Our featured guest, Dr. Pam Middleton (@MyDrPam), is the founder and medical director of the Pediatric Wellness Center in Newport Beach, Calif., which specializes in integrative pediatrics. “Dr. Pam,” as she is known by her patients, received her medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich. and completed her pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. She holds a diploma in clinical homeopathy from the Center for the Education and Development of Clinical Homeopathy (CEDH) and is a member of the Holistic Pediatric Association. She also served on the Institutional Review Board at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. For more information, visit Dr. Pam’s website or find her on Facebook.

Winter Wellness Tips Twitter Party

Date: Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Time: 10 p.m. EST

Hashtag: #holisticmoms

Hosts: @HolisticMomsNet, @HMNMama, @MyDrPam, @BoironUSA, @DeborahBoironPR & moderator @Organic_PR

Written by two registered dieticians, Julie Upton and Katherine Brooking, “Appetite For Health” is one of the leading online sources for reliable nutrition information. At AppforHealth.com, Julie and Katherine show that “healthy eating is delicious, satisfying and always possible—no matter the circumstances.” For more information, visit AppforHealth.com, or check out their Twitter and Facebook pages.

Tabrizi knows that Oscillo works best when taken at the first sign of flu-like symptoms, such as body aches, headache, fever, chills and fatigue, and giving it to a cast member immediately helps to keep his symptoms from worsening. For Tabrizi, “Boiron products are a must-have” on-set. She also “use[s] lots of Arnica for aches and pains from working long hours.”

Tabrizi has also worked on several A-list films, including “Drive Angry,” “Prom,” and “My Bloody Valentine.”

“Suburgatory,” starring Jeremy Sisto, Jane Levy and Carly Chaikin, airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.

As we head further into the winter months, it’s becoming apparent that cold season is again upon us. You may want to try some natural remedies in addition to taking a homeopathic medicine. These remedies can be made in the convenience of your own home and will treat your cold and flu symptoms quickly, without unwanted side effects from medications. These tried and true remedies include simple and natural ingredients, such as honey and chicken broth.

Honey

Whether your throat is sore from postnasal drip or you have a dry, itchy or scratchy feeling in your throat or a dry cough that interrupts your sleep, honey can be your best friend. When I suffered from my most recent cold, I drank six to eight cups of hot decaffeinated tea with honey and lemon juice, and my sore throat felt better within two days.

To soothe your throat, swallow a teaspoon of honey (on its own) up to three times daily. Make sure not to eat or drink anything for 30 minutes after taking the honey so that it has time to work on the inflammation causing your symptoms. If the taste of honey does not suit you, use honey to sweeten decaffeinated hot tea. It is also best to use locally produced honey, as it contains pollens and proteins that may provide the best effects to treat your cold. However, as the Mayo Clinic points out, do not give honey to babies under one year of age, as it could cause infant botulism.

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is the holy grail of cold and flu remedies. The broth reduces inflammation in your throat, helping reduce your sore throat and cough. According to the Mayo Clinic, the fluid also helps thin your mucus, reducing your congestion and sneezing. Likewise, the chicken, vegetables and grains in the soup provide much needed nutrients for your body’s immune system to fight off the virus. I prepare a big kettle of soup each time someone in my house develops the first signs of a cold, since this home remedy makes our colds go away more quickly.

Zinc

Taking zinc lozenges at the first sign of a cold can decrease the severity and duration of sneezing and congestion. My husband swears by these lozenges, which he takes at the first sign of each cold so he can get through the workday ahead. However, be warned that the lozenges can leave an unpleasant taste in your mouth.

Saltwater

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, gargling with saltwater two to three times daily reduces inflammation and scratchiness in your throat from colds and the flu. To try it yourself, mix ½ teaspoon salt with eight ounces of warm water and gargle.

Just because you have a cold or the flu does not mean you have to be miserable. These remedies will help get you on the mend faster rather than just letting the virus take its course. The next time a cold strikes, try one or more of these remedies, and you may feel better in no time.

About Lindsey: Lindsey is fascinated with the potential of emerging educational technologies, particularly online classes, to transform the landscape of learning. She regularly writes about web-based learning, electronic and mobile learning, and the possible future of education.

When should you wash your hands?

- Before, during and after preparing food

- Before eating food

- Before and after caring for someone who is sick

- Before and after treating a cut or wound

- After using the toilet

- After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet

- After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing

- After touching an animal, animal feed or animal waste

- After touching garbage

What is the right way to wash your hands?

- Wet your hands with clean running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.

- Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well; scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

- Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. (Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.)

- Rinse your hands well under running water.

- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry.

Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs on them. If soap and water  are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs.

Regular handwashing, and covering your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or coughing or sneezing into the crook of your elbow are simple measures to slow the spread of germs, and therefore, the flu. But if you still get sick, look for Boiron’s cough, cold and flu products for children and adults – Oscillococcinum for flu-like symptoms, Chestal cough syrup, and Coldcalm for cold symptoms—sold at most drug stores and local health food stores. For more information, visit Oscillo.com or check us out on Facebook or Twitter.

“Whole Story” is the official blog of Whole Foods Market. Passionate about healthy foods and a healthy planet, Whole Foods Market is the world’s leading natural and organic grocer. For more information or to find the Whole Foods nearest you, visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com.

“Essentials of Healthy Living” airs every Sunday from 10-11 a.m. on 1500 AM, Federal News Radio (WFED).  Not from the D.C. area? Listen to EHL live on the web. Might miss Christophe’s interview? Check EHL’s archives to listen to the show. You’ll also have a second chance to hear Christophe on EHL on Sunday, December 11. He’ll review how Arnicare Gel can help with sore muscles after shoveling snow, falling on ice, decorating the house or just playing with the kids.

EHL is brought to you by Village Green Apothecary in Bethesda, Maryland. An integrative pharmacy, Village Green offers vitamins, nutritional supplements, kosher vitamins and healthy living products at discount prices, as well as prescription drugs and custom compounding. The store’s 45 specialists (pharmacists, nutritionists and herbalists) work with its customers to create personalized health plans. Visit Village Green Apothecary at www.myvillagegreen.com.

Swords, knives and similar costume accessories should be short, soft and flexible.

Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.

Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house.

Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.

Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.

Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips and falls.

Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.

Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult.

Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

And remember, nothing ruins a night of trick-or-treating more than the sniffles or a bad cough. So if your child starts showing symptoms of a cold or cough, be prepared with Children’s Coldcalm Pellets and Children’s Chestal cough syrup, and nip those symptoms in the bud!

Happy Halloween from all of us here at Boiron!

And the winners are…The following 25 lucky attendees were chosen in a random drawing to win a free membership to the National Center for Homeopathy (NCH), compliments of the HMN and Boiron. We’ll be e-mailing all of the winners instructions on how to access their memberships online. Congratulations to:

Erika B.

Julie H.

Arleta B.

Barbara S.

Rebecca B.

Kimberly O.

Grace J.

Roxana T.

Karen P.

Donna A.

Maggie K.

Nandish P.

Carmen K.

Dee B.

Jamin B.

Lester M.

Aleksandra J.

Amy E.

Jennifer G.

Julie W.

Emily W.

Doris C.

Sarah N.

Christine K.

Deirdre H.

What: Take Care of Your Family with Homeopathy Webinar

When: Thursday, October 20, 1-2 p.m.

Where: Your computer

Register: www.boironusa.com/webinar/social.php