Colds and flu season

In several clinical studies, elderberry extract has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of flu symptoms or stop it in its tracks — and it is safe for children.

by Joanne Henning Tedesco — 

With flu season here, alternative treatments are your best options. Many conventional flu medicines are not effective in treating the flu and colds. The Centers for Disease Control released a study stating that the flu vaccine appears to be only 62 percent effective, and at what price?

First of all, determine if you have a cold or the flu. With the flu, you feel terrible. You just want to stay in bed or near the bathroom. You have a fever, chills, aching muscles, headaches, sore throat, and you are coughing and have congested sinuses. With a cold, you have a runny nose, are congested and have a cough, but are still able to go to work and drag yourself around.

What do you do if suddenly your nose starts to tickle and you feel the first signs of a cold or flu coming on? Immediately take elderberry (Sambucus nigra) extract. In several clinical studies, elderberry extract has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of flu symptoms or stop it in its tracks — and it is safe for children. Elderberries have been known throughout the ages as a potent immune booster that tackle colds and influenza, heart disease and even cancer. They are rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, vitamin B6 and the flavonoid quercetin.

Note: In preparations, only ripe, cooked berries and the flowers are used. If making your own remedy, remember that stems, leaves and unripe berries contain poisonous levels of cyanic glucosides.

Also take hefty doses of vitamin C — you can take 6000 to 20,000 mg/day, one-third of that amount for children (if gas or diarrhea results, reduce the amount). Add 20,000 to 40,000 IU/day of vitamin A and a minimum of 5000 IU of vitamin D3 (double that amount while you are sick). Echinacea, which is known as a virus fighter, is another good option, as is colloidal silver for helping minor infections.

My first choice in homeopathic medicines for the treatment of flu symptoms is the Boiron® flu remedy Oscillococcinum®, which is safe for adults and children. Other homeopathic flu remedies include Gelsemium, taken when symptoms include chilliness, lack of thirst, severe aching and severe tiredness with headache and congestion. Bryonia is good if you feel warm and want cool drinks and cool air, are thirsty and have bad headaches and achiness. Take a 12X or 30X strength of the homeopathic remedy that you need every few hours until you feel much better.

At the first sniffle or sneeze, I try to take all of the above even before I know whether it is the flu or a cold. Usually, symptoms are gone in a day. It is also important to drink plenty of water, and Mom’s chicken soup always helps. If none of this seems to work, find a good book and go to bed.

Joanne Henning Tedesco is editor of AzNetNews.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 32, Number 5, October/November 2013.