Dr. Craig Reese, DC, PC

Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and got your fill of tasty food! Now that you’ve had several days to digest your big meal, here is the bad news. This is the time of year I warn everyone about the ease of getting parasites from eating food you didn’t prepare yourself. The holidays bring lots of parties, potlucks and eating food cooked or baked for you by someone you don’t normally get food from. This increases your chance of getting parasites exponentially. Once you get the parasites, your immune system is weakened and then you are more susceptible to the colds, flu and bacterial infections that others are just dying to share with you. That is why many people get sick around the holidays with respiratory infections. So after you have eaten at that catered office party or neighborhood potluck dinner, take some paradex or Jug/Art or wormwood complex before going to bed and you might wake up feeling great the next day and totally parasite free. So keep a bottle of one of the supplements listed above around the house and take it as needed during the holidays.

Food Poisoning

The other thing that you can contract this holiday season is food poisoning. It is usually caused by bacterial contamination of the food. It can be in only a portion of the food and not the whole dish so just because two people ate the same food and one got sick, don’t rule out food poisoning right away. An untreated bacterial infection in the stomach can also cause you to develop an ulcer later on. The easiest way to tell if it was food poisoning is that it usually wants to come out both ends at once. Usually it is pretty forceful in its evacuation of the body but not always. There are degrees of sickness depending on the amount of bacteria consumed and the strength of your immune system. It seldom lasts longer than a day and eventually you will feel hungry again. If you have a fever and it lasts more than a day, then it is probably the flu.

Home Remedies

At the first sign of stomach upset you should take 6-8 goldenseal or Phytogen. If you don’t have that try 6 droppers full of Coptis or Jug/art. Activated charcoal or bentonite clay with psyllium can also help absorb the toxins and move them out of your system quickly. If it doesn’t work and you start vomiting, suck on ice cubes or sip water or pedialyte to try and keep you hydrated until your body stops. The reason for vomiting and diarrhea is that your body is trying to expel a poison as quickly as possible. Though it is no fun, it is trying to help heal you. Dehydration is the biggest danger so that is the reason for the water. Cell salts or a pinch of sea salt every hour can also help with the dehydration. Sometimes you will need to soak in a tub with Epsom’s salts to keep hydrated. If you get too dehydrated you may go into dry heaves and/or muscle spasms. Sorry, to talk about all this in a newsletter but it can be important for you or your family.

Shoveling

This is also the time of year (especially today) when people are out shoveling and hurt their backs. I recommend an ergonomically designed shovel that has a bend in it. It is easy to use and takes a lot of strain off your back. I personally use the Colorado solar shovel for my driveway but I still have to resort to manually cleaning my sidewalk to keep the city happy. I can usually use one hand to push the snow with my bent shovel and keep my body straight up. It is definitely worth the investment of going to the store to buy one and no I don’t get a commission. I do wish I would have been clever enough to invent it!

Office Info

We will be open our usual hours Monday through Friday in December except for 12/24, 12/25 and 1/1/2010. We will only be here in the morning on 12/31 (or maybe not at all if I decide to skip town at the last minute!).

We have lots of hot tea and coffee (for those of you not allergic) available so stop by while you are out shopping. I know this can be a hectic time of the year so we have no problem with walk-ins or last minute calls to come in. We can get you in and back out to the malls in no time at all. We keep space in our schedules to accommodate emergencies and drop-ins so don’t feel stressed about when you have to come in. We will see you.

All of us here at the office wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanza, Merry Festivus or Winter Solstice Celebration! If I’ve left out your holiday it was purely due to my ignorance and not on purpose. Bottom line is enjoy the season and be happy!