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Archive for the ‘Medicine Cabinet’ Category

It’s that time of year.  Snow, hot chocolate, ice skating, sitting by the fire… and the common cold.  No matter how much orange juice you drink or how many times a day you wash your hands, it’s hard to avoid catching everyone’s favorite upper respiratory bug.  But when you feel the symptoms creeping up on you, there is something you can do to keep them at bay.  At the first sign of a sneeze or a stuffy nose, take two Coldcalm tablets every two hours up to six times a day.  You should feel better in no time.

Coldcalm

Coldcalm is made by Boiron, a French-based manufacturer of homeopathic products.  Each box contains sixty quick-dissolving tablets designed to relieve sneezing, a runny nose, nasal congestion, sinus pain, and all the other delightful symptoms that come with catching a cold.  The over-the-counter, homeopathic drug can be found at health food stores and certain pharmacies.

Don’t let winter get the best of you: be prepared with a box of Coldcalm.  The common cold won’t stand a chance.

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Antibiotics work wonders against bacterial infections.  However, in their war against unwelcome bacteria, they often stomp on the “good” bacteria in our bodies as well.  This “good” bacteria is important to the balance of our immune system and general overall health.  Without it, you may be more susceptible to other infections and illness.  So, to ease the casualties of the good-guys, take a pro-biotic along with your antibiotic.  It will help to restore your body with the “good” bacteria that you may lose during your treatment.

Culturelle

My personal favorite pro-biotic is Culturelle. It can be found at most health food stores and drug stores;  I purchase mine at the local pharmacy.  Make sure to take it at least 4 hours before or after your antibiotic so that the supplement has the opportunity to work.  It can also be taken on a daily basis without antibiotics if you are interested in adding a pro-biotic to your diet.  Personally, I prefer to get my daily pro-biotics from organic yogurt.  Do what works best for you and your organic lifestyle.  Of course, in some cases, your body may be able to fend for itself against antibiotics, but why take the chance?  Better safe than sorry.

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Urinary Tract Infections are as unpleasant as they can be dangerous.  If not treated or diagnosed in time, bladder and/or kidney infection may result.  If you have ever had a UTI before, if you are prone to them, or if you never want one, taking a dietary supplement like CranActin is an excellent decision.

CranActin

Containing 400 mg of cranberry extract per capsule or chewable, CranActin promotes a healthy urinary tract.  One pill can be taken daily, up to four times a day.  Sexual intercourse often triggers UTI’s in women, so taking one or two before or after the fact is a good way to prevent infection.

CranActin is a product of Solaray and can be found at a pharmacy or health food store.

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Yes, it’s a food, but real organic yogurt holds its own in the Medicine Cabinet.  Eating yogurt on a daily basis helps provide your body with “good” bacteria, promoting a healthy immune system and an army ready to fight the bad.  In turn, one of the benefits of eating yogurt is protection against unpleasant infections brought on by “bad” bacteria such as yeast infections.  In fact, if you have a daily helping, you’ll probably never have one.  But, it has got to be the real deal for it to really work.  Non-organic yogurt just won’t cut it because the goodness found in organic yogurt is either lacking or suppressed by man-made additives.  And don’t be fooled by the “diet” yogurts out there that add artificial sugar for sweetness.  Splenda is not the answer to weight-loss. In fact, it can be quite difficult to digest such man-made concoctions.  A good rule of thumb: if man made it, don’t eat it.

The best way to amp your immune system with lactobacillus (the “good” bacteria aka pro-biotic found in yogurt), is to eat the real thing.  From my experience, the best organic food has the least ingredients, so read the label before making your purchase.  I highly recommend Wallaby yogurt.  It is deliciously creamy, easily digested, and acts as a great pro-biotic supplement. Another excellent and tasty choice is Seven Stars Farm yogurt.

yogurt

Since Wallaby and Seven Stars Farm are not as popular in mainstream society as a company like Stonyfield (read: standard supermarket shelf space), their yogurt may not always be readily available.  Stonyfield is organic, but there are more ingredients tagged on the label than on those of my recommended yogurts.  So while Stonyfield is an organic option if you can’t land your first choice, picking a lesser well-known brand is a smart way to go.  Besides, what’s the fun in being an Organic Elitist if you’re not particular?

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