Staying Well and Getting Well in An Unwell Household

I smiled ... and ... I cringed when I read Dr. Franson's blog about the spike in flu following in the footsteps of the Halloween candy/sugar binge due to sugar's affect of suppressing the immune system and rendering us vulnerable to infection. In our house that exact 'perfect storm' hit with a vengeance when, after staying up late and bingeing on candy, James, our 15 year old went down with a severe case of the flu the day after Halloween. James' flu is so bad that it's been five days and he's just now barely turning the corner with his fever breaking and his lungs starting to open up again.

I thought people might be interested to know what strategies a natural wellness doctor's family employs to stay well and, if someone does get sick, get well. First of course is prevention - supporting the immune system. Persoanlly, I really hate getting sick so I become very disciplined and focused toward my wellness regimen when the virus is camped inside my home. Additionally, because I need to be adjusting James every 3-4 hours during the peak of his illness battle, which is such face to face exposure during the time when he's most contagious, I really have to be on my game. So at the top of my preventive lifestyle list is: 

Adequate rest

Water consumption

Exercise

High intake of phytonutrient and antioxidant-rich plant foods

No sugar, gluten-containing grains, or dairy.

Preventive Battle Plan
When it comes to ancillary efforts such as supplements, my first line of defense each morning is to drink a glass of Perfect Greens mixed with water and lemon-flavored fish oil. This is not shameless self-promotion - I intentionally formulated Dr. K's Perfect Greens to include certain herbs, plants and other natural whole food nutrients specifically because those nutrients are scientifically proven to be immune-enhancing. On an unscientific note, one consistent feedback I get from people who take their Perfect Greens everyday is, they're not getting sick. The immune strengthening benefits of omega-3 essential fatty acids from fish oil are well documented.

I also up my intake of probiotics to bolster my body's own immune troops (although included in Perfect Greens, I augment that with taking probiotics separately as well).

Enemy Engagement Battle Plan
If the virus establishes a firm beachhead like it did in James' case, liquid chlorophyll is our family's "go to" supplement.

Chlorophyll is truly amazing - when I was in practice, patients used to give me that 'What's he selling me now?' look when I'd recommend chlorophyll to them (not to mention it tastes like lawnmower juice spiked with dirt, and I wanted them to drink the entire bottle in 3-4 days). But without fail, the very next day I'd get a call from the patient saying 'Oh my god, that stuff's a miracle - I could feel my lungs clear as I drank it! I've never got over any cold/flu/sinus infection/bronchitis so quickly in my whole life!', etc. And for the price ($12) you cannot find a more cost-effective and clinically effective 'natural therapy' for blood building, immune supporting, and mucous membrane nourishing.

We also take advantage of "nature's antibiotic" - garlic (also scientifically proven), by adding fresh garlic to chicken soup to feed James (since we've been under attack, I've also been eating fresh chopped garlic on my poached eggs for breakfast, which also includes antioxidant and nutrient-packed vegetable smoothies).

That's about it; other than that, our regimen to assist the body in becoming healthy when sick is rest, water and regular chiropractic adjustments.

In case you were thinking of getting a flu shot, watch this:

The body does get sick. The body does heal (on its own). All we have to do is support the body during its times of struggle.

Take care of each other. You can do it.

Yours in health, Dr. Paul