Welcome to the April 2011 issue of the LaVida Health Newsletter.

LaVida Health Services

- Naturopathy
- Herbal Medicine
- Nutrition
- Myotherapy
- Massage Therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Homoeopathy

In this Issue

	Introduction
	Boosting your immunity...
	Celebrate Aneri Myotherapy's 2nd Birthday
	What's new on our website...
	Follow us on Twitter...
	We love hearing from you....
	Pass it on....
	Disclaimer...

Website Articles

Click here to visit the News and Views articles section of the LaVida Health website, where you will find comments on items appearing in the media, information about specific health issues, and other titbits.

Pass it on

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Introduction

Welcome to those of you who are receiving our newsletter for the first time. I hope you find the information contained within interesting. This newsletter is published every two months and contains information on different topics related to health and wellbeing.

With winter approaching, in this newsletter, I thought it might be timely to give you some tips to boost your immunity.  If you or someone you know suffer from colds and flu, bronchitis or sinusitis etc over winter then this is for you. 

Also, Eri Yoshida (her business is Aneri Myotherapy), has been working out of our clinic for two years now.  To celebrate, she has a special offer for you.

Until next time, you can keep up to date with us on Twitter.

Yours in good health,

Kaye Wright
Naturopath and owner

Boosting your immunity...

As the days shorten and the temperatures drop have you given any thought to how you might survive "bug season"?  Have you ever noticed how some people seem to sail through winter with barely a sniffle while others seem to constantly be batting some bug or other.  Sore throats, runny noses, aches and pains, coughs, chest infections etc all increase over winter and seriously impact on our ability to work or just enjoy life.  Over the next few months we will all be bombarded with an increased load of bacteria and viruses and your immune system will be your best friend.  The extent to which you suffer will depend on how robust it is.

Consider this...the health of your immune system is negatively influenced by:

• stress...whether it be emotional or physical
• lack of exercise
• underactive digestion
• poor food choices and/or nutritional deficiencies
• too much alcohol
• poor quality or not enough sleep
• always being on the go (lack of time out)

To boost and maintain the health of your immune system over the coming months, try to incorporate the following tips:

1. eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables (every meal and snack should incorporate at least one)...think variety (colours of the rainbow) to maximise your nutrient intake
2. ensure you are getting sufficient protein (vital for a healthy immune function)
3. drink plenty of water (stay hydrated)..herbal teas are a great option
4. get some regular exercise (but don't overdo it)
5. get your stress levels under control (try relaxation techniques, yoga, breathing exercises, something fun..laughter really does help).
6. Consider taking a herbal or nutritional supplement over the winter months for extra support (especially if the first five tips are a struggle).  See tips below for more info on what to look for.

And what do you do if you are struck down by a bug:

1. REST...allow your body to do what it needs to do!
2. Maintain your nutrition but keep it simple..soups, slow cooked foods are much easier to digest at times like this
3. Stay hydrated
4. You may be running a fever...the sign of a healthy immune system doing it's job...not a bad thing provided it is not excessive
5. Extra nutritional supplements of zinc and vitamin C (especially when combined with bioflavanoids, vitamins A & E and selenium) can help relieve symptoms and shorten duration of infection
6. Herbal supplements consisting of one or more of Andrographis paniculata, Adhatoda vasica, Baptisia tinctora, Sambucus nigra, Echinacea spp, Euphrasia officinalis and many others have a long history of use in the treatment and prevention of infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract.  Some of these are available over the counter but a naturopath will be able to tailor a liquid or tablet treatment to your exact needs and you can be confident that you are getting medicines of the highest quality and that they won't interfere with any other medication you may be taking.
7. Remember that most of these bugs are viral in nature and therefore antibiotics won't help. Antibiotics will only help with bacterial infections.

If you need help, consider a naturopathic appointment.  For coughs and colds I can often do a quick consultation and have you on your way with medicines in hand in 15-20 minutes (costs $25 plus medicines).  I can also provide a medical certificate (if your employer is sufficiently progressive to accept it).  Call me on 9620 9503.

In good health,

Kaye

Celebrate Aneri Myotherapy's 2nd Birthday

Eri Yoshida established Aneri Myotherapy two years ago this May and has been practicing out of the LaVida Health clinic since then.  Prior to this, she had many years experience in other clinics. 

To celebrate her two year anniversary Eri has a special offer for all new and existing clients.  Book a 90 minute myotherapy session during the month of May and pay for only 1 hour....that's 30 minutes free! Or (if you just can't spare 90 minutes) book a 1 hour session and pay the 45 minute rate...that's 15 minutes free!

So, if you have aches and pains, tight muscles or joints or restricted movement (and let's face it, who doesn't!) why not take advantage of this offer during May 2011.  Call Eri for an appointment on 0410 700 073.

What's new on our website...

Since the last newsletter, I have posted the following articles in the News and Views section of our website:

• A review of the book Sweet Poison by David Gillespie...good reading for anyone who loves sugar
• A report on recently announced changes to salt and fat content of certain sauces and processed meats
• The link between diabetes and vitamin D levels
• What causes breast cancer?

You can catch up with these articles by clicking on the link under Website Articles in the lefthand column of this newsletter.

Follow us on Twitter...

Are you on twitter?  I have recently become a convert to Twitter and I am enjoying the challenge of finding relevant and interesting health and wellbeing tips to share with my followers. Sometimes I link back to the News and Views articles on our website but often I will simply post a link to other sites or online articles if I feel they have something credible and useful to say.

If you want to learn more about how to improve and maintain your health and vitality or keep up to date with new articles on my website, why not follow me on Twitter. Just click on the link in the lefthand column of this newsletter and I'll see you there!

We love hearing from you....

If you have any questions relating to any of the above or suggestions for topics you would like covered in subsequent newsletters, please feel free to email me at info@lavidahealth.com.au or call LaVida Health on 9620 9503.

Pass it on....

If you've found this information interesting we would love it if you passed this newsletter on.....

Forward to a Friend

(If you didn't find it interesting...let me know)

Thanks,

Kaye

Disclaimer...

Naturally, the advice in this newsletter is of a general nature for educational purposes and should not be taken as a substitute for personalised advice from your healthcare professional. It is provided in good faith without any express or implied warranty. If you have, or suspect you have, a medical condition you should seek expert advice prior to taking any supplements or treatments.

Self-diagnosis and treatment may be ineffective, costly and possibly even harmful in some circumstances.

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