I asked integrative physician Alexa Fleckenstein, M.D., how to protect ourselves from swine flu, and what to do if we get it. Here is her response: NOTE: Advice on this blog in no way replaces consultation with a physician. Always consult with your doctor before following online advice.
“So far, I think we are dealing with an epidemic that has not the makings of the pandemic of 1918/19 where young people died in droves, often within the first 24 hours. Still, the elderly and immune-incompetent patients might be at risk. The causes of death in influenza are of two different origins: Older people die of the virus and its consequences like pneumonia; their weakened immune systems cannot fight the virus anymore. Young people succumb to an overreaction of their still-exuberant immune systems. We call this a cytokine storm, usually within the first two days.
“If you get seriously sick, consult a physician. Officials recommend Tamiflu (oseltamivir, a neuraminidase inhibitor) but there are no good studies for the swine flu and Tamiflu. Against regular influenza A and B, Tamiflu’s performance has been rather disappointing – especially in the elderly, who would be prime targets for the drug. In addition, a tendency to suicide has been reported with Tamiflu in Japan – so bad that its use is discouraged in young people under 19. Furthermore, in case of an epidemic, Tamiflu might be in short supply.“So, let’s look into some simple natural remedies – this is what I do for myself and my family:
The Three P’s: Prepare, Protect, Pull through.
Prepare: This website is all about owning your good health. If you have used the Five Health Essentials (water, movement, food, herbs, order) you should be in good shape to start with. If not – it is never too late to start cold showers and get plenty of sleep.
For those may be new to the topic, here is a summary of the Health Essentials:
- End every warm shower or bath with a cold shower. This increases immunity.
- Drink enough fluid, hot or warm water — about seven glasses per day; more if you exercise. Herbal teas are good; juices are not.
- Eat as healthily as you can with vegetables (cooked and raw), mushrooms (never raw!) fruit, nuts, whole grains, legumes (beans, lentils, garbanzos) and fish. Cut down on meats and buy organically whenever possible. Stop eating processed, artificial, canned, micro-waved and fried food. Avoid sugars, white starches and dairy altogether. Only with healthy fare is your immune system able to fight the invaders.
- Exercise moderately. Excess is as detrimental as laziness. If you are still a couch potato, now it is time to change your ways. Start with two minutes a day on any machine that is gathering dust in your basement. Or make it a habit to go for a walk every day for 10 minutes (You may do more — but not less).
- Expose yourself to light daily. Light (not direct sun) is beneficial for your immune system. Against direct sun, wear sunglasses, a hat and long-sleeved garb.
- Get enough sleep. We come down with a cold if we are run down. Don’t set your body up for a catastrophe: Go to bed between 9.30 and 10.30 pm. The body repairs itself during about two hours the time around midnight — if you are asleep then, that is.
- Take tonic herbs like astragalus, ashwaganda and Eleuthero to strengthen your immune system. Rotate them.
- If you are not eating mushrooms often, take a mushroom supplement (shiitake, reishi, maitake — either one is good alone or in combination).
“Protect yourself during an outbreak: Continue your good work from the ‘Prepare’ section and:
- Avoid crowds, public transportation and all unnecessary contact with people. Whenever you meet people, wear a surgical mask or a light cotton cloth over nose and mouth, sprinkled with a drop of essential oil like eucalyptus, oregano, myrrh. Or smear a pea-sized glob of Vick’s on it.
- Don’t hug, kiss or shake hands
- Avoid touching public doorknobs or surfaces with your ungloved hands
- Wear gloves in public; wash them often. Wash hands often with soap and water
- Gargle frequently (hourly) with a mouthwash or a tea made from sage. I like 1 drop of tea tree oil in a glass of lukewarm water.
- Rinse your nose frequently (hourly) with saltwater: 1/4 teaspoon of sugarless salt in one glass of lukewarm water. Snuff the water up from your hand; use a dropper on little children.
- Spice up your food with herbs and spices because they kill microbes (the plants developed the strong-tasting compounds to protect themselves against the invasion of bacteria, viruses and fungi). Pregnant women and little children should go easy on herbs and spices.
- Take a teaspoon of raw honey after exposure. Not for children under two years because of the danger of botulism.
- Nibble on cloves of fresh garlic throughout the day, especially when you are out and about. Use garlic (fresh or dried) freely in your cooking. Same with onions.
- Use an Echinacea throat spray every hour, or swish three drops of Echinacea in your mouth (contraindicated in autoimmune disease).
- Chew on juniper berry. Add one berry every day, up to five, then take one away again every day. This is the formula: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1. Not recommended in kidney disease.
- Sleep a lot, do meditation, be quiet and do something that lifts your heart – like making music, painting, gardening. Find your center.
“Pull through: If you become infected, go to your doctor and ask about the following suggestions: Continue most of the measures from Prepare and Protect — but stop all exercise. Now is time for bed rest.
- With the first symptoms take the Chinese preparation Yin Qiao (later it is no longer useful ) (three tablets four times a day). After you feel improvement, take one tablet three times a day for another week
- Avoid all contact with others to not spread the disease.
- Continue taking garlic, Echinacea and honey. Add of these herbs (whatever you have at hand: Andrographis paniculata (or any combination preparation that contains it – like GAIA’s Qick Defense), GSE (grape seed extract), ginger (fresh and dried — avoid preparations with sugar), elderberry, licorice (not longer than a week).- Herbal teas to relieve your symptoms: linden, elderberry flowers (both induce sweating), sage, green or black tea, thyme, ginger, rose hips, mullein, lemon balm, peppermint in all combinations.
-Steam inhalations three times a day with chamomile, thyme, eucalyptus or Vick’s help congestion of sinus and lungs. Horsetail can be added to decrease swelling in your nose.
- Chicken soup and hot lemon are still beneficial.
- Take fish oil (several capsules a day — contraindicated if you take anticoagulants like coumadin). This is the one thing most important in young people as it might be able to douse a raging cytokine storm. Alternatively, or in addition: the anti-inflammatory medication Zyflamend.
- Ginkgo biloba will start repair damaged cells
- Ginseng will help flu symptoms — but do not take it if you tend to have high blood pressure or a racing heart.
- At least twice a day, have somebody wash you down with cold water (non-dripping face cloth), especially chest and back area to make you take in really deep breaths (prevention of pneumonia)
- Against cough: Gan Mao Dan Chinese pills (20 per day in divided doses), or make a tea of peppermint, honeysuckle, ginger, cloves and horehound.
- Other herbs that have been found beneficial in colds and flu: bayberry, boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), calendula, goldenseal, Oregon grape.By no means are these all possibilities. But they give you some ideas and some peace of mind in case of an epidemic. Don’t become a victim – work with the three P’s!”
Alexa Fleckenstein, M.D.
15 Comments
April 29, 2009 at 8:40 am
A great piece of advice re swine fever. My personal favourite combination contains, Eleuthero, Juniper and Neem (as spagyric essences) and tincture of Andrographis, cordyceps and star anise
April 29, 2009 at 2:16 pm
john smith,
Right on! Because herbs grow locally, many different communities have developed herb combinations for similar threats.
I will add yours to my treasure chest. Thank you!
Alexa Fleckenstein M.D.
May 5, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Apparently one of the quirks of the Swine Flu (and Bird Flu) is that it is actually worse for people with healthy immune systems. I know that doesn’t make sense by normal standards, but the immune reaction apparently causes what is known as a “cytokine storm” in the lung, creating fluid and drowning the victim.
Whereas ordinary flu usually kills about 1/2 to 1% of its victims, the Swine Flu is apparently killing about 7%. The Bird Flu is even more deadly than the Swine Flu but does not spread very easily which is why it did not have too much impact.
Advanced colloidal silver has been shown to neutralize the N1H1 virus (Swine Flu) within a couple of hours in test tube studies but has not been tried in animal model studies yet.
The Bird Flu (H5N1) killed 70% of animals in a study, (yes . . . . 70%). However, when trialed with the advanced silver solution, the animal survival rate went from 30% to 60%.
May 6, 2009 at 6:51 pm
No trial has proven colloidal silver to be clinically effective against something – especially not against the very new swine flu. But silver toxicity (argyria) has been reported in several cases.
That no positive study about the effectiveness of colloidal silver has surfaced so far, is likely a sign for its ineffectiveness since colloidal silver has been around for a long time already. I am always eager to put new remedies into my medicine bag – but colloidal silver is not among them.
Alexa Fleckenstein M.D.
May 6, 2009 at 7:18 am
These are handy to keep in my pockets and great for going out. I am getting hungry though. I was eating at Wendys and ordered the baconator sandwich. I couldn’t figure how to get it in mouth with the mask on. Kind of difficult. I ended up having them put it in a blender and I drank it though a straw like a frosty. Thats why I only give it 4 stars. How do I eat with this on? Maybe a big hole where the mouth is?
May 6, 2009 at 6:30 pm
One should not eat a baconator sandwich anywhere if one wants one’s immune system to be up to snuff…
These are the times for vegetables, vegetables, vegetables.
Alexa Fleckenstein M.D.
May 8, 2009 at 6:53 am
Snorting salt water, is that really good for us?
Living in Japan I see loads of people wearing the prophylactic face masks. Initially I thought they were plain stupid but I’m a total convert now. Brilliant when you’ve got a dry throat.
May 8, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Brears,
Rinsing your nose with saltwater is a natural and inexpensive way to keep your respiratory passages healthy. It works against infection, pollution, allergens. Only contraindication is uncontrolled high blood pressure. Use your clean palms for sniffing up the saltwater (roughly a quarter of a teaspoon to a glass of water), don’t use salt that contains dextrose or other sugars, don’t make the solution too strong and rinse your mouth afterward with clear water.
I admire the discipline with which the Japanese wear their masks and protect other people of getting infected. As a physician I know how hot and uncomfortable it sometimes can get under the mask.
Alexa Fleckenstein M.D.
May 14, 2009 at 3:11 am
Roanne,
This is the only site I’ve seen that has an explanation of what to do….
Thank you,
Duane
September 11, 2009 at 6:45 am
Drink Holy Basil (Tulsi) tea to daily routine.
Or chew 5 leaves of Holy Basil (Tulsi) daily.
Indians rate Holy Basil very high in Ayurveda medicine
September 18, 2009 at 9:07 am
OK, so everyone who has any experience with preventative medicine or simply something to sell is offering an answer to the current predicted pandemic. Some of these offerings are well informed, others are simply cashing in on public fear.
Those who stand to profit most from the current outbreak are of course the big pharmaceutical companies, regardless of the fact that although Tamiflu and other anti-virals were designed as preventatives, it is generally accepted that their only value is in reducing the effect of the virus once it has been contracted. And, of course, the media, who present us with endless possible scenarios, some very well informed, others simple sketched plots for future disaster movies.
However, it doesn’t pay to be complacent. We have been fortunate so far, in that SARS, H5N1 Bird Flu, Asian flu, German flu, CJD, and various other threats over the last fifty years or so, have not proved to be as devastating as the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918/19, which killed around 50 million people worldwide.
Some say we owe our current survival to antibiotics, antivirals etc., but we don’t have to look too far to see the downside of these; including MRSA (which probably kills as many people as any modern flu virus).
September 18, 2009 at 3:59 pm
John Smith,
When I was little, I knew an old woman whose 14-year-old daughter had died in the Spanish Flu epidemic 1919. I was only four years old but I would study the photograph of the laughing girl and her mother’s old face and wonder how one could survive such a devastating loss. Perhaps this encounter has influenced me into becoming a doctor.
Now, with all my training and experience, I am aware that we know very little about medicine in general and epidemics specifically. But I am following the scientific literature and a few things have become clear: So far, the H1N1 virus has been milder than the normal seasonal flu. It has mainly killed people with pre-existing disease (obesity seems to be one of the risk factors). To this point, there is no sign that the virus is becoming more virulent – and at any event, that would be an exceedingly rare event, mathematically: The natural selection in viruses is not for more virulence (the virus does not gain by killing more people) but for faster transmission, for instance.
Having said all that I think that a heal thy person’s best chance is to improve immune function is with cold showers, fresh foods (vegetables, vegetables, vegetables!) and moderate exercise. Plus enough sleep and a fulfilling life. Washing hands and not touching your face is a no brainer. And once it hits you, try rest and herbs.
My suggestions are only some of the herbs that would work. Around the world so many herbs are found and many could be used in an emergency – just be prepared.
Good luck to you!
Alexa Fleckenstein M.D.
September 19, 2009 at 12:04 pm
So refreshing to find a medical doctor recommending responsibility re diet, exercise, lifestyle and herbs – thankyou!
One of my favourite and increasingly relevant herbs is Andrographis – thought I’d share some of it’s properties etc.
ANDROGRAPHIS – The King of Bitters
(Chiretta, Andrographis paniculata).
Andrographis is a member of the gentiana family and grows prolifically throughout the east where it is used traditionally to reduce fever and other infections; other areas of use include sore throats, digestive problems, snakebites and malaria (andrographis is a major ingredient in the traditional Ayurvedic malaria powder known as mahasudarshan churna).
It was during the last year of the First World War that andrographis took on a totally new role in helping to overcome the flu virus, which killed 10 million people in India.
Modern antibiotic and antiviral medicines not only produce side effects but also help in the creation of drug resistant ‘super bugs’ whereas potent botanicals such as andrographis and golden seal – are generally safe to use when taken as prescribed by a herbalist.
In a recent study involving 158 participants suffering from the common cold, andrographis and a placebo was given daily for four days; by the second day those taking the herb showed significant improvements as compared to those taking the placebo.
Andrographis appears to be faster acting than Echinacea and is often referred to as ‘Indian Echinacea’ due to its similar actions (including its ability to encourage the production of the cell protein interferon). In Scandinavia, Andrographis is even more popular than Echinacea, becoming the No.1 flu remedy.
This potent herb can also be likened in action to Milk Thistle, whose active ingredient sylmarin is known to repair liver damage.
References: Bartameus.P, Andrographis. Health Science. (Newsletter of the Health Science Institute). May 2002.
Pole. Sebastian, Using Ayurvedic Herbs in the Western Clinic (URHP Spring Newsletter) 2003.
Smith.J, Herbal Alternatives to Antibiotic Drugs. Discovering Herbs Newsletter. Autumn. 2002.
The above was extracted from my book 100 Herbs of Power (Stategic Press, New York)
September 19, 2009 at 4:13 pm
John Smith,
I share your enthusiasm for Andrographis paniculata.
On a trip to Australia, I came down with something horrible and went to the next drugstore to buy some herbs. They had basically nothing – a big disappointment. When I talked with the clerk, he said that they carried a Chinese herb that his Chinese customers took against colds.
I bought the bottle, took a dose, and within two hours I was on the way to getting better. The bottle contained – you guessed it – Andrographis paniculata. It is in my repertoire ever since.
I have not yet found a source here with pure A. p. but I have found a GAIA concoction which works like a charm against cold and flu (Quick Defense) (I have to disclose that I have NO connection to GAIA and run advertisement here only because I am so satisfied with their product). One should have A.p on hand for the flu season, definitely.
Thank you for sharing!
Alexa Fleckenstein M.D.
September 21, 2009 at 8:21 am
Yes, Gaia is a reliable company – I have used and recommend their products – re Andrographis, I prepare my own tincture from the herb but its pretty disgusting, in tablet form I recommend Planetary Formulas (again no financial gain to myself for recommending this company, but along with Gaia it is one of the best herbal companies out there)