Stay Well!

Purely You Healing

Stay Well!

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The goal of Purely You Healing is always true wellness. Not just symptom management, but healing from the inside out and preventing further injury. To be your Purest Self, you not only have to be the truest version of you mentally and spiritually, but physically too. The three are intertwined and without one, you cannot have the other. I often see your Mind, Body, and Soul depicted like 3 strand braid. Maybe you have heard the phrase, "A three-strand cord is not easily broken," this actually comes from the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible with a slightly different meaning, but I like the image the concept brings us. The idea that to be whole and strong, you must be well in your body, mind, and spirit is powerful. 

Did you know that people who suffer from depression are more likely to suffer from physical ailments as well? Or that happiness can boost your immune system? Or that multiple studies have shown people with a faith are happier than those without a faith practice? It is true! Perfect examples of how the three are intertwined isn't it?! So what can we do to protect ourselves from illness, especially in those season's where it is more rampant than others? 

1. WASH YOUR HANDS. I know that this is common sense. I know that this is common knowledge. I know I sound like a nurse (sometime's I just can't help it!) or your mother, but seriously you guys! This is the #1 way to prevent catching and/or spreading illness. Did you know that people can spread the influenza virus up to 2 weeks before they even have symptoms? Yes, if you have a fever or cough you should stay home, but you might have been sharing those germs long before that cough presented. That means the seemingly healthy person who grabbed that door knob before you may have just left a virus there for you to pick up. Wash your hands frequently and keep them out of your mouth and away from your face! No more licking the Cheetos cheese off your fingers okay? ;) 

2. Keep your vibration high. What does this mean? Well basically, you do everything you can to stay happy instead of sad/depressed. This includes, getting into the sunshine or using a SAD lamp, eating good-for-you foods, staying well hydrated, moving your body, and consuming upbeat media. Let's break those down a bit. Sunshine/SAD lamps help improve mood and improve your body's ability to synthesize Vitamin D. Eating right is another given, but look at it this way. We all know without the appropriate fuel, the machine that is our body cannot function well. Have you ever gotten water in your gas tank? Sure makes your car function poorly doesn't it? Same for your body: good quality fuel allows for quality functioning. Drinking water is another one of those "of course (eye roll) moments isn't it? But seriously, your cells are exposed to so many germs throughout the day, they need the water to keep the ones that don't belong moving through the system. We rid our bodies of toxins in our sweat, urine and stool. None of those things happen without proper hydration. Moving your body is another way to help remove toxins and improve your mood too. Our lymphatic system does not have a pump like the circulatory system does. The way our lymphatic fluid moves through the body is with the contraction and relaxation of our muscles. Our body sends foreign cells to the lymph so it is important that we keep that fluid moving in order to assist it in ridding our body of cells that don't belong. Finally, upbeat media. Consuming media that is dark, traumatic, or full of drama and complaints lowers our vibration. That hour you spend watching a show about murder will inadvertently lower your vibration to a place that is not conducive to health. That is not what we want when you're trying to stay well!

3. Take your vitamins. As average Americans we do not consume a balanced enough diet to get all of the vitamins and minerals we need for our bodies to function at their best. There is also the consideration that we are not absorbing what we consume to the best of our abilities, usually due to an unhealthy microflora in our gut (caused by antibiotic use, stress, poor diet, etc) or the nutrients not being bio-available. A few of my favorite for vitamins/minerals for prevention include Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, and Silver. 

4. Support your body with herbal supplements too. There are many herbs out there and some do interact with your prescription medications so please remember that I don't prescribe or diagnose anything. This is merely a sharing of knowledge and you are encouraged to do your own research and consult your Primary Care Provider prior to making any changes. In my house, we always have a supply of Elderberry, Echinacea, and Oregano oil and probiotics on hand. There are some delicious elderberry tea's that are a favorite for those chilly days when you're feeling a little run down anyway. The idea is never to "cure" an illness, but to support your body in such a way that it can heal itself.

5. Along with washing, eating right, maintaining your vibration and supplementing, you must get enough rest! One of the worst things we do for ourselves in the proclaimed "flu season" is allow the stress and busyness of the holiday's prevent us from sleeping well. Your body needs to sleep to heal and fight off those little bugs before they take hold! 

Bonus: Stress relief! When you are stressed your body sends out the hormone cortisol (your fight or flight hormone) to try and keep up with the daily demands. This is a good thing, when you're in immediate danger. When your stress is brought on by work pressure that never ends, instead of a short-lived but high intensity fight for your life, it leads to depression, poor digestion (leading to an inability to assimilate your nutrition), and trouble sleeping. Remember our 3 strand cord? This is one of those moments. The emotion, stress, effects the physical body and that all gets in the way of your health. If you can find a way to relieve your stress every day you can slow down that cortisol response and allow your immune system to be fighting bugs instead of your adrenals fighting for your life. 

I'm also a big proponent in chiropractic care. Often times those with sinus infections are misaligned in their upper spine. When this happens the sinus drainage that is usually able to move through those sinus cavities and into the throat without issue, get a little dammed up in there instead. This allows viruses and bacteria to grow  inside the sinus cavities, or at the very least fill up creating pressure and pain in the years. A chiropractic adjustment can help maintain alignment so your body can function as it was designed to. I will always support a multitude of modalities to find your best health! 

If you want to learn more about the vitamins and herbs I mentioned, I highly recommend you check out Aviva Romm, MD's blog and/or podcast Natural MD Radio. This blog post includes further details on herbal supplements. 

Stay well my friends! May nothing less than love and light enter your space.