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January 7, 2020

Flu season is upon us again and over the past couple of years, I have really perfected my flu-fighting skills. Prior to 2017 flu didn’t really affect our family and I was able to ward off whatever bug found its way into our home easily and without much thought. Then Junior High hit. I thought Kindergarten germs were bad, but they have nothing on the kind of germs teenagers play with. 
The 2017-2018 flu season was classified as high severity and 16 weeks of the season were at or above the epidemic threshold (CDC, 2020). It was an unusually long, severe and deadly season and it took my family down, all four of us. And I said never again. 
Enter the 2018-2019 flu season. I was half right. The season was only moderately severe, though it did last longer than usual, ranking as the longest in a decade (CDC, 2020). And again my teenager brought home the flu and shared it with her father. I went code red and began throwing all I had at it and managed to keep myself and son from getting sick, but I realized I needed a better plan, one that included more prevention.
As I write we are in the midst of yet another flu season. It is widespread and has high activity in most of the country, though our local area is considered moderate. The Davis household is in the clear so far, but school just started back from the holiday break, so we will see what funk the teenager brings home. In the meantime, I have my weapons at the ready. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Being acupuncturist means that acupuncture is one of my main go-to weapons against the flu and research has shown it to be effective (Heo, JS., Yang, S., Lee, J., Kang, J., Sun, S. Cho, J., 2016 ). But what else can you do if you aren’t lucky enough to have a live-in acupuncturist?The answer is herbs and supplements.  Patients receiving TCM care have shown a significantly reduced time to defervescence (fancy word for no fever) as well as a reduced time of viral shedding (contagious period) ( Li, J., Wang, r., Guo, W., Li, J., 2016). 
My medicine cabinet is bursting with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) patent formulas and nutritional supplements for various ailments, and compliance among my tribe is pretty good, even with the youngest. I always have on hand formulas that are good for stomach upset, colds and flu, or as we like to refer to them, wind-cold or wind heat. There also may be a bit of damp thrown in for good measure or some rebellious Qi, but primary difference is whether chills or fever is more predominant. I keep on hand a formula for each, plus something for when you've been exposed (like when the teen has brought something icky home), and something for stomach bugs as well because kids are particularly good at picking those up.

Supplements
Colostrum 
I'm a big believer in prevention. Choosing to get the flu vaccine is a personal decision between you and your MD, but there are things you can do to help keep yourself and family healthy even if you forgo the vaccine or if the vaccine isn't a good fit for the prevalent bug. A small study from 2007 showed that people who took 900 mg of colostrum (the early first fluid prior to milk that "exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-infective functions, promotes immune system formation and supports organ development” (Bardanzellu, F., Fanos, V., & Reali, A., 2017), had 3 times fewer days of flu than even the group that were vaccinated (Cesarone, M., Belcaro, G., Renso, A., Dugall, M., Cacchio, M., Ruffini, I., &  Vinciguerra, G., 20007). Pre-milk does a body good!
Vitamin D
Then there is vitamin D. This vitamin, which is actually a hormone precursor, has been in the news quite a bit in the last few years with reports that it can fix everything from seasonal affective disorder to the immune system. The immune system part is what we are interested in. A study on high dose vitamin D supplementation; in this case, 1200 iu, has shown that fewer people contracted flu, and that if they did they had a rapid decrease in symptoms, and viral load, and a swifter recovery ( Zhou, J., Du, J., Huang, L., Wang, Y., Shi Y., Lin, H., 2018).
Probiotics
You know what I love about the word "probiotic"? It literally means for life. I don't know about you, but I like the idea of something that is for life and these little buggers support life on so many different levels  they probably need their own post. And when we are talking about flu, well they do that too. Probiotics support the immune system and studies have shown that they can enhance the effectiveness of vaccines (Curtis & Zimmerman, 2018). I like to cover all my bases and use a probiotic that has multiple strains.

Essential oils
Essential oils are ubiquitous. You find them in just about any store and people use them for everything from nice smell to headaches and housecleaning. They have also been shown to be another good weapon against cold, cough, and flu. Most essential oil companies have a blend that is meant to target infectious viruses and bacteria, and for good reasson. A study done in 2016 showed that 11 of 62 oils studied showed anti-influenza activity, with marjoram, clary sage, and anise being the most effective (Choi, HJ., 2016). 

​Summary *
 The number one thing to keep in mind, and I can't stress this enough, is take quick action! See your acupuncturist quickly after exposure, or at the FIRST sign of illness, though if you are more than a day or two in they may not want you to come in and contaminate the office since you will be shedding the virus. Use preventatives and hit hard at the first symptom. All this can still help if you do end up sick, but its better to ward the ick off in the first place.
At the beginning of cold and flu season (September-ish) ask your acupuncturist to put together a “winter wellness kit”:

• Prevention/Early Intervention
  • Immune enhancing essential oil
  • TCM formula for prevention (after exposure)
  • Colostrum
  • Vitamin D
  • Probiotic
  • Other - your practitioner may have something else up her sleve
• Treatment
  • TCM Formula for Wind-Heat
  • TCM formula for Wind-Cold
  • TCM formula for tummy troubles
  • Because I have kids I also like to keep a formula on hand that is helpful in cases with a sore throat and/or swollen glands.

Again the key factor to success in preventing or treating flu is to get on top of it early!! I can’t stress this enough! You need to start taking care of yourself at the very first symptom, be that stuffy ears, sneezing or runny nose, or maybe slightly achy back. Or better yet, take the preventatives above on a small dose all season and up them if you are exposed. Talk to your practitioner for ideas on dosage and use. 

* Please see our disclaimer 

References
2009 H1N1 Pandemic (H1N1pdm09 virus). (2019, June 11). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-h1n1-pandemic.html
Cesarone, M. R., Belcaro, G., Renzo, A. D., Dugall, M., Cacchio, M., Ruffini, I., . . . Vinciguerra, G. (2007). Prevention of Influenza Episodes With Colostrum Compared With Vaccination in Healthy and High-Risk Cardiovascular Subjects. Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis, 13(2), 130-136. doi:10.1177/1076029606295957

Choi, H. (2018). Chemical Constituents of Essential Oils Possessing Anti-Influenza A/WS/33 Virus Activity. Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives, 9(6), 348-353. doi:10.24171/j.phrp.2018.9.6.09

Frequently Asked Influenza (Flu) Questions: 2019-2020 Season. (2019, December 27). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2019-2020.htm

Heo, J., Yang, S., Lim, S., Lee, J., Kang, J., Sun, S., . . . Cho, J. (2016). A manual acupuncture treatment attenuates common cold and its symptoms: A case series report from South Korea. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 36(6), 724-729. doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(17)30006-7

Li, J., Wang, R., Guo, W., & Li, J. (2016). Efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of influenza A (H1N1): A meta-analysis. Journal of the Chinese Medical Association, 79(5), 281-291. doi:10.1016/j.jcma.2015.10.009

Zimmermann, P., & Curtis, N. (2018). The influence of probiotics on vaccine responses – A systematic review. Vaccine, 36(2), 207-213. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.08.069

​“Omics” in Human Colostrum and Mature Milk: Looking to Old Data with New Eyes. (2017). Nutrients, 9(8), 843. doi:10.3390/nu9080843

Seasonal allergies got you down?  Roughly 1 in 5 Americans suffer from some form of allergy.  The costs associated with allergies, to both the healthcare system and businesses, are estimated to be around $7.9 billion annually. 

The misery of allergies plus having to find the time, energy and money to get allergy medication can really take a toll on a person’s quality of life.  This is especially true for those whose seasonal allergies seem to run all year long. 

A simplified explanation of allergies is that they are an overreaction to substances in your environment (pollen, dander, dust, etc.) that your body feels are a threat and as a result releases histamine.  Histamine is a compound released by the body in response to allergic reactions, inflammation and injury.  Its job is to get white blood cells to the site of injury or issue to address and heal the problem. 

The issue with allergies is that the body things something benign or even beneficial is a threat and releases a lot of histamine.  The body assumes these things are pathogens (harmful microscopic organisms) and goes all out to destroy them.  Your body’s misguided attempts to take out the allergens results in itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, couching, itching, hives and even swelling of the throat. 

Environmental allergens, both indoor and outdoor, include, but are not limited to mildew, mold, dust mites, pet dander, grass, trees, plant pollen, food allergies, scented detergents, soaps and lotions.  These “inhalant allergies” can cause a host of mental issues on top of the physical issues commonly associated with allergy.  These effects can include inability/severe difficulty to focus, irritability and even depression.

There’s hope.  There are a lot of lifestyle and nutritional changes you can make the significantly ease and decrease your allergy woes.  Interestingly these solutions are also great for healthy skin, heart health and your waistline.

Delicious Ways Nutrition Can Help

Magnesium Rich Foods

Studies have shown that there is a connection between low magnesium and severity of allergies.  Animal studies have shown that low levels of magnesium are associated with increased levels of histamine and that supplementation of magnesium can relax the smooth muscles of the tracheal.  This shows magnesium’s duel purposes in allergies: lowering histamine levels and relaxing the muscles associated with respiratory system.

Many Americans are deficient in magnesium because magnesium rich foods – seeds, nuts and beans – are not common in our diet.  Pumpkin seeds happen to be the most concentrated source of magnesium offering 50% of the RDA in a ¼ cup serving.  Beans are incredible sources of magnesium, but many people avoid beans because they cause gas.  Rinsing beans in a strainer until all the bubbles are gone is a great way to reduce or eliminate that issue.  Regularly consuming magnesium rich foods can decrease allergy symptoms, as well as provide several other health benefits as this nutrient is involved in over 300 processes in the human body.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Another soothing nutrient is omega 3 fatty acids, or more specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).  Omega 3 fatty acids have been praised for their anti-inflammatory benefits, as well as a host of other health benefits.  The anti-inflammatory property is key in relation to allergies because this not only soothes tissues irritated from bouts of allergies, but also prevents the tissues from getting severe irritated in the first place. 

Consuming foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, such as seeds, nuts, certain oils, but specifically fatty fish, can be beneficial to allergy sufferers.  Because EPA and DHA are both specifically found in non-plant food sources, it’s best to get them from fatty fish like salmon or to take a fish oil supplement.  

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is needed for over 200 functions in the human body, many of which overlap with magnesium because vitamin D is needed for the absorption and utilization of magnesium.  Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning it needs fat to be absorbed into the body.  Omega 3 fatty acids maximize the absorption and utilization of vitamin D.  This makes vitamin D, magnesium and omega 3 fatty acids a powerful health trio. 

When it comes to vitamin D, studies have shown that it significantly improves symptoms of allergies.  The catch is that vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin and we’re weary of the sun because of the potential of developing skin cancer.  As little as 20 minutes a day of sunshine during the warm months, while wearing normal clothing, exposing some, but not all skin, provides 10,000 to 20,000 IU of vitamin D. 

That said, vitamin D deficiency is common during winter months, but also in individuals who spend a lot of time indoors, avoid the sun, have high stress levels, take certain medications, carry extra weight and have darker skin because melanin is nature’s sun block.  Allergic responses are going to increase the need for vitamin D as well.  Supplementation of vitamin D may be beneficial in fighting allergies, as well as small sunshine breaks during warm months of the year, at times of day when pollen count is the lowest of course.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has been shown to reduce histamine release, as well as breakdown histamine once it has been released.  Regularly consuming vitamin C rich foods such as strawberries, citrus fruits, bell peppers, papaya, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower can help with seasonal allergies.

Bioflavonoids

Bioflavonoids are compounds found in foods such as citrus fruits, cherries, dark grapes, broccoli, peppers and certain teas (especially green and oolong).  These compounds are closely related to vitamin C and may help cut down on histamine production by stabilizing mast cells that make histamine. 

Raw, Local, Unfiltered Honey

Honey’s long list of health benefits have been touting for centuries and these days science backs up those claims.  Raw, local, unfiltered honey helps with allergies, but perhaps not in the way most people think.  Common ideology is that because honey is made out of pollen, consuming it will help build an immunity to the pollen you’re allergic to.  It’s said to get as local as possible and even seasonal to build up immunity to correct pollens.  People swear by it, but the scientific jury is still out.  Science has proven that honey has incredible antimicrobial and antiviral properties, as wells as it soothes the throat.  This may lend to its ability to soothe and ease allergies.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is enjoying a popularity hay-day because of its multitude of reported health benefits.  One of those health benefits may come in handy when fighting hay fever, amongst other seasonal and inhaled allergies.  ACV’s potassium thins mucus and thus helps break up congestion and alleviate nasal drainage that irritates the throat.  The key is to get raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized and with the mother ACV.  Sounds complicated, but that means unprocessed ACV.

Cut Back on Pro-Inflammatory Foods

If it causes inflammation, it’s going to make the signs and symptoms of allergies far worse.  The biggest culprits are going to be mega pro-inflammatory sugar, salt and saturated fats.  It looks like sugar is proving to be the ultimate villain to our health and this is the case with allergies as well.  With the exception of 1 tablespoon of raw, local, unfiltered honey a day, eliminating all other added sugar from your diet may be the best thing you do for your allergies and overall health.

Another pro-inflammatory food on everyone’s hit list at the moment is wheat.  Typically we think of the signs and symptoms of wheat sensitivity or allergy as being digestive issues.  But wheat issues can present exactly like allergies with sore throat, itchy eyes, congestion and coughing. 

Other Treatments and Lifestyle Factors That Can Help

Acupuncture

​Acupuncture is the insertion of very thin needles just below the skin to certain spots on the body to treat a condition.  Recently more and more studies are coming to light showing that acupuncture can help with seasonal allergies.  You can expect roughly 6 to 12 weeks of sessions depending on allergy severity, responsiveness to treatment, other health conditions (especially stress and inflammation), and nutritional status.  Seek out a quality practitioner in your area using at www.nccaom.org.  Also, some insurances help with the cost.

Get Houseplants That Reduce Allergens

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, it’s easy to get fearful of plants and assume that they all are going to make your allergies worse.  That is not the case.  Houseplants offer a variety of health benefits and some have been found to purify the air of the very allergens that make you miserable. 

Get Rid of Scented Candles, Lotions, Soaps and Laundry Detergent

The chemicals in artificially scented household products can send your hormones and allergies all over the place.  Swap them out for unscented products as soon as possible.  If you still want to enjoy the nice scent of candles, soaps and fresh laundry, use essential oils.  In fact, swapping out chemicals for essential oils can have health benefits as some essential oils ease allergies.

Sleep, Get Some

Sleep is the time for the body to repair from the day and prepare for the day ahead.  It’s the time our body heals and it’s an absolute must to keep our minds, hormones, digestive tract and overall immune system in check.  Sleep deprivation is only going to make the signs and symptoms of your allergies worse.

All this may seem like a lot to take in and even harder to implement.  But if you step back and look at it, it’s not.  Essentially what you’re doing is making healthy life choices.  Every single one of these suggestions can be lumped under a healthy diet and lifestyle.  Less sugar, salt and chemicals.  More fruits, vegetables, water, local foods, healthy bacteria, vitamin D and sleep.  All of which are choices that are not only great for relieving seasonal allergies, but for mental health, heart health, your waistline and your skin.

​Sheila Amir is the owner, author and Sheila of NutritionSheila.com, a website dedicated to bring you health, wellness and nutrition information you can actually use.  Get free health information and recipes delivered to you by clicking HERE.

By: Sheila Amir, Health & Nutrition Writer

Blame it on your busy life, stress levels, kids and/or even society’s pressure for women to be stick-thin, superheroes that can do it all in a day. Blame it on whatever or whomever you want, but when you’re having a preventable, major medical emergency, none of that matters. You instantly realize that you are, and always have been, the one person who is left with your choices, whether they are active or habitual. 

Yowza. That’s a dose of reality to start things off. 

I’m of the philosophy that you’ll continue to be presented with a lesson until you learn from it. Active self-care was a lesson I have taught for years, as well as continued to retake many times, albeit at an advanced level each time. Scored my Ph.D. at the School of Hard Knocks.  

One of teachers and co-instructors for many years was my first acupuncturist, Dr. Stacy David of Peak Oriental Wellness. I scheduled my first appointment with her for seasonal allergies relief. I left my appointment without seasonal allergies for over a year and without the constant arthritic pain I’d known for 20 years. It would be another 9 months after that appointment before my joint pain returned. 

The question in my mind instantly became, “if acupuncture works this well, then why doesn’t everyone get it for all their health problems?”  

Stacy has noticed that a client’s nutritional status affects the outcome of their acupuncture appointments. As a nutritionist who practices what she preaches because I genuinely love healthy foods, Stacy said that my drastic results were exemplary, but not the norm. In fact, I was an outlier to the normal results. The better nourished the patient, the more they get out of their acupuncture appointments.  

Over the years we discussed nutrition as it related to our clienteles, friends, family and selves. We saw a very clear pattern in the deficiencies women have and how that affects both their health and lives. We also saw the amazing benefits to their lives when they got their nutrition on track by eating healthy foods rich in these nutrients. 

At that time I was practicing as a nutritionist is Casper, Wyoming. Over the years I began to notice patterns amongst my clients, who were mostly women. I saw that the most common nutrient deficiencies in women were minerals, interestingly enough. Iron may make the mainstream health education most often, and for good reasons, but it was one of four mineral deficiencies I saw time and time again in women: calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium.

Whoa Nelly! Now stop right there. Finish this article before you even think about ordering a supplement. Let’s dig deep to find the root cause, as well as the signs, symptoms and best of all benefits of getting those nutrients from food.

Calcium

For the most part when the word calcium comes up we think 3 things:

1. I’m not getting enough.       
2. Calcium comes from dairy.
3. Calcium is for bones. 

But there is far more to this mineral than those 3 things. I recently got a review lesson on calcium and self-care. For months I struggled with painful joints, bones and muscles during my yoga practice, despite the fact that the meditation, spirituality and consistency components of my practice were going better than ever. Then in a Universal moment of “everything for a reason” I started working on an article about calcium that brought everything full circle.

Like many women, I limit my dairy consumption. For me it’s because dairy breaks out my skin, lowers my energy and upsets my stomach. Without even thinking about calcium, I switched to organic coconut milk with the ingredient panel that read only organic coconut and filtered water.  The only dairy that I would get was on a rare occasion sprinkled on a salad or on my tacos – so I was getting an ounce or two of dairy every Tuesday. Ha! (I live for Taco Tuesday.)

In writing the article I rediscovered/remembered all the wonderful things that calcium does. It’s been a bit more than a quick minute since I’ve been in my nutrition college courses. As soon as I jotted down some notes about calcium’s role in muscle contraction/relaxation a huge, metaphorical light bulb clicked on above my head! I knew that I hadn’t been getting enough calcium for months. 

I immediately took my work to heart.  I took the very calcium rich food list I had made for people to download, printed it out and took it to the grocery store. While it’ll be a cold day in Hades before I purchase canned fish, I made a note of enjoying recipes that include them when I’m out to eat. Hello Caesar dressing and olive tapenade!

I basically grabbed one of everything else on the list and started eating them as snacks and creating recipes I also did some deep research on calcium supplements and discovered a plant based calcium supplement that works for me. It contains all the nutrients I need to absorb and utilize my calcium and because it’s plant based, it won’t have the detrimental effects of poor quality calcium supplements.

Within a few weeks I had a magical ‘aha’ moment when I was able to bend my knees during my yoga practice for the first time in months. My entire practice physically went deeper than it ever had. All because I had given my joints, bones and muscles the nutrient they desperately needed.

Iron

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) affects over 2 billion people worldwide! YOWZA! That is a huge number. Unless you have one of the few genetic conditions that causes lifelong iron deficiency anemia, such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia, IDA can be resolved through diet, and in extreme cases supplementation per your healthcare provider’s recommendation. 

Unless need be, iron supplementation is generally not the way to go as supplements can cause severe gastric distress and constipation. Your healthcare provider can direct you to or prescribe a supplement that doesn’t have these effects.

In 8 years that I practiced nutrition, countless women I saw had IDA and accepted it as who they were.  IDA is a deficiency that drains your quality of life as the signs and symptoms include fatigue, constantly feeling cold, hair loss, pallor (pale appearance), dark circles under your eyes, impaired immune system, delayed wound healing, irritability and impaired thought process. 

Eating iron rich foods on a consistent basis, paired with foods rich in vitamins A and C can amend an iron deficiency. What’s super cool is that since the body really needs iron, when you’re deficient, your cells create more iron receptors to increase your iron absorption. That’s why one of the clinical biomarkers for IDA is having an increased Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) on your bloodwork.

Magnesium

In all the years I practiced nutrition, I only had 23 clients without a magnesium deficiency. That’s because magnesium is found in seeds, nuts and beans: foods that Americans don’t generally gravitate towards. What’s worse is magnesium is needed for over 300 functions in the human body ranging from nerve functions to bone health.

Hold you horses before you reach for a supplement.  If you’ve ever had a colonoscopy you’ve been given a bottle of magnesium citrate by your doc to ‘clean you out’ before the procedure.  It comes with instructions not to leave the house for 24 hours dues to its efficacy. Glad you didn’t order a magnesium supplement before you knew that?

Magnesium is an electrolyte and a sudden influx is going to cause a host of issues, inclusive of, but not limited to, diarrhea. If you want a supplement see your healthcare provider to get the correct form that’s not going to leave you feeling miserable. In the meantime, make consuming seeds, nuts and beans a daily habit for the rest of your life. If you’re allergic to one of those categories of foods, try the others. Get creative with seeds: bananas, raspberries, strawberries, zucchini and cucumbers all have edibles seeds.

Potassium

Potassium is a major electrolyte used to pump your heart, amongst other things. Do not take a supplement unless your healthcare provider prescribes one for you – no exceptions. Improper supplementation can cause heart problems, as well as the same issues as improper magnesium supplementation.

Potassium is needed for healthy blood pressure, as well as healthy muscles as a whole. Because we need it for important functions, it’s found readily in nature in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. 

This deficiency can be easy to spot. A big sign of chronic potassium deficiency is an overwhelming craving for something sweet, bready or crunchy. Before processed foods or even agriculture, if you wanted something sweet, bready and/or crunchy your only options in nature to satiate those cravings were fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. 

In today’s food supply, if you’re craving sweet, bready and/or crunchy you’re in trouble because your options are a bevy of potassiumless foods like cakes, breads, cookies and chips.  If you’re fighting a sweet tooth, your best ally maybe eating a bowl of organic berries and bananas instead of a candy bar.  Consistently eating potassium rich foods is great for your health and can finally help you cure that darn sweet tooth!

Bringing It Home

In nature, no nutrient travels alone. Eating foods rich in calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium can have tremendous positive effects on your body and mind. As Stacy Davis has pointed out it can make your help you get more out of your health treatments. Furthermore, when you’re feeling better and thinking better, you’re going to get more out of your day. All of which translates to better job performance, better human interactions and more joy. Now that’s a beautiful life lesson. 

Sheila Amir is the Sheila of NutritionSheila.com, a swell website loaded with nutrition, health  and wellness information sprinkled with wit.