Cold & Flu Season: Are You Prepared?

by Mila McManus, MD

Anticipating the potential of getting a cold or the flu and preparing in advance is the best defensive strategy to prevent illness.

From a health and wellness perspective, the best approach to cold and flu season is prevention, and we don’t mean with a flu shot! Anticipating the potential of getting a cold or the flu and preparing in advance is the best defensive strategy to prevent illness. You see, once you already have green mucus and a fever, it is difficult to use all-natural approaches to reverse or shorten the illness. It also increases the chances of needing an antibiotic. Unfortunately, antibiotics may help kill the infection but destroy favorable gut bacteria, damaging your immune system and gut barrier.

Anticipate

Anticipate the reality that you or someone in your family is likely to catch or spread some germs. Considering that, it is time to put together a winning game plan! Develop your strategy by considering what you can do for yourself and your family in your home and travels to reduce the likelihood of colds, flu, and other microbes pestering your life this winter. Consider the status of everyone’s immune function and current supplementation. What are the high-touch areas in the house, cars, and planes? Consider sheets and towels that can provide an environment for bacterial growth. How are the air circulation and humidity levels in your home? How self-aware are you of a scratchy throat, fatigue, or achiness?

Prepare

Now, implement your strategy!

Optimize your serum vitamin D levels [Learn more here] and take a multivitamin, vitamin C [Learn more here], and zinc.
Consider IV Nutrition to strengthen and vitalize your immune system. [Learn more here]
Stock your medicine cabinet [Learn more here]
Make sure you have a nebulizer, food-grade hydrogen peroxide [available at TWIHW], and extra face masks [Learn more here]
Monitor the humidity in your house, and if it drops below 30%, keep a humidifier handy to reduce the time that allergens and illness-causing particles stay in the air.
Have plenty of HVAC filters handy and change them more frequently.
Plan to wash sheets and towels in hot water more frequently.
Routinely wipe high-touch areas using vinegar, disinfecting essential oils or hydrogen peroxide.
Make sure purses, cars, and travel bags all have a supply of hand sanitizer and tissues.
Increase hand awareness! Wash with basic soap and water often. Don’t eat with them—use utensils. If a hand sanitizer is necessary, consider Doterra OnGuard Sanitizing Mist or EO [Everyone] hand sanitizers.

Prevent

Now that you are organized and prepared, pay close attention to your body and respond at the first sign of possible infection. Start a treatment regimen immediately if you have a scratchy throat, achy body, or fatigue. None of the treatment regimens listed above are harmful, but if you have contracted some germs and take action quickly, you may ward off a cold or the flu.

Be Prepared. Be Well

References:

https://www.healthline.com/health/tips-to-keep-your-home-clean-germ-free-this-winter

How Affordable is your “Affordable Healthcare”?

by Mila McManus MD and Nancy Mehlert MS

Talk to anyone about health care and you will be hard pressed to find one single sole who hasn’t noticed that deductibles, copays, and premiums are rising, and this next year will be no exception. With each passing year, it seems that we have fewer and fewer choices, including doctors and medications from which to choose, and which tests will be covered. These options are controlled by the insurance companies rather than by yourself or your doctor. More and more people are frustrated with the excessive government and insurance company control over how you spend your healthcare dollars, especially in light of the sad fact that, following the doctor visits, prescription drugs, tests, and time, your ailments and problems often persist. Seeking help for an undiagnosed set of symptoms can cost thousands of dollars and result in, for example, 1) no explanation, 2) more prescription drugs, and 3) doctor-hopping. It’s easy to feel out of control and frustrated.

Current conventional health care practices focus mainly on RE-active medicine rather than PRO-active medicine. It’s the same as your homeowners insurance. They don’t pay to remove the fractured and bending tree that is inevitably about to fall on your roof. They won’t talk to you until it does. Prevention is not their interest, though it would save them money in the long term. The same is true of health insurance. What is wrong with this picture?

This coming year, why not take control? Own your health, get control of how your hard earned money is spent, get educated about how to heal and restore your own health, and use the money you will have to spend in the current disease model to really get well. Save money in a Health Savings Account (because YOU get to determine how these dollars are spent) and use it to get well in a PRO-active medical model, thereby improving your lifestyle, gaining true health rather than spinning your wheels and spending your money for answers that never come. Over time this could save you thousands and thousands of dollars. Is your health holding you back from enjoying relationships, finding success, living an abundant and full life? The functional, PRO-active medical model is the place to be! Get to the source of your problems, address them and be well! The vast majority of diseases of today, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, autoimmunity and cancer, are stemming from nutritional bankruptcy, chronic stress, hormonal imbalance, prescription drugs and their side effects, food and environmental allergens, and toxins. Every one of these areas can be addressed and improved to bring better health and wellbeing.

Call 281-298-6742 today and ask to speak to a Wellness Consultant about our various programs. We have new programs and services that may be perfect for your needs. YOU ARE WORTH IT!