your Immune System
- Probiotics are an important part of your immune system. They’re available in fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, raw sauerkraut, specifically labeled pickles, miso, kombucha (careful because it can contain lots of sugar and some caffeine). Consider supplementing with a concentrated pill or powder.
- Elderberry syrup is a go to recommendation for antiviral support that you can order online or get at Whole Foods.
- Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc are also good supplements to boost your immune system.
If you are feeling ill, or experiencing any of the following symptoms, please limit your exposure to other people in your community.
By taking action, you will significantly delay the spread of COVID-19:
- Fever (oral temperature 100.4° or higher) or symptoms of fever (such as chills or body aches) within the past 24 hours. Please do not consider yourself fever-free until your temperature has been normal for at least 24 hours without the use of Tylenol (acetaminophen). The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends avoiding Advil (ibuprofen) and other NSAIDs for COVID-19 symptoms until more information is available.
- Shortness of breath and/or cough that is not known to be caused by another condition (for example allergies).
- Travel within the past 14 days to areas that have people known to be infected with COVID-19.
- Close contact with a person known/suspected to be infected with COVID-19 within the past 14 days.
- Healthcare workers who have been in contact with patients known/suspected to be infected with COVID-19 within the past 14 days.
Up-to-date COVID-19 Data from the World Health Organization
For the current number of cases worldwide, the World Health Organization maintains a COVID-19 Situation Report worldwide. Click here.
While these times may feel unusually challenging, please know we will continue to monitor the current situation and evaluate additional measures to help support our patients, employees and community. Thank you and stay safe.
Alternative Treatment for IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disease suffered by an estimated 25-45 million people in the United States. Symptoms include chronic abdominal pain, bloating, excess gas and irregular bowel movements. Symptoms can be brought on by a number of triggers including anxiety, insomnia and stress. Although there is no known cure to IBS, there are numerous alternative treatments to prescription medication that can help relieve symptoms. continue reading
Alternative Treatments for Fertility
About 10% of couples struggle with infertility and an inability to conceive, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
For those struggling to have children, fertility treatment can become tiring and expensive very quickly.
There are numerous alternative treatments including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that have been thought to improve fertility.
Acupuncture
By increasing blood flow and Qi to the reproductive organs, acupuncture can help increase fertility. Stress has been noted to cause infertility in women due to an increase in the hormone cortisol. A change in hormones can cause the body to be put out of balance, affecting fertility. Acupuncture can help by decreasing stress with acupuncture points and returning the body to balance.
Acupuncture infertility treatment has almost no side effects, compared to Western medications and hormone treatments that can cause lasting side effects.
Chinese Herbs
Women who received Chinese herbal treatments once a week for about three months were found to be twice as likely to become pregnant as women who didn’t receive the treatment, according to a study in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.
Chinese herbal therapy uses more than 150 herbs found in groups of about 15 herbs in each treatment. The treatments are made of formulas that include natural ingredients such as bark, root, leaf, flower and plant extracts. These treatments are most commonly given in pill or tea form.
Clinical studies in China have shown that 70 percent of those struggling with fertility who were treated with Chinese herbs have become pregnant.
Ask an acupuncturist or naturopathic doctor on how you can receive Chinese herbal treatment.
Yoga
Yoga is another way to increase fertility by reducing stress and increasing blood flow, which can help gynecological function.
Breathing practices that are done in yoga can help to relax the mind and lower cortisol levels, bringing hormones back to a normal balance.
Some poses can increase circulation to the reproductive organs including Seated Angle Pose. This pose consists of sitting with your legs stretched out to stretch the hamstrings, bringing more blood flow to the pelvic area.
If you have experience or supervision, yoga inversions such as headstands or shoulder stands can be extremely helpful fertility boosters as they balance the hormones.
Simple lifestyle changes can also help boost your fertility including eating a healthy diet, avoiding alcohol, smoking and environmental toxins, and getting sufficient sleep.
Alternative treatments for fertility can be a less expensive, non-invasive option for improving fertility! Here’s an article explaining why pregnancy massage is worth considering.
Sources:
http://www.conceiveeasy.com/get-pregnant/chinese-herbs-for-infertility/
http://www.babble.com/pregnancy/brenda-strong-fertility-yoga-tips/
http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/alternative-therapies-for-fertility
