Winter flu preventions & cures

[aikiMac]

Winter flu season. My mom has it bad. My mom refuses to take extra vitamin C, or to even touch echinacea.

Besides Vit C and echinacea, can anyone offer any preventive "stuff," for not getting the flu in the first place?

Or any curative "stuff," for getting rid of a flu?

I've been having good luck eating fermented vegetables, plus Vitaman C.

[adouglasmhor]

Winter flu season. My mom has it bad. My mom refuses to take extra vitamin C, or to even touch echinacea.

Besides Vit C and echinacea, can anyone offer any preventive "stuff," for not getting the flu in the first place?

Or any curative "stuff," for getting rid of a flu?

I've been having good luck eating fermented vegetables, plus Vitaman C.
What you are having + miso soup maybe with grated fresh root ginger in it.

[blessed_samurai]

You might suggest to her oil of oregano and propolis. But if she won't even take extra vit C, then what will she take?

[aikiMac]

You might suggest to her oil of oregano and propolis.
Propolis, of course. I should have thought of that.
What does oil of oregano do?

[blessed_samurai]

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-oil-of-oregano.htm?referrer=adwords_campaign=oiloforegano _ad=900799&_search_kw=oil%20of%20oregano%20benefits

The best stuff out there is the P73 stuff from North American Herb and Spice Company.

[PlumDragon]

aikiMac,

Sorry I didnt respond earlier, was out of town for xmas.

TCM generally sees influenza symptoms as wind-heat and/or wond-cold patterns.

Generally, Yin Qiao San (Lonicera and Forsythia Combination) is seen as a formula which are taken to both prevent and shorten the duration of influenza viruses. More specifically:
- For wind-heat symptoms accompanied by coughing and bronchitis, use sang ji yin (Morus and Chrysanthemum Combination)
- For wind cold symptoms, specifically high fever, you can use bai hu tang (White Tiger Decoction) which any herbalist will be able to fill as a patent medication.

Other herbs that are highly effective against viruses (to include influenza) include, and can be added to the above recipes: Da Qing Yi (Tinctoria leaf), Ban Lan Gen (Tinctoria root), and Yuan Zhi (Polygala).

If you have more questions, feel free to ask here or PM.

[blessed_samurai]

Aiki, your wife might also check out some olive leaf extract...forgot about that stuff. To bad you don't live near me, I'd just have you come into the shop and we'd fix your wife up.

[texas doc]

what about getting the flu vaccine? it is the best preventive measure for those at risk of getting the flu.

[StorDuff]

I seemed catch a lot of colds, even in the summer, and quite dreaded winter when it came around. It's really just about your diet. I cut down on junk food and tried to eat healthier foods, and I made it a point to eat an apple a day. Of course I don't guess it helps if you are standing right next to someone with the flu and they sneeze on you, but I think there is really something to an apple a day...

[PlumDragon]

what about getting the flu vaccine? it is the best preventive measure for those at risk of getting the flu.
It only protects from strains that are estimated in advance to come out in highest force that year and is a guess. Although, it is a helpful tool but one can certainly still get the flu after getting the shot.

A side note: I never get the flu shot. As a child I cant recall having the flu once. I then spent 6 years in the military and was required to get the vaccine every year. 3 of those 6 years I got the flu; Ive been out of the military for 3 years and I havent had it since. Flu vaccine is supposed to contain non-potentiating flu virii, and I dont believe the shot was what gave me the flu. I also dont claim to understand the interactions involved in the situation. Nevertheless, there is your burdeon of proof satisfied.

[texas doc]

yes, you are right: the effectiveness of a vaccine is always controversial, because it is based on the subpopulation studied.
many studies were carried out with both the commercial and experimental vaccines, and while most of them show efficacy, some show little or no reduction in the incidence of disease in special populations.
normally, the vaccine is recommended by the CDC for at-risk populations, people with specific medical conditions, specific age groups, and health care providers.
some of the experimental studies are interesting, and many are currently ongoing to assess the efficacy of the available vaccines against the strains circulating this year.
here are a few links to some of the most known cohorts:
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/165/3/274
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/116/6/e868
http://www.immunization-sd.org/docs/SimonsenStudy.pdf

[Taff]

I seemed catch a lot of colds, even in the summer, and quite dreaded winter when it came around. It's really just about your diet. I cut down on junk food and tried to eat healthier foods, and I made it a point to eat an apple a day. Of course I don't guess it helps if you are standing right next to someone with the flu and they sneeze on you, but I think there is really something to an apple a day...

Damn. I'd convinced myself that people in warmer climates get ill less often. I hate miserable Britain, and I blame it for making me ill in the winter.

[mach5_kel]

I like to use Gan Mao Ling to prevent getting a cold. I find it is pretty much useless once you get a "cold" though. This formula is sometime marketed to treat wind-cold or wind-heat, but it is geared towards wind-heat.

Also Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian is good for more toxic type wind-heat conditions. "The dominant use is in treating influenza, marked by sore throat, congestion, feverish feeling, and aching in the muscles, though there are other applications."

[Gary]

Chicken soup? I remember reading somewhere that it has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as an amino acid that resembles the drug prescribed for bronchitis and other respiratory problems. It might not cure it, but it will lessen the symptoms.

[Shrukin89]

How to prevent the flu from getting it in the first place, is to eat healthy, drink lots of water to keep body replenished, always wash your hands, to not excersize as hard. Boost your immune system even when flu season would be 2 3 or 4 months away. Stay in a clean environment

Zinc is another thing that's effective like Vitamin C

[Incredible_PROX]

Hey, I only got a little flu last year and it wasnt so bad.
My advise: 1. Drink a lot of water...
2. Do Martial Arts at least 1 Hour per Day
3. Get warm clothes when you go out of the warm home^^
4. When you sweat in the training you better wash your hairs before
you go outside because when you dont wash them you will
actually get ill.
5. Essential Oils^^

ProX

[inthespirit]

I'm just getting over the flu, had it since last Thursday. I went for 5 grams of glutamine twice a day worked much better than sudafed/paracetomol mix for me. In fact last sunday I was feeling much better, and thought as a final blow I'd cane the flu with a sudafed/paracetomol mix, taking it made me more ill than what I was, so I just went back to the glutamine.. its preaty much gone now.. the good thing about glutamine is that its natural, and you dont get the "tripping out on meds :eek: " feeling, especially annoying if your at work..

This is the first time I used glutamine for such, and I noticed significant boosts in wellbeing from glutamine.. highly recomend it!

[Rhizome]

I usually take high doses of vitamin c or any other anti-microbial/anti-biotic herbs such as pau d'arco,olive leaf extract,garlic etc.

The pau d'acro and vitamin c have given the most noticable benefits.

[blessed_samurai]

Vitamin C, oil of oregano, olive leaf extract, bee propolis