Halloween just passed, kicking off the official start to… Cookie Season!
This time of year is often associated with increased colds and flu. But why is that? Is it because there are more cold and flu viruses that come out of the ground? Or is it because our lifestyle habits change in a way that makes our bodies more susceptible to infections?
Believe it or not, cold and flu are out and about circulating our bodies year-round. This is a normal function of life. Many different viruses (rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, coronaviruses, and human metapneumoviruses) “cause” colds, but rhinoviruses (of which there are more than 100 subtypes) are attributed to most colds. The question we should be asking is if these viruses are always among us, why aren’t we sick all the time? Because of our innate immunity, our internal health dictates whether we have symptoms of illnesses, which is just our body’s way of cleansing itself. Coughing, sneezing, fever, and runny nose are all part of our innate healing process. So, what’s going on from fall to spring? Beginning with Halloween, we have 6 months of holidays focused around sugar and increased stress. Think about it.
- Halloween = candy
- Diwali = sweets
- Thanksgiving = pie
- Hanukkah = sufganiyot
- Christmas = cookies
- New years = alcohol
- Valentine’s Day = chocolate
These holidays, and many others, line up with less time outside and in the sun, less sleep, decreased vitamin D levels, lower activity levels, more travel, more work, school, extra social engagements, family pressure, and just higher stress all around. No wonder we get sick! We have stopped giving our bodies the fundamentals to stay healthy and robust and fight off infections.
We know that stress in any form, Chemical, Physical, or Emotional, is what leads to Neuro-Structural Shifts. So, it should be no surprise that many of our patients choose to increase their appointment frequency this time of year. Why? Because they want:
- Keep their spine and nervous system as healthy as possible
- Help their nervous system stay OUT OF Fight or Flight/ Stress physiology
- To boost their immune system response and increase their white blood cell count
- Prevent injuries
- Be in the best shape before any travel
- Improved quality of sleep
As we progress through this holiday season, we are here to support you and your family and keep you at your healthiest so you can make those deadlines, enjoy that extra time with the family, and make it to the holiday parties.
