Ask Nurse Betty…. Your column for all kinds of health and preventative medicine.

Dear Nurse Betty,

Last year the media was crazy about flu season. I haven’t heard much this year, but the last thing I want is a superflu.

What do you recommend?

Worried in Toronto

Dear WIT,

Ahhh the flu.

Here are the secret ingredients to have on hand in case you do get sick.

The first is Sambucol. This elderberry syrup is purple, sweet and yummy and was proven to work against H1N1 last year. Take Sambucol whenever you are around the sneezy folk, and take it as soon as you start to feel a tickle. It’s safe for kids and pregnant gals, too!

Secondly, herbs are great against the flu. I recommend going to a local store that sells dried tea and getting this mix: yarrow, boneset, echinacea and chamomile. Combine equal parts in a jar and keep it in your cupboard. As soon as you feel achy or cold, make it into a tea and drink lots with lemon and honey.

Finally, Vitamin D is delightful.

Liquid Vitamin D keeps things easy (Genestra is a good brand).

The general rule with Vitamin D is if you’re between 30 and 75 pounds, you can have up to 1000 IU per day, and if you’re 76 pounds and up, you can have up to 5000 IU daily. Generally, 3000 IU daily is a safe dose (but you can always consult your naturopathic doctor to find out how much is right for you).

Love, Rx Betty
———————————————————————————————————————————–
Nurse Betty is a queer naturopathic doctor in downtown Toronto. She has been a part of the transhealth movement for years, and has a special interest in not only women’s health and wellness but LGBTTIQ mental, physical, emotional, sexual and spiritual healthcare. A longtime devotee of body modification and the art of our bodies as a lived landscape, Nurse Betty has answers for everything from tattoo healing to swine-related questions to elevated liver enzymes and beyond. You can follow Nurse Betty on Twitter.