When prevention doesn't work. How to Beat the Flu Naturally.

Okay, so you tried to protect your family from the flu, but your prevention techniques did not work. Now you have a family of 4 all sniffling, aching, feverish, and pathetic as ever… what do you do now?

First off, all of your prevention efforts are not lost. The increased vitamins and minerals, herbal and diet approaches have set your immune system up to fight the good fight. You will be able to handle the infection more efficiently now. Hopefully, reducing the amount of time you are sick.

Keep in mind you can apply any of the prevention techniques I mentioned in my previous blog, A Naturopathic Approach to Preventing the Flu. But when that is not strong enough, there are quite a few natural, home remedies you can try to knock the flu out in no time. Consider trying a few of the the following remedies to support your immune system while using antiviral approaches to stop the viral replication quick.

• Hydrotherapy: the therapeutic use of water.

  • Wet sock treatment: this technique uses cold temperatures on the feet to stimulate the body to produce a low grade fever. Doing this at the onset of symptoms can knock the virus out before it proliferates took much.

    • Soak a pair of cotton socks in water and freeze them. When you feel any symptoms of illness come on, place the frozen socks on your feet. Then put some wool socks over them. Sleep through the night with the socks on. When you wake, they should be warm.

    • Do not perform if you have diabetes, Raynauds, or neuropathy in your feet.

  • Humidifier: using cool air humidifiers are great for dry and wet coughs alike. The wet air breaks up mucous but also helps prevent the spread of the virus through the air. Recent studies have shown the flu virus travels significantly more with indoor humidity less than 30-40%. [1]

  • Steam inhalation: Great for opening airways, breaking up thick mucous and using herbs to directly treat pathogens in the respiratory tract.

    • Boil water in a medium size sauce pot, with fresh herbs or essential oils, 2-10 drops as you tolerate. The best herbs to use are eucalyptus, thyme, and peppermint.

    • Place the pot onto a protected surface and use a towel to cover both your head and pot. Keep the steam in as much as possible and be careful not to burn yourself. Take several deep inhalations through the session. Take breaks when needed.

    • Repeat 2-3 times per day, 10-15 minute sessions.

• Nasal rinses: Continue using your net pot throughout the day, and alternate with a broad-spectrum nasal spray such as this.

• Herbal medicine

  • Echinacea is best used short-term for the duration of your illness and a few days after. it is supporting your immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells, and also has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Adults can take 3 dropperful of a tincture two times a day. Children can use a glycerite at half the adult dose. It is safe in 2nd and 3rd trimester pregnancy, as well as lactation.

  • Elderberry is also recommended for the treatment phase. Just increase your syrup dose to 1-2 tablespoons at least 4 times a day or switch to concentrate capsules. This is also safe in pregnancy, lactation and children.

  • Anthocyanins are flavonoids that give certain fruits their dark, fish color and antioxidant effects. Although I would not recommend drinking a glass of red wine during your illness, I would recommend taking an anthocyanin extract. The brand I use is from Bill Mitchell. You must find a doctor in your area who carries it. if you can’t get your hands on it, be sure to use elderberry as a replacement.

  • Yarrow and Elderflower are both helpful with reducing the negative effects of a fever.

  • My source of local elderberry syrup also has a a tea with yarrow, lemon balm, elderflower, elderberry, and echinacea. If you can, find a local source such as this.

• Fasting

• When the body’s temperature gets above 99.1 F, your body starts to shunt blood away from the gastrointestinal tract and as a result, temporarily slows your digestion. Since the digestion is slowed down, any food you eat will cause more energy and effort to break down, which takes aways from your healing. In addition, it puts a strain on the liver which is already working overtime to clear other components from the infection and protein breakdown, which can possibly increase the level of toxicity.

• So when you begin to feel a fever, stop eating. Stick to liquids such as bone broths, juices, water, and soups for the remainder of the illness.

• For high fevers and body aches:

  • Fevers in general are a great sign that your immune system is at work! It is never a good idea to continuously suppress a fever, unless it is rising too high too fast. However, sometimes the fever gets so high that you are uncomfortable. When you’d like to lower the fever naturally for temporary relief, consider rubbing peppermint essential oil around the navel. In extreme cases you can rub a diluted oil over the extremities, making sure to avoid the face.

  • You can also try homeopathy. When the fever spikes suddenly and gets very high, consider Belladonna. When the fever is slowly rising and is the only symptom at first, consider Ferrum phos. In addition, you can try Oscillococcinum for fever and body aches, which is now found on the shelves of most natural food stores.

So you can see, there are so many ways to prevent and treat the flu naturally. Some remedies will work and others may not, depending on you, your constitution, and your vital force. Always honor how you feel and how you respond to each remedy.

This is not medical advice, please consult your doctor before trying any new treatments.

Resources:

1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahbinder/2019/10/17/harvard-researcher-says-this-inexpensive-action-will-lower-hospital-infection-rates-and-protect-us-for-the-flu-season/#66ba3cde1824

Getting to know the doctor behind Illuminate Natural Health.

Why should you listen to me? 

Those who read my blog or have bought my book may wonder why they should listen to me? You may be asking yourself, “Is she some kind of expert in this field?”, “What is her success rate?”, “How can her information help me?”.  Once people hear my “areas of specialties”, they wonder why I am all over the place, because I don’t have just one area I focus on. I have found that it is all connected somehow, so I kept learning. 

Although I am more than happy to introduce myself and give a list of educational accomplishments, I must say that what is more important is you trusting the answers you find within yourself. Each and everyone of us has the innate ability to heal ourselves, we just have to trust it. When searching the internet, you can come across some crazy information. Some of it just silly and some down right dangerous. I advise my patients to follow their intuition. 

In general, if anyone says you can heal your chronic condition with one magic bullet… just move on. If they promote one herb or nutrient but never address lifestyle changes, they are lacking knowledge of what true health is. But you know this already. Even if you want to believe there is an easy way to fix all your problems, I think deep down you know you need to keep searching for the answers. The answers are there, I promise. It may take going from one “expert” site to another, going to multiple doctor’s visits or trial and error… but the answers are most definitely there. You just have to trust your instincts when they lead you to one place over the other. 

 There is a reason you ended up on my site today. I don’t believe it to be chance. I think everything happens for a reason, whether we can identify the reason or not. There is a force that pulls us down our chosen path- if we are willing to let it guide us. Me, I know it as God. Others may refer to it as mother nature or the Universe. Whether it is a cosmic force or not, it cannot be denied. Something somewhere led you here, or any other reference you read today. As long as you keep an open mind and follow your intuition, you can find answers almost anywhere you look. Hopefully, you can find some of the answers here with me. 

So who am I?

I am a licensed naturopathic doctor. I received my degree from Bastyr University, California. Prior to studying to become a naturopathic doctor, I was a registered nurse for four years, working in medical surgical, antepartum and mother-baby care. I accrued certification as a lactation consultant, which was something I truly enjoyed.   

I am also married and the mother of two beautiful, healthy boys. My first son was born during my first year of medical school. That was challenging to say the least, but it opened up a new perspective and whole new world of medicine. After the birth of my first son, I became known around school as the expert on pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation, because I just couldn’t stop talking about everything surrounding birth and babies. I realized the short-comings of our medical system surrounding the health of women and their babies, and it became a passion of mine to spread this knowledge. Hence, the birth of “Autonomous healthcare for empower women” on drsarahduhon.com. 

To also add to my plate during school, I attended courses and conferences to supplement my learning. I completed over 200 hours of functional neurology education under the instruction of Dr. Robert Melillo, DC and Dr. Datis Kharrazian, DC through International association of Functional Neurology (IAFNR). During this time, I was privileged enough to earn the IAFNR 2016 student of the year award. Sometimes I wondered why I was given that award, because I know I was not the smartest student there. But now I understand that sometimes you are acknowledged for the time and effort you put in. I was so eager to learn, and they saw how I busted my butt to do it. The information I learned in functional neurology stemmed the passion of working with children with developmental disorders and adults with neurodegenerative diseases.

During this time, my family just so happened to move into a house with mold. To say the least, my son and I became very ill. I had one crazy symptom after another. Doctors were stumped. I was spending thousands of dollars on testing, with no answers. I finally felt and understood what my patients were feeling. Having those moments of feeling lost and crazy opened up new possibilities for me in medicine. I researched and followed my intuition, because no other doctor could help me. Once I identified what the triggering factor was, our family left the home. My son was instantly better, but I continued to be sick. This is when I discovered the environmental connection of mold and infectious disease. WOW! My life was forever changed! I was able to take my health back with the knowledge I gained. As hard as that time was for me to be sick, I know it happened for a reason… my patients. 

In addition to my own mysterious symptoms, I also began seeing an increasing number of chronically ill patients in clinic. That led to me complete a series on multi-system autoimmune diseases instructed by Dr. Shikhman through IFSMED and attended multiple functional medicine seminars by Apex and Dr. Kharrazian, DC. This additional training allowed me to understand the connection of infection environmental components and autoimmune disease, among other mysterious conditions. 

Slowly, but surely, preconception care began to show up in each area of my studies. Everything from autoimmune to neurology, from gut health to Ayurvedic medicine. The defining question for me became: what if I was able to decrease the chances of a child being born with autism or develop autoimmunity by simply helping a mother make the right choices before and during her pregnancy? This theory was enough to motivate me write my first book, Preparing for Pregnancy.

You see, once I studied one area of medicine, I found the connection to another. I quickly understood that there is an amazing web within our bodies and there is no way to focus on just one area. If you do, you will miss the opportunity to help the majority of cases. I also noticed that the treatment for all of these conditions started in the same area: The foundations of health. So I continue to learn as much as I can about diet, lifestyle, sleep, stress reduction, spiritual life, and love for self and others. Because if you don’t have these areas in order, the other treatments simply won’t work for chronic disease. 

So eventually, after five long years, I graduated. After passing part I and II of the Naturopathic Physician Board Licensing Examination, I pursued licensure in the state of Kansas, even though my primary practice is in Louisiana. Louisiana is an unlicensed state and limits my ability to use all my training, but it also allows the focus on the foundations of health to be a primary focus. I believe, this is what has saved me from falling into the trap of becoming a “green allopath”. Instead of ordering tests and throwing supplement at my patients, I actually take the time to find the root cause and teach them their physiology… then teach them lifestyle approaches that can make a lasting positive impact on their health. I see patients in office and via telemedicine, because I hope to help as many people as I possibly can. 

My passion is to bring an abundance of education to help empower the community to take control of their health, so they may learn to “doctor themselves”. My passions in natural medicine encompass Ayurvedic, functional neurology, and Naturopathic approaches to treat infertility, preconception, pregnancy and postpartum wellness, autoimmune disease, pediatric neurological developmental disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, lyme disease, and mold toxicity among other environmental toxicity conditions. I have the knowledge of and ability to apply healing modalities such as nutrition, lifestyle counseling, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, craniosacral therapy, aromatherapy, and functional neurology, among others to assist in the most appropriate, individualized healing path for my patient’s optimal well-being.

I hope that answers some questions you may have about me and my practice. But please reach out to join our mailing list, or contact us!

A Naturopathic Approach to Preventing the Flu

The influenza season in America can be a scary time for some, especially parents. The entire season you are awaiting the dreaded email or note from the teacher, “ we have several reported cases of the flu in your child’s class…” If you are like me and have a baby at home, this threat if even more real. Because of this, I am writing a two part series for revealing the most naturopathic approach to preventing and treating the flu. This approach has been proven to be affective in my family and my patients alike. You can totally own this flu season as well, it just takes a tad bit of knowledge to begin.

Here is a golden nugget of information that will blow your mind. The root cause of becoming ill after exposure to the influenza virus is not the actual virus itself. Wait… What?!?! Yes, you read that right. We shouldn’t fear the actual virus, because it goes much deeper than that. Let me explain.

We all have something called the vital force that helps keep us in a healthy and vibrant state. It resides in all of us. It is the body’s innate ability to protect and heal itself. It is a force, a flow, an energy that travels through our bodies ensuring homeostasis. A great vital force is very evident in a healthy person. Their skin glows, their digestion is on point, they have stable energy throughout the day, and are in a happy mood most of the time. It’s also pretty evident when someone’s vital force is low because they tend to be fatigued, constipated, have indigestion, in chronic pain, maybe feel depressed.

As for the vital force helping us overcome an illness like the flu, think of it this way:

• If someone has a great vital force and becomes infected, they may have very mild symptoms such as a runny nose and fever that will resolve in two days. Or they may not ever become ill after coming into contact with an infected person... they just walk around all peppy the whole season without even the first little sniffle! These are those people who rarely get sick, and when they do it is so mild that they are up and at it in just a few short days.

• If someone has a low vital force and becomes infected with the flu, they may experience a range of intense symptoms that last 7-14 days. These are those people who are sick multiple times a year, for extended periods of time. *Or they may not ever have symptoms except fatigue and malaise after being infected with the flu (or any pathogen) because their immune system is not functioning well enough to produce a fever, runny nose, or cough. these are the people who haven’t been “sick” in 10 years but are pretty fatigued and run down on a daily basis.

Therefor, it is not the actual virus that makes us sick. 

It is our body’s vital force that determines whether or not we will produce an effective immune response.

Okay, so now that you understand your vital force, let’s look at how you can boost it up this season to ensure a better immune response.

Your vital force is most influenced by a healthy diet full of a variety of colored fruits and vegetables, an active lifestyle, sunlight, good sleep, and a good attitude. This is otherwise known as the foundations of health. Some tips on how to achieve this:

• Include 3 servings of vegetables or fruits at every meal and snack throughout the day… with a variety of colors. More variety of fruits and vegetables creates a healthier microbiome. This is more effective than taking your daily probiotic!!!

• Limit or eliminate all sugar other than fruit, honey or maple syrup

• Intermittent fasting between 7pm and 10 am

• Wake up early and enjoy the sunrise

• Be outside at least 2 hours of the day

• Exercise early in the morning. If you can’t make time to exercise at least 30 minutes a day, then make sure to move around at your desk at work. Bring in an exercise ball to sit on or take 5 minute moving breaks every 30 minutes, park your car further from the entrance, and take the stairs!

• Go to sleep before 9pm

• Turn off all electronics by 8pm and never bring them to bed with you

• Reduce EMF exposure by turning phone to airplane mode and unplugging all electronics in your bedroom

• Look in the mirror every morning and tell yourself how amazing you are and how much you appreciate all the hard work you put into taking care of yourself

You can also use these same approaches for the children in your home. All of these things promote a healthy lifestyle to prevent acute illnesses such as the flu and also chronic conditions such as autoimmunity.

In addition to the foundations of health creating a vibrant vital force, there are some other natural ways of preventing the flu this season, and every season to come!

Essential oil “Thieves” Hand Sanitizer: Of course washing your hands is a given, but carrying around an essential oil blend for natural sanitation is a sure way of killing off some germs that land on the hands of your little ones. Add the essential oil to your diffuser at home or apply it as a hand sanitizer to hands as needed during the active season. The oil combination of clove, cinnamon, rosemary, and lemon is very helpful. You can make your own by diluting in water and spraying on furniture or a few drops in oil and applying to hands, or purchase a premed hand sanitizer through a company such as Young Living. Pranarom also offers a thieves essential oil blend. Purchase these products directly through the companies or professional practitioners who carry the product in office.

Nasal lavage: This is an ancient Ayurvedic technique of clearing out the nostrils from daily pathogens that threaten our immune system. It is easy and effective. Use 1 cup warm water (distilled water or boiled, filtered water- never use straight from the tap) with ¼ tsp natural sea salt or the salt provided in the neti pot package.

Sambuccus Nigra (Elderberry)- This herb is known for its Anti-catarrhal, Diaphoretic, Anti-oxidant, Anti-Viral,  Mast cell stabilization, and Anti-histamine effects. Mainly known for the extensive research conducted in the area of the flu. It can reduce the length of the illness by 3-4 days and significantly reduce symptoms. If taken as preventative, it can help you avoid it all together!!! Such an amazing herb. Make sure to buy your syrup from al local vendor that uses a clean, local honey source for added benefit. Avoid syrups in the market that use sugar, as it is counterproductive! This is safe in pregnancy and breast-feeding, however babies under 12 months should avoid honey products. In this case, you can look for a glyceride.

I love my local Elderberry syrup source @heatherjadeapothecary. Because I know it is clean, made with love, and made with organic ingredients by a knowledgable herbalist. Try your hardest to find that in your local area, instead of buying off the shelves.

When using a syrup, for prevention your dosing is 1 tsp (5 ml) 3 x day. For treatment it is 1 tbsp (15 ml) 4 x day or 1 tsp (5 ml) every 2 hours.

Vitamin C- This vitamin does all the things. it is an antioxidant, lowers histamine, helps with glucose handling, an enzyme cofactor for collagen building, hormones, neurotransmitters, carnitine, and is a binder for toxins and heavy metals. Include food sources and an additional supplementation during the flu season.

Significant food sources of Vitamin C:  kiwi, citrus, strawberries, red pepper, kale, broccoli, parsley.

Liposomal Vitamin C is a great version to use to avoid loose stools.

My family uses Innate’s C Complete powder which tastes great in the powder form.

Revitalize Wellness makes a liposomal liquid option, which is great for young children as well.

RDA for Vitamin C is 75 mg/d – 90 mg/d, which is the bare minimum to prevent Scurvy. Come on now… we can do better than that. For an adult, around 800-1000mg and a child 500 mg is a good starting point. In pregnancy, make sure not to exceed 5000 mg/d and if you are on blood thinning medications do not exceed 1000 mg/d.

B Vitamins- B vitamins are crucial for many processes in the body including methylation, detoxification, and immune support. They are essential as cofactors to many life-depending processes in the body. B6 has been extensively studied for its effects on our T cells, which is one part of our immune system which eliminates viral threats. Make sure your B complex is methylated and free of folic acid.

Zinc- Has been widely studied for its positive affect on the immune system. Take it in a bioavailable form such as Zinc Picolinate, at night to reduce nausea. Adult dosing for prevention is around 15 mg, but 30 mg for treatment. Children dosing over 3 years old is about half of that dose. Zinc is never intended to be used long term as it can disrupt the zinc and copper balance.

Vitamin D- Low Vitamin D levels have been associated with autoimmunity and low immunity. 57% of adults and 36% of adolescents in America have low blood levels of this amazing vitamin. You can supplement with Vitamin D3, and easily take it in liquid form.

Natural Sources of Vitamin D:

• Direct Sun exposure

• Salmon

• Fish liver oil

• Organ meat

• Egg yolks

A sufficient dose depends on your current vitamin D levels. However, if you do not know yours, a good maintenance dose for adults in 2000 IU/ day and 1000 IU/day for children. Babies are recommended by the AAP to take 400 IU/day from 2 weeks of age onward.

Homeopathy, Influenzinum is a homeopathic nosode of the years previous flu strand. It is essentially a natural version of the flu vaccine. They simply take the flu virus and dilute it down so much that it is not detectable any more. You can been taking this at the first mention of the flu in your area.

The dose you would use is 30c or 200c. Take 3 pellets (1 dose) under tongue at beginning of season, then 1 week later 3 doses in one day, then 1 dose every month until season is over. A mild fever after dose is a good sign.

Stay warm and healthy the rest of the cold and flu season! Stay tuned to learn more about how to treat the flu naturally with botanicals, vitamins, minerals and hydrotherapy!

Here are some of the supplements we use in my home, as I promote brands that are clean, third party tested and organic when possible. You can create an account under me to get professional grade supplements and have easy access with home delivery. After you register, you then can place an order of any of the supplements I list here, under the category “flu treatments”.

As this is only a health blog, I cannot perform any assessments on you specifically, which means I cannot officially give you medical advice. This means, any recommendations on this page are prevention techniques made from general knowledge. Please consult your doctor before attempting any new supplements or lifestyle modifications.