Take action to strengthen your immunity this cold and flu season with natural herbal medicine.
Dr. Terry Vanderheyden
Naturopathic Doctor & Registered Herbalist
Immunity — it’s on all our minds these days. Fortunately, there’s much we can do to strengthen our immune systems and manage illnesses.
St. Francis Herb Farm, a Canadian team of herbal artisans and organic farmers who produce well-made plant medicine, are creators of the S.E.E.D. approach. This holistic immune-strengthening strategy is simple and effective. Its key components are sleep and stress management, eating well, exercising, and defending with plant medicine.
Unleashing the power of plant medicine
St. Francis takes a two-pronged approach to immune building. The first part is being proactive and focusing on balancing the innate immune system — the immune system you’re born with. “A balanced immune system is your strongest immune system,” says Dr. Terry Vanderheyden, a naturopathic doctor working with St. Francis. “If it’s overactive, there can be inflammation and strong reactions, like with some allergens. If it’s underactive, you can be more susceptible to infections. Daily herbal support should focus on achieving this balance with adaptogenic herbs like the ones found in Deep Immune Daily Tonic. It adapts to whatever condition your system is in and brings it into balance.”
The second part is taking a reactive approach to strengthening the selective immune response, which develops throughout our lives, generating antibodies when sickness strikes. This entails nipping any symptoms in the bud and equipping your body to react with extra defences. “Strengthening this system helps limit the impact of cold and flu related illnesses, shortening their duration and impact,” says Dr. Vanderheyden. There are specific herbs that are used if you’re feeling general symptoms, specific symptoms, or to relieve discomfort.
Herbs can have numerous benefits. What we’re showing here are what they’re best or often used for regarding these various health needs to help bring some clarity. Ultimately, it’s a great idea to visit a naturopathic doctor who specializes in botanical medicine to understand what’s right for you.
