I have received a few calls and emails asking me what I would recommend for preventing the flu! I appreciate the patient who asked me this last weekend if the e-mail newsletter that I sent exactly two years ago, how to prevent and/or overcome the flu and wintertime illness, is still valid. The answer, is an unequivocal, YES! So, I am re-sending, with a few minor edits. I hope that you find it helpful!
I will not tell you not to get a flu shot if you are considering it. You have to weigh all your options, but I will tell you that contracting the flu is not because of a flu shot deficiency, any more than headaches are a result of an aspirin or ibuprofen deficiency.
Wintertime illness, including the flu, happens almost exclusively because the overwhelming majority of Americans’ immune system is down in the winter, because of the lack of Vitamin D, that cannot be derived from the winter sunshine. In my opinion, it is is a shame and extremely sad that something so easily affordable and painless, such as a Vitamin D supplement, is ignored. The consequences of not optimizing Vitamin D, including not preventing cancer, can be devastating.
If we want ourselves and our families to get and stay healthy, we have to do the easy things, first.
THE FLU!
I received an email this morning from a patient asking me how to overcome the flu, as her whole family is miserable. Others are also inquiring about flu shots, and NDs are talking up a storm on our Naturopathic Chat group which includes 2,500 NDs from all over the nation!
Naturopathic philosophy about germs and illness is that germs don’t necessarily make a person sick. Poor health/immune system combined with germs are the perfect breeding grounds for getting sick. All things being equal, a person that is: happy, grateful, forgiving, not sleep deficient, eating healthy, a nonperfectionist, involved in healthy relationships, exercises moderately, etc., will much less likely to get sick than the reverse of the above.
Prevention:
Vitamin D: The reason the flu, colds, etc. happen mostly in the winter is not because it is colder, or because there are more bacteria and viruses in the winter, but because of the lack of Vitamin D conversion from about mid-October to through March (in the Sacramento area). The sun can feel wonderful, it can raise our moods because of the light, and it can even feel warm in sunny California in the winter – but there is no Vitamin D because of the winter latitude. If you haven’t taken your Vitamin D blood test lately. I would suggest 20,000 IUs per day for a month, then cut to 5,000 IUs a day.
Vitamin D optimal range on the Vitamin D blood test is 60-80. For optimal immune support (including preventing cancer) please strive for that range (not the standard 30-100). I can guarantee that unless you are taking Vitamin D3, at least 2,000-5,000 a day through the winter (many need more, but it’s impossible to know exactly without testing) you are currently deficient. Vitamin D3, even on a family budget is affordable.It should be the first priority in the nutritional medicine preventative cabinet.
I would also recommend making sure that Vitamin K2 is taken with the Vitamin D3, for better bones, less arterial calcification and improved cardiovascular system.
Transfer Factor MultiImmune: 1 cap, 2x a day between meals
SyImmune: 1 tablet dissolved under the tongue daily (away from food).
Nutrition
Dairy: Contributes to the formation of mucus
Sugar: Sugar depletes the immune system for four hours every time it is consumed. Do not drink fruit juices or give them to children.
Packaged/Processed/Junk Food/Fast Food: Eliminate as many illness-producing “foods” that you can from your lifestyle.
Stress Reduction
Count your blessings; seek peaceful, loving and forgiving relationships, etc. All of us do things in our life (such as faulty attitudes) that contribute to stress. Change the things you can change about yourself that contribute to stress.
Sleep
Make sure to get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation also adds to a weakened, more vulnerable body.
At the very first sign of a cold or flu (this works absolutely amazing):
Supplements
Should the flu go deeper, stop the SyImmune, continue with Sy Infekt: 1 tab, 3x a day
For flu with digestive distress, add:
Complementary remedies to consider:
