Natural Alternatives to Influenza this Year
With all the media scare on the Influenza virus especially H1N1 strain, everyone is running to their doctors in a frenzy, afraid of what this year’s season might bring…an epidemic? The truth is that while the H1N1 virus has affected us significantly in the last few months, there is no need for us to go running scared about a virus that has essentially the same progression and prognosis as the traditional Influenza A and B viruses seen in the months from October to February. Following are some of the most common questions that I have been getting from patients in the last few months about H1N1, and some tips for prevention and natural treatment.
- What is the difference in H1N1 and Swine Flu? Essentially, they are the same thing. The H1N1 is the subtype of Influenza and “Swine Flu” is the nickname given. This virus is a type of Influenza A virus and has mostly the same symptoms as well as the same clinical course, meaning the “regular flu” can have the same type of complications as the “swine flu”.
- How can I tell if I have the “flu” versus a regular “common cold”? The common cold which is caused by different viruses such as rhinovirus, cocksackie virus, adenovirus, echovirus, RSV and a host of others can have many similar symptoms to the flu such as fatigue, sore throat, congestion, nasal stuffiness, sometimes diarrhea or vomiting, low grade fevers, and cough. The influenza virus, however, tends to cause higher fevers (above 100.4), headaches, myalgias, and more severe fatigue. Generally with the common cold a person may experience a low grade fever (99.0 or 100.0) for the first day or two, but with influenza the fever will persist into the 3rd or further days.
- Should I get a flu shot? This is entirely up to you. There are two flu shots available this year, one for the regular influenza and one for the H1N1 type influenza. It is recommended that high risk people like young children, elderly, pregnant women (not 1st trimester), families of infants and pregnant women, asthmatics or COPD patients, and any immunosuppressed person (such as cardiac patients, diabetics, cancer patients, HIV patients, or any other person with immune system decrease, patients on steroids for long periods of time or other meds that may cause decreased immune response) get both vaccine. Young healthy people may get the vaccine, but they may also choose to utilize other natural methods to prevent getting the flu.
- What about Tamiflu…does it help? Tamiflu is indicated for treatment of influenza diagnosed within the first 48 hours by a physician for the following conditions: Patients with high risk such as those mentioned above with immunosuppression, pre-existing lung disease, elderly, young children. It is also indicated for anyone diagnosed with Influenza who has also been diagnosed with pneumonia or who has been hospitalized. Other than that, Tamiflu treatment is not recommended. It should be noted that treatment with Tamiflu early on DOES NOT prevent the complications of H1N1 from happening.
- When should I be concerned if I am sick? It is never a waste of your doctors time if you are worried that something is wrong. If you think you have the flu based on the symptoms above it is okay to go see your doctor. However, if you are having persistent high fevers beyond 72 hours, shortness of breath, chest pains, uncontrolled vomiting or diarrhea, lethargy and mental status changes, cough productive of yellowish, green, or bloody mucous or nasal discharge alike, then it is definitely time that you take a trip to a doctor to be examined.
- What are some ways to prevent the spread of Influenza? Besides the vaccine two of the most important and simple ways to prevent the spread are handwashing and covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing. Since this is a virus spread by respiratory droplets this is crucial to not spreading the virus. Other ways to contain the spread is by not exposing others: meaning if you are sick, stay home from work. If your children are sick, keep them home from school. This is a highly contagious virus, and if we want to prevent an epidemic we need to start with the simple solutions that help prevent spread.
- What are some ways that I can boost my immune system for the upcoming flu season? Taking Vitamin C and Zinc daily can help boost the immune system.The dosage of Vitamin C is 1000mg daily, and Zinc is 24mg daily. Another way is to take immune boosting herbal supplements. There is a product on the market called Green Vibrance. It is a green superfood powder supplement that contains many immune boosting herbs and superfoods, and in my opinion it is one of the best on the market for immune boosting and over all health. It can be purchased from www.vitacost.com or your local Whole Foods.
- What are some natural treatments for the flu? Some great natural antivirals include ginger root (boiled or blended and drank as warm tea), Vitamin C (high dose) 3000-6000mg daily, and Colloidal Silver 10ppm daily. Immune boosting herbs like Elderberry, Astralagus, Echinacea, and Goldenseal work in tandem with the antivirals to fight off the viruses. Another great product on the market (which I HIGHLY recommend stocking up on for this season) is called ACF by Buried Treasure. There is also a children’s version called Children’s ACF. It has all of the aforementioned antiviral supplements PLUS others and if taken within the first 24 hours of symptoms can prevent a full on attack from the flu (or even the common cold for that matter). Please note that ACF is not to be taken for longer than 2 weeks at a time. There is however, a prevention formula that they have on the market called Prevention ACF by the same company. Again these can be purchased on the website www.vitacost.com or your local whole foods.
Conclusion: with all the hype about H1N1 and even the regular flu, the coming months may seem overwhelming. But remember the simple things you can do to prevent spread, and the natural things you can do to boost your immune system before you are exposed and above all keep your stress levels down as this can lower your immune system and increase your risk of catching any of these things just as much as anything else.
For more information on Dr. Clairborne and her services go to www.backtobasicshealing.com . For archives of past articles, visit www.drlifespeaks.com
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