A Naturopathic Perspective on the H1N1 Flu

By Dr. Diana Christoff Quinn

The H1N1 virus, also called the swine flu, is of great concern to many as we enter the early stages of cold and flu season. The swine flu is a strain of the influenza A virus that typically causes flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, and sometimes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  The swine flu is a composite of four different flu viruses – North American swine, Eurasian swine, North American avian, and human[i].

The swine flu is transmitted by respiratory droplets in the air, from coughs and sneezes.  Transmission requires fairly close contact to the sick person, as the virus can’t travel more than 6 feet and does not remain airborne for long.  The typical incubation period for the virus is 1-7 days after exposure, but more likely 1-4 days.  People infected with the flu are contagious at least one day prior to the outbreak of symptoms and up to five days after.

How serious is the swine flu?

At this time, the World Health Organization considers the overall severity of the influenza pandemic to be moderate.  The moderate assessment reflects that:

• Most people recover from infection without the need for hospitalization or medical care.
• Overall, national levels of severe illness from Influenza A (H1N1) appear similar to levels seen during local seasonal influenza periods, although high levels of disease have occurred in some local areas and institutions.”[ii]
• According to the CDC, there have been roughly 400 deaths in the US reported to date attributable to the H1N1 flu; many estimate a million cases of infection or more are probable, given that mild cases are not reported and routine testing is no longer being performed.

Are there ways to prevent the flu?

Using basic hygiene is often our best defense. Everyone is advised to wash their hands regularly, use a tissue to cover mouth and nose during a cough or sneeze, and stay home if they are ill.  Getting adequate rest and nutrition are also very important for maintaining good immune defenses.  For hand washing, consider using essential oil antimicrobial hand sanitizers such as CleanWell[iii].  This product does not contain alcohol, and is therefore gentler on hands while still being 99.9% effective in killing germs.

Natural remedies to help with prevention include probiotics, healthy gut bacteria including Lactobacilus acidophilus.  A recently published study in the journal Pediatrics demonstrated that “daily dietary probiotic supplementation for 6 months was a safe and effective way to reduce fever, rhinorrhea, and cough incidence and duration and antibiotic prescription incidence, as well as the number of missed school days attributable to illness, for children ages 3 to 5.”[iv]

Who is at risk of complications from the flu?

Most people will not experience severe symptoms or complications from the flu.  Those who may be at higher risk of complications and hospitalization include:

• Children less than 5 years old
• Persons aged 65 years or older
• Children and adolescents under 18 who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection
• Pregnant women
• Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, hepatic, hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders
• Adults and children who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV)
• Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities.[v]

When is it important to get medical attention?

Emergency warning signs in children:

• Rapid or difficult breathing
• Fever with a rash and/ or bluish skin
• Lack of thirst resulting in not drinking enough fluids
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and a worsened cough

In adults, emergency warning signs requiring urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• Sudden dizziness or confusion

• Severe or persistent vomiting

Are there natural remedies to help treat the flu?

It is important with the treatment of the flu to keep hydrated and to rest.  Because the flu is a virus, antibiotics are not an effective treatment.  Many holistic doctors recommend using the homeopathic remedy Oscillococcinum[vi] at the first sign of symptoms.  This remedy has been shown to shorten the duration and severity of flu symptoms.  Additionally, one study of Elderberry syrup demonstrated its efficacy for shortening the duration of the flu.[vii]

The H1N1 virus was initially thought to be very dangerous, but now the severity has been updated to moderate.  With basic hygiene and self-care the flu virus may be prevented, and common natural remedies can help decrease the symptoms and duration of a flu infection.

Dr. Diana Christoff Quinn, ND is a licensed Naturopathic doctor specializing in women’s health and chronic illness.  She maintains a private practice in Ann Arbor as well as in Beaumont Hospital’s Integrative Medicine clinic in Royal Oak.  For more information or to schedule an appointment call (734) 769-4981.

[ii] http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu

[iii] http://www.cleanwelltoday.com/

[iv] http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/124/2/e172

[v] http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/identifyingpatients.htm

[vi] http://www.oscillo.com/

[vii]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15080016?ordinalpos =13&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.PubmedResultsPanel.Pubmed_ DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

As there are no upcoming classes scheduled for July and August, we at Naturopathic Women’s HealthCare send our wishes for a safe and healthy summer with some tips for fun in the sun.  Everyone needs a good natural first aid kit to take to the beach, camping in the woods, or even in your own backyard.

Do-It-Yourself Natural Insect Repellant

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (see article) found that soybean oil insect repellant was effective against biting mosquitos for over 90 minutes.  Although the formula below needs to be reapplied every couple of hours for optimal protection, and is not designed for use in areas where insect-born illnesses are a high risk, it is an effective means for preventing mosquito bites without the exposure to neurotoxic compounds like DEET.

1 c. soybean oil

10 drops each of Geranium, Eucalyptus, Lavendar and Lemongrass essential oil

Mix and place into clean spray bottles.  Reapply every 1.5-2 hours while outdoors for maximum protection.

Homeopathic First Aid Kit

Aconite 30C: shock and trauma

Apis 30C: stings or bites, swelling, allergic reactions

Arsenicum 30C: vomiting and diarrhea, anxiety

Arnica 200C: bruising, injury, swelling

Belladonna 30C: fever, injuries with red,

hot swelling; acute ear infections

Bryonia 30C: flu, cough, gastritis

Cantharis 30C: mild burns, sunburn

Gelsemium 30C: flu symptoms

Ledum 200C: puncture wounds or cuts

Nux vomica 30C: nausea, headache

Rhus Tox 30C: poison oak or ivy, joint pain

All-Purpose Salve: topical healing aid for minor cuts and bruises.

Kits are available for sale through Naturopathic Women’s HealthCare.  The homeopathic first-aid kit  is meant for use in conjunction with medical care for minor ailments and is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent illness.

Enjoy the summer, and be well!

The best natural healer turns out to be nature

by Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian

Wednesday May 27, 2009, 9:12 AM

By chance, a small hospital in Pennsylvania became the setting of a remarkable experiment. Scientist Roger Ulrich noticed some surgery patients recovered in a room with a view of leafy trees, while others recovered in an identical room, except its windows faced a brick wall.

Ulrich decided to test whether the view made any difference in the outcome for patients. He looked back at records on gall bladder surgery over a period of 10 years. The results proved enlightening.

Patients with the tree view were able to leave the hospital about a day earlier than those with a wall view, the study revealed. Patients with trees in sight also requested significantly less pain medication and reported fewer problems to nurses than wall-view patients. Contact with nature, even as limited as a view through a window, enhanced recovery from illness.

Researchers have learned much about the restorative effects of nature since Ulrich’s landmark study appeared in 1984. Studies repeatedly have shown that contact with nature can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, relieve stress, sharpen mental states and, among children with attention and conduct disorders, improve behavior and learning. Regardless of cultural background, people consistently prefer natural settings over man-made environments.

“We know that exposure to natural environments has clearly beneficial physiological effects,” says Portland psychologist Thomas Joseph Doherty.

But if exposure to nature is beneficial, what happens when we withdraw from it? That’s one of the defining questions for ecopsychology — an emerging branch of psychology rooted in the idea that mental health requires, in addition to strong bonds with fellow humans, a connection with nature and an understanding of our place in the ecosystem we are a part of.

Doherty, who recently launched the peer-reviewed Journal of Ecopsychology, is one of many psychologists concerned that the loss of connections with nature has the potential to inflict deep harm to human well-being.

“By losing that connection, we lose some of our ability to restore ourselves,” Doherty says.

Many of the ideas and concerns of ecopsychology emerged in the 1960s counterculture movement. But the term “ecopsychology” was coined in the 1990s by an influential theorist and writer, Theodore Roszak, a professor of history at California State University, Hayward. Roszak believes psychologists have a duty to address environmental problems.

“Therapists know a great deal about the private anguish that divides the psyche and breaks the heart. But they have so far not applied their knowledge and their skill to our dysfunctional environmental relations,” Roszak said in a recent essay. “Ecopsychology seeks to broaden therapeutic work and psychological research into environmentally relevant areas.”

The problem has become urgent — “one of the central psychological problems of our times,” according to Peter Kahn, a University of Washington developmental psychologist. He points to our shrinking interactions with nature — animal and plant species dwindling in numbers or going extinct; atmospheric pollutants and artificial lighting blotting out views of the stars; aircraft blaring machine noise into every corner of remaining wilderness, fossil fuel emissions altering the entire planet’s climate — and he notes that the things we are losing are disappearing quickly.

“We don’t necessarily recognize that it’s happening,” says Rachel Severson, a doctoral candidate in psychology at UW who has co-authored studies with Kahn. “We don’t recognize that we are adapting, and that there is a diminishing of our experience in terms of human well-being and flourishing.”

Simulated nature
For insight into the problem, the UW psychologists conducted a series of experiments using high-definition plasma screens that displayed real-time views of plants, birds and other wildlife to office workers in windowless rooms. Exposure to simulated nature produced measurable gains in the workers’ sense of well-being and clarity of thinking.

Next, the psychologists compared workers in an office with windows facing a real outdoor greenspace, and workers in a windowless office with and without plasma screens displaying views of the greenspace. Researchers compared how long it took workers’ heart rates to recover after a series of pop-quiz type tasks.

Real window views proved more restorative than simulated views via plasma screen, which proved no different from a blank wall in the heart rate recovery test.

“People recovered better from low-level stress by looking at an actual view of nature,” Severson says.

Researchers don’t know why real view worked better. The limits of a two-dimensional display might have failed to provide the necessary stimulus to the brain. The UW psychologists believe the explanation lies in the relationship between the person and the natural scene.

“The important part is knowing that if you walked outside you could touch the tree, or smell the leaves. It’s part of an actual, direct experience,” Severson says. “You don’t interact with digital nature. You are an observer.”

But rapid advances in technologically simulated nature may be changing what people consider to be the full human experience of nature, according to Kahn and colleagues. “Kids are spending more time playing video games, interacting with computers, with technologies that are more and more compelling with each generation,” Severson says. “That’s been the impetus for much of our work.”

Dealing with dread
Psychologists also are responding to the growing level of anxiety and feelings of helplessness among people alarmed by the onslaught of bad news about the environment: melting glaciers, thawing permafrost, collapsing fisheries, mercury contamination throughout ocean food chains, and on and on.

People have myriad responsibilities competing for their attention, Doherty points out. They have pressing duties as parents, spouses, employees, citizens and to themselves. On top of that, Doherty says “you are shoehorning in yet another duty,” that of planetary caretaker.

Citing Roszak, Doherty says that part of the answer supplied by ecopsychology is to validate that an emotional connection to nature is normal and healthy. Doing so will help the environmental movement be more effective, he says, by appealing to positive ecological bonds rather than promoting conservation based on messages of fear or shame.

June 9th, 7-8:30 pm

Tightening Our Belts

Healthy eating can be good for the budget as well as the waistline.  Join us for a discussion of economical nutritional choices that help maintain a healthy weight.  Sample menus and shopping tips included.

Free, pre-registration is not required.

Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, 113 S. Main St., Ann Arbor 48103

Thursday June 11^h, 18^th, 25^th

6-7 pm

Metabolic Balance for Women

Ready to commit to a healthier diet and lifestyle?

Join us for a three-class series and companion one-on-one consultation to get you on the path to wellness.  Nutrition, movement, stress management and natural remedies will be discussed as we create a supportive environment for women committed to improving their health.

$150 per person includes three classes and one individual consultation with Diana Christoff Quinn, ND:

•  Individual nutritional counseling and goal-setting
• Evaluation for obstacles to Metabolic Balance
• Personalized plan to help you attain your goal

 Pre-registration required.

To register call (734) 769-4981 or email drquinn@naturopathicwomenshealthcare.com.

The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians has teamed up with the American Health Journal to produce a six-part series on Naturopathic medicine, which will be aired over thirteen weeks. The program, which reaches 30 million viewers, currently airs in 158 cities across the United States on Turners Healthy Living Channel and on PBS. You can learn more about the show at their Web site, www.thedoctorshow.com

Perimenopause

A three-course series with Naturopathic Physician

Diana Christoff Quinn, ND

Perimenopause, the transitional time before menopause, is marked by fluctuating hormones that can cause some women distress.   Irregular or heavy periods, hot flashes, sleep disruption, weight gain, “fuzzy” thinking and mood swings are some common signs of perimenopause.   Thankfully, there are many natural allies to support women through this transition and ease symptoms.

Join us for a series of three classes in which we’ll discuss the physiologic basis for symptoms of perimenopause, and strategies for addressing them and improving overall health.

•  Class I: Women’s Health overview, Perimenopause and Menopause
• Class II: Natural remedies for perimenopausal support
• Class III: Wellness and Prevention through menopause and beyond

Three Thursdays March 12, 19, 26

7-8:30 pm

$90 per person includes three classes and materials

To register, call (734) 769-4981 or email drquinn@naturopathicwomenshealthcare.com

Metabolic Balance for Women

 Ready to commit to a healthier diet and lifestyle? 

Join us for a three-class series and companion one-on-one consultation to get you on the path to wellness.  Nutrition, movement, stress management and natural remedies will be discussed as we create a supportive environment for women committed to improving their health.

$150 includes three classes and one Individual Consultation with Dr. Christoff Quinn:

• Individual nutritional counseling and goal-setting
• Evaluation for obstacles to Metabolic Balance
• Personalized plan to help attain your goal

 Three Thursdays: April 16, 23, 30

7-8 pm

To register, call (734) 769-4981 or email drquinn@naturopathicwomenshealthcare.com

Elemental Homeopathy:

Salts and the Memory of Water

Discover the magic of homeopathy through study of elemental salt remedies.  Practical use of the remedies will be emphasized, exploring the mineral families and individual salts:

•   Natrum family
• Calcarea family
•  Kali family
• Magnesium family

Join us for this interactive workshop to expand your knowledge of the art and science of homeopathy.

Saturday February 7^th 2009

1:00-3:00 pm

$40 per person

To reserve a space, call (734) 769-4981 or email

drquinn@naturopathicwomenshealthcare.com

Naturopathic Women’s HealthCare

220 N. Fifth Avenue

Ann Arbor, MI  48104

www.naturopathicwomenshealthcare.com

Metabolic Balance for Women

Ready to commit to a healthier diet and lifestyle? 

Join us for a three-class series and companion one-on-one consultation to get you on the path to wellness.  Nutrition, movement, stress management and natural remedies will be discussed as we create a supportive environment for women committed to improving their health.

Three-part Series:

Thursday January 15^th

Thursday January 22^nd

Thursday January 29^th

7-8 pm

$150 includes three classes

and one Individual Consultation with Dr. Christoff Quinn:

• Individual nutritional counseling and goal-setting
• Evaluation for obstacles to Metabolic Balance
• Personalized plan to help attain your goal

Naturopathic Women’s HealthCare

220 N. Fifth Avenue

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

To register, call (734) 769-4981 or email drquinn@naturopathicwomenshealthcare.com

Restore the beauty of the season and support women in business!