What is Influenza?
Influenza or flu, as it is more commonly known, is a highly contagious infection caused by a virus. It affects the respiratory system and can be very serious, especially if you are young or elderly.
In some cases it can develop into more serious respiratory infections such as pneumonia.
Symptoms
Headache, fever, weakness, loss of appetite, sore throat, aches and pains in limbs and joints.
Causes
It is passed from one person to the other due to the highly contagious nature of the virus. This is a virus that throws up many strains so having flu one year does not immediately cause you to be immune the following year.
Complementary Approach
Eat: Simple foods are easier to digest, so opt for chicken soup with a few vegetables.
Adding cayenne pepper to food will help keep mucous flowing, thus preventing congestion and headaches.
To prevent dehydration, consume lots of liquid, either water or drink juices and herbal teas.
Nutritional Supplements
The nutrients mentioned here are often recommended by healthcare practitioners.
Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids: Take 5,000-20,000 mg daily in divided doses. Very high dosages of vitamin C have proved very effective but must be supervised by a healthcare practitioner (1,2).
Zinc: Lozenge form is a potent immuno-stimulant that nourishes cells. Use them as soon as symptoms develop. Take one 15 mg lozenge every 2 hours for 2 days then reduce the dose to 80 mg or less.
Vitamin A: Take 15,000 IU daily, but if you are pregnant do not exceed 10,000 IU daily.
Natural Beta Carotene: Should be taken alongside vitamin A at 10,000 IU daily.
Herbs that may help this condition
Elderberry: Take one capsule of elderberry extract 4 times a day (3).
Echinacea: Works by stimulating the immune system (4). Take 3-5 ml of tincture or 300mg of dried root powder 3 times a day.
Garlic: Is a natural antibiotic, so eat several cloves of garlic each day or take it in capsule form as directed on the label. It had been proven to kill the influenza virus in test tubes (5).
Boneset: Is taken either as a tea or in the form of a tincture (6). Prepare the tea by adding 5-10 grams of the herb to boiling water and allow to steep for 10-15 minutes. Drink 3 cups a day. Tincture should be taken in a quantity of 2-3 ml 3 times a day.
There are no known studies that support the claim that the following herbs can help with the treatment of this condition. However, the herbs mentioned here have historically been considered beneficial in the treatment of various conditions including influenza along with the herbs mentioned in the previous section. Therefore, they are often recommended by healthcare practitioners.
Ephedra: Is beneficial for relief of congestion and coughing, but do not take if you suffer from any of the following; anxiety, high blood pressure, insomnia, or heart disease, or if you are taking any monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) drug. Take tincture 3 times a day with 1-4 ml each dose.
Eucalyptus Oil: Add 5 drops to a bowl of boiling water and place head over the steam. Inhaling the steam will help relieve congestion. Do not use a steam inhalation if you have asthma as the hot steam may, in some people, trigger an attack.
Slippery Elm Bark: Mix 1 tablespoon of this herb in powder form with 250 ml of boiling water and 120 ml of honey. Take 1 teaspoon of this mixture every 4 hours.
Further Reading
Jayney Goddard, President of The CMA. The Survivor’s Guide to Swine Flu – The Complementary Medical Approach, CMA Publishing UK, 2016.