Flu Season & My Take on the Flu Shot

The Flu Time is upon us. Are we ready to meet the challenge? Do you need/want/required the Flu vaccination? This is the question of the day. The answer to this question is personal and for sure not a uniform “yes” or “no." The decision is ultimately yours. Learn the facts, discuss with your doctor and we can always talk further about this topic at your next appointment. 

Let me share my experience with the seasonal flu vaccination. My mom, who is now 92 y.o and still “directing the traffic” of her life, stopped having flu vaccines after her very bad experience - hospitalization twice with pneumonia some ten years ago. She said, she wished she listened to me in the first place and resisted the wide spread pro vaccination push from the media, etc. So now you know, I am not enthusiastic about the Flu vaccine.

Ever since mom stopped the vaccination - no pneumonias, no related hospitals visits, instead she uses very comprehensive immune building nutritional protocol, and Reflexology/Reiki treatments, Far Infrared Table or Far Infrared pad preventively.  I put the nutritional protocol for Cold/Flu prevention on my virtual dispensary Fullscript, especially for you. You will find it here, log in and check the tab on the left side called "Cold/Flu, or email me at irina@ibhealing.com for a personal welcome link.

My dear Nicholas had a similar bad experience two years ago, when he had his random (did not consult with yours truly) shot at school. Now he knows better to not risk his health with unproven, and unfortunately marginally effective flu shots. 

Do you want to read more on this hot topic? Here is the link to the blog of well respected Functional Medicine doctor, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald.  Additionally she offers more information on tips and remedies for Influenza. Click here to open and download for yourself. 

Let us help ourselves with easy to make folk remedies, like Fire Cider,  see the recipe below, and natural antibacterial/antiviral formula from my previous blog.  

How to Make Fire Cider

I want to share this simple recipe, as it seems there are alarming number of  people now coming down with cold, or flu. Maybe you can help yourself, by making this healthy drink: Fire Cider. I love the folk remedy, do you?

"Let food be your medicine." (I was not the first one to say that, I know)
Thank you Hippocrates.

Ingredients:

1. 32 Ounces RAW apple cider vinegar
2. 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3. 2 heads garlic, peeled and chopped fine
4. 1 and 1/2 cups grated horseradish
5. 4 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
6. 1-2 spicy chilis, sliced (any spicy chili will do OR you can add a pitch of cayenne powder)
7. Honey (to taste)

Directions:

Place all ingredients into  a LARGE mason jar, pack down slightly, and pour apple cider vinegar on top.  Give the jar a little shake to remove any air bubbles.  Cover with tight-fitting lid.

Place into a dark, cool place for at least 2 weeks, a month is better.  Carefully strain out herbs, add honey to sweeten it slightly, and bottle your tonic.  Discard the strained ingredients OR try adding them to a stir fry.

Store in fridge.  I have heard that this lasts anywhere from 1 year to indefinitely.

NOTE: Be careful when handling these ingredients as they can be irritating to hands and eyes.

How to Take Your Fire Cider

As a daily tonic, sip a tablespoon or 2  a day to boost your immune system.

OR

At the first sign of feeling sick, take 1-2 tablespoons several times a day until you are feeling better.

OR

Be adventurous.  Add fire cider to your salad dressing, soups, steamed veggies, etc.  It’s super yummy!

Credit goes to this wonderful site: www.savorylotus.com

 

Natural Alternative to Antibiotics

It happens often between seasons, we catch cold, our sinuses get irritated and infected, our chest congested, cannot breathe or sleep, and before we know it we are totally exhausted. You know the drill: call or trip to the doctor, then the pharmacy to quickly bring antibiotics to our defense.

Common occurrence nowadays.

Way too often antibiotics are not effective first time around, or worse they create unpleasant, if not dangerous side effects. I learned about this alternative to prescribed antibiotics while studying with Truth Calkins - an amazing herbalist and anti-aging health coach from CA. My husband and I have been taking this formula with great results on and off for the past 18 months.  I have been offering it to some of my clients for the last year to ward off the common infections and boost the immune system. You can easily order it through my virtual dispensary “Fullscript” online. You will find it under the tab “Shop by Categories”  As always do not hesitate to call or email me with any questions in regards to supplementations – short consults are welcomed and FREE of charge.

I'd like to introduce you to what is called a Natural Antibiotic Shot - to boost immune system, prevent and address colds and flus, allergies, infections – and also good for sinuses, ear, and chest infections.

Instructions:

1. put 2 tsp clean filtered water in a shot glass
2. add 5 drops of Oregano Oil 
3. add 1 tsp of Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract liquid
4. add 1 tsp of Sovereign Silver
5. add 1 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar
6. dash of cayenne pepper - optional
7. Mix well and shoot straight back. Please wait 30 minutes before eating anything else. 

Ingredients:

• Oregano Essential Oil: Pure essential oil of origanum vulgare obtained via natural processes. It is a mucous membrane irritant. May be toxic if used internally overdosed. Avoid direct contact w/ eyes. Do not expose to direct sunlight.
• Apple Cider Vinegar w/mother 12 oz Organic Kosher Unfiltered & Unpasteurized Omega Nutrition’s organic Apple Cider Vinegar is of exceptional quality and flavor. Our Apple Cider Vinegar is produced the “old fashioned” way. • No chemicals, additives or preservatives. • Unpasteurized to preserve its nutritional value. • Contains pectins, beneficial bacteria and enzymes. • Contains “mother” which is formed naturally by the bacteria in unpasteurized vinegar. • Vinegar containing “mother” is not harmful or spoiled. 
• Liquid Kyolic Odorless Organic Garlic: Extract begins with 100% organically grown garlic bulbs. They are then aged to perfection in a unique extraction process to eliminate odor and create the beneficial compounds found only in Kyolic. Kyolic has multiple benefits: - Cardiovascular health - healthy homocysteine and cholesterol levels. Kyolic supports your body's natural defenses .Kyolic helps the liver to produce glutathione, the body's natural detoxifier. Kyolic liquid has unique and beneficial anti-oxidant compounds created by this special process.
• Sovereign Silver Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol delivers  98% positively charged silver [Ag(n) 1+]. EASILY ABSORBED: Unprecedented particle size of 0.8 nanometers allows for easy absorption and excretion.  Ultra-small particle size results in greater surface area, making our low concentration of 10 ppm more effective than brands up to 500 ppm. PERFECTLY SAFE*: Safe for the whole family. †According to the EPA (CASRN 7440-22-4) daily Oral Silver Reference Dose (RfD) applied to 10 ppm, one may ingest 178,850 servings safely over 70 years. 99.999% PURE: No added salts or proteins. Just pure silver in pure water. Vegan. 

Bounce Gently, Bounce Daily

In my August Newsletter, I wrote about rebounding or exercising on mini-trampoline, as a part of an anti-aging health program.

Doing this simple exercise of bouncing can burn 350 calories in 30 minutes. You improve your balance and flexibility. You can even watch a favorite show or listen to a famous podcast while bouncing.  

We recently replaced the old metal spring rebounder with the Bellicon brand, which uses flexible, but sturdy and silent bungee cords.

Here again the benefits of bouncing:

1. great, gentle workout for all muscle groups
2. flushes out the lymphatic system, where toxins are accumulated
3. aids in the digestion and elimination
4. enhances and brightens mood

Check it out https://www.bellicon.com

Reflexology For Headaches

I rarely have headaches. That is my genetic luck and may I say so, my lifestyle choices.

The last two headaches I had were so terrible and memorable, they are worth sharing with you.

On August 2, 2014 my beloved cat Dr. Chipper passed on after being with us for almost 20 years. He took his last breath  while I was away from home for 40 minutes. The previous two weeks I  nursed him with  IV, wrapped him in far infrared blanket and enticed him to recover with  gentle whispers in his ears. I hardly left the house. He slipped away in Nicholas' presence, not giving me a chance to say my last “good byes”. I was totally devastated.

The left side of my head was throbbing with persistent cadence for 48 hours since I learned the news. It became so unbearable that my doctor friend  advised me to go the Emergency Room. Four hours and head MRI later, the nurse suggested that I take Extra Strength Tylenol.  Apparently, I was deficient ;) in it.  Headache was gone, the grief for Dr. Chipper is still with me, although I used my powerful Peppermint essential oil and self -help Reflexology.

The second memorable headache hit me this February, the 9th - first serious snow storm this year.  All day I had relentless pounding on the back of my head. This time I was not Tylenol deficient, I tried two pills - no relief. What helped me is a Reflexology session by my husband's  loving hands and a cold compress on the back of my head.

Here is how Nicholas worked on my feet:

With his thumbs he rubbed and probed and caressed the fleshy parts of my big toes. Starting with my right foot, then the left, then both big toes simultaneously, then each and every toe pad - all ten of them. No cream, just intuitive pushing, pulling, rolling, thumb walking - 15 minutes the most. He helped me to get to some senses. I touched the back of my less throbbing  head - it was warmer on a right side. I put the ice pack on it. Dr. Dexter planted his warm body by my belly and we went to a deep sleep. I woke up in 3 hours to my normal chirpy self.

The takeaway:

If the headache hits you, start with essential oils, Peppermint is best in my clinical opinion. Find the pair of loving hands, if I am not near you, let them work your toes and your fingers for this matter. Ask me the next time and I will demonstrate these techniques. They are easy to learn and perform,  I promise.