Don’t Get the Flu This Season! : Exclusive Article by J. E. Williams

Why suffer? You can prevent the flu this season.

Up to now it’s been a relatively mild year for seasonal influenza. There were no pandemic threats and, so far, no unusual events. We’re just entering the spring flu season in the northern hemisphere, however, and the fall season for the southern hemisphere.

The U. S. continues to experience low to normal incidence of seasonal flu. Flu activity on the West Coast, especially California, is more widespread than the rest of the country. However, for the rest of the world it’s not so pretty.

Flu Status in Various Countries

In the Caribbean and Central America, it’s tough. Plus, there’s a spillover effect into southern Florida. Activity is high in China, where influenza B viruses have predominated. Activity is increasing in Canada, with influenza B viruses predominating. Europe is getting hit by influenza A (H3N2). In North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean region, activity is decreasing. Mexico has high activity with 2009 H1N1 predominating. But, South America has minimal activity.

There are three main types circulating in the U.S. Antiviral drug resistance is common.

• Influenza A (2009 H1N1)
• Influenza A (H3N2)
• Influenza B (B/Victoria/02/87 and B/Yamagata/16/88 lineages)

In the last few weeks, I’ve seen several cases in my clinic of an aggressive flu or flu-like virus. It comes on fast and takes several weeks to clear up. There is a lot of joint and muscle pain.

Symptoms of the Flu

Symptoms of influenza include:

• Fever of 100°F (37.8°C) to 104°F (40°C). Fever is usually continuous, but it may come and go.
• Body aches and muscle pain (often severe), commonly in the back, arms, or legs.
• Headache. Pain when you move your eyes.
• Fatigue, malaise, and loss of appetite.
• Dry cough, runny nose, and sore throat. You may not notice these during the first few days of the illness when other symptoms are more severe. As your fever goes away, these symptoms may become more evident, and can linger for weeks.

April and May can be strong influenza months, so it’s best to be watchful and cautious.

How to Protect Yourself

Lifestyle approaches to enhancing immunity include:

• Eating 8-10 servings of fresh vegetables and fruit daily.
• Consuming enough health fats and oils like Omega-3s.
• Getting enough protein.
• Drinking 8-10 glasses of pure water daily.
• Getting in regular exercise.
• Resting when tired.

The first line of your natural defense should include:

• 1,500 mg of vitamin C (as buffered ascorbate) three times daily.
• 30 mg of zinc picolinate twice daily.
• 500 mg of beta glucan three times daily.
• 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily.

Taking probiotics can also help prevent flu infection. Echinacea tincture remains the most relied-upon herbal treatment. However, elder flower, boneset, and yarrow are useful. In the clinic, I rely on the traditional Chinese herbal formulas Gan Mao Ling, Yin Qiao San, and Yin Qiao Jie Du Wan.

When treating the flu with natural remedies, the key is to dose frequently. For adults: take herbs every 1-2 hours. For children: reduce adult dosage by quarter or half and take every 2 hours. For homeopathic medicines, take every 30 minutes.

Picture courtesy Giusi-gurl via Flickr.com.

About Dr. J. E. Williams, OMD, FAAIM: A pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, longevity and quality of life, Dr. Williams is the author of five books and more than two hundred articles. He practices in Sarasota, Florida and teaches at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Division of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, and NOVA Southeastern University.

Since 1967, he has lived and worked with indigenous tribes. In 2010, he founded AyniGLOBAL, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting indigenous culture, environment, and intellec¬tual rights. His current work is with the Q’ero people of the Peruvian Andes.

He divides his time between the Gulf of Mexico and Peru, where he carries on non-profit work and teaches Earth-based wisdom and heart-centered spirituality, and spends as much time in the high Andean wilderness and deep Amazonian rainforest as possible.