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Children’s Health

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naturopathy for kidsNaturopathy works very well with children’s ailments, as it is gentle and effective, with few side effects.  In fact Naturopathic care can start as early as preconception, to ensure optimum health of Mum and Dad prior to conceiving, throughout the 9 months of pregnancy, and of course breastfeeding.

Some dietary tips for encouraging healthy children are as follows;

  • Ensure your children are eating a healthy breakfast every day as the brain needs fuel to work efficiently. This will be giving your child the best start to a good day, and ensure optimum learning and concentration
  • Ensure there is protein with each meal as proteins are essential for growth, repair and maintenance of all body tissues. They act as building blocks for hormones, antibodies, immune compounds, enzymes and neurotransmitters. Examples are meat, chicken, seafood, nuts, seeds and pulses.
  • Adequate fibre is essential for digestive health, cleaning the digestive tract, lowering risk for many diseases, binding toxins and removing them from the body. Fibre is found in fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and cereals.
  • Vitamins and Minerals – there are water-soluble (vitamin B’s and C) and fat soluble (vitamins A, D, E, K), it’s important to include healthy fats in the diet to ensure fat-soluble vitamins are being absorbed. Most of these nutrients can be found in a healthful diet of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates
  • Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) – the body does not make it’s own EFA’s, so these must be obtained through diet. They are important for many functions in the body such as a healthy immune system, reducing cholesterol levels, reducing inflammation, building hormones and promoting a healthy nervous system and brain function. Examples of these foods are cold-water fish, dried legumes and raw nuts and seeds.
  • Probiotic foods such as yoghurt, fermented vegetables and miso. These foods are also an important part of your child’s diet as they have been proven to be beneficial for the immune system, as well as so many other illnesses as a healthy gut is an important factor for long term health.

Naturopathy can help with many conditions that affect children such as asthma, colds and flu, constipation, recurrent ear infections, eczema, hyperactivity, impetigo, sleeplessness, insomnia and many more. Treatment is very individualised based on the symptoms that the child is presenting with. Your Naturopath will help guide you through making the necessary dietary changes, as well as supplementing with herbs or nutrients if needed to get a result faster. If you’re not sure, get in touch to see if we can help!

 

Tips for staying well this Winter

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naturopathy cold fluIt’s always a sad time of year for me when the days start to get shorter and colder! It can also be a difficult time with people that are prone to cold and flu symptoms such as coughs, sore throats, headaches, sneezing and blocked noses, and muscular aches.

If you or your family dread this time of year as you seem to be afflicted with illness, it might be a good time to reassess your diet and lifestyle, and possibly go that step further and see a qualified Naturopath to help you whilst coming in to those colder months.

 

Include these to help boost your Immune System.

  • Zinc – this mineral is found in most protein containing foods, eg chicken, beef, fish, nuts, seeds (pumpkin seeds are an excellent source). Zinc deficiency can be one of many reasons for repetitive illness, poor wound healing, skin disorders and white spots on your nails. Zinc and Copper are competing minerals, so if one is low then the other may be high, which can then drive the deficiency down further. Another problem can be low stomach acid, which means you are not breaking down proteins efficiently and therefore not absorbing the zinc.
  • Vitamin C – this vitamin is important in preventing illness as well as speeding up recovery times, as it increases the activity of infection fighting white blood cells. Good sources of vitamin C are berries, oranges, kiwifruit, guava, tomatoes, capsicum, dark green leafy vegetables and broccoli.
  • Mushrooms – are also an excellent food source for improving the function the immune system, the best varieties are shiitake, maitake and reishi so add as many of these as possible.
  • Add lots of ginger, garlic and onion to your diet – they have great pathogen fighting properties and are very beneficial to the immune system.
  • Probiotic foods – such as yoghurt (if tolerated), miso, sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables. A big part of the immune system is in the gut, so ensuring sufficient good bacteria is another way to maximise your immune function.
  • Get outside more – part of the problem with the colder months is that we stay inside to keep warm. By doing this we are missing out on the benefits of sunshine and fresh air, and allowing exposure to harmful pathogens that others in the room may have.

 

Avoid these if you are prone to infections.

Sugar – it is very important to minimise or eliminate sugar from your diet, as it reduces the capacity of your white blood cells to engulf invading pathogens. This effect has been proven to last for up to 5 hours after eating a high sugar food.

Mucus forming foods – especially if you are prone to congestion and phlegm, the foods to avoid are mostly dairy, sugar and refined foods.

 

Avoiding illness this winter.

The best thing you can do is to prevent infection. However if you have made all of the mentioned changes to your diet and lifestyle and are still getting sick, it may be time to see a Naturopath that can investigate further and prescribe a herbal remedy and/or appropriate supplementation.

 

Astragalus for immune system recovery

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Astragalus canadensis flowersAstragalus is an extremely valuable herb for restoring immune function after illness and can also be used to maintain the body’s normal defences against cold and flu. It is the number one remedy for preventing post-viral fatigue (including chronic fatigue syndrome) that can proceed the flu and other viruses such as glandular fever.

Astragalus should not be taken during the initial viral infection, its function is more specific afterwards (you are looking at using herbs such as Olive leaf, Echinacea and Andrographis during an acute infection).

Feel free to ask for a free taste test of the Astragalus herb on Thursday afternoon and Saturday mornings when our resident Naturopath, Josie, is in clinic.

 

Other factors to consider when undertaking a program to boost immune function are:

  • Cod Liver Oil which is high in vitamins A and D as well as essential fatty acids, all of which are necessary to boost and maintain the immune system.
  • Vitamin C with bioflavonoids. Vitamin C is the single most important nutrient for immune function and should always be taken with bioflavonoids to improve absorption.
  • Zinc boosts the immune response and aids in healing.
  • Probiotics should be taken to replace bowel flora if antibiotics were taken during the initial infection.

 

Diet and lifestyle suggestions

  • Get plenty of rest and good quality sleep (if you’re not sleeping well it is important to address that)
  • Skin brushing to stimulate the lymphatic system which in turn supports proper immune function by removing waste and toxins from cells
  • If you have any known allergies try to avoid contact with the offending allergens as much as possible as these place stress on the immune system.
  • Eat a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, raw nuts and seeds and wholegrains
  • Great immune boosting foods are kelp, garlic, pearl barley, shitake mushrooms and umeboshi plums.
  • Avoid sugar and caffeine as they both deplete your body of essential nutrients and exacerbate fatigue.
  • Regular moderate exercise is essential for rebuilding and maintaining immune function.

 

Top 7 Naturopathic Tips to Avoid The Winter Blues

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Box Of TissuesWinter has well and truly set in and with it a host of colds and flu, not to mention the winter blues (or SAD as it is also known). This time of year, it is important to keep your immune system functioning as optimally as possible. There are an abundance of things we can do to both boost our mood and maintain our immune systems, and fight nasty bugs as we come into contact with them.

Here are my top seven tips to keep the winter blues away:

1. Exercise and Sunlight

One of the first things we do when the cold hits is to go into hibernation. While it feels good to stay snug and warm inside its one of the worst things we can do for both our immune system and happiness. A minimum of 40 minutes of good cardio exercise (where you get a red face and puff a bit) 4 times a week works wonders. Exercise helps produce ‘feel good’ hormones as well as boosting the immune system.

We are blessed in winter in Australia by clear blue skies most of the time. Make time to get out into the sunshine a few times a week. Even if it’s just sitting in the park at lunchtime or a couple of walks outdoors on the weekend. Your immune system and mental health will thank you for it.

Vitamin D deficiency is surprisingly common in this country, and can affect both your mood and immune system, so consider discussing Vitamin D supplementation with your healthcare practitioner if you think you may be deficient.

2. Get Cooking

Incorporate the following foods into your winter cooking, especially soups, casseroles, stir fries and slow cooked dishes:

  • Garlic – antiobiotic and antiviral
  • Ginger – warming
  • Chilli – warming
  • Onions – antioxidant and antiobiotic
  • Miso soup – supports healthy bacteria in the digestive system, profoundly affecting immune function

3. Olive Leaf Extract

This herb (botanical name Olea europaea) is used to enhance the immune system through its antiviral, antimicrobial and potent antioxidant activity. It particularly works well when combined with other immune boosting herbs such as Echinacea and Andrographis.

Olive leaf treats the symptoms of:

  • Reduced Energy
  • Colds & Flu
  • Upper Respiratory Conditions
  • Anxiety & Tension
  • Sinusitis
  • Sore Throats
  • Fevers

4. Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids + Vitamin A + Zinc

An essential nutrient combination for boosting the immune system and keeping the respiratory tract healthy. A large number of trials with intakes of up to 1g of vitamin C and up to 30mg of zinc are available. These trials document that adequate intakes of vitamin C and zinc improve symptoms and shorten the duration of respiratory tract infections including the common cold.

Bioflavanoids are a type of antioxidant naturally found in foods high in vitamin C, and seem to enhance the action of the vitamin.

If you don’t like taking supplements, then a fresh juice of pineapple, lemon, carrot and ginger will provide a good amount of Vitamin C and Vitamin A, along with the warming properties of ginger.

5. Steam Inhalations

Steam inhalations with essential oils of Thyme and Eucalyptus, help to promote the removal of excess mucous in the nose and chest as well as being strongly anti-microbial therefore helping to kill off any secondary bacterial infection of the respiratory tract.

It’s simple: to a bowl of boiling water add 2 drops of thyme oil and five drops of eucalyptus oil. Place a towel over the head and deeply inhale through one nostril at a time, while blocking the other. Do this until the steam has completely evaporated (approx.5-10 minutes). Blow the nose as required during the process.

If you have a vapouriser, adding a few drops of Citrus, Bergamot and/or Lavender oils can help boost your mood throughout the day with their sunny scent.

6. Herbal Tea

Herbal teas have the benefit of directly targeting specific problems as well as providing much needed hydration in winter, when cold water is not very appealing. Yarrow, Elder and Peppermint tea is a great mix for colds and flu. Ginger is also excellent for those who suffer with cold hands and feet, as it is a potent stimulator of the circulation. Slice some fresh ginger root and steep in a cup of boiling water with lemon slices and honey.

7. Wash Your Hands

Frequent hand washing can be one of the most effective means of cold and flu prevention. If not always near a bathroom with running water and soap, then carry a gel sanitiser in your car or purse and use when in public places.

 

Neurolink

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Neurolink is a system of balancing the body and the physiological functioning of all its systems. The body is an amazing being that can repair and heal itself very efficiently. Sometimes due to various stressors it may not work at its optimum.
Health In The Bay breakfastNeurolink uses muscle testing to determine where there are areas of the physiology that aren’t working as ideally as it could be, and then utilises feedback to the brain about these imbalances to stimulates the brain and body to make corrections in these areas. In this way it stimulates and promotes healing and normal functioning of the body.
It can be used as a treatment all on its own, or to complement and assist other treatments and adjustments. It can address imbalances in digestion, hormones, immunity, sleep patterns and moods. It also addresses how well organs, brain centers and the nervous system are functioning, and how effective our immune response is to virus, bacteria and fungus. It results to strengthen our body to stressors including emotional chemical and physical stress and allows your body to cope better with these stressors.