Two parts in this note: Preventative Tips & What Symptoms to Get Medical Attention Immediately
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These suggestions are borrowed from the Biodynamic Wellness Center:
Flu Precaution Reminders
Your own strong immune system is your best ally and defense in the face of a flu epidemic. The following are our recommendations for maintaining a strong defense:
Sleep Get plenty of sleep. Bedtime by 9-10 PM is ideal for adults. Children under 12 benefit from 11 hours of sleep.
Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods This includes sodas, fruit juices, pasta, and pastries. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately after ingestion.
Exercise Daily exercise relieves stress and increases the circulation of the lymphatic system, assisting the body in rapid elimination of toxins, including viruses and bacteria.
Manage Stress Overwhelming stress weakens the body's ability to fight off the flu and other illness.
Water Drink at least half your body weight converted to ounces daily. Proper hydration is key to health and strong immunity.
Homemade Bone Broths Incorporate homemade bone broths daily to support your overall heath. See Nourishing Traditions for delicious recipes. If you do not have a copy of Nourishing, stop by the office for a copy or request our stock recipes, which we can email to you.
Daily Epsom Salt Baths A warm bath with 1 cups of Epsom salt baths is a perfect way to relax and encourage the body to release toxins. Add a few drops of essential oil of lavendar for the perfect bath.
Wash Hands Wash your hands with plain old fashioned soap, especially before meals.
Sunshine Spend time outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine every day. This is the perfect way to increase your body's ability to make vitamin D, along with consuming vitamin D-rich foods like butter, egg yolks, raw cream, true cod liver oil, and organ meats.
Sodium Bicarbonate Sodium bicarbonate, also know as baking soda,encourages the pH of the blood to become higher, which in turn means that the blood is capable of carrying more oxygen. This in turn keeps every cell in the body at peak efficiency and helps the cell eliminate waste products. Avoid most commercial baking sodas as they contain aluminum. We recommend Bob's Red Mill baking soda, found at Jimbo's and Whole Foods Market. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon to 8 ounces of water once or twice daily.
In addition to the recommendations above, add Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil (capsules or liquid) to your daily regime. Suggested dosages are 2-3 capsules or 1 teaspoon daily for adults and half dosage for children under age 12. Congaplex or Immuplex can be taken at a dosage of 2 capsules twice daily. For children under age 12, we recommend half this dosage or Congaplex, Chewable at 2 twice daily. Flumax Pro or Muco Coccinum can be taken as flu immunity boosters. Flumax Pro dosage is 3 sprays in the mouth once daily for adults and 1-2 sprays for children under 12. Muco Coccinum is taken at a dosage of one tablet under the tongue once a week.
Eat well during this flu season. Get to bed early. And avoid unnecessary stress. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 warning signs that it’s time to call the doctor:
1. High fever: over 101 degrees for more than a day.
2. Fast, shallow breathing or rapid pulse.
3. Difficulty breathing: feeling like you can’t draw in a breath or get enough air.
4. Chest pain: sharp or stabbing pains or aches when you breathe in; gets worse with coughing.
5. Repeated vomiting and diarrhea.
6. Decreased urination (or decreased tears, in an infant)–this is a sign of dehydration.
7. Dizziness when you stand up–also a sign of dehydration.
8. Blue or purple discoloration around the mouth.
9. Mental confusion or disorientation (that wasn’t present before you got sick).
10. Convulsions or seizures.
If you have any of these symptoms, don’t wait to call, as pneumonia & other complications can escalate quickly.
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