Now That You Are Cleansing

With the weather turning colder for longer periods, we are seeing more people with cleansing (not flu) symptoms. Remember the body's response to cold is what causes nasal congestion, runny noses, sore throats, and coughing symptoms. Not a virus. When the body starts conserving heat by constricting superficial vessels below the skin, all of the fluid that has been constricted must go somewhere. Some of it leaves your body naturally without you noticing, and the rest needs to leave your body through your nose. When mucus has accumulated in your nasal and sinus cavities with sitting there long enough, it will begin to culture viruses and if it sits there even longer it will culture bacteria. Remember, viruses and bacteria are not the cause of the mucus being there to begin with. They are there as a result of the mucus accumulating. That is how sore throats happen. The following are many things you can do now that you may be cleansing. The best thing to help you cleanse is the Respiratory Formula.

1. It is very important to do daily nasal washing with slightly salty water to clear your sinuses and nasal cavity of excess mucus. Salty water or saline can kill viruses and bacteria on contact due to the fact that they cannot withstand the osmotic pressure gradient. They basically break open and die from the salty water.

2. To help prevent the mucus from going to your nose in the first place, taking digestive enzymes between meals will help break up excess mucus in your digestive tract preventing it from getting to your sinuses. Enzymes are available for children and adults.

3. If you have congestion, runny nose, or even sneezing, respiratory herbs that are expectorants help they body expel the mucus through from your nose accelerating the healing and cleansing process easing your symptoms. If you take over-the-counter decongestants, you are actually drying the mucus inside your body when your body really needs to cleanse itself instead. Herbal expectorants are really the best way to decongest your sinuses.

4. If you are feeling body aches as well, then you may be need extra help in the form of warm baths everyday to induce a fever, and antiviral herbs to help support your body to deal with the virus you may have. Either way, these 2 things may help you feel better. Warm baths help open up your lymphatic vessels to help flush the mucus through your body. Plus, the warm bath induces a fever and we all know that viruses and bacteria do not survive when we have a fever.

5. If you have a fever, do not take fever medications. Any medication you may take will only prolong your illness because your body needs the fever to get well. The best thing to do is take a tepid bath to bring down your fever if it gets too high for you. What is too high I leave to your discretion. I can better tell you what may be too high for you if want my help. I can tell you that as a naturopathic doctor, I help the body heal itself naturally and do my very best to stay out of its way to health. One of the ways the body has to heal itself is by creating a fever. Suppressing what the body needs to do naturally to heal is not a healthy thing to do ever. It is better to suffer through, while managing your symptoms naturally in the meantime because your body will be healthier for it in the long run. Your immune system will be strengthened in a natural way, which is the best way after all. You ultimately must decide what you think is best for you to do if you have a fever.

6. See your local naturopathic doctor if you need help getting through this cleansing time of year. I have many different modalities I use to help people feel better and recover more quickly.

in Health and Service,

David Hogg, ND
Naturopathic Wisdom
1101 South Winchester Blvd.
Suite E157
San Jose, CA 95128
408-297-6877
www.naturally4health.com
www.naturopathicwisdom.com