What to do for the Dreaded FLU!!!
by Tara Levy, ND
I know I already wrote an article this season on immune support, but given the craziness of this year’s flu season — and the fact that I recently suffered through the flu personally, with a 2 week old! — I thought I would make some quick recommendations to help deal with this year’s virus. It appears that the flu strain that is most dominant this year is H1N1, otherwise known as “swine flu”. This is the same strain that emerged 4 years ago, and it has a particular affinity for people under the age of 60. As a result of the impact this virus had in 2009-2010, the state of California now tracks flu deaths in those under age 65. There have been 95 deaths in California so far this flu season in those under 65 years of age.
While some people do indeed get very sick with the flu, particularly those who have pre-existing conditions or risk factors, most people who contract the flu have a much more mild illness. Classic symptoms seen with this particular virus include a fever, chills, body aches, and cough. Those who are at higher risk of developing more serious symptoms possibly requiring hospitalization include children and young adults who have a history of asthma, heart or lung disease, diabetes, or those who are pregnant.
The flu vaccine is still available, and whether or not to get the vaccine is an individual decision. Certainly take into account the presence of risk factors for more serious disease or complications, and whether or not there has been a previous reaction to a vaccine. In order for the vaccine to be effective one needs to mount a proper immune response, which takes approximately 2 weeks for an adult. Children seem to have a lower response to the vaccine than adults, which may explain the higher rates of flu that are being seen in children. If you want help determining if the flu vaccine is right for you, please contact your doctor for individual consultation.
As I mentioned, I had the flu this year while I was home with a two week old. Not fun!! And even though I am not currently seeing patients, I have been in contact with several friends and family with the flu in the past few weeks, and have developed a “Top Ten” list of things to do to both prevent and treat the flu should you find it in your midst. Most of these are things that anyone can do so read on!
- Wash your hands. Even though everyone knows this, it bears repeating!! With soap for at least 20 seconds — hum “happy birthday” twice! An essential oil based hand sanitizer is a good thing to have on hand as well, for times when hand washing isn’t possible. This is one that we carry in our office.
- Neti pot/sinus rinsing. Each night, to clear away any viruses that may be trying to invade your nasal passages, as well as to tonify the mucus membranes. Also great to manage allergy symptoms, which are also starting right now for many people. If using a neti-pot is too challenging, consider using a saline nasal spray.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Water, diluted juice, tea, broth — whatever it takes! Fluids help keep the mucus flowing, which clears the bugs and debris OUT of your body.
- Steam. With this epic dry-season, a humidifier can be helpful to keep the air moist, especially at night while sleeping. Doing some steam inhalations with essential oils or herbs can be extra helpful in breaking up congestion and helping get some anti-microbial activity into the lungs. Try using eucalyptus, thyme, or oregano either as herbs or essential oils. Lavender is helpful as well. We carry an essential oil blend of eucalyptus, thyme, and lavender called “vapor inhalation” that is very helpful as a steam or mixed into olive or coconut oil as a chest rub.
- Vitamins — focus on Vitamins C and D once you are sick, and vitamin D should be taken preventively throughout the winter months. If you haven’t had your vitamin D levels checked in the past year, consider doing so in order to determine how much Vitamin D you need to supplement to reach optimal blood levels. If you don’t know, most people can take 1000 iu safely.
- Sy-Immune, Sy-Infect, or Mucoccoinum. These are all homeopathic combinations that support the immune system and can be used both preventively or with acute illness. With the flu take 1 tablet 3-4 x daily during the first 2 days of illness, decreased to 1 tablet daily preventively.
- Probiotics. Studies have shown shorter duration and less severe illness by those who take probiotics when sick. Personally I take a probiotic every day, and I increased my dosage when I got the flu. Probiotic quality can vary widely, so consider using a professional line probiotic to ensure you are getting what you need.
- Elderberry syrup. Elderberry has specific action against H1N1 flu as well as other viruses and bacteria. A safe (and tasty!) choice for adults and children, this is my go-to herb for treating the flu.
- Zinc — lower doses are useful for prevention (15 mg daily) while higher doses are useful to help the immune system fight infection. Zinc can be administered via a lozenge, which also helps with sore throat, or can be taken in a capsule. While I don’t recommend using high dose zinc long-term, 50-60 mg daily can be very helpful when sick or healing.
- V Clear EPS 7630 (formerly known as Viraclear) is my favorite remedy for any early symptoms of cold or flu. The herb in this formula is a proprietary extract of Pelargonium, an herb from South Africa with anti-bacterial properties. Several large studies have found it useful in treating sore throat, colds, and coughs, and it is one of the only remedies that has been researched in children as young as 2 years old.
- I can’t resist giving a bonus remedy! Wet sock treatment. I know, it seems like I can’t say it enough! But I LOVE this treatment and it’s overall immune support benefits. Pair it with a hot bath before hand (with essential oils!) and you’ve got a great immune stimulating treatment. Please see this recent newsletter article for details.
Choose any or all of these remedies to help keep you healthy through the rest of this flu season! And if you find yourself sick and needing some extra support, please contact any of the doctors at Tara Natural Medicine for a more individualized protocol.