Healthy by Nature radio show this week: Leslie Mendoza Temple, MD, is Director of Integrative Medicine at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Glenview, IL, and is an Clinical Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Call topics included COPD and PMS. For PMS Dr. Temple suggested magnesium, Chasteberry, and calcium. I asked Dr. Temple about leaky gut and its causes and effects. We discussed the integrative medicine conference in Chicago, October 29-31, 2013. At the end of the show I quizzed a second guest, Emmie Watts (a partner at Xyloburst ) about cooking with the natural sweetener, xylitol.   Call the live show with questions at 1-800-281-8255. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and how to listen nationwide.

Stay well this fall
I’m hard at work on a book, so I’m taking a lazy approach to the newsletter this week and will just give you great advice from America’s Pharma cist, Suzy Cohen. Suzy and I corresponded before she was on the show this past week and as promised on the air, here are her answers to the proposed questions:
 
Q. Suzy, what are the most effective ways to keep the whole family healthy during the school year?

A. Job one is to wash your hands frequently. Keep them away from your face, and don’t use them to cover a sneeze or a cough. This is so simple and yet whenever I people watch, I notice everyone fidgeting with their face and heaven forbid picking stuff out of their teeth or nose. Instead, use a tissue and then throw it out. No tissue? Use the crook of your elbow to cover your nose or mouth. [Or your neighbor’s sleeve…Just kidding. Wanted you to know that anything in italic in these brackets are things I added. Martie.]

Q. What are some things that we can do if we do catch something?

A. Bad bugs have been around for eons and they have morphed a bazillion times. That makes them brilliant at outsmarting us and is why we don’t have an effective remedy to cure or prevent a lot of common diseases like colds and flu. Health experts will tell you the obvious: get enough rest (allow your body to sleep more if it wants to); drink plenty of water; use cough drops; and eat good ole’ chicken broth.
 
Also, Vitamin C is commonly used to get rid of the sniffles and maintain normal inflammatory response, as well as alleviate certain symptoms, particularly those involving mucous membranes. It improves your white blood cell count [immune factor] and assists your body in making glutathione, a very strong antioxidant that escorts poisons out of your body.

Probiotics – The only way for you to have a strong immune system is to build one. Good clinical science proves a healthy gut barrier protects your body from pathogenic invaders, and revs immune function. Live beneficial bacteria are always the most effective in battling the bad guys.  But you must take a very high quality probiotic.
 
Q. What probiotic do you recommend and why?

A. I use and recommend Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics. I like that it is not just a massive dose of one strain or even a few strains because that might upset the body’s immune system. Growing an adequate amount of friendly bacteria and in sufficient variety of species is like growing a complex garden. Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics is a whole system that acts like fertilizer and even helps get rid of the “weed” to improve the gut environment and balance of organisms. [As you know, Dr. Ohhira’s is a long time sponsor of Healthy by Nature. Another sponsor, HealthWorksMart.com is offering Suzy’s Drug Muggers book free with the purchase of 2 boxes of Dr. Ohhira’s or Dr. Ohhira’s Propolis which is great for immune boosting. Link to her other books in the Last Week section below.]

Q. What other supplements should we take to stay healthy during what is called the “colds and flu season”?

A. Vitamin D is great for most immune disorders because it enhances your T cells [important immune cells] and helps you keep all sorts of bugs at bay. Usually, doctors suggest about 5 – 10,000 IU during the winter months, but it depends on your serum levels. Ask your physician.

Vitamin A keeps your mucous membranes wet and strong, which helps soothe your nose, mouth, and throat. When the delicate membranes are functioning properly, they will trap particles and pathogens before they enter the body. [Note: beta-carotene does not necessarily convert to vitamin A as you may have been told. A daily dose of 5,000 IU of vitamin A is safe for adults and may be needed to balance high dose vitamin D. Child doses should be smaller proportionate to their size.]

Mushrooms, the medicinal sort [not the sautéed ones that come with a steak]. Look for maitake extract at the health food store, or beta-glucan. These supplements provide compounds to your body that fight germs. Their incredible immune-boosting effects are well-documented in medical research.

Zinc. This prostate-loving mineral also reduces the duration of illness, and severity of symptoms. The trick is to start zinc at the very first sneeze [perhaps use lozenges]. Luckily for you, zinc is found in nuts, dark chocolate and seafood so you can eat your way to better levels.

Certain spices like thyme, garlic and saffron possess anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral compounds making them strong medicine in my kitchen.

Lastly, astaxanthin is a very powerful antioxidant that can protect all your cells and even the cell membrane. This is a brand I especially like. LINK

THANK YOU, SUZY!
Last Week
LINK to that show in the archives. We talked about booze! Janet Chrzan, PhD is the author of Alcohol. No, wasn’t radio rehab–we looked into the historic origins of drinking beer, wine and distilled spirits and their place in both ancient and current society. Then, a very smart and funny lady, America’s pharmacist, Suzy Cohen, educated us about nutrients to help us stay healthy through the fall.  She is the author of “Drug Muggers“, “The 24 Hour Pharmacist” and “Diabetes Without Drugs“.

Please help spread the good word-forward this newsletter to friends and family.
My first book : Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments.

My latest book: Aloe Vera-Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy

The information contained in this newsletter has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The contents are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Copyright 2013 Martie Whittekin, CCN