What to Do When You Have a Cold or Flu
Posted on August 18, 2013 by john in Health care
The cold and flu season is just around the corner and with this we can expect to see many advertisements for flu vaccines. I’ve written about the dangers of vaccines before and the fact that simply do not work, according to the evidence. So I give a timely review of what you can do to protect yourself and your family this cold and flu season, as well as the next few years.
What Causes Colds and Flu?
The flu and colds are caused by a number of viruses (not bacteria). While these two diseases often affect your respiratory tract, there are some differences between them.
Common symptoms of a common cold include nasa flow, congestion, cough and sore throat. Influenza symptoms tend to be more severe, it is because influenza viruses are capable of causing severe lung infections and pneumonia, and respiratory failure. They also tend to affect the joints - causing pain.
The most common form in which the virus is transmitted via contact handoff. For example, someone with a cold blows their nose then shakes your hand or touches surfaces that you also have contact. However, what we must remember is that being exposed to the virus does not mean you are destined to get a cold.
If your immune system is operating at peak, then it really should be very easy for you to be in contact with the virus without getting sick. The same happens with influenza viruses. On the other hand, if your immune system is in poor condition, viruses can easily take hold in your body. Therefore, it is important to understand that the reason you develop a cold or flu is because your immune system is impaired. Is not an inevitable event based on exposure to the virus itself.
Lifestyle factors that can weaken the immune system, alone or in combination, include:
Eating a lot of sugar, particularly fructose, and many grains. The average person consumes about 75 grams of fructose a day and when fructose is consumed at that level can be devastating to the immune system.
One of the ways we do this is to upset the intestinal flora. Sugar is the “fertilizer” of pathogenic bacteria, yeasts and fungi (type of fungus) that can make your immune system is attacked by respiratory viruses. Most people do not realize that 80 percent of your immune system actually lies in the gastrointestinal tract. That’s why controlling your sugar intake is CRUCIAL to optimize your immune system.
It would be wise to limit total fructose consumption below 25 grams per day if you have good health, or less than 15 grams a day if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease or insulin resistant.
Vitamin D deficiency as a result of the lack of sun exposure
Not getting enough rest
Not doing enough exercise
Use strategies that serve to cope with emotional stressors
Vitamin D Deficiency: An Underlying Cause of Colds As Both Influenza
According to Medline, it is estimated that the average adult American has two to four colds a year, while children may have more than one dozen. Each year, between five and 20 percent of the U.S. population also suffers from flu symptoms.
One reason for the high prevalence of colds and flu could be the vitamin D deficiency is very common in the United States, especially during the winter months when colds and flu viruses are at its highest level. Research has confirmed that “catching” a cold or flu may actually be a symptom of an underlying vitamin D deficiency Less than optimal levels of vitamin D would harm significantly the immune response and make it much more susceptible to contracting colds, influenza and other respiratory infections.
In the longest study and nationally representative of its kind to date, involving about 19,000 Americans, people with vitamin D levels lower reported more cases of colds or flu - and the risk was even greater for those with respiratory diseases like asthma. At least five additional studies also demonstrated an inverse relationship between least and respiratory tract infections levels
Vitamin D.
But the research is quite clear, while higher vitamin D levels, the lower the risk of colds, flu and other respiratory tract infections. I strongly believe you could avoid colds and influenza entirely by maintaining your vitamin D levels in the optimal range.
IMPORTANT: Why Is It So Important Get Vitamin D from Sun Exposure?
In a recent interview, Dr. Stephanie Seneff spoke of the importance of sun exposure to a whole new level. I’ve consistently recommended getting vitamin D through exposure to sunlight on a regular basis whenever possible and the review of Dr. Seneffde of how-the-sun exposure is related to cholesterol and sulfur, make this most important recommendation.
However, as a brief summary, when you expose your skin to sunshine, your skin synthesizes vitamin D3 sulfate. This form of vitamin D is water soluble, unlike oral supplements of vitamin D3, which are sulfated. The water soluble form can travel through your bloodstream freely, while sulfated forms require LDL (the so-called “bad” cholesterol) as a vehicle of transport. His guess is that the form of vitamin D oral unsulfated probably will not provide the same benefits of vitamin D obtained through sun exposure, because it can not be converted into vitamin D sulfate
I think this is a very compelling reason to make a concerted effort to get ALL of the requirements of vitamin D from exposure to the sun or by using a safe tanning bed (one with electronic ballasts rather than magnetic ballasts, to avoid exposure unnecessary to EMF fields). Personally, I have not taken oral vitamin D supplements in over a year and I’ve kept my level 65 to 110ng/ml with regular sun exposure.
As a last resort, if none of these options are viable for you, then it might take an oral supplement of vitamin D3. That’s better than nothing, but still could not deliver the health benefits obtained from sun exposure, given that vitamin D is not sulfated, and because it is water soluble, it will not be able to support the maximum immune response.
Does Vitamin D Could Help You Recover Faster … and Prevent Cold or Flu in First Place?
Vitamin D is an amazing and effective antibacterial agent, which produces 200 to 300 different antimicrobial peptides in your body that kill bacteria, viruses and fungi (type of fungus). Therefore, optimizing your levels will not only help control colds and flu … but it will prevent them from invading your body first.
Unlike flu shots (which I will discuss in a moment), this recommendation has been gaining scientific validation.
For example, in one study, published last year, researchers studied the effect of vitamin D on the incidence of seasonal influenza A in children attending the school. For over a year, conducted a study comparing the effects of vitamin D3 with placebos. They found that influenza A occurred in only 10.8 percent of children in the vitamin D group, compared with 18.6 percent of children in the placebo group.
“This study suggests that vitamin D3 supplementation during the winter may reduce the incidence of influenza A, especially in specific subgroups of children who go to school.”
Based on the latest research by Carole Baggerly, director of Grassroots Health, the required dose for the average adult to achieve healthy levels of vitamin D is 8,000 IUs of vitamin D a day, if you are taking oral supplements. For children, many experts agree that children need about 35 IU of vitamin D per pound of body weight. However, note that the requirements for vitamin D are entirely individual, since the state of vitamin D depends on many factors, so while these recommendations may be closer to the approximate likely for most people, it is impossible make a general recommendation that meets the needs of all people.
The only way to determine the optimal dose is to get blood tests. Ideally you want to keep your vitamin D levels throughout the year 50-70ng/ml.
Conventional Strategies for Treating Colds and Flu, Fact That Could Make Your Time Slower Recovery
The less complicated colds last between eight and nine days, but about 25 percent last two weeks and 5-10 percent last three weeks. Even more severe colds usually heal in a few weeks.
On the other hand the flu, tends to last less time, a common case of flu lasts four to seven days. How fast recovery often has to do with their lifestyle habits - and this has nothing to do with the remedies for the flu and colds or fever reducers. In fact, as long as the temperature remains below 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius) there is no need to lower it.
Cold viruses do not reproduce at higher body temperatures, so a slight fever help get rid of the virus faster.
Also avoid pain relieving drugs that do not require a prescription, because research suggests that taking aspirin or Tylenol (acetaminophen) may actually suppress your body’s ability to produce antibodies to destroy the cold virus. It also has been linked to excessive use of aspirin with pulmonary complications including edema, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in his lungs. Use these drugs only when extremely necessary, for example if you have a temperature over 105 degrees F (40.5 degrees C), severe muscle pain or weakness.
The most important thing is to remember that antibiotics will NOT fight viruses, therefore not useful against colds and flu. Unfortunately, the antibiotics are highly prescribed for this purpose. So please, if you have a cold or flu, remember that unless you have bacterial pneumonia, an antibiotic will probably do more harm than good, because whenever you use an antibiotic, you’re increasing your susceptibility to developing infections with resistance antibiotics, and can become a carrier of this resistant infection and spread it to other people.
When Should You Call Your Doctor?
Sinusitis, ear infections and lung (bronchitis and pneumonia) are examples of bacterial infections respond to antibiotics YES. If you develop any of these symptoms are signs that might be suffering from a bacterial infection that is not cold virus and then you should call your doctor’s office:
Fever greater than 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 Celsius)
Earache
Pain around the eyes, especially if greenish nasal discharge
Shortness of breath or cough
Persistent cough with green and yellow discharge
A Shocking LACK of Evidence Supports Flu Vaccine
While the flu vaccine is touted as the “best” way to avoid catching seasonal flu, many are unaware that the available scientific information NOT actually supports this conclusion. In essence, it is an illusion that is not backed by scientific evidence.
Take for example the Cochrane database, which is the benchmark for evaluating the effectiveness of common medical interventions-as discussed in a recent article GreenMedInfo.com. Here are five reviews of the Cochrane Database, published between 2006 and 2010, completely discrediting the claim that vaccines are the best way to prevent influenza action.
A large-scale systematic review of 51 studies, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2006, found no evidence about the flu vaccine is more effective than a placebo in children under two years. Studies involving 260,000 children 6-23 months.
Two years later, in 2008, another Cochrane review again concluded that “there is little evidence available” that the flu vaccine is effective in children under two years.
More disturbingly, “It was surprising to discover that there is only one study of inactivated vaccine in children under two years, given current recommendations to vaccinate healthy children from six months of age in the United States and Canada. If immunization in children is to be recommended as public health policy, then it is urgently required large-scale studies to evaluate the results and compare the types of vaccines. ”
Last year, Cochrane published the following conclusion: “The flu vaccines have a modest effect in reducing influenza symptoms and working days lost. No evidence of complications such as pneumonia affecting or transmission.
Warning: This review includes 15 out of 36 trials funded by industry (four had no funding declaration). An earlier systematic review of 274 studies on influenza vaccine, published up to 2007 found that industry-funded studies were published in more prestigious journals and cited more than other studies independently funded on the quality and methodological size. Studies funded by public resources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favorable to the vaccines. The review showed that reliable evidence on influenza vaccines is low, but there is evidence of widespread manipulation of conclusions and the falsity of the studies. The content and conclusions of this review should be interpreted in light of this finding. “(Emphasis mine)
Last year, Cochrane also reviewed the available evidence regarding the protection of the elderly and the results were equally abysmal. “The available evidence is of poor quality and provides no guidance regarding the safety, efficacy or effectiveness of influenza vaccines in people 65 years or more.”
We also examined whether the shots given to health care workers can help protect or not elderly patients with whom they worked. In conclusion. “There is no evidence that vaccinating health care workers prevents influenza in elderly long-term care facility residents.”
Strategies in Food to Avoid a Cold or Flu
The first thing you want to do when you feel the threat of cold or flu is to avoid ALL sugars, artificial sweeteners and processed foods. Sugar is particularly damaging to the immune system, which needs to be strengthened and weakened in order to combat emerging infection. These include fruit juice and all kinds of grains (as sugar decomposing body).
Ideally, you should take care of their problems nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress when you feel you are getting sick. This is when strategies increases your immune system more effective. Foods that help strengthen the immune response:
Organic raw milk from grass-fed milk protein or high quality fermented foods, such as raw kefir, kimchee, miso, pickles, sauerkraut organic raw eggs from pasture-fed hens meat from grass-fed and Coco coconut oil
Omega-3 fats of animal origin, such as krill oil organic vegetables Garlic. Preferably oil and shake before eating turmeric, oregano, cinnamon, cloves Mushrooms, especially Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake
Be sure to drink plenty of purified water. Water is essential for optimal functioning of any system in your body and help with the runny nose and secretions. You should drink enough water so that way your urine light yellow.
And as for the chicken broth, yes indeed helps reduce cold symptoms.
The chicken contains natural amino acid called cysteine, which can help reduce the mucus in your lungs and make it less sticky so it can be removed easily. However, canned soups, processed not work as the homemade version. For best results, prepare your fresh broth yourself (or ask a friend or family to do so) and make it very hot and spicy chili. Spices accelerate the release of aqueous fluids in your mouth, throat and lungs, making breathing help thin mucus to make it easier to cough and expel.
Green Tea-A Healthy Drink Option During Flu Season
Green tea contains antiviral components that could also be useful against flu infection. A recent study examined the relationship between green tea consumption and the incidence of influenza among children attending the school. More than 2,000 elementary students received anonymous questionnaires about green tea consumption and illness during the influenza season.
The results showed that green tea, more than five cups a day was associated with a lower rate of infection.
“Our findings suggest that consumption of 1-5 cups (per day) of green tea may prevent influenza infection in children.”
Supplements That They carry Pathogens Far Away
Supplements can be beneficial for colds, but I think it should be used as a complement to measures of lifestyle and power already discussed in this article. Some of the most useful options for cold and flu-addition of vitamin D-are:
Vitamin C: A very potent antioxidant, used in its natural form such as acerola, which contains associated micronutrients. You can take several grams every hour till you get better unless you start to have diarrhea.
Oregano Oil: The higher the concentration of carvacol, the more effective. Carvacol is the most potent antimicrobial aid the immune response.
Propolis: A bee resin and one of the compounds more broad-spectrum antimicrobial in the world, propolis is also the richest source of caffeic acid and apigenin, two compounds that aid in the immune response.
A tea made from a combination of elderflower, yarrow, boneset, linden, peppermint and ginger, drink it hot and often fighting a cold or flu. What make you sweat, which is helpful to eradicate the virus from your system.
Olive Leaf Extract: The ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean cultures gave a variety of uses for health promotion and is widely known as a natural, non-toxic building the immune system.
Fungi - Immune Stimulant That Menudo are ignored
There is another supplement that has emerged and that can be very useful to strengthen your immune system, and are the fungi.
More than 300 different species of fungi which currently is believed to have the potential to promote human health. Evidence is emerging, confirming as proteins, minerals, polysaccharides, amino acids, and fiber support fungi general health:
Promote normal cell growth
Protect against environmental stressors
Support the normal process of detoxification
Support health of the intestinal flora
Promoting optimal digestion
While most people only think about eating the body of the fungus, ie the part that looks over the land, most of the benefits of the fungus are actually in their complex root structure, which grows below land, called mycelium, which can be up to 95 percent of the total biomass of the fungus.
The beta-glucans and proteoglycans are the most active biological compounds in the body of fungi and mycelia that support your immune system.
Beta-glucans are chains of polysaccharides and proteoglycans are special proteins that are often found in connective tissue. Beta-glucans found in yeast are long and complex molecular chains. What distinguishes certain beta-glucans, is its unique side branch. As a key and a lock, compounds beta-glucans in fungi “fit” perfectly with cellular receptors that strengthen your immune system.
At the First Sign of Cold Symptoms: Zinc to the Rescue
A Review of the Cochrane Database of medical research on zinc found that when taken during early symptoms zinc, zinc could reduce the duration of cold to about 24 hours. The review included 15 randomized controlled trials, which consisted of 1,360 participants of all ages. Zinc is found that greatly reduces the severity of symptoms.
This confirms what many people have thought about zinc. The review did not recommend a specific dose of zinc, citing the need for further studies to establish the optimal formulations and duration of treatment. However, some of the studies reviewed showed the beneficial qualities of zinc used to fight the common cold was 50 and 65 mg daily. People taking pills were more likely to experience side effects than those taking syrup, including bad taste in mouth and nausea.
Zinc was not recommended for people with a disease, such as low immune function, asthma or chronic illnesses.
Also keep in mind that whenever you isolate one mineral and ingest it independently of the other, there is possibility of imbalance or in the worst cases of overdose. Therefore, I would not recommend taking more than 50mg a day and even I would not suggest taking supplemental levels on a daily basis to help prevent colds, as it could easily develop copper imbalance. You can also activate the “opposite effect” in which much of a good nutrient can actually do the opposite of what is supposed to do.
Other Strategies Lifestyle That Help Not Catching a Cold or Flu
Besides nutritional interventions already discussed, the following strategies in lifestyle also help you optimize your overall resistance against cold and flu viruses:
Getting enough sleep and well: If you are not sleeping enough or having enough refreshing sleep, be at greater risk of being attacked by a virus. Your immune system also works best when you have lack of sleep, so the more rest will recover faster.
Exercise regularly: Regular exercise is a crucial strategy for increasing disease resistance. Evidence suggests that moderate exercise regularly can reduce the risk of respiratory diseases by strengthening the immune system. In fact, one study found that people who exercised regularly (five or more days per week) had a 50 percent lower risk of catching a cold. And, in case you get sick, their symptoms were less severe than those who did not exercise.
The exercise is likely to reduce the risk of colds so significantly because it causes an increase in immune system cells that can attack potential invaders. Each time you workout benefits by strengthening your immune system. The ideal is to establish a program of regular exercise, such as Peak Fitness, to help prevent colds and other illnesses.
In addition, exercise can also help strengthen the immune system by increasing the body temperature. This helps kill invading pathogens, like fever is your body produces when you are sick
Take care of emotional stress: emotional stressors can also predispose you to an infection while also worsens the symptoms of colds. Finding ways to manage daily stress as well as your reactions to circumstances they have no control, and to contribute to strengthening the immune system stronger. Effective strategies include a variety of energy psychology tools like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT for its acronym in English).
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