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How to Beat and Prevent the Avian Flu and Other Influenzas

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Are you worried about the possible outbreak of the Avian Flu among humans?

Perhaps you should be! I hope that all of the publicity about the Bird Flu

proves to be a false alarm, as well as the theories that it may be a

deliberately engineered flu, but I have to tell you that from what I have

learned so far about the Avian Flu, regardless of where it may originate from, I

think that the worst thing any of us could do is to ignore it and hope it goes

away, because it may not and I shudder to think about it ever mutating to where

it can be spread from human to human. Let's take a look at what we know so far

about the Avian Flu:

First of all, the Avian Flu has not yet mutated and there is no need for panic,

but there certainly is plenty of reasons for concern and a need to be vigilant,

because the flu could easily mutate to one that is spread by humans -- and it is

the very nature of viruses to mutate. We should also be mindful of the fact that

the world is due for another outbreak of a widespread and dangerous influenza

epidemic of the kind that appear to occur on a regular basis about every 30

years.

If the Avian Flu does mutate to a human flu and is even partially as deadly as

some predict, the resulting worldwide pandemic could be an epic modern day

plague that changes the world as we know it and makes HIV, 9/11, the great

Tsunami and the destruction of New Orleans seem mild by comparison -- and there

would likely be very little the world can do to prevent it. We can only hope

that the next big worldwide influenza outbreak does not involve the current

Avian Flu, or any other avian flu, because such flu would be a type that humans

have not been exposed to and thus have no built-in resistance to. Owing to this

lack of built in resistance, such an outbreak involving that kind of flu could

prove to be uniquely horrific.

In a normal outbreak of influenza, the most vulnerable are usually the elderly,

the very young, and those who are already ill or otherwise in a weakened state

-- in other words, those whose immune systems are not strong enough to

successfully ward off and fight illness. While a human version of the Avian Flu

is likely to be every bit as deadly or more so for those who are the usual flu

victims, unlike the usual varieties of influenza, the Avian Flu would actually

be even more deadly for the group that is usually least affected by flu

outbreaks: the most robust and healthy among us, the adults in the prime of

life. That is because an avian flu like the Avian Flu turns the body's own

immune system against itself and a strong immune system can become a deadly

instrument of death as it over-reacts to a threat it has never been exposed to

and releases a torrent of chemicals to combat the new threat which end up

literally filling and eating up the lungs,

suffocating what had been a strong and vigorous individual.

Such was exactly the case in a previous outbreak of another avian flu, one very

similar to the Avian Flu. The Spanish Flu of 1918-19 was the most deadly

epidemic in recorded history, killing 30 to 40 million or more people in one

year € " - more than were killed in any war including the Great World War, more

than were killed in the 4 terrifying years of the Plague of Black Death (the

Bubonic Plague) of 1347-1351, and more than were killed by HIV-AIDS in its first

25 years of existence. In the United States it infected 28% of all Americans,

caused the deaths of at least 675,000 and in a single year was responsible for a

10 year drop in the life expectancy rate. In 1918, the death rate for influenza

and pneumonia for 15 to 35 year olds was 20 times higher than in previous years.

Many authorities fear that if the modern day Avian Flu mutates to one that can

be spread by humans, it could be an even more deadly flu than the one in

1918-19. Indeed, where humans have been exposed to infected birds and contracted

the Avian Flu so far, the death rate appears to be significantly higher than it

was for the deadly Spanish Flu.

The picture becomes truly staggering when you add to the expected high death

rate the fact that the world population is now 2 1/2 times greater than it was

in 1918-19 and not only is the population much larger, it is also much more

concentrated with much more human interaction. And then you have the fact that,

unlike the horse and buggy days of 1918-19, modern travel brings humans almost

instantly to and from all points of the globe.

In all likelihood, only an immediate worldwide quarantine and shutdown of all

travel would have a chance at stopping the spread of a worldwide pandemic, and

that is something that is both unachievable and, at this point, unthinkable

(although if the pandemic were to turn out to be as dire as some predict, such

measures would probably be attempted out of desperation but would surely prove

far too late to stop the spread of the disease). Given the woeful response to

the destruction of New Orleans, and the shortage of flu shots caused by the loss

of a single facility only last year, perhaps one can more easily understand the

estimates of many authorities and scientific figures that forecast staggering

death tolls, some as high as 300 million or more worldwide.

The world has largely forgotten the horrible death tolls of the Spanish Flu, as

well as the plague-like conditions that led to quarantines, death wagons,

corpses lying abandoned in public streets, and breakdowns of social order and

lawlessness that broke out in many places around the world. For those of us who

would like a reminder, I suggest a trip to an old cemetery and take a look at

the tombstones and grave markers for the years 1918-19, see how many there are

compared to other years and how many times you will find multiple deaths in the

same family for those years. It was a horrible time, now largely forgotten and

to a great deal overshadowed by the end of World War I, but it is a lesson for

us all if only we will open our eyes and see.

Perhaps the nightmare scenario I have painted is merely the stuff of dreams, and

I certainly hope that proves to be the case. But I strongly suggest that we all

take steps to prepare for the worst, just in case. Better that than be like the

old fellow on the side of Mount Saint Helens who ignored all the warning signs,

disbelieved all the scientists and scoffed at the idea of a deadly eruption

right up to the point that he was incinerated.

While there may be little the world's governments may be able to do to stop the

spread of a truly horrible influenza pandemic, there are things that we all can

do to help avoid catching such a flu and to fight it off if we do catch it.

Common sense tells us to practice very good hygiene and to avoid exposure to

those who are infected. If a vaccine is available, it is probably a better idea

to take it than not - even though vaccines are likely to be in short supply,

will likely be mere guesswork since the virus has yet to mutate to a form that

can be spread by humans and is likely to continue to mutate once it does, and is

likely to contain mercury due to the probable use of an agent called thimerosal

that is used to sterilize flu vaccines.

Beyond those obvious measures, I have also compiled the following information

for anyone who wishes to avoid and combat influenza:

Avoiding the Flu:

The good news is that you can take steps to help you avoid the Bird Flu or any

other flu when it comes, and to survive it if you happen to catch it. Included

in these steps are the things that you should do to protect yourself from

virtually all diseases and illnesses: get plenty of rest, exercise, quit

smoking, eat a nutritious diet, avoid stress and, above all, to make your body's

natural first line of defense -- your immune system -- strong and robust.

Some of the very best immune boosters are:

* Echinacea

* Pau d'arco

* Suma

* Astragalus

* Medicinal mushrooms

* Beta glucans

* Aloe vera

* Alkygycerol

* Lactoferrin

* Bovine colostrums

* Glutathione

* Mangosteen

The next thing you should do is to also take one or more good natural anti-viral

agents, especially if the Bird Flu does mutate and begin to spread from human to

human, because unlike other illnesses or flues, the Bird Flu will use your own

immune system to attack you. This is because we have never been exposed to a

strain of flu like the Bird Flu and it is likely that biochemical cascade of

immune cells and immune system bio-chemicals such as interferon, interleukin,

monokines and cytokines will literally pour into the lungs and eat your lungs

up. With the Bird Flu, it is essential to also include good natural anti-viral

supplements along with immune boosters.

Among the very best natural pathogen destroyers are:

* Garlic

* Olive leaf extract

* Oil of wild mountain oregano

* Grapefruit seed extract

* Colloidal Silver

A third thing to do would be to take regular preventative doses of a natural

remedy known as " Oleander Soup " , which can be made at home according to the

instructions in the e-book " Cancer's Natural Enemy " (written by the author of

this article).

Oleander extract has been proven in clinical trials, decades of medical practice

and literally centuries of use as a folk remedy to be a very strong immune

booster and disease and illness preventer. It has also demonstrated strong

anti-viral abilities in the way that it attacks and kills cancer cells, as well

as its effectiveness against hepatitis-C and HIV.

The fourth thing you should do is endeavor to stop the spread of airborne

viruses during the flu season:

* Protect yourself from others by gargling daily with 1 drop each of the

essential oils of tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) and lemon in a glass of warm

water; stir well before each mouthful. Do not swallow.

* Mix a blend of essential oils to use in your diffuser or for use in steam

inhalation.

Blend together:

1) ravensare - 3 parts

2) naiouli or eucalyptus - 1 part

3) lemon - 1 part

4) rosewood - 1 part

5) lavender - 1 part

Ravensare and naiouli have antiviral properties, while the other essential oils

in the blend act as antiseptics while at the same time providing a wonderful

aroma.

Diffuser Application - Add about 50 drops of the above blend to your diffuser at

a time. Fumigate the house with oils to help prevent the spread of flu. Put 2-3

drops on a radiator to evaporate or add 10 drops of essential oils to a small

plant spray filled with water. Spray the room frequently.

Natural Measures to Consider Should You Get the Flu

Hydrotherapy for Flu:

* Promote sweating by taking hot baths, hot foot-baths and other heat therapies.

Keep the feet warm at all times during sickness and as a preventive measure. Low

body temperature decreases resistance to viruses and bacteria, while heat burns

up and destroys the virus.

* To warm feet, soak them for five to ten minutes in a hot mustard bath.

Dissolve I tbsp. mustard powder in 4 cups of hot water.

* A hot bath followed by a cold mitten friction rub, two to four times a day,

loosens congestion, improves circulation and strengthens the immune system,

speeding healing from the flu.

* To do a cold mitten friction rub, proceed as follows: Dip a small towel or

washcloth into cold (50° to 60°F) water. Curl one hand into a fist and wrap

the cloth around it. Use your fist to rub your other arm in a vigorous circular

motion, beginning with the fingers and finishing at the shoulder. Dip the cloth

in the cold water again and repeat. Your skin should be pink. Dry your arm with

a towel using the same vigorous circular movement. Repeat the process on your

other arm and on your legs, feet, chest and abdomen.

Juice Therapy for Flu:

* Apple and dark grape juices are often recommended for those fighting the flu.

They have properties that work against congestion and runny nose. Dark grape

juice is rich in tannins, substances that have been shown to kill viruses under

laboratory conditions.

* Dilute the juices if they are too sweet. Drink them at room temperature. Pear,

cranberry and, especially, pomegranate juices are also helpful for combating

flu.

Naturopathy for Flu:

* Hot Bath

* Add 30-60 ml (2-4 tbsp) of Epsom Salts to hot water and take a hot bath. After

the bath, go straight to bed.

* Vitamins - As soon as the symptoms of flu start, take high levels of Vitamin C

to boost the immune system, around 3,000-4,000 mg to start with, reducing over

3-4 days to 500 mg until you feel completely better.

* Diet - Drink fruit juices until the fever has passed.

* Now eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole grains.

* Cold Compress - If very hot and sweaty, try applying a cool compress to the

chest and trunk.

Aromatherapy for Flu/Colds:

* Steam Inhalation - Mix a blend of essential oils to use in your diffuser or

for use in steam inhalation.

Blend together:

1) ravensare - 3 parts

2) naiouli or eucalyptus - 1 part

3) lemon - 1 part

4) rosewood - 1 part

5) lavender - 1 part

Add six to eight drops of the above blend to a bowl of just-boiled water. Place

a towel over your head and inhale. Repeat this treatment two or three times a

day, if necessary.

Several oils have considerable anti-viral activity, and help to boost the immune

system. For maximum effectiveness, it is important that you use them at the

earliest sign of influenza or in some cases before contracting cold/flu to boost

your immune system as a preventative.

Essential oils of basil, eucalyptus, peppermint, and pine help to ease nasal

congestion. Choose one to three of these oils and use them as inhalants or in

steam inhalation treatments. For chest congestion, a steam inhalation treatment

made with basil, pine, and/ or tea tree oil can help to clear mucus and ease

breathing. Rubbing a massage oil prepared with these oils over the chest may

also be helpful.

An aromatherapy bath prepared with elemi, myrrh, pine, and/ or tea tree oil can

help to soothe achy feelings all over your body that accompany flu. Use a

lukewarm bath for fever, a hot bath for chills.

* For chills:

1) Add 3 drops of rosemary and 3 drops of ginger or black pepper essential oils

to your bath.

2) Mix 5 drops of ravensare and 15 drops of rosewood in ½ ounce of carrier oil

such as olive or almond. This makes an energizing massage oil blend.

Other Essential Oils Useful for Flu:

* Tea Tree oil

* Eucalyptus oil

* Lemon oil

* Lavender oil

If you come down with the flu, add 10 to 20 drops of tea tree to hot water and

take a hot bath. This may help your immune system fight the viral infection and

ease your symptoms. Use a pure, unadulterated form of tea tree oil; adulterated

forms can be irritating to the skin.

To help alleviate and disinfect dry air passages, add 10 drops of tea tree oil

to a bowl of hot water or vaporizer and leave in your bedroom overnight.. A

small handkerchief sprinkled with a few drops of the oil and left under the

pillow may help as well.

Caution: Do Not Overdo it! Prolonged inhalation of essential oils can cause an

enlarged liver.

If you have a congested nose or chest, add a few drops of essential oils of

eucalyptus globulus (E. globulus) or peppermint (Mentha piperita) to a steam

vaporizer.

Caution: If you are asthmatic, be cautious the first time you try this; if you

have not been exposed to essential oils before, inhaling the vapor may actually

precipitate an attack.

Ayurvedic Remedies for Flu

Ayurvedic practitioners recommend the following strategies to combat flu:

* At the first sign of the flu, switch to a bland diet. Eat soft-cooked rice

(rice that has a very soft, moist texture created by a longer cooking time with

more water) with a pinch of cumin, ginger powder and turmeric for seasoning. In

India, broken rice is used for this purpose with generous amounts of water so

that we will get a soup in the end. The ginger and cumin heat up your body, so

you can sweat out toxins. Turmeric has antibiotic and antiseptic qualities. You

can also add few cloves of garlic cut into small pieces to the mixture as garlic

is very good for flu.

* To ease the congestion that can accompany the flu:

1) ½ teaspoon sitopaladi powder

2) ½ teaspoon sudarshan

3) ½ teaspoon of honey

Mix the ingredients well. Take a teaspoonful of this mixture every few hours.

Your symptoms will disappear quickly.

* For Severe Flu Symptoms - Take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon

cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure most chronic coughs,

colds and clear the sinuses. A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains

a natural ingredient which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from

flu.

* Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and

protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that

honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of honey

strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.

Herbal Remedies:

Herbal remedies cannot cure a cold or flu. But they can bring relief of

symptoms, stimulate the immune system and speed recovery. Here are several

herbal remedies useful for colds and flu.

* Corn starch, water and lemon. Mix together in a cup. One cup should be enough.

* Water, lemons, cinnamon sticks and honey. Put a gallon of water in a large pot

on the stove. Add four lemons, cut in quarters, and two sticks of cinnamon.

Bring water to a full boil and then let steep for five or more minutes. Drink

one cup several times a day if you are able to stay home and rest and one or two

cups at night, otherwise just drink at night. Best taken at the beginning of flu

symptoms. This remedy should help you sweat out the flu, help ease any sore

throat you may have and also keep you hydrated.

* Tea, lemon, orange juice and brandy. Works like a charm. Just make a cup of

tea, squeeze half a lemon and half an orange into the tea and put two teaspoons

of brandy and you should feel much better soon.

* One garlic clove and a sharp knife. Cut raw garlic as thin as possible and put

the garlic slices on your tongue. Do not chew, just place on the tongue and then

swallow. Best when taken at the first signs of flu symptoms.

* Eucalyptus, burnt sugar, lemon and water. Boil the water and add eucalyptus,

burnt sugar, lemon juice and/or lemon rind, and continue to boil for five

minutes. Drink the tea hot, preferably just before going to bed.

* Colloidal silver. A half teaspoon of colloidal silver for children and a

teaspoon for adults can be swallowed to ease or eliminate flu symptoms. If you

take colloidal silver regularly, you may never get the flu.

* At the first sign of a flu, put a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide into each

ear, one ear at a time. Keep the solution in for 10 minutes or until the

bubbling stops. Your temperature should start dropping within minutes, and your

flu should be gone within 12 to 14 hours.

* Goldenseal tea. Use goldenseal tea bags (not pills or capsules) to make tea.

Drink a cup before bed (sweeten with honey or Stevia if desired).

* Herbal Fever Remedy

1) 1 ounce dried Elder Flowers

2) 1 ounce dried Peppermint Leaves

3) ½ pint distilled water

Mix the herbs. Place in a quart saucepan. Pour 1/2 pints of distilled boiling

water over it. Cover and allow to steep in a hot place for 10 to 15 minutes (do

not boil). When ready, strain into another saucepan. Sweeten with honey if

desired. This remedy drops high temperature associated with flu quite

effectively. In some cases, the temperature has been reduced from 104 to 99

degrees within two hours! According to Dr. E. Shook, well known

herbalist, " there is no remedy for colds and fevers of any description equal to

this simple life-saving formula. "

* Psyllium - Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) Flu Remedy: This remedy is useful

for flu as well as for backaches and headaches.

* Peppermint-Rosemary-Elder Flu Remedy: This remedy is good for colds with flu

Symptoms.

* Echinacea and goldenseal stimulate the immune system. Goldenseal also helps to

soothe mucous membranes. Add 10-15 drops of a combination of echinacea and

goldenseal to herbal teas at the first sign of a sniffle to boost the immune

system. Take one dose of an echinacea and goldenseal combination remedy

supplying 250 to 500 milligrams of echinacea and 150 to 300 milligrams of

goldenseal three times daily for five days.

* An infusion of boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) may relieve aches and fever

and clear congestion:

Simmer 1 cup boiling water with 2 tsp of the herb for 10 to 15 minutes; drink a

cupful every hour, as hot as you can stand it.

* A comforting herbal tea may be made from an infusion of equal measures of

elderflowers, peppermint and hyssop. Caution: Take only small doses of hyssop

(no more than 1-2g three times daily).

* To combat chills, try taking 30 drops of yarrow (Achillea millefolium) or

elder (Sambucus nigra) flower tincture every four hours until your chills are

gone.

* Use a warming tea made of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Cayenne (Capsicum

minimum) and ground Ginger (Zingiber officinalis).

* To help yourself rest and relax, take a cup of chamomile tea twice a day.

* Use inhalations of chamomile, eucalyptus or thyme. These help loosen mucus and

heal the throat, nasal passages and bronchial tubes.

* Horsetail inhalations reduce swelling of mucous membranes.

* At the first sign of the flu, begin taking the Chinese botanical formula Yin

Qiao (this remedy usually is not helpful after the third day of symptoms). Take

two or three tablets three times a day, up to twelve tablets in a twenty four

hour period, during the acute phase of the flu. After the symptoms start to

ease, reduce the dosage to one tablet three times daily for one week.

* In a 1995 Israeli study, elderberry extract was found to reduce both the

severity of symptoms and the duration of flu (two to three days in the treated

group versus six days in the placebo group). Choose an extract standardized to

contain 5 percent total flavonoids and take 500 milligrams twice daily.

* Garlic helps to detoxify the body. Take 500 milligrams (or one clove) three

times a day for up to five days.

* Take ginger tea. Ginger tea is antiviral and helps break up the mucus and

congestion. Ginger tea is excellent if the stomach is affected. To make the tea,

boil 2 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes,

then remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes. Take a cup as needed.

* Onion or nasturtium inhalations disinfect.

* Ginkgo biloba leaf inhalations kill bacteria and heal the cells of the damaged

mucous membranes almost immediately.

* Inhale steam for fifteen minutes three times daily in acute stage. When the

condition is improving, inhale steam in the evening before retiring for a week

or so to help heal the bronchial passages.

* When feeling more feverish, induce sweating by taking infusions of Catmint

(Nepeta cataria) and/or Elderflower (Sambucus nigra).

* To help alleviate and disinfect dry air passages, add 10 drops of tea tree oil

to a bowl of hot water or vaporizer and leave in bedroom overnight. A small

handkerchief sprinkled with a few drops of the oil and left under the pillow may

help as well.

* At the onset of a flu, drink lindenflower tea with 2 drops of lemon balm oil,

thyme tea with honey, rose hip tea or acerola juice. When you start to sweat,

quickly go to bed and continue sweating for one hour. Change clothes, rub body

dry and try to steep. This therapy often stops the flu before it becomes full

blown.

* Gargle regularly with sage tea to disinfect mouth, and use sage inhalations to

reduce inflammation.

* Wash body with an infusion of thyme or juniper needles.

* If you are suffering from muscular aching, use an infusion of Boneset

(Eupatorium perfoliatum) alone, or in combination with Catmint (Nepeta cataria)

and/or Elderflower (Sambucus nigra).

* Chinese Herbal Formula for Flu - Gan Mao Dan (Common Cold and Flu Pills). This

remedy expels Wind-Heat, reduces fever, relieves chest congestion, and stops

cough.

This formulas is good for these symptoms:

Cough, Fatigue, Fever with slight chills, Headache, Nausea, Red eyes, Runny

nose, Skin rash, Sore throat

Ingredients: Lonicera Flower (Flos Lonicerae), Forsythia Fruit (Fructus

Forsythiae), Gardenia Fruit (Fructus Gardeniae), Phragmites Rhizome (Rhi-zoma

Phragmites), Red Peony Root (Radix Paeonia Rubra), Wooly Grass Rhizome (Rhizoma

Imperatae Cylindricae), Soja Seed (Semen Sojae Praeparatum), Mentha Herb (Herba

Menthae), Morus Leaf (Herba Mori), Schizonepeta Herb (Herba Schizonepetae),

Aster Root (Radix Asteris Tatarici), Platycodon Root (Radix Platycodi), Citrus

Peel (pericarpium Citri Reticulatae)

Dosage: 20 pills twice a day.

Important Herbs for Flu:

* Echinacea - Echinacea has been a traditional favorite for colds and flu.

Double blind studies in Germany have shown that infections with flu-like

symptoms clear more rapidly when taking echinacea. Echinacea appears to work by

stimulating the immune system. Taking 3€ " 5 ml of tincture or 300 mg of dried

root powder three times per day is usually recommended.

* Elderberry - Elderberry is another herb that has been used in treating flu.

This herb contains two compounds that are active against flu viruses. It also

prevents the virus from invading respiratory tract cells. A patented Israeli

drug (Sambucol) that contains elderberry is active against various strains of

viruses. In a clinical trial testing Sambucol, twenty percent of flu sufferers

who used it showed significant relief of fever, muscle aches and other symptoms

within 24 hours, and another 73 percent felt better after the second day. In

three days, 90 percent were reported completely cured.. In a similar group that

received an inactive treatment (a placebo), only 26 percent were improved in two

days, and it took most of them six days to feel well again. Sambucol also

stimulates the immune system and has shown some activity in preliminary trials

against other viruses, such as Epstein-Barr, herpes and even HIV. In a small

double blind trial, patients

with influenza were found to recover three times faster when they took one

capsule of elderberry extract four times daily compared to patients taking

placebo.

You can take the medication or take the herb by making a tea from the herb: Make

elderberry-flower tea by steeping 3 to 5 g of dried flowers in one cup of

boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Take 1 cup of this tea 3 times daily.

Elderberry flower is generally regarded as safe. Side effects are rare and

consist primarily of occasional mild gastrointestinal distress or allergic

reactions. Its safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those

with severe liver or kidney disease is not established.

* Astragalus - Astragalus root has been used to enhance immunity for thousands

of years in China. This herb is considered by herbal practitioners to be a tonic

that strengthens the body's resistance to disease. Astragalus can stimulate

practically all of the processes of your immune system. It increases the number

of stem cells in bone marrow and speeds their growth into active immune cells.

Astragalus also may help boost levels of interferon, one of your body's potent

fighters against viruses. This, in turn, can help prevent or shorten the

duration of colds and flu. Astragalus also boosts the production of white blood

cells called macrophages, whose function is to destroy invading viruses and

bacteria. As soon as you discover the flu, take one 500- milligram capsule of

astragalus four times a day until symptoms disappear. Then take one capsule

twice a day for seven days to prevent a relapse.

* Garlic - Garlic is known to kill influenza virus in test tubes. It also

stimulates the immune system and wards off complications such as bronchitis.

Garlic contains several helpful compounds, including allicin, one of the plant

kingdom's most potent, broad-spectrum antibiotics. This herb's aromatic

compounds are readily released from the lungs and respiratory tract, putting

garlic's active ingredients right where they can be most effective against cold

viruses. Holistic practitioners often recommend taking several cloves of raw

garlic per day during an infection. You can also take aged garlic extract, or

consume products such as hot garlic bread or toast.

* Asian ginseng (eleuthero) - Asian ginseng has immune-enhancing properties,

which play a potential role in preventing infection with influenza. Boneset has

been shown in test tube and other studies to stimulate immune cell function.

This may explain boneset's traditional use to help fight off minor viral

infections, such as the flu.

* Wild Indigo - Wild indigo contains polysaccharides and proteins that are

believed to stimulate the immune system. It is used traditionally to fight the

flu in combination with herbs such as echinacea, goldenseal, or thuja.

* Forsythia and honeysuckle - These herbs are used by Oriental Medicine

practitioners to treat colds, flu and other viruses. They have real antiviral

benefits. At the inception of cold or flu, mix honeysuckle and forsythia with

lemon balm tea (lemon balm also has antiviral properties.) Take this tea before

going to bed.

* Mullein - A tea made with mullein flowers provides throat-soothing mucilage

and also has an expectorant effect. Herbalists think that this plant contains

compounds that inhibit flu viruses. You can also make a tea with mullein leaf.

Other Herbs:

* Bayberry

* Boneset

* Calendula

* Ginger

* Goldenseal

* Lemon balm

* Oregon grape

* Thyme

Nutrition for Flu:

* If you don't feel like eating, do not force yourself. For a day or two,

consume only liquids -- water, juices, teas, and soups. Digesting liquids

require a lot less energy than digesting foods. This means that your body has

more energy to fight the flu.

* Consume easily digested foods such as juices, lemonade (hot or cold), herbal

teas, applesauce, and lots of nourishing broth and homemade soups. Miso and

chicken soup are good choices.

* Take mushroom soup. Mushrooms of choice include shiitake, maitake, and reishi

mushrooms. They are shown in studies to boost the body's immune response.

* Getting plenty of fluids, including soups, is particularly important. Drink at

least six to eight glasses of liquid daily. Fluids help to thin secretions,

making it easier for the body to clear them, and also help to prevent

constipation and flush toxins from the body.

* Sick People Soup - Here is a great soup to take when you are down with cold

and flu. It comes from Rosita Arvigo, author of " Rainforest Home Remedies. "

1) 1/2 head cabbage, chopped

2) 1 onion, chopped

3) 1 head garlic, chopped

4) 3 carrots, sliced

5) 3 pieces celery, diced

6) 6 Tbsp ginger, grated

7) ¼ c miso (soybean paste)

8) 2 qts water

9) juice of 1 lemon or lime

Boil the vegetables in the water until tender (about thirty minutes), then add

ginger and garlic and allow to boil another five minutes. Remove from heat. Take

a bit of the hot soup from the pot and mix with the miso to form a thick liquid.

Add to the soup and serve. Squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice into the bowl. For

added health boosts, add sliced agaricus, reishi, shiitake or maitake mushrooms

to the boiling vegetables and sprinkle crushed garlic on the soup before

serving.

* When there is fever, take liquids only.

* Recommended liquids: Warm broth, vegetable juices and herb teas.

* Avoid dairy products and sugar. They increase and thicken mucus. Avoid a milky

drink at night if you have chest problems, since this can contribute to

congestion of the chest by morning.

* Red beet juice makes the flu virus inactive.

* Condensed grape juice strengthens the heart muscles.

* Parsley, celery, watercress, garlic, lemon, carrot and coconut juices are

nourishing and help to cleanse and promote healing.

* Drink fruit juices after diluting. Limit the intake of sugars.

* Increase the proportion of vitamin C-rich foods in the diet, such as tomatoes,

raw green peppers, carrots, strawberries and citrus fruit. This vitamin is

easily destroyed by the process of oxidation, so do not leave peeled, chopped

fruit or vegetables to stand for a long time before eating. Overcooking also

leads to loss of vitamin C, especially if fruit or vegetables are boiled.

Vegetables and fruit are best eaten raw, and if vegetables must be cooked, steam

them, which preserves essential nutrients.

* Eat fresh, raw fruit and vegetables, whole grains, garlic, pulses, beans,

small helpings of fish, nuts and seeds. These foods appear to increase

resistance to infection and improve vitality.

* Use unrefined, cold-pressed flax seed oil as a salad dressing. Flax seed oil

is an excellent source of the omega-3 essential fatty acid and also contains the

omega-6 essential fatty acid. These fats help strengthen cell membranes, thereby

speeding healing and strengthening resistance to infection. In the body.

* Eat sea plants or algae. These can re-mineralize the body after overexposure

to processed foods. Spirulina, alfalfa, chlorella or seaweeds can be added to

soups or juices in powder or capsule form.

* Garlic can also help ward off a cold by inhibiting the growth of

staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria.

* Avoid food and drinks that put extra strain on the liver. The liver is

responsible for efficient detoxification of the body. The foods to avoid include

convenience foods containing substantial amounts of chemicals such as colorings

and preservatives, and alcohol, which also depletes the body of vitamin C.

Nutritional Supplements:

* Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Bioflavonoids - Vitamin C is well-known for treating

and preventing colds. Studies show that vitamin C can shorten the duration of

common colds and flu and even prevent them. Taken in large enough doses, vitamin

C can boost your immune system by pumping enough fuel into white blood cells to

destroy invading viruses and bacteria. Vitamin C increases interferon levels and

has interferon-like properties itself. It acts as a natural antihistamine that

helps dry up watery eyes and reduce nasal and chest congestion. It is also a

powerful antioxidant that can help prevent the damage that your body endures

when viruses or bacteria attack your immune system. Dockworkers given 100 mg of

vitamin C each day for ten months caught influenza 28% less than their coworkers

not taking vitamins. Moreover, the average infection was 10% shorter in those

taking vitamin C. Other studies have reported that vitamin C in high doses (2

grams every hour

for twelve hours) can lead to rapid improvement of influenza infections.

* At the first sign of cold or flu symptoms, take 500 milligrams of vitamin C

with bioflavonoids or rose hips four to six times a day. The bioflavonoids and

rose hips strengthen the vitamin C's infection-fighting power by 35 percent,

according to experts. Start taking Vitamin C as soon as you can. There are no

adverse effects from taking high dosages of vitamin C. If you experience

diarrhea, reduce the dosage of Vitamin C. Use bioflavonoids along with vitamin C

for their synergistic effect.

* Vitamin A is a nutrient vital to the mucous membranes throughout the

respiratory system during a cold or flu. It is known as the anti-infection

vitamin. It battles viruses and bacteria in two ways. By keeping the cells

healthy all along your respiratory tract, it provides a barrier that resists

microorganisms. If some invading microorganisms manage to breach the barrier,

you want to have antibodies and lymphocytes ready to destroy them. Vitamin A

helps your body provide those reinforcements.

As soon as you notice cold or flu symptoms, take 100,000 international units

(IU) of vitamin A daily for three days, then reduce the dosage to 25,000 IU for

one week or until symptoms disappear.

Caution: These are very high doses, please check with your doctor before taking

this much.

* Beta-carotene, Vitamin A's precursor, is rich in antioxidant power and

antiviral properties. It bolsters immunity and protects the thymus gland. It

also protects you from viruses by enhancing mucous membrane secretions. By

producing the secretions, the beta-carotene prevents the virus from invading

your body. If you feel a cold or flu coming on, take 100,000 IU of beta-carotene

for 10 to 14 days, then cut the dosage to 50,000 IU a day to prevent future

respiratory infections.

* Zinc - Zinc supplementation is recommended for immune system support. Zinc

lozenges soothe a sore throat and help fend off a cold before it takes hold.

Zinc stimulates the immune system by generating new white blood cells and

whipping them into shape to battle viruses. If you have too little zinc, your

production of white blood cells may drop, and that can increase your risk of

catching a cold, flu, or other upper respiratory infection. In one study,

children who got 10 milligrams of zinc daily for 60 days were much less likely

to get respiratory infections than children getting less. In fact, the children

who got enough zinc were 70 percent less likely to have fevers, 48 percent less

likely to have coughs, and 28 percent less likely to have mucus buildup.

* Take 5 to 10 milligrams of zinc five times daily for five days to one week.

Take zinc with food to prevent stomach upset. Be careful not to consume too much

zinc. Doctors recommend taking no more than 15 milligrams of zinc a day. Zinc

gluconate in lozenge form has been found to shorten the duration of cold

symptoms. In a study, participants who sucked on one zinc gluconate lozenge

(containing about 13 milligrams of zinc) every two hours while awake got rid of

their coughs, nasal congestion, sore throat, and headaches three to four days

sooner than those who didn't get any supplementation. Don't take them for longer

than one week, because they can weaken your immune system.

* Garlic - Garlic is very beneficial especially at the beginning of a cold of

flu. It warms the body and acts as an antiviral and antibacterial.

* Thymus glandular extract boosts immune function by increasing the number and

activity of infection-fighting white blood cells. Take 250 to 500 milligrams

twice a day. This is especially important for people over forty, as thymus

function declines with age.

Recommended dosages:

- Vitamin C, with bioflavonoids, 1,000 mg every few hours throughout the day, up

to bowel tolerance

- Zinc lozenges, with 3 mg copper, every few hours, up to 70 mg daily during a

cold and 30 mg daily as a preventive.

- Garlic, 2 capsules three times daily

- Vitamin A, 25,000 IU daily (avoid during pregnancy)

(Excerpted from the author's book " Collected Remedies " .)

About the author

Tony Isaacs, is a natural health advocate and researcher and the author of books

and articles about natural health including " Cancer's Natural Enemy " and

" Collected Remedies " as well as song lyrics and humorous anecdotal stories. Mr.

Isaacs also has The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others

wishing to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live

longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. He is currently residing in the

scenic Texas hill country near Utopia, Texas where he serves as a consultant to

the Utopia Silver colloidal silver and supplement company and where he is

working on a major book project due for publication later this year. Mr. Isaacs

also hosts the CureZone " Ask Tony Isaacs " forum as well as the Health

Group " Oleander Soup "

Also read:

http://www.planetbotanic.ca/fact_sheets/boneset.htm

 

Boneset

Scientific Name: Eupatorium perfoliatum

Part Used: Whole plant

In a Word: Flu Buster

Uses: To stop a case of Influenza or the Common Cold from developing; to stop

secondary infections developing when you Influenza or the common cold

(tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia)

While the flu, or influenza as it is properly known, is rarely more than an

inconvenience today, it used to be a life-threatening illness. One of the first

recorded flu epidemics raged among the Greek soldiers at the siege of Syracuse,

395 BC. There were epidemics of lethal flu in 827, 888, 927, and 996. It seems

that another big epidemic swept Italy, Germany, and England in December of 1173.

More followed in the winters of 1293, 1323, and 1387. Another epidemic ravaged

Spain, Italy, Hungary, Germany, France, and England in 1510. A major influenza

outbreak in the 1920s in the United States left so many dead that bodies were

stacked in great heaps outside of the White House in Washington, D.C.

A highly infectious disease, influenza is passed from one person to the next

with a simple exhalation. Dr. Rollo writing during the last American

epidemic said this of it: " Its force is irresistible, and it spares neither age,

sex, nor condition. The millionaire and the pauper stand helpless before this

nemesis. Fortunately, unless severe complications arise or the treatment be too

heroic, the mortality is small. "

The flu itself is not the killer, although it can make you feel as if you are

dying. What kills people in a flu epidemic are the secondary infections like

pneumonia that set in once the flu has taken its toll. For this reason, the

elderly, the young, and the infirm can be in big trouble if they come down with

the flu.

To give credit where credit is due, the advent of antibiotics is the reason flu

doesn’t kill people as it once did. Central heating and proper nutrition also

have a lot to do with the fact that flu doesn’t usually turn into pneumonia.

Before the age of the prescription pad, doctors kept lots of boneset on hand for

the flu season.

Beyond any shadow of a doubt, the easiest way to deal with the flu is to avoid

getting it in the first place. If you speak to people about when they came down

with flu, you will find time and time again that it sank its claws in when they

were run-down and tired. Take care of yourself, sleep and eat right, and you can

avoid getting the flu for a long time.

People in the past were as interested as we are in medicines that could cure the

flu as quickly as possible. In 1993, Americans spent several billion dollars on

flu preparations. In the days when a touch of the flu could mean permanent rest

for the patient, the number-one herbal medicine for treating the condition was a

plant called boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum. The plant is a native of North

America, and it is from the American frontier that its powers were first

extolled. In Mispaugh’s 1892 volume, American Medicinal Plants, he wrote:

There is probably no plant in American domestic practice that has more extensive

or frequent use than boneset. The attic, or woodshed, of almost every country

farm house has its bunch of dried herb hanging, tops downward from the rafters

during the whole year, ready for immediate use should some member of the family,

or that of a neighbor, be taken with a cold… the use of a hot infusion of the

tips and leaves to produce diaphoresis, was handed down to the early settlers of

this country by the aborigines, who called it by name that which is equivalent

to ague-weed.

The plant gets its name directly from its use in treating the flu. One of the

first flu symptoms is aching bones, hence the old-fashioned name for the

illness, break-bone fever. People who wanted to put an end to the aches and

pains associated with the flu found that boneset did the trick.

So what happened? Where has boneset gone? If you ask most Americans today what

boneset is, they couldn’t pick it out of a field if they had a gun pointed to

their heads. It is certainly not hanging from their rafters. One of the most

powerful plants for treating the flu can be found growing wild in most wet

places in the country, but few even know it exists.

Boneset’s power to relieve flu symptoms is unparalleled. Before the age of the

prescription pad, doctors kept lots of boneset on hand for the flu season. The

Eclectic physicians used it to treat influenza, constipation, rheumatism,

influenzal colds, fevers, poor digestion, night sweats, achy bones, pulmonary

inflammation and congestion, cough, chest soreness, postinfluenzal gastric

irritation, biliousness, skin diseases, eruptive skin diseases, remittent,

intermittent, and typhoid fevers, general debility, headache, and hoarseness. As

you can see, almost all of the symptoms of flu are treated by this one-plant

medicine chest, particularly fever.

In 1828, an early plant researcher named Raffinesque described the plant this

way:

Common in swamps, marshes and near streams… where it appears to have been

stationed by the benevolence of nature, where ever men are liable to local

fever… the whole plants, roots, stems, leaves, are intensely bitter, but not

astringent. It was one of the most powerful remedies of the native tribes for

fevers, and consumption. It has been introduced extensively into practice all

over the country and inserted in all our medical works. It acts powerfully on

the skin and removes obstinate cutaneous diseases.. This plant may be so managed

as to act as a tonic, sudorific, laxative or an emetic, as required. No other

tonic of equal activity can be exhibited in fevers, with less danger of

increasing the excitement or producing congestion, the only objection to its

general use is its nauseous and disagreeable taste. Chapman relates that it

cured the kind of influenza called breakbone fever, acting as a diaphoretic,

whence its popular name, boneset came.

Eberle says that catarrhal fevers may be removed by drinking a weak infusion of

it going to bed. It is particularly useful in indigestion of people, and may be

used as an axillary to other tonics and emetics in all cases.

The settlers learned early on of boneset from the Native Americans. Boneset is a

perennial plant, coming up each year from the same roots, it tends to be found

in groves, usually near the edge of a wood. The tribes familiar with boneset

used it to treat all infectious illnesses, colds, fevers, and debilitated

conditions. Colonial homemakers gathered it from the woods and dried it in the

eaves of their houses to have on hand whenever anyone came down with the flu.

The early medical community knew boneset and swore by it, terming it a bitter

tonic. In 1917, one drug supply company called it " one of the most valuable

remedies for breaking up colds and fevers, and efficient for dyspepsia,

jaundice, fever, ague and general debility of the system.. "

The plant contains sesquiterne lactones, eupafolin, euperfolitin, eufoliatorin,

euperfolide, eucannabinolide, and helenalin, polysaccharides including

4-o-methylglucuroxylan; flavonoids including quercetin, kaempferol, hyperoside,

astragalan, rutin, and eupatorin; diterpenes, triterpenes, dendroidinic acid,

hebenolide, sterols, resin, and volatile oils. The polysaccharides have been

shown to improve the function of the immune system, and the sesquiterpene

lactones and flavones have been proven to inhibit tumor formation.. The exact

manner in which boneset perks up the flu sufferer is not yet understood, but all

we really need to know right now for our purposes is that it works.

You may have noticed that whereas ten years ago, when you got the flu, it lasted

for a week from start to finish, today, when you get the flu, you can be out of

action for nearly a month. There are two schools of thought as to why this is

true. The first holds that flu strains are getting stronger. The second holds

that people are running themselves so ragged these days that their bodies

aren’t strong enough to fight off the infection. In either case, boneset’s

ability to strengthen the body means that your flu will only last for a week and

won’t lead to secondary illnesses.

 

Practitioner’s Advice

 

The exciting thing about boneset, or the flu buster, as I like to call it, is

that you needn’t let your flu develop into a complete case. As soon as the

first symptoms appear, go to bed and stay there drinking hot cups of boneset tea

until the sickness passes. With rest, good food, and boneset tea, you can skip

the pleasures of full-blown flu and certainly any secondary infections. Stay on

boneset tea for one week beyond the time when all your symptoms have

disappeared. If you haven’t been able to stop the flu’s progression, or if

your flu has already progressed, continue taking boneset and any other herbs in

the following sections necessary to treat your particular symptoms.

 

 

Love, Gabby. :0)

http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/

 

" I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had

some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin. " ~ Jerry Newport

 

 

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