Health Tips from Our Naturopath

Our naturopath doctors and naturopathic practitioners have great suggestions for helping you to be your healthiest.

It’s important to take measures that prevent infections and keep you healthy this holiday season. Don’t let infectious viruses and bacteria get a hold of you and sap your strength, dampen your festive spirit and destroy your tissue budget. The common cold and seasonal flu are some of the many infectious illnesses lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

But here’s the good news from our naturopaths – they can be avoided and destroyed.

Prevent Infections by Knowing the Causes and Solutions

Arming yourself with knowledge of the common causes of infectious illnesses and ways to prevent yourself from getting sick in the first place is the most important thing you can do to stay healthy this holiday season. Here are the five most important things that you can start doing right now:

1. Get enough sleep. With so many things to do – shopping, cleaning, decorating, cooking, caroling, school concerts, socializing and charity work – it’s surprising that there’s any time left at all for sleep. Unfortunately, chronic sleep deprivation takes a toll on your immune system and makes you more susceptible to catching a cold, the flu, and other infections.

2. Eat a healthy diet. With the holiday season comes socializing and lots of eating. Chocolate-coated treats, sugar-covered delights and diet-destroying temptations of all kinds are everywhere. To stay healthy in this flurry of sugary goodness, you have to resist some of these temptations and balance your diet with some vegetables and fruit (and no, not the chocolate-covered ones). A healthy, balanced diet will keep your immune system strong and ready to defend against whatever comes its way.

3. Maintain an environment that minimizes your risk of infection. Dry air here in Arizona, along with exposure to dirt and dust, can make you more susceptible to infections. Counteract this by installing a proper humidifier and even an air purifier. Reduce your exposure to dirt and dust even more by having your carpets and upholstery professionally cleaned. A proper cleaning schedule will keep dirt and dust levels under control, which helps to keep you healthy.

4. Proper hygiene practices are important. The holiday season is a time of large gatherings, which suits germs that like to spread from person-to-person perfectly. One of the best methods to prevent the spread of germs is proper hand washing. Soap and water are a killer combination for eliminating the spread of germs. Consider carrying a small bottle of hand sanitizer for those times when access to soap and water is inconvenient.

5. Drink plenty of water. Yes, it’s really that simple. Chronic dehydration takes a toll on the body and replenishing your fluids is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle that promotes resistance to infections. While celebrating with your friends and family, you might indulge in some wine and spirits. If you do, remember that alcoholic beverages, while delicious, do cause dehydration so it’s important to limit their intake.

Prevent Infections and Stay Healthy!

Stay healthy this season with a sensible approach to eating, sleeping, water consumption, proper hygiene and maintaining a clean environment. You’ll look and feel better, plus be able to fully enjoy the season without suffering from preventable illnesses. And your tissue budget will thank you for it too!

Happy, healthy holidays from our Naturopath Team!