Don’t forget the very basic and effective measures you can take. Wash your hands regularly and keep them away from your eyes and nose. Stay away from anyone who is or has been sick. According to the CDC, you can spread the flu from up to 6 ft away through droplets made when people cough, sneeze or talk. Stay home and keep your kids home when you are sick until you are no longer contagious and don’t be afraid to encourage loudly that others do the same.
Today's Stay Well Suggestion: Elderberry
Elderberry is a little berry that packs a strong punch. I recommend Elderberry be taken as a preventative measure, but it can also be used to help with symptoms of the flu and shorten to its course.
Some researchers have uncovered evidence that the black elderberry may have been cultivated by prehistoric man. There were written elderberry-based medicinal recipes in Ancient Egypt. Historians generally trace elderberry’s healing power back to Hippocrates, the “father of medicine,” who described this plant as his “medicine chest” for its amazing curing powers. Suffice it to say, elderberry has been around a long time and is here to stay. The berries are rich in vitamin C and protective flavonoids. It has a diaphoretic effect and increases bronchial secretions making it helpful for treating fevers and respiratory infections. Israeli virologist Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu has shown that elderberry could deactivate spike-shaped proteins on the surface of flu viruses, preventing them from entering body cells and replicating. She used this research to create an antiviral flu treatment that in small trials has been show to be effective against both The A and B strains of the flu. Elderberry is a wise thing to add to your daily regimen during seasons where many people are falling ill. You can order dried elder products to make teas, syrups and tinctures. I recommend purchasing a syrup which even most children will take, but there are gummies available if that’s what you need to get compliance with little people. My family uses Honey Gardens Elderberry Syrup which contains Elderberries, Raw Honey, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Propolis and an Echinacea Purpurea tincture.
Reducing your risk of cold and flu with Vitamin D3
As the flu season rages on and is expected to be going strong for the next 4-6 weeks, so continue to take protective measures to keep you and your family healthy now that everyone is back at work and school. A simple thing you can do to help protect yourself is to take a Vitamin D supplement. In 25 combined studies following 10, 000 participants, Vitamin D was shown to reduce the risk of respiratory infections, including colds and flu. This is especially helpful in those with Vitamin D deficiency where it showed to cut your chance of infection by 50%, which is significant!
Particularly because it is estimated that two-thirds of the American population is deficient in Vitamin D. The recommended dosage is 600 IU per day for those ages 1-70 years and 800 IU per day for persons older than 70. When choosing a supplement, note that D3 is better than D2 at raising your Vitamin D levels. It’s also important to note that studies have found a higher rate of cardiovascular disease among people with low levels of vitamin D. This is important news in how it relates to the flu because studies show that you are 6 times more likely to have a heart attack in the week following a flu diagnosis. So, protect yourself and start taking your D3!
Traditional Chinese Medicine to the Rescue
For prevention and immune support, Jade Screen, or Yu Ping Feng Wan, is a popular and long used formula in TCM. Jade Screen is designed to bolster your exterior defenses, or Wei Qi. Think of it as a solid front door to your house that keeps out the winter wind. Related to that concept, Chinese Medicine refers to cold and flu infection as ‘wind invasion’, with symptom patterns of ‘wind-cold’(runny nose, phlegm, chills) and ‘wind-heat’(fever, sore throat, body aches, etc.). Astragalus is one of the primary herbs in Jade Screen, helping to tonify qi and strengthen the lungs. If you find yourself with early symptoms, there are more appropriate formulas.
Gan Mao Ling and Yin Chiao are two options that are often used at the early onset of cold and flu symptoms. Gan Mao Ling is a more modern TCM formula, but has proven popular because of its stronger antiviral herb components and usefulness for upper respiratory symptoms. Herbs like Ilex, Evodia and Isatis make up a good portion of Gan Mao Ling’s cold and flu fighting formula. Yin Chiao is a couple of centuries old, and is especially helpful to start taking at early signs of sore throat, light fever and/or chills and sweating.
An experienced TCM practitioner can also help pinpoint the best herbal formula for the symptoms you are presenting with, and there are acupuncture points, as well as lifestyle/diet recommendations that can work in tandem to help you feel better faster. In the end, rest and staying well hydrating are also key to recovering from the flu. It may go without saying, but it is important not to ignore more serious medical symptoms like persistent high fever, or a fever that suddenly returns. When in doubt, don’t tough it out. See an MD if you or a family member has serious symptoms.
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