Cold and Flu Season : Cough or Croup?

How To Tell If Your Child Has Croup & What You Can Do About It

   Is your child experiencing wheezing, fever, or a high-pitched, seal-like bark that often induces vomiting? There's a possibility that your little one has CROUP, a common virus floating around this cold and flu season. 

What is it?
   Croup is on the rise. Many of the common viruses floating around can attack the immune system and induce a horrible cough, namely Croup, causing discomfort in your child and in you as a concerned parent. Croup is an acute respiratory tract infection common in children 6 months to 3 years with a characteristic high-pitched wheeze, bark-like cough, and low grade fever. Your child may wake up gasping for a breath in a panic as this cough makes it difficult to pull air into the lungs. 

How to help:
    First things first - bring your child outside into the cool night air or into a warm, steamy shower to open the airways. You may want to drive around at night with the windows cracked or have your child sit in a steam bath for 20 minutes. This will help their breathing return to a more calm, steady rhythm. Improvements should occur within just a few minutes. If you notice your child is not improving and is drooling, has thick, gluey type mucus, has an excessive cough with inability to lie down, or has blue or dark lips, take your child to the emergency room immediately. 

Homeopathic Remedies for Croup:

Aconite:
   Aconite is the best remedy to use immediately during the onset of a Croup-like cough. When you notice your child waking up at night gasping for air, restless, and/or anxious, use Aconite right away. The cough often sounds dry and has a barking, intense sound that may be brought on by cold, dry, air or winds. 

Spongia:
   Use Spongia when the child continues to experience the dry, Croup-like cough into the next day. If their breathing sounds like a cutting saw, if they have continued difficulty pulling enough air into the lungs or chest, or if their cough makes their chest so tight it feels like they're suffocating, Spongia should do the trick. You may use it after the first night of experiencing a Croup cough even if you have already used Aconite. 

Hepar Sulphur
   Hepar Sulphur is used for a Croup-type cough that also contains mucus build up. For example, if your child begins with a dry cough and it moves to a wet, choking-type cough, use Hepar Sulphur. You can also use this in addition to Aconite and Spongia. 

Other Natural Treatments for Croup:
   Immune boosting is key to helping your child overcome Croup. Use immune-boosting herbs and supplements such as Elderberry, Briar Rose Gemmotherapy, Vitamin C, and Zinc. Be sure to use a supplement form of Vitamin C as orange juice may actually increase mucus production. Also, make sure your child is staying hydrated and having a normal amount of wet diapers to assess hydration. If heat and steam work better for your child (versus the cool night air), it may be wise to set up a humidifier in their room. Adding essential oils like eucalyptus and tea tree oil can also help clear the infection. Before bed, try rubbing your child's chest with vaporub, sesame oil, or a few drops of eucalyptus, lavender, or tea tree oil to relax the muscles that spasm during coughing fits. Avoiding foods like dairy, sweets, and citrus may also help decrease inflammation and mucus build up in the throat. Just be sure to keep a close eye on your little one and if symptoms worsen or persist, further evaluation may be needed. 


  If you try these tips and your child is still feeling under the weather, something more chronic may be happening internally. Contact Dr. Martin help discover the root of the issue. 

Educate and Optimize Your Health Today to Prevent Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

Educate and Optimize Your Health Today to Prevent Breast Cancer

     Breast cancer is at the top of the list for women's health risks. Over 95% of breast cancers are preventable with proper screening and education. Women with a family history of breast cancer and a genetic predisposition including BRCA1/BRCA 2 genes need breast health screening more often and sooner than the suggested annual mammogram at age 40. Although mammography is a useful screening tool, most breast cancers are found by the woman herself during monthly self-breast exams. Familiarizing yourself with the density and quality of your breast tissue is an invaluable way to personally screen breast tissue and breast health on a regular basis. In the United States today breast cancer is on the rise. Specific nutrient deficiencies and lifestyle practices have been linked to breast cancer and can be PREVENTED!

      Iodine and Vitamin D deficiency have been specifically researched in clinical studies in relation to the hormone component of breast cancers. Iodine is no longer commonly included in dietary salts. Additionally, the soil is depleted of minerals. These facts along with reduced salt intake for cardiovascular health, women are unable to absorb the proper amounts of Iodine necessary for regulating proper hormone health, particularly regarding estrogen, progesterone and thyroid hormones. If breast cancer runs in your family and you suspect that you have a thyroid or metabolic disorder, have your Iodine levels checked today to rule in or out a serious contributor to breast and overall wellness. Vitamin D, also a hormone, is an eclectic molecule that strongly participates in hormone regulation as well as immune modulation. Sunscreen use and the inappropriate latitude (creating the angle of the sun to the earth) in most regions of the U.S., including Southern California, make it difficult for us to absorb the necessary amounts of Vitamin D we need. Vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of breast cancer.

Get Screened Today!

• Iodine Deficiency and Breast Cancer Excerpt from Life Extension October 2011: Human breast tissue and breast milk contain higher concentrations of iodine than the thyroid gland itself, which contains just 30% of the body’s iodine stores. Breast tissue is rich in the same iodine-transporting proteins used by the thyroid gland to take up iodine from the blood. The evolutionary reasons for this are clear…Read More.

• Early signs of breast cancer may include skin irritation, dimpling, swelling, a breast lump, tenderness, nipple changes or pain or a mammogram abnormality. Women should contact their health care provider if any of these symptoms appear and should follow guidelines for yearly breast health screenings.Vitamin D Deficiency and Breast Cancer Risk: Clinical study shows Vitamin D is safe and effective in lowering breast cancer risk and as prevention.  Supplementation with Vitamin D in 6500 women with breast cancer and those without reduced the risk of breast cancer by 25%. …Read More

When breast cancer is found early, your chances of survival are 96%!  This means that 96 out of 100 women survive for 5 or more years!  There are many options for treatment when breast cancer is found early.

Find out if you're eligible!

Eligible Colorado women may receive free clinical breast exams, mammograms, pelvic exams and Pap tests. Even if you have insurance but can’t afford diagnostic tests, you may qualify for Women's Wellness Connection.

Click Here for detailed information on how to perform a SELF-BREAST EXAM.

Pink Ribbon: One Click to Give A FREE Mammogram

            Contact Dr.Martin for your annual Breast Exam, PAP and how to best prevent disease and optimize your female health. Address hormone changes/symptoms and nutrient deficiencies associated with breast cancer, cardiovascular disease the leading cause of death on women and prevent osteoporosis.