I’m not going to lie, this cold and flu season has been a bad one. It’s not necessarily the intensity of the sicknesses going around, but rather their longevity- this season, they're dragging on for ages!!! I have spoken to so many people suffering from a residual cough, blocked nose or ‘blergh’ feelings three to four weeks after their initial illness! So what can we do?
 
First things first, we need to support the immune system. The best way to do this is through a combination of herbs and vitamins that strengthen our natural immunity, while assisting in killing bacteria, viruses and fungi. These natural ingredients include:

• Vitamin C
• Zinc
• Andrographis
• Echinacea
• Vitamin D
• Olive Leaf
• Medicinal Mushrooms including shiitake and reiishi
• Probiotics specific for supporting immunity including  Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus paracasei
• Natural cough mixtures containing ivy, pelargonium, thyme, elder, licorice and echinacea.

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Here at Burleigh Amcal Health Foods, we have a great range of these items, in combinations for adults and kids alike. Come in Monday to Friday to speak with our naturopath Rhianna, or Jess our fantastic vitamins consultant.
 

​To recover from a long lasting cold or flu it is also important to support your body. Here are my naturopathic top tips:

• Don’t suppress every fever- fevers are your body’s way of frying all the bad bacteria and viruses that are making you sick. It is a healing reaction, not something you need to stop. Keep an eye on your temperature, but a fever of 40 degrees is safe for adults to endure. This is not the case with children as fitting can occur above 40 degrees and measures need to be taken to lower this temperature in children.
• Have a good sweat. Carrying on from our previous point, one of the best ways to allow your body to kick and illness is to avoid paracetamol and ibuprofen, rug up and have a good night sweat.
• Avoid food that worsen illness. Items that contain a lot of sugar, alcohol or caffeine (eg coffee), will supress the immune system and make its job more difficult.
• Avoid mucous forming foods if you have a blocked nose or chesty cough. These foods include dairy products (milk, cheese, yoghurt, ice cream) and bananas.
• Eat lots of fresh, clean food, including plenty of fresh garlic (raw if you can swallow it!).
•  Try to get lots of rest. If you can, take the day off work and rest. Go to bed early and get a good sleep. Don’t push your body through a sickness, that will only drag it out longer.
• Get some sun! Vitamin D is vital for a healthy immune system, and winter sees us spending more time indoors. Vitamin D levels can be supported through supplementation or by making sure you get some sun regularly. I take my lunch break in the sun daily, weather permitting.

 
If you have been suffering from a winter illness for longer than 2 weeks, our Naturopath Rhianna is available by appointment for one-on-one consultations. For those working with children or with sick people, or even just those suffering from every cold and flu that comes along, Rhianna can help you build your immune system back up to be fighting fit. Call our store today to book your consultation! Private Health rebates available.

Mums the word:
Definition: to keep quiet or be silent
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More often than not ‘Mum’ is silent about what her needs are.  Mums usually put everyone before themselves.  When Mum is unwell she doesn’t get to lie in bed for a couple of days to get better.  Mum will take the smallest or the worst or miss out all together when it comes to meals, breaks, time out (which is usually a visit to the toilet or a shower – if lucky enough to be uninterrupted) or anything for that matter.
Ever heard of the ‘burnt chop’ syndrome?  Mum has the burnt chop and serves everyone else the perfectly cooked chops….
My focus for the coming year is to reach out and help Mums everywhere to stop and take care of themselves.  This has been inspired by an influx of patients (Mums) that have not made themselves a priority for such a long time that health issues are starting to arise.  My mum recently reminded me of the elderly lady that lived at the end of our street when I was a child. ‘Mrs Jones used to say if the mother doesn’t look after herself properly, then how can she look after her family well?’
Don’t ‘keep quiet or be silent’ (and I am not suggesting you start complaining about life).  Take a look at your health, your mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing ask yourself what is that one thing you have put off for a week, months or years. 
This may be addressing your weight, having more energy, getting to the bottom of your constant headaches, regulating or fixing some issue with your cycle, poor sleep, stress or just a complete health check.
Book yourself in for some TLC.  Please note, I am taking my own advice….  Being a mum myself (3 precious darlings) I understand where you are coming from and would love to get you on the way to being the best you.  So no more burnt chops for you.

SPRING!!!! What a magical time of year! The flowers are blooming, the grasses are seeding, the trees are laden with pollen, and the cheeky spring breeze is blowing this heady, allergen-rich cocktail straight up our nostrils… While spring may delight many, there is a growing percentage of the population that dread the emergence of delicate blossoms and spring breezes. For many, this can be the beginning of uncontrollable sneezing (my record stands at 32), noses that drip like leaky taps, itchy, red, bleary eyes, and that awful foggy headed feeling that makes you want to hide your head under the pillow and wait it out till summer.

Having suffered terribly with hay fever as a child, I know all these symptoms intimately. I also am familiar with the vast array of antihistamine tablets and nasal sprays available. The first thing I would like to mention about these products is that they are not a cure, as many well know. They provide only short term relief from some of the symptoms of hay fever. While the ads on TV seem to assure us that taking an antihistamine daily is perfectly OK, naturopaths understand that long term use of these drugs can cause us some significant problems.

So What Happens?

A large amount of histamine is released from mast-cells in our body when we are exposed to a hay fever allergen. Our body, sensitized to the allergen, mounts an immune response. Histamine increases vascular permeability, allowing fluid to escape from capillaries into the tissues, which leads to the classic symptoms of an allergic reaction: a stuffy, runny nose and watery eyes. The other classic hay fever symptoms include sneezing due to histamine-associated sensory stimulation, hyper-secretion from glandular tissue resulting in swelling and those “puffy” eyes, and nasal congestion due to the increased capillary permeability and fluid leaking in the area. So yes, anti-histamines stop all these nasty symptoms- momentarily. Unfortunately, once the antihistamine has been processed in our liver and excreted, the effects wear off and we start the ride all over again.

Long Term Use

One of the problems with long term use of antihistamines includes the reduction in the ability of our stomach to produce gastric juices for digestion. This, believe it or not, has a lot to do with our “reactivity” and our susceptibility to hay fever type reactions. The gut is one of the first places that allergens are identified and recorded. In a stomach with a low acid environment, our body is more likely to mistake everyday foods as dangerous invaders. If this occurs, food sensitivities develop. If we continue to expose ourselves to foods we have become reactive to, our immune system is constantly being called into action and can become hypersensitive. A hypersensitive immune system then starts identifying all types of other “dangerous” invaders such as cat hair…… grass seeds……. and……POLLEN!!!!! (Da, da, daaaaaaa!!).

So What Can We Do?

Now that is not to say that antihistamines cause hay fever and allergic reactions, but they certainly don’t help in the long run!! That is why it is very important, when treating hay fever to first of all identify food allergens, remove them from the diet and make sure the gut is in tip top working order. You can identify food sensitivities through doing an IgG food sensitivity profile (ask our naturopaths), and identify the state of your digestive health through a comprehensive digestive stool test (ask our naturopaths). Once the digestive system has been supported, there are a few simple ways to help reduce the symptoms of hay fever, naturally and safely.

Firstly Vitamin C. This is one of nature’s best antihistamines. Large doses of vitamin C can help reduce the histamine release, as well as helping to clear the effects of histamine reactions in the body. Vitamin C acts like a lymphatic, helping to reduce swelling of tissues, reduce inflammation and support healthy tissue integrity. It also supports a healthy immune function. A high dose can be taken in small increments throughout the day, say ¼ of a teaspoon 6-8 times a day, in a glass of water each time. 

Lots of water will help flush the body of excess histamine, reduce that foggy headed feeling and help improve swelling and mucous production. Another good tip is to get ready for spring with some local (and it must be local!!) bee pollen or raw honey. The honey must be raw, as it still contains some of the pollen and has not been destroyed by heat treatment. This can help expose the immune system to pollens in the local environment, and allow for the acceptance of these pollens in the body. 

An oldie but a goodie is the traditional combination of Vitamin C, horseradish and garlic. Often these are combined with fenugreek and marshmallow. These products work together to provide natural antihistamine activity, they also thin and break down mucous to help dry up that runny tap, and they support the immune system for healthy functioning. Horseradish has been used traditionally as a decongestant and can help clear the upper respiratory tract. Fenugreek and marshmallow act as a soothing demulcents, reducing the inflammation of reactive mucous membranes. Fenugreek also helps break up mucous and clear it from the body. Often they are recommended in low doses, but doubling the dose of off the shelf preparations such as this is often extremely safe. (Check with your local naturopath before self-prescribing outside of the recommended daily dose of all natural medicines).

A symptomatic treatment that may relieve congestion is the use of a Neti Pot. These strange little tea-pot like things are rested inside the nostrils and used to flush out the sinuses using a warm salty water combination. Not only can it flush out mucous, it can also help reduce inflammation in the nasal passages and improve congestion. Warm salty water can also be used to bathe the eyes, helping to reduce that gritty feeling without the use of synthetic eye drops.

So step one in battling the spring blues is to help your immune system. Identify and remove all allergens from your diet, then heal the gut. Step two is to prepare your immune system with some local raw honey or bee pollen. Third step is to treat the symptoms with natural remedies such as vitamin C, horseradish, garlic, and loads of water. And finally, try some symptomatic relief with a neti pot and warm salty water. Using these natural, safe and simple remedies can help you get the “spring” back in your step- pun most definitely intended!!

Travel Well- Naturally

Having done a fair bit of travelling in my time, I feel like I have perfected the contents of my ‘naturopathic first aid kit’. There are plenty of natural supplements that can help you stay well while travelling, and reduce your use of pharmaceutical medication. Here are some of my favourites that always come with me on holidays.

Immune Support
It’s very important to support your immune system while travelling, especially if you are one of those people who takes a holiday and immediately comes down with a cold or flu. Before I fly I make sure I’ve been taking an immune supporting supplement called Immune Defence by Ethical Nutrients that contains Andrographis, Echinacea, vitamin C and Zinc. I take this for a few days before leaving, as well as taking additional vitamin C and Zinc tablets to ward off any nasties that might be hovering on the plane. Depending where I’m going, I may take this supplement all the way through my travels, or use if I feel I’ve been exposed to illness.

If I do happen to come down with a cold or flu while travelling, I take these supplements in high dose to help my body recover quickly and get me back to enjoying my holiday.

I also take a little bottle of Herbal Throat Spay to use if I get a sore throat. 

Tummy Troubles
One of the biggest problems while travelling overseas is the possibility of picking up a tummy bug. Sometimes even just a change of diet can cause a bit of an upset stomach, constipation or diarrhoea.

If travelling to a third world country such as Bali, Thailand, or India, I take hydrochloric acid supplements before every main meal. Hydrochloric acid is a natural substance made by the stomach to digest food. Using a supplement can help improve digestion and also kill off bacteria and parasites that may travel into the body from food consumed. In addition to this, I take SB- a type on non-colonising yeast that helps prevent bad bugs from taking hold in the digestive tract. Travel Bug is one of the SB supplement available at Amcal. This supplement can also treat traveller’s diarrhoea if you do happen to come down with something.

Another item that’s always in my first aid kit is Nux Vomica- a homeopathic remedy. This helps treat nausea, hangovers, overindulgence and tummy upset. 

And of course I always take a small supply of bowel stimulating supplements- my pick is the Nature’s Sunshine Lower Bowel Stimulant. Often changes in the diet or even just long flights can cause constipation, so I always keep a few on hand to use if needed. 

Headaches, Backaches and Pain
For all of the above, I bring along a magnesium supplement, brands such as Ethical Nutrients, Wagner or Oriental Botanicals are very good. Magnesium is perfect for any cramps, spasms or aches, it can be great for use after a long hike, a big day of site seeing or an uncomfortable bed.

I also bring some high strength turmeric supplements for their anti-inflammatory action. These are great for any inflammatory type pain including headaches, migraines and period pain. You’ll find turmeric in Thompson’s or Caruso’s brand.

For muscles, I have a tube of Fisiocrem which I use topically for any muscular troubles. It works especially well for stiff necks after long bus or plan rides.

Jet Lag
When you’re travelling, you don’t want jet lag eating up any of your valuable holiday time so I take some herbal sleeping tablets to use on the plane and for the first few nights of a new time zone. I also take an Australian Bush flower essence called Travel Essence which can help reduce the effects of different time zones and jet lag.

I know it might sound like a lot, but I fit all of these supplements into a relatively small makeup bag and find they add very little weight or size to my luggage. I have been travelling with these babies for many years and won’t leave home without them!

Come in and have a chat before your next holiday and see if you can use natural medicine to make your vacation even better!

Well the Gold Coast is certainly in the middle of a cold snap! It seems to me that we sun-loving, subtropical climateers start to fail to function once the temperature drops below 15. It’s far easier and far more attractive to stay in bed as long as possible, to order take away instead of cooking a healthy dinner, and to sip on way too many coffees, hot chocolates and other indulgent drinks as we snuggle up and forget all about exercise. Trust me, I’m talking from personal experience!

As attractive as these options may sound, they don’t lead to great health. Low exercise, poor food choices, too much sugar and caffeine and low sun exposure leads to increased infections and a variety of other winter-related health problems. Colds, flus and chest infections are rife at the moment, and studies show that the winter months significantly increase incidence of depression and low mood. That’s not to mention winter weight which is so easy to gain as our body naturally wants to hibernate.

So what can we do about it? The short answer is plenty! Here are some of my favourite winter wellness tips to keep you happy and healthy all season.


Food and Diet

My go to winter cooking favourite is the slow cooker. Getting home from work with the sun already going down, it’s so great to walk into the house that smells of warm delicious savoury cooking! Bone broths, soups, stews, lamb shanks, osso bucco, daahls, currys… it’s far easier to eat healthy if it’s right there ready and waiting for you. Home cooked, slow cooked meals are high in easily absorbable nutrients. Served with brown, green, black or red rice or quinoa cooked in a rice cooker, you have a delicious, healthy meal high in complex carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

It’s tempting to drink more caffeinated beverages over the winter months but the increased levels of caffeine lower our immune system and play havoc with our nervous system. If you are someone who struggles with anxiety or stress, the increased caffeine can leave you feeling strung out and wired. Choose caffeine free herbal teas, Swiss water filter decaffeinated coffee, red rooibos espresso, or raw cacao hot chocolate for healthy alternatives. Remember also that dairy increases mucous production so if you have the winter sniffles, skip the milk!

Mood and Moving

It is likely to seem like a good idea during winter to sleep in as opposed to getting up and exercising first thing in the morning. But gentle exercise during these months can go a long way in keeping you fit and healthy for spring. Exercise such as out door walking, stretching, and yoga work to speed up the metabolism, and heat up your body from the inside out. Instead of hibernating under the covers if you’re feeling chilly, try rugging up and going for a brisk walk. You’ll find you feel warm and energised in no time! And if the cold wind is too much for you today, how about a heated yoga class to warm the bones? Exercising over the winter months also helps to elevate mood and energy. If you feel your energy levels or outlook start to dip, make an effort to get out and move your body every day. After a week, you’ll be surprised how much better you feel.

This brings us to sun exposure. In winter our sun exposure significantly decreases, and with it goes our vitamin D. High levels of vitamin D is vital in the healthy functioning of our immune system, and without it we are more likely to catch those winter bugs. High levels of D also reduce body pain, so if you get achy during the cold months, consider boosting your vitamin D. During winter, we can make small amounts of vitamin D on our skin as long as we live north of Sydney. The best sun to get during winter is midday sun, try and exposure your limbs to it and not to shower for 15 minutes after exposure. This might mean going outside on your lunch break and sitting in the sun like I do.

If you’re slow to wake up in winter, getting out in the sun and allowing your eyes to be exposed to the pure sunlight without sunglasses is a great way to signal to the brain that it is time to wake up. Melatonin levels are reduced and cortisol levels increased in response to this easy practice.

Supplement Support

To avoid the winter lurgies there are a few products that I highly recommend taking. The first is vitamin C. Make sure you take a vitamin C with bioflavonoids, in strengths of between 500-1000mg. If you are very susceptible to illness, you can take this three times a day, or just once a day for those with stronger immunity.

Zinc is another super immune supporting supplement. You can often get this in combination with a vitamin C. You want to be taking between 25-30mg once or twice a day after food.

Vitamin D we have already spoken about, but for those who can’t make it into the sun, you can supplement with between 1000-3000ug per day as a winter maintenance dose.

There are also plenty of excellent immune boosting combinations containing herbs such as Andrographis, Echinacea, and Olive Leaf. Certain probiotics also boost the immune system and can be very beneficial at this time. This is especially good for those with little ones.

 
For more information of how to keep your body happy and healthy this winter, come in and see our naturopath at Burleigh Town Amcal, Monday to Friday.

What I see a lot of is people searching for a multi vitamin.  When I ask them why they want to take one, the answer is often “I feel a bit run down” or “I feel like I’m coming down with something”.  Unfortunately at this point it is too late for the multi.  There is nothing specific enough in a multi to assist to modulate your Immune system.  So your options are to get some immune support and antibacterial / antiviral herbs in a tablet OR you can be prepared and start building your Immune system now.

Winter is Coming

Every winter when you get sick, you tell yourself to be more prepared next year. As soon as someone sneezes at work, school, or home, you find yourself with yet another cold or flu. It does not have to be that way this chilly winter season. Arm yourself and your family with the tools to build strong immune defences to reduce your risk of getting sick. If you do get sick, a strong immune system will also reduce the severity of your cold and flu symptoms, and help to speed your recovery.

Natural Medicines to Prevent and Treat Symptoms

There are many Natural Medicines that are beneficial in preventing, treating and shortening the duration of colds and flus. These agents can boost your immune system as well as provide the necessary tools to help you fight against infection.
Look out for these immune boosters:

• Zinc: Optimal levels of zinc in the body have been found to inhibit the common cold and influenza viruses.

• Vitamin C: Vitamin C supports healthy immune function by enhancing the activity of your immune defence army of white blood cells; also reducing severity and duration of symptoms.

• Probiotics: These friendly bacteria live in your digestive system and enhance health, and even immunity. Probiotic strains, Lactobacillus acidophilus (NCFM), Bifidobacterium lactis (HN019) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (HN001), have been scientifically proven to enhance immune responses. By providing healthy gut immunity, you are providing the best defence against inhaled and ingested pathogens.

• Andrographis: This powerful herb stimulates the body’s natural immune response, and significantly reduces the duration of colds. You or your loved ones can take this herb as a preventative to keep your immunity strong; it can also be used acutely as soon as you get cold symptoms.

Lifestyle and Dietary Recommendations

Incorporate these handy tips into your life to improve your resistance and support recovery from colds and flus:

• Rest! Give your body a chance to gather strength and make sure you get a good night’s sleep.

• Eat warm, nourishing foods. Homemade chicken and vegetable soup can help break down mucus that often comes with colds and flus. If you don’t have an appetite, the broth alone will provide minerals and vitamins to give you strength.

• Eat foods such as garlic, ginger, onion and chilli to help fight off illness, warm you up and reduce inflammation.

• Drink plenty of water to keep yourself well hydrated.

Be Prepared

Make sure you are prepared this cold and flu season - and remember, prevention is better than cure! Have all the essential immune nutrients on hand this winter. You may want to include zinc, vitamin C, strain specific probiotics and andrographis in your immune first aid kit, to keep you and your family well this winter. Everyone will want to know your secret of how you keep well.

Alternative Vs Complementary

In the time I have been practising, I have noticed a shift in the way people think about natural medicine.  Previously many people referred to Naturopathy as an alternative treatment to conventional Western medicine.  Now naturopathy is considered widely as complementary to allopathic / pharmaceutical treatments.  There have been studies that show an improvement in the performance of pharmaceuticals alongside naturopathic treatment.  Most improvements were after treatment of the gut and digestive function and environment due to the gut being the site of absorption of many drugs.

But there is nothing wrong with me.

Another point is that many people don’t realise a need to see a Naturopath if there is ‘nothing wrong’.  You don’t need to be diagnosed with a condition to improve your health status.  Naturopaths treat the person – not a disease or diagnosis.  Diagnosis can be helpful in determining a natural treatment regime; however they are not always necessary.  Furthermore, the symptoms that you have been putting up with for years can often be addressed, corrected and eliminated altogether. For example: mood swings, IBS, heavy menstruation, painful menstruation, headaches, recurrent thrush, restless legs and the list goes on.

The Naturopathic Consultation

A naturopathic consultation involves taking your health history, going through relevant systems and what signs and symptoms you are experiencing, brief family history, looking at physical signs (eg: iris, skin, nails and tongue) and using screening tools such as a body composition monitor (which will give, overall weight, fat mass, muscle mass, water mass, visceral fat rating and metabolic age) and Hemaview (live blood screening). 

Facts Vs Fads

Treatment can be tailored to the patient specifically, their budget, their preference regarding diet & lifestyle and/or supplements and most importantly timeframe. Eg: If finances are a concern then a suitable treatment plan can be recommended, however may take a little longer to get to the end result OR if you would prefer the quickest route then that can be considered also.  Something you won't hear from me is about the latest fad or current trendiest diets or wellness techniques.  I base my treatments around the facts and that they can be backed up by evidence.  Sorry no hippy, celebrity, tree hugging or cool recommendations here - this is about you and what you need. Private health cover extras may also cover some of the cost of consultations.  All funds are different, so it is best to check with yours as to what you are covered for.

Not all Naturopaths are created equal......  comparing apples with apples

Finally I would like to note that not all Naturopaths are the same.  Unfortunately as this industry is not very regulated, treatment plans and consultations vary greatly as does cost.  I am a Naturopath that does not like to overload my patients with supplements and rigid regimes. There are patients, much to my dislike, that leave their Naturopath paying no less than $300 each visit!!  What I am, is realistic, will not prescribe more than what is absolutely necessary and will work with how to fit your treatment plan into your current family situation (that’s the being ‘real’ part). If it’s too hard you’re not going to be compliant and not going to get the result you or I want.

If you are looking for the chance to feel better, have more energy, keep up with the kids or eliminate that niggling problem that is now part of your life - contact me for an appointment. 

Why Drink It?

From a personal point of view we drink kombucha because it is a live cultured drink that is naturally low in sugar, is refreshing and thirst quenching, and has a nice uplifting feeling (but definitely without the buzz of a caffeine hit).

Our kombucha is made from wild symbiotic communities of bacteria and yeasts (i.e. not lab derived or patented strains) and to us that is what makes this drink so special.

What makes kombucha so good?

It aids digestion
Kombucha stimulates gastric acid secretion and gastrin release which assists with digestion.

It’s good for your gut 
Kombucha is packed full of healthy bacteria and yeasts, which promote a healthy balance of gut flora.

It is antimicrobial
Acetic acid found in kombucha exerts antimicrobial activities against pathogenic bacteria (including E.coli and Salmonella).

It increases antioxidants
Kombucha concentrates the antioxidants found in tea (i.e. polyphenols - catechins).

Kombucha decreases sugar cravings
Customers often comment that kombucha reduces their sugar cravings. Our take on this is that kombucha provides a natural energy boost and is therefore a handy antidote to when a sugar craving kicks in.

It’s packed full of probiotics
Kombucha contains numerous strains of yeasts and up to 20 different bacterial species (and possibly many more).

Did you know that a Himalayan Salt Lamp in your home or office naturally improves your indoor air quality by creating healthy negative ions?

It does this by drawing water molecules from the air to the surface of the salt lamp and as the lamp is warmed by the globe, a gentle chemical reaction takes place. Healthy negative ions are then released into the air, counteracting the positive ions from electrical equipment around the home and office. The air is purified which means airborne bacteria, mould, viruses and allergens as well as respiratory irritants and asthma triggers cannot survive in the negatively charged environment.

The beautiful glow from our Rock Salt Lamps will bring a tranquil ambience to your home. Rock Salt lamps are best placed near televisions and computers, around smokers, in offices with air-conditioning, in fact anywhere you want to restore or preserve the natural air quality.

Each Rock Salt Lamp is unique and hand carved using salt extracted from the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. Imagine having a Rock Salt lamp in your home that was ‘manufactured’ by Mother Nature over 200,000 years ago!