Influenza
What is Influenza?
Primarily a winter infection, influenza epidemics, viral in origin, affect millions of people every year. Influenza is most often benign, but sometimes leads to serious complications, mainly in the elderly and frail. After a short, apparently symptom-free incubation period of from 12 to 48 hours, it takes hold rapidly. Airborne droplets containing the virus from the saliva and the breath make it highly contagious during this initial phase.
The diagnosis is arrived at on the basis of an infectious period, a flare-up at the start with the temperature raised to 39-40C, accompanied by intense fatigue, aching all over, muscle and joint pain, and even ear, nose, and throat signs as seen in any ENT infection.
Incubation is the time that elapses between the moment of infection and the appearance of the first symptoms of the illness.
What are the conventional medicine approaches to flu?
The best way avoid the flu is preventative treatment. This means personal hygiene to prevent infection during outbreaks, and immunization before the outbreak to teach the body to process the virus effectively once you become infected. Then, once one becomes sick, its mostly symptomatic relief with drugs. If complications arise, such as pneumonia, supportive care is given to help the body survive the infection while the immune system is fighting it. We can also use antibiotics to kill bacterial infections superimposed on top of the flu virus, such as bacterial pneumonias. We don’t have anything in conventional medicine to stimulate the immune system itself to more effective action.
Immunization may provide effective protection, if a good vaccine is made early in the epidemic. However, even though the vaccine is definitely recommended by most conventional experts, some experts are not particularly sure if vaccinating people against influenza with a weak immune system does much good, and healthy people usually do well anyway. Some novel virus pandemics, however, may present a different challenge.
Homeopathic remedies do not have any direct effect on the virus. They just modify our body’s response to it by enabling our defense mechanism to a better recognition of what needs to be fought off. For this reason, they never have an issue with resistance. In the end, Homeopathy may end up being the most reliable method of saving lives in a bad epidemic. It has happened before, and it may happen again. We owe it to ourselves to be ready.
Homeopathic prophylaxis
Aimed at preventing the illness from appearing or at reducing its harshness this form of preventative care is best discussed by contacting a registered Homeopath. However, a diet rich in natural prophylactic food may assist. These foods include:
- Cider vinegar: its virtues were discovered by an American veterinary surgeon who noticed that the rotten apples he added to his livestock’s feed protected them from winter infections. Add a small teaspoonful of natural vinegar (of known origin) to half a glass of water, to be drunk before breakfast. Take a calcium supplement to avoid mineral deficiency.
- Foods rich in vitamin C: Citrus fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit); green vegetables (celery, green cabbage++, cress, spinach, sorrel. parsley, horseradish); fruit, particularly red fruit (strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants). but also others (pineapple, blackcurrants++, guava, kiwi++); potatoes, green peppers, tomatoes.
- Foods rich in copper: Seaweed, almonds, avocado, cocoa, cereals (especially whole wheat and whole rice), mushrooms, shellfish, oysters, crustaceans, calf and sheep liver++, dried fruits, green vegetables, nuts, fish roe, plums, tea.
Interestingly, there are other things can can support you. One of which, is gold.
Gold: In the Middle Ages gold was considered a panacea that healed almost everything. Innumerable medical properties were attributed to it, and it was widely used for all illnesses. It cured gout, smallpox, plague, leprosy, strengthened the heart, and even revived the dead… It sank into oblivion as a treatment for some decades, but was rehabilitated during the 19th century, thanks to its efficacy against syphilis and other venereal diseases; then it became an accepted treatment, and still is today, because of its role in stimulating immunological defences.
Two plants that may support you are anti-infective Echinacea and very stimulating ginseng.
Echinacea is a plant native to North America, where it was widely used by native tribes for its antiseptic properties.
Tincture of Echinacea Purpurea: Dose – Fifteen drops to be taken in a little water, three times a day by adults, seven drops three times a day by children (6-12 years old).
Three essential oils to combat influenza are Ceylon cinnamon, Melaleuca (tea tree), Ravensara aromatic. Obtain a 2ml bottle of the essential oil of one of these plants from your pharmacist, health-food shop or herbalist. Take three drops in a little honey, twice a day.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon bark has been used since the dawn of time for its tonic and stimulant properties. Until recently, cinnamon wine was given out in hospitals and hospices in some countries to combat the spread of disease.
- Melaleuca/Niaouli: The leaves of the tea tree (Melaleuca), originally an Australian tree, have considerable antiseptic properties, thanks to their essential oil. Naiouli which belongs to this family, is extremely effective against most infections.
- Additionally a Propolis and Honey Elixir which containing tea tree oil, Irish moss, peppermint oil honey and propolis can be beneficial to help raise natural immunity.
For further information on how Homeopathy can help with influenza & general information on influenza please visit any of the following web-sites: