Many people know about the benefits of probiotics - the healthy bacteria found in your gastrointestinal tract as well as in fermented foods such as sauerkraut, fermented soy products and of course yogurt. In fact, Danone - the makers of popular brands such as Activia and DanActive was the first the tout the benefits of it probiotic yogurt. It was advertised as helping to keep you regular and good for the immune system.
A lawsuit filed back in January 2008 alleged that Danone's own studies failed to support its own advertised claims. And this month, Danone has agreed to set aside a $35 million dollar fund to reimburse customers in an out of court settlement and denies any wrongdoing. Danone has agreed to make changes to how it advertises its yogurt line.
Does this mean that probiotics don't work? No! As my patients already know, I'm a big fan of probiotics especially for certain digestive & immune related conditions. But what people don't know is that the therapeutic dose required to treat diseases vary and that it matters what strain of probiotics you're taking. Certain strains have been shown to be effective at combating MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) which is found in a number of hospitals. Recently, the journal Pediatrics published a study showing that a combination of two specific strains of probiotics was more much more effective at preventing the FLU vs. a single strain of probiotics and even more effective than no probiotics (ie. placebo). The key to probiotic therapy is to know how to effectively dose the probiotics and with which strains. Naturopathic doctors are certainly adept at this and have access to these different strains. I currently have many of my patients & myself on the exact strains published in the journal of Pediatrics for those of us who wish to reduce the risk of catching the flu. Also, I'm hoping that it decreases the risk of catching H1N1 should that get out of hand. Let's hope for the best though.
Yours in health,
Ian Koo, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need"
Showing posts with label flu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flu. Show all posts
Pandemic Alert (H1N1): Peel Region & Toronto statistics & more Naturopathic Advice
It's official, the World Health Organization has officially declared the H1N1 to be a pandemic. Here's some current information for those of you in my home province of Ontario, Canada:
Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health, states that 484 cases of H1N1 flu virus have been confirmed since Friday, bringing the total number of cases in Ontario to 1,562.
Almost all of the cases reported to date are considered mild. The vast majority of the individuals concerned have recovered.
To date, two people, who had the H1N1 virus and chronic medical conditions, have died. Ten people who have the H1N1 flu virus were in hospital as of June 9, a number of whom have underlying medical conditions.
The Ontario cases involve 808 males and 750 females (the gender of four cases is unknown) with an age range of 1 to 97. The average age of the individuals is 21.
Here's the breakdown of the cases in the surrounding regions of the GTA:
| Health Unit | New Confirmed Cases | Total Confirmed Cases |
| Toronto | 159 | 669 |
| Peel Region | 116 | 302 |
| York Region | 71 | 230 |
| Halton | 38 | 126 |
Durham Region | 22 | 53 |
Hamilton | 3 | 10 |
According to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, symptoms of H1N1 are similar to seasonal influenza (flu) including headache, chills and cough followed by fever, loss of appetite, muscle aches and fatigue, runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes and throat irritation. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may occur in adults as well as in children. In more severe cases, or in people with chronic conditions, complications such as pneumonia may develop.
If you are experiencing these symptoms you should immediately contact your health care provider, including your Naturopathic Doctor (ND), or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. Do not leave your home if possible until you have spoken to your health care provider or a Telehealth nurse. People should only go to Emergency Rooms if they have severe symptoms.
Naturopathic Perspective:
A strong immune system not only reduces the risk of getting sick, but may also reduce the severity of illness if you do get sick.
Although viruses such as influenza don’t respond to antibiotics, there are anti-viral therapies your Naturopathic Doctor can suggest to you to support your immune systems ability to fight viruses and therefore lessen the severity of many illnesses caused by viruses.
Supporting your immune system
The human body has a natural ability to respond to viruses that attack it. These defense mechanisms can sometimes be weakened and require additional support to effectively respond when you are exposed to viruses. A weakened immune system is a particular concern when new viruses like the H1N1 Swine Flu emerge. Your Naturopathic Doctor can work with you to assess the current status of your health, and support your immune system using advanced natural therapies.
You can do simple things to help your body avoid the flu or other viruses. Here are some basics:
Be proactive Book a prevention appointment with your health care provider so he/she can advise you what to keep on hand and how to use alternatives to pharmaceuticals to stimulate and support your immune system. Everyone is different and there are many ways to support the immune system naturally - find an individualized treatment plan that works for you, thus helping you to achieve the best results.
You are what you eat Food is fuel for your body and all its work. Eating a diet high in complete protein, essential fatty acids (EFAs), complex carbohydrates, and plenty of fruits and vegetables is important to support a strong immune system. It is particularly important to avoid processed or sugary foods.
Hands off Washing your hands regularly and thoroughly is one of the simplest ways to keep germs at bay. Proper hand washing involves at least 20 seconds of scrubbing with soap and hot water. Avoid touching your face since germs often enter the body through the nose, eyes and mouth. Use a tissue or your sleeve for sneezing and coughing—avoid using your hands to cover your mouth or nose.
Keeping the barrier intact Mucous membranes (such as the lining of your nose) must be moist to act as an effective barrier to bacteria and viruses. Using a humidifier in your home or office, or even taking a hot shower helps to keep membranes moist. Staying hydrated on the inside is also extremely important. Make sure you are drinking a minimum of 2 litres of water per day.
Both feet on the ground We all lead busy and stressful lives, and while it’s not possible to avoid all stress, it is important to find a way to achieve balance and reduce stress. Get a full night’s sleep, have an outlet for stress, and make your health and happiness a priority.
Yours in health,
Ian Koo, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need"
Don't want to get sick? What you need to do!
Some people seem to have been hit hard with the flu &/or cold this season. The flu vaccine has been largely ineffective in five of the last seven flu seasons and preliminary data shows that we may have missed again. Luckily, there are other preventive measures you can take. Most of us know about the importance of washing our hands and eating a healthy diet, but what about sleep?
The importance of good quality sleep is often overlooked. Many people are sleep deprived going to bed late and waking up early. Some reasons are valid, but others choose to incur this sleep debt.
A study reported in the January 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine reports that quality and duration of sleep affects your susceptibility to the common cold. Healthy volunteers had their sleep assessed for two weeks and were then inoculated with nasal drops containing the rhinovirus, a common bug that causes the common cold.
Results:
Those who slept less than 7 hours per night were 2.94 times more likely to get a cold than those with 8 hours of sleep. Those with less than 92% sleep efficiency - a measure of quality of sleep - were 5.50 times more likely to get a cold.
These results could not be explained by differences in pre-virus antibody titers, demographics, season/weather, body mass, socioeconomic status, psychological variables and health practices.
So, get your sleep to prevent getting sick. Some may draw the conclusion that 8 hours of sleep is best from this study, but in my opinion, people need more. People tend to say that their optimal sleep duration is 8 hours when asked, but I rarely find that to be the case. For some reason, people feel that's the right response when asked. Challenge yourself: How long would you sleep for if not awakened by an alarm clock? Do you feel rested when you wake up?
Yours in health,
Ian Koo, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need"
The importance of good quality sleep is often overlooked. Many people are sleep deprived going to bed late and waking up early. Some reasons are valid, but others choose to incur this sleep debt.
A study reported in the January 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine reports that quality and duration of sleep affects your susceptibility to the common cold. Healthy volunteers had their sleep assessed for two weeks and were then inoculated with nasal drops containing the rhinovirus, a common bug that causes the common cold.
Results:
Those who slept less than 7 hours per night were 2.94 times more likely to get a cold than those with 8 hours of sleep. Those with less than 92% sleep efficiency - a measure of quality of sleep - were 5.50 times more likely to get a cold.
These results could not be explained by differences in pre-virus antibody titers, demographics, season/weather, body mass, socioeconomic status, psychological variables and health practices.
So, get your sleep to prevent getting sick. Some may draw the conclusion that 8 hours of sleep is best from this study, but in my opinion, people need more. People tend to say that their optimal sleep duration is 8 hours when asked, but I rarely find that to be the case. For some reason, people feel that's the right response when asked. Challenge yourself: How long would you sleep for if not awakened by an alarm clock? Do you feel rested when you wake up?
Yours in health,
Ian Koo, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need"
Cough Medicines: Do they really work?
When we come down with a cough or a cold, what do we do? More often than not, mothers and fathers will reach for the medicine cabinet and pull out one of the slew of over the counter meds available at your local pharmacy. But do they really work?
Recent news state that cough medicines should not be given to children under two years of age as there are reported cases of overdose and even deaths in this bracket of the population. In the last few years, many scientists and health professionals have raised concerns over the effectiveness of most over the counter cough medications, regardless of which population group is taking these substances. Dr. Knut Schroeder, M.D., a researcher at the University of Bristol, England has analyzed results of 15 trials, concluding that “there is little evidence for or against the effectiveness of over-the-counter cough medicines.” His research study appeared many years ago in the February 9/2002 issue of the British Medical Journal. Yet, many folks continue to reach for these over-the-counter remedies.
The use of cough expectorants or suppressants does not follow the naturopathic principle of Treating the Cause! As the name suggests, these pharmacological agents suppress one’s symptoms and does not address the underlying cause of the cough or mucous – that is, the immune system’s inability to fight off the foreign microbes invading your body. The ideal method of fighting a cold is to boost your immune system rather than suppressing the symptoms.
For more information on how you can do that, please ask your Naturopathic Doctor.
Recent news state that cough medicines should not be given to children under two years of age as there are reported cases of overdose and even deaths in this bracket of the population. In the last few years, many scientists and health professionals have raised concerns over the effectiveness of most over the counter cough medications, regardless of which population group is taking these substances. Dr. Knut Schroeder, M.D., a researcher at the University of Bristol, England has analyzed results of 15 trials, concluding that “there is little evidence for or against the effectiveness of over-the-counter cough medicines.” His research study appeared many years ago in the February 9/2002 issue of the British Medical Journal. Yet, many folks continue to reach for these over-the-counter remedies.
The use of cough expectorants or suppressants does not follow the naturopathic principle of Treating the Cause! As the name suggests, these pharmacological agents suppress one’s symptoms and does not address the underlying cause of the cough or mucous – that is, the immune system’s inability to fight off the foreign microbes invading your body. The ideal method of fighting a cold is to boost your immune system rather than suppressing the symptoms.
For more information on how you can do that, please ask your Naturopathic Doctor.
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