As a Physician, especially a Naturopathic doctor, we often feel like we are invincible and never get a cold.  Our job and whole lives are about keeping people healthy, so surely we should be able to do that for ourselves.

Well, we are all human and yes, even Naturopaths get sick!  The same thing happened same time last year (change in seasons, Detox class time, lots of stress) so I’m finding I need to pay attention to taking extra care of myself during this time.

So now that I’m sick, what does a Naturopath do to get well?

Here’s what I’m doing and have done so far to get well (and so far it’s working– I’m feeling so much better)

  1. Rest. I can’t emphasize this enough. Get lots of sleep and lay low when you get  a cold or flu.  A good time to catch up on all those movies you’ve been meaning to watch.
  2. Drink a LOT of fluids.  Teas and soups are great.  Avoid juices and sweet/sugar things.  Pho’ Vietnamese soup is awesome. Garlic Tea* is great.  I made carrot ginger soup from fresh carrots out of my friends garden. Chicken soup or bone broth is also amazing.
  3. I have a steam sauna in my shower.  I put OnGuard Essential Oil on the outlet and sat and sweated.  Then I bundled up and went to bed.  There are many home hydrotherapy techniques, one of my favorites is “Warming Socks” which really works.*
  4. Take some Vitamins & Nutrients.  I take a bunch more Vitamin D at the first sign of any cold/flu (50,000 IU/day) and this usually wards it off.  I continue this dose for a few days.  I’m also taking “Herbal Biotic” which has Vit A, C, Zinc, Bioflavanoids, and some herbs such as Echinacea, Garlic, Myrrh, Coptis, etc.  When taking herbs and nutrients, my philosophy is “go big” meaning take big doses often, only as long as is needed.
  5. Take some herbs.  My first symptom during this cold was a sore throat, so I like to take tinctures, teas or sprays that can go directly on the throat.  I used a combination of Chinese Herbs and Western Herbs.  I spray these directly on my throat, and put them in hot water and drink.
  6. There are also some homeopathic remedies that I took:  Sore throat remedy from Metagenics (no longer available), Viral Immune Stimulator, Oscillococcinum, are some that can be helpful.  There are lots of options available, but this is what I had and it seems to be helping!  My theory is that taking a combination of these different approaches, seems to work synergistically, particularly when combined with rest, good nutrition and hydration.
  • See our Patient Resources Page for handouts on Cold and Flu Treatment, Fever treatment, and the timeless Garlic Tea.