Had the Virus?

I imagine we all know people who have had the virus lately, some worse than others, unfortunately. I hope you and your loved ones have kept healthy through all of this. In this newsletter, I won’t harp on the ways to support your immune system; I want to focus on the people who seem to be having a difficult time overcoming lingering symptoms.

Recently, I have seen quite a few people in the clinic with ongoing fatigue, brain fog, and inflammation post-infection. These symptoms can be frustrating and even debilitating. Personally, both my daughter and I tested for high cholesterol (never an issue before) several months post-infection and the functional medicine MD said that this was very common due to the liver stress caused by the virus, and it will return to normal (time for us to up our liver-support!). I have also seen people with compromised lung function and chronic back pain due to inflammation and spasms. Most of us do not make the connection with the virus, but, if you are experiencing new symptoms after being sick, you might want to follow one or all of these protocols to regain your health.

Protocol 1: Increase Nutrition for Energy Production

I love IV Drips for a quick boost to help get vital nutrients into your cells. Recently, I worked with a great Mobile IV company called Bounce Hydration to develop some IVs specifically for this purpose. We created 3 IVs that can really help you get back on track: Revitalizing Drip, Restore Drip and Release Drip. The knowledgeable and skilled nurses come with their state-of-the-art vans to your home or workplace to give you the perfect head start back to health. They are generous enough to give our readers a special promotion this month. For the month of September, our clients get 15% off any drip. The code to use is HOH15. And, by the way, anyone can benefit from nutritional IVs, they can help you find one that suits your goals, from skin to weight loss, immune support to athletic performance.

If IVs are not an option for you, try taking our favorite multi-nutrient supplement Intramax. It contains over 415 amazing ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, probiotics, trace elements and fulvic acid.

Protocol 2: Reduce Inflammation

Bringing down inflammation in the body, including the liver and the brain (nervous system), is essential to moving past the lingering viral effects. This can (and often should) be done systemically and locally (where the pain is). Good, pure water (we love Berkey purifiers) is always vital in moving inflammation out of the body, as is a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet focusing on at least 80% organic fruits and vegetables, along with wild-caught fish, free-range eggs and chicken and grass-fed meats. Avoid sugar, fried foods, alcohol and processed foods at the very least. If you want to purchase a Berkey filter, our 10% discount code is HOHBerkey10.

For systemic inflammation reduction, I usually recommend one of 3 supplements: Turmeric (Curcuplex), BoswelliaZyme, and CBD. These supplements will be 15% off for the month of September. Ask your practitioner which one might be best for you.

For localized inflammation, I love castor oil packs. Most people think of them for liver and colon health (yes, they are great for this!), but you can apply a castor oil pack virtually anywhere you want to reduce inflammation in the body – the back, joints, the stomach, uterus, etc. We have a partnership with an amazing organic castor oil pack company, Queen of Thrones, with many options to help you easily take advantage of this tried-and-true practice. These Queen of Thrones castor packs are on sale beginning September 20th through September 24th. Use the code: SOUTHWICK22

Protocol 3: Detoxification

In my experience, I have seen that most, if not all, people suffering with these symptoms have over-loaded livers. The liver is responsible for over 600 functions in the body from detoxification to digestion to hormone balance. An upset liver, as you can imagine, can wreak havoc in the body. Before you start on a liver detox, it is essential, and I mean essential, that your bowels are moving regularly and you have enough energy production in the body. If you do not have enough energy production and the toxins from your liver have no place to go, they can recirculate and make you feel worse.

If you are using castor oil packs for your inflammation, use them for your liver detox, too! They help move bile (the way your body dumps toxins from the liver into the intestines for removal from the body) and reduce inflammation. Far infrared saunas are also a great tool for detox and inflammation reduction in the body (check out a home version we love here). If you are open to it, coffee enemas are great for moving that toxic bile out, as well.

Some healthful foods that support liver function and detox are organic red beets, asparagus, artichoke, liver (from organic, grass-fed sources), green tea, green leafy vegetables and broccoli. Drinking fresh lemon in your water upon waking is also great for liver and kidney detox.

My favorite liver detox supplements are Liver Protect, NAC, Milk Thistle Combination, and Liver Detox Formula. These supplements will be 15 % off during the month of September. Ask your practitioner which one is best for you.

Again, I hope you are all feeling 100% after any illness you may have experienced, but if you have not yet fully recovered, you may find that implementing these protocols will be very helpful in bringing your body back to its former vitality. If you are struggling, it’s always a good idea to meet with your practitioner to create a customized plan just for you.