The FLU!

Here is some Helpful info pulled from other sources.

Regarding antivirals and meds - from the reading I did during the SARS scare and the beginning of the bird flu problems a few years back the following alternative things might help:

1) Cut out sugar - it competes with uptake of vitamin C into the cells. Take vitamin C, lots of it.
2) Take vitamin D - helps the immune system
3) Herbal antivirals might help - elderberry syrup (Sambucol), garlic, oil of oregano, olive leaf extract all have antiviral properties. I've used all of them at times and they have seemed (particularly the Sambucol) to shorten a viral infection and prevent it from turning into a secondary bacterial chest infection that I'm so prone to.
4) I found some herbal that helps prevent the cytokine storm but I can't remember what it is. I think it was turmeric but I'll have to go back to my old notes if I can find them.Other ideas for dealing with flu.
(I am not a Dr. But I did have Lyme's for 20 years and tried *every-freaking-thing*, twice.)

Protection from the Swine Flu

•This flu is transmitted mostly by physical contact rather than by being exposed to coughing by infected individuals. You can use a hand sanitizer and clean commonly used surfaces, such as computer keyboards, telephone speakers, countertops and door handles with sanitizer cloths.

•Avoid exhaustion and extreme exercise, both of which lower immunity and greatly increase one’s risk of serious reactions to the infection and even death. Get at least 8 ours of good sleep each night.

•Avoid foods that suppress immunity, such as high sugar intake and consuming foods or cooking in oils that suppress immunity and increase inflammation—such as the omega-6 oils—corn, safflower, sunflower, canola, peanut and soybean oils.

•Avoid excessive intake of omega-3 containing EPA (anything over 100 mg per serving). EPA is a powerful immune suppressant, even though it reduces inflammation. This increases your risk of getting infected and having difficulty clearing the infection. The DHA component of the oil does not appreciably suppress immunity, but significantly reduces inflammation.

•If you are exposed to people in high-risk situations, such as in crowded offices, theaters, airplanes and other forms of public transportation, take beta-1,3/1,6 glucan 250 mg every other day. It is to be taken on an empty stomach with any liquid. If you began to feel ill, take the beta-glucan every day until your illness clears and then every other day for one week afterwards.

•Take a well-balanced vitamin/mineral. I like Extend Core (www.vrp.com). This will supply you with all the vitamins needed to support immunity, which is especially important for those over age 50—the age of nutrient-based, aged-associated immune suppression. Take the vitamin capsule with each meal.

•Vitamin D3. Children and pregnant women should take 2000 IU a day and adults should take 5000 IU once to twice a day. You should also take 500 mg of calcium citrate a day.

•Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E) that is high in gamma-tocopherol, the anti-inflammatory form of the vitamin. The dose is 400 IU a day.

•Buffered vitamin C 1000 mg three times a day taken on an empty stomach to prevent excess iron absorption. One should avoid taking iron supplements during infection, since it worsens the infection.

•Curcumin 250 mg and quercetin 250 mg dissolved in one tablespoon of extravirgin olive oil. This greatly reduces inflammation and autoimmune development and has direct antiviral effects by inhibiting protein kinase C. Take the mixture three times a day with meals. It can be mixed with foods as desired.

•Avoid all fluoride products, such as fluoridated mouthwashes, toothpaste and fluoride treatments. Fluoride has been shown to increase flu virus budding, making it easier to produce more virus within your body. It is also a cellular toxin.

•Avoid other sources of mercury, such as contaminated seafoods and other mercury-containing vaccinations. Dental amalgams, in my view, should be removed by a specially trained dentist (see www. IAOMT.com for a list of such dentists). Mercury greatly increases one’s risk of developing an autoimmune disease and suffering from neurological damage.

•Avoid smoking. Smoking damages the protective cells lining the lungs and nicotine is a very powerful immune suppressant. This is also true for nicotine patches and gums.

•Keep well hydrated. Drinking several glasses or cups of strong white tea (either as iced tea or hot tea) a day also reduces viral growth and protects the lungs against viral and bacterial damage.

•Eat a diet containing at least 5 servings of high-density fruits and vegetables, both raw and cooked. Avoid a high intake of breads and other high-glycemic foods. Avoid excessive red meats and eat more chicken and turkey that is organically raised.

For diarrhea:
Consider getting bioflora at the local health food store. Children have a bit different kind of gut flora and so there are products specifically for them. I dose 1-3 capsules every 3 to 4 hours. If it is a fresh case of diarrhea, it has taken 5-6 doses. An established case often abates or disappears after just one dose. The speculation is that the normal gut flora freaks out and benefits from being 'reminded' how to act from the incoming fresh gut flora. I have done this with myself, my 7 year old daughter, and friends many times. It has always worked. One mom had 2.5 year old twins that had diarrhea for a over a week. They were leaking all over and ruining the couches. One dose was all it took. I just dump the powder from a capsule in milk or water for children. It *seems* to have helped when my daughter was barfing, but she is not a big barfer anyway. There are downsides that I know of.

Respiratory issues:
I have had wonderful success with a blend of Eucalyptus oils. The product is YoungLiving's "RC" (Respiratory Condition). I put about 10 drops on my chest, pull the covers over my head and breathe it all in for about 4-5 minutes. (kind of hard to do -- it is strong) No more cough *at all* for about 4 hours. (Can get good sleep.) My baseline was a nasty cough where my upper lungs felt like sponges with needles sticking in them. Worst cold I ever had -- I actually had trouble caring for myself for 2 days. When I felt a similar thing coming on a few months later (I already had a nasty cough with same spongey lungs), I tried the RC and I was okay in 10 hours and running around again the next morning. 3 Positive experiences so far. I usually keep some on hand, but just ordered A LOT more.

Science types might be interested in the oils -- one of the oldest medicines in recorded history. They have fascinating properties: Most can seemingly be stored for 10s of years. Some have apparently been found in Egyptian tombs in great condition. Many are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and have hormone like properties. They seem to strongly support the body in regaining balance. YoungLiving, and others, actually publish a fair amount of decent research. The strong anti-microbial activity of their "Thieves" blend had been independently confirmed.

Essential oils drew some interest when a French Dr apparently cured a girl who was allergic to most things (a bubble girl). All the Dr. did was have the girl inhale lemon essential oil 30 minutes a day (I think) for a few months. I use this example because you can make small quantities of lemon essential oil at home just by squeezing lemon rinds. It is a strong antioxidant. (of course it is not patentable.....)


The Lavender essential oil completely stopped the pain of bee stings (me) and yellow jacket bites (my daughter) in 20 seconds. There was no swelling, nor red within about 5 minutes.

Caveats:
- Many 'essential oils' are cut or adulterated and are therefore ineffective or can even hurt you. I am touting YoungLiving oil because, as far as I know, they are the best. I take them orally all the time.
- Some oils are not to be applied topically before going in the sun. I have never had an issue with this though.

Part of my emergency food supplies contains:
10% beans and rice. You can buy a lot for $100 :-)
40% Living Fuel
10% Mountain House freeze dried foods, Just In Case 7 Day Food Units
40% And YoungLivings' "Core Complete" product that has:
- "Balance Complete", a powdered superfood meal replacer.
- "Core Supplements", a month's worth of individually packaged (AM, noon, PM) supplements: "Life 5" gut flora; "Longevity" anti-microbial, and anti-oxident essential oils; "Omege Blue" fatty acid oils; "True Source" food based vitamins
- "Ningxia Red", scores 3 times higher on the ORAC scale than Noni juice.
- It is all in 1 box if you buy it as a monthly 'auto ship'. But you can buy them separately too.
The auto ship box lasts a month, but assumes you are eating 2 other meals / day. But you could survive on this alone for a month. I CAN'T recommend it enough -- it helped me get well again after 15 years of being sick. It's easy to digest -- it's exactly what the elderly should be consuming.

I hope this helps. Sorry to tout individual products, but I don't want to hear of anyone dying. My friend's daughter was in for Easter with a church group helping build houses near a big garbage dump. She ate local food. She is fine right now.– tumeric extract, used in combination with Piperine/Bioperine will cut down on Cytokine production also. Costs maybe $9-$14, so it seems to be a pretty cheap approach, even if only of marginal effectiveness, and I really haven't found any specific numbers on that yet.

And Resveratrol (from Red Wine) and Cranberry would appear to not do any harm and have some chance of helping, either through giving the virus a little trouble or at least helping prevent secondary bacterial infection without raising cytokine levels.Vitamin D3 – oil capsules, inhibits inflammatory cytokines while boosting non-inflammatory cytokines Bromelain - promotes anti-inflamitory activity and increases the breakdown of fibrin, which forms around the inflamed area, blocking the blood and lymphatic vessels which lead to swelling.

To enhance the benefits, take on an empty stomach with 100-500 mg magnesium and 500 mg L-ceistene. Do not take with copper or iron.

Bromelain can be purchased in any health food store. Tablets.

Your other option to receive the benefits of bromelain would be to eat 1/2 fresh pineapple daily. Bromelain is the enzyme found in pineapple. Since we are talking about the flu....eating will probably not be an option.

I broke several bones a few years back in an accident and have developed arthritis in this area. Bromelain has helped me very much.Prunes – very high antioxidantN-Acetyl-Cysteine -- a nutritional supplement available at the health food store or Wimberley Pharmacy, (Whole Foods or Sun Harvest) has been shown to prevent or lessen the severity of influenza. I suggest 1200mg, twice a day for adults, and 600mg twice a day in kids over 12. It would be hard to get kids under 12 to take it, but you could try opening the capsules and putting it on yogurt. For 40 pounds and up, 300-600 mg twice a day, for less than 40 pounds, half that. N-Acetyl-Cysteine - you MUST take Vitamin C in 2-3x the quantity of N-Acetyl-Cysteine you take WITH the N-Acetyl-Cysteine. Very important. Otherwise it will harm you, not help you. It will also deplete Zinc, so make sure to use a Zinc supplement as well. Oscillococinum, a homeopathic remedy, has been vindicated as quite effective in a large clinical trial in , with an H1N1 variant. You can buy this at (Whole Foods, Sun Harvest) Hill Country Natural Foods, or the Wimberley Pharmacy.