When a Doctor gets sick...

I have been wholloped by illness this winter.  Yes, Naturopathic Doctors get sick too.  Nothing serious for me luckily, just some colds & flus - but way more than I normally get!  I wonder sometimes if it's because it hasn't been that cold in Toronto that more bacteria and viruses are growing, but who knows? 

Anyway, I thought that I should take the opportunity to share what I do when I'm feeling under the weather!

1.  drink lots of fluids - I was big on water and mint tea and decaf orange pekoe with honey.

2.  homemade chicken soup - there are so many vitamins & minerals that you get out of boiling up chicken bones that are healing to the body & the soul.

3.  rest - I am a big advocator of sleep to heal the body, so I was trying to get 9+ hrs/night (and still waking up at 6:30am!).

4.  probiotics - the good bacteria found in yogurt (and also in powder and capsule form) have been shown to help boost the immune system.

5.  vitamin D - we tend to be lacking in the winter, and I take extra doses when I'm sick.

6.  herbs - there are many herbal combinations that I go to when I'm not feeling well.  My favourites are Deep Immune, Echineaseal, and Respirafect - all by St Francis.

7.  sinus rinse - sinus rinses work really well to decrease congestion for me, and to flush out the mucous and bacteria that are making me stuffed up.

8.  steam inhalation - again this works really well for me to loosen congestion in my chest and in my head.  Sometimes I sit over hot water with a towel over my head and breathe in the steam, other times I just have a long hot shower.

I hope you've had a healthier 2016 than I have, and if you are feeling under the weather hopefully there's something new on this list that you can try!