Patient Education

Corona Virus (COVID-19) and What You Need to Know

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Written by Dr. Elisha Cook ND

Many individuals are experiencing a high degree of panic over the recent COVID-19 outbreak. However, the risk for individuals in Oxford/Blandford Blenheim is low. Regardless, many individuals worry, and so, it is important to clear the air of any myths or misconceptions around the outbreak. We have provided below information that is available through the Public Health unit, but if you require more information about what exactly COVID-19 is, please refer to the following website: https://www.swpublichealth.ca/content/community-update-novel-coronavirus-covid-19.

For more updates on the COVID – 19 outbreak, please see: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html#a3

What is COVID-19, what are the symptoms, how is it spread, and what can I do to protect myself?

COVID-19 is a viral infection, similar to the common cold, which can cause such symptoms as cough, fever, and shortness of breath. In elderly individuals or those with immune compromised systems such as those with diabetes, respiratory diseases, cancer, etc., symptoms can progress to pneumonia, organ failure or possibly death IF symptoms are not addressed.

COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets in the form of a sneeze or a cough. With this being said, the best prevention is as follows:  

  • Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing with your inner elbow
  • Regularly washing your hands with soap and water
  • Avoid making contact with your nose, eyes and mouth unless you have washed your hands with soap and water
  • Stay at home if you are sick
  • Avoid long-term homes/facilities or coming in contact with immune – compromised individuals if you are sick

If you are healthy, wearing a mask does not help to reduce spread of COVID-19, but rather reduces the stock for health care providers and those that are ill.

What are we doing as a clinic?

At PNHC, we keep a high degree of cleanliness in order to protect our patients and the community. As health care providers, we are obligated to vigorously wash our hands or disinfect our hands any time we come in contact with our patients. We always have disinfectant and masks ready for any cases of individuals arriving at the clinic who may be sick with a virus, bacteria, etc. With this being said, we are taking extra precautions to disinfect surfaces on a more “regular” basis (several times per day) in order to maintain your protection and health.

We do ask that if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 (recent onset of fever, cough, or difficulty breathing) or suspect that you may have it, that you give as much notice as possible with cancelling or rescheduling your appointment, and seek out testing.

With this in mind, the question remains, who should be tested for COVID-19? Public Health states that any individual with a recent onset of fever and/or cough or difficulty breathing and any of the following within the last 14 days prior to illness onset should be tested:

If you require testing, please contact our local public health unit or your medical doctor to facilitate proper testing.

Source: https://www.swpublichealth.ca/content/community-update-novel-coronavirus-covid-19

 

Does Supplement Brand/Quality Really Matter?

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Fish OilThis question is a common question that I get in my practice. The short answer to this question is yes, quality and brand really do matter and can make a big difference with how quickly or effectively you achieve your health goals. Some common problems with some supplements in the market place are as follows:

Use of the wrong part of a plant

In the past, there has been some problems that have arisen for several brands due to individuals taking the product and becoming very sick. The reason stemmed from them using the wrong portion of the plant. The plants included in this were Black Cohosh and Kava Kava. Many companies were using the cheaper portions of the plant and not actually using the plant the way it was traditionally used, resulting in serious medical conditions as liver cirrhosis. Moral of the story is just because a botanical is good does not mean all of the parts of that plant are good.

Decreased amount of actual substance in it

Some studies have been released demonstrating that after investigation of 32 chondroitin products on the market, only 2 of the products actually had the amounts of the product that they claimed to be in the bottle. What was worse was that just under half of the bottles contained 10% or less of the claimed amount of the product. Dose does matter and if you cannot get the adequate amount, a lot of the times it is just a waste of money. (Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228559816_Analysis_of_glucosamine_and_chondroitin_sulfate_content_in_marketed_products_and_the_Caco-2_permeability_of_chondroitin_sulfate_raw_materials)

Contamination

Unfortunately, not all brands are made equal, and that includes what fillers are put into them. Some supplements contain heavy metals, mold, pesticides, dairy, gluten, or chemical fillers. These can make it very hard on the digestive tract, affect absorption, and actually cause you to become sicker. Looking for brands that are free from these contaminates can help some individuals that may find that they “react to all supplements”.

Products not containing adequate doses of substances

Another problem that I often stumble across when patients bring in their current supplement regime is that a lot of the brands out on the market do not actually contain high enough doses of certain ingredient in order to make them effective. I am surprised that some supplements would have the individual taking 6 capsules per day to achieve therapeutic value, while the recommended dose is 2 capsules per day. This is a waste of money and is ultimately lacking in the effectiveness overall.

How do you know you are getting the best supplements? 

It is important to always consult a naturopathic doctor before beginning to take any supplements. Supplements are not harmless and have the possibility of interacting with medication. Before I began my practice, I researched which supplement brand was the most efficacious, research based, and the best quality for my patients. The brands that I carry are a reflection of that research, where they contain adequate amounts to reach therapeutic level, are void of contaminants, and use the appropriate plant parts when indicated. I have also looked on the market to see what is available from local health food stores and have found some better brands of those out there. Having a health care team on your side that has done the research in this area and can help to determine what supplements are needed for your personal health concerns is of utmost importance. For more information in this area, please consult a naturopathic doctor before self-prescribing.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

Bacterial Infections versus Viral Infections: What you need to know!

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Flu Fever. Sick Girl Sneezing In Tissue. HealthThis time of the year provides many avenues for individuals to fall under the weather. Most of the time, individuals struggle with the common cold, but symptoms and states can escalate into scenarios that are far worse. The treatment of these various states can drastically impact not only recovery but prevention of future infections as well. This is dependent on identifying whether a bacteria or a virus is the ultimate cause of the illness.

Bacterial Infections

As you might be able to guess, bacterial infections are caused by a bacteria. The cause or route of exposure depends on the type of bacteria. For example some bacteria can enter through ingestion (e.g. our food). When an individual is infected with a bacteria, a common symptom might include a high fever. Others symptoms depend on the presenting concern, e.g. if someone has diarrhea, they might experience blood in the diarrhea. From a primary care standpoint, it is important to address bacterial infections with an appropriate antibiotic. However, if the appropriate antibiotic is not chosen, this can lead to bacterial resistance. What this means is that a bacteria fights off the antibiotic and does not respond to the antibiotic in the future as a result. In short, the next time that you have a bacterial infection from the same bacteria, and use the same antibiotic, you will not be able to fight off the bacteria.

Viral Infections

Viral infections are caused by a virus. A virus may have similar presentations to a bacteria, but ultimately can be less aggressive in general. Often, a viral infection will cause a relatively lower increase in temperature when compared to a bacteria. In addition, depending on the viral infection, the sickness caused from it can be self – limiting, meaning that it will go away on its own once it has run its course. This is not the case for all viruses though. As a result, these infections do not need to be treated with antibiotics. Taking an antibiotic when it is not necessary can result in future resistance to antibiotics and cause the treatments to not work when it may be crucial that they do. Regardless, it is important to consult with your medical doctor as to how to best approach any colds, flus, or sicknesses you might have.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

Naturopathic Approaches and Management of Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

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Tired Woman Sweating After RunningWhen spring and summer come around, most individuals enjoy being outside. However, with the temperatures on the rise, many could potentially develop heat exhaustion or heat stroke if they are not careful. This blog is meant to provide you with preventative measures, signs and symptoms to look out for, and what you can do if you or another individual experiences heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Prevention

Ultimately, it is more beneficial to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke in the first place. The following is a list of things that you can do to prevent both:

  • Dress weather appropriate – not too warmly and lighter in colour
  • Wear a hat if you will be spending a significant amount of time in the sun
  • Avoid activities in the late afternoon when the sun is at the highest point in the sky
  • Perform activities in the shade when possible
  • Keep hydrated – make sure to have a drink of water every 15 – 20 minutes
  • Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine and alcohol

Signs and Symptoms

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are quite different in their presentation and severity. Heat exhaustion is the lesser in regards to severity when compared to heat stroke. Heat exhaustion presents with the following:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness and Confusion
  • Loss of Appetite
  • Feeling Nauseous
  • Sweating
  • Pale clammy skin
  • Muscle Cramps
  • Fast and Weak Pulse
  • Shallow Breathing

Heat stroke on the other hand is slightly more severe:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness and Discomfort
  • Restlessness and Confusion
  • Hot, Flushed, and Dry Skin
  • Low Level of Response or Consciousness
  • Full and Strong Pulse
  • Body Temperature Above 40 degrees Celsius

Management

How you might manage either situation is very similar, but in the case of heat stroke, it is best to call Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for help in order to better aid this individual. Otherwise, the following recommendations could be made for both in most cases:

  • Get to a cooler place (eg. in the shade)
  • Have the individual lay down with their legs raised
  • Rehydrate the individual with cool water
  • Recommend that the individual seek Health Care regardless of how quickly they recover
  • If their condition gets worse, call EMS

In addition to the above recommendations, for heat stroke, it is wise to cool the individual down with cool clothes being applied to the body and a fan being placed near them. It is necessary to bring their core body temperature down to around 38 degrees Celsius.

Naturopathic Additional Tips

In addition to the above management, some additional measures could be applied AFTER the above management is followed:

  • Coconut water or aloe vera juice can be used to help rehydrate
  • Glonoinum homeopathic can be used to aid with symptoms from heat stroke
  • China homeopathic can be used for extreme fluid loss resulting in heat stroke
  • Applying an peppermint essential oil to the feet and cooling clothes to help lower body temperature
  • Applying an onion to the feet to help lower body temperature
  • Contrast showers daily to help prevent lack of acclimatization
  • Seek naturopathic care regularly to help your body be in the best shape it can be

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Elisha Cook via the contact portion of this website.

 

Source: http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/hot-and-cold-conditions/heatstroke.aspx