You may be hearing Walgreens advertising their Flu vaccine. You may be seeing Flu vaccine flyers at your conventional medical doctor’s office. Are you fearful of the impending cold and flu season that will soon be upon us?? Don’t be! The flu has yet to hit for the 2011/2012 season, and we are here to help.
While there are certain populations of people for whom the flu vaccine may be indicated, Flu vaccines are not absolutely mandatory, and each person needs to consider their own risk, immune status, and variables that could influence their risk of infection.
At Holistica Integrative Care our goal is to get and keep you as healthy as possible so that you are not susceptible to getting Influenza A or B. We do that by reinforcing good dietary decisions, supplementation with a few key nutrients and our annual recommendation of Mucococcinum, a homeopathic Flu support.
1) Vitamin D status has been shown to act as a “seasonal stimulus” for the immune system and has been found to be associated with lowered risk for respiratory infections and lung infections. We recommend getting your Vitamin D levels tested. The optimal range is between 60-80 ng/dl. If your levels are suboptimal, consider taking 4000-5000 iu Vitamin D per day.
2) Avoid sugar as much as possible. Researchers confirm that sugar consumption decreases white blood cell function for 8 hours post ingestion. If you start your day with sugar, your immune system may be impaired all day long! Instead, try Stevia to sweeten your beverages and food.
3) BioVegetarian– 2 caps per day as preventative maintenance. If you begin to experience flu or cold symptoms, take 2 caps every 2 hours for 2 days. This will decrease viral replication and help your immune system fight the infection.
4) Mucococcinum is a homeopathic preparation for prevention and treatment of Influenza. Recommended dose is 1 tablet per week per person. If you feel you are coming down with the flu, we recommend a dose of 2 tablets per day until symptoms resolve.
5) Antioxidants such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Super Oxide Dismutase, and Green Tea are shown in some studies to be protective when taken together for the treatment of Influenza.
6) Black currant extract– Exciting research from Japan has found that this remedy was shown to eliminate 99% of viral activity for both Influenza Types A and B.
Of course, if you do contract the flu, call us immediately. We can help you shorten the severity and duration of the illness if we see you within the first 24-48 hours of the infection. Follow these tips to help stay healthy all season long. The supplements listed above are available through our office, and we ship anywhere in the US!
Wishing you a healthy, happy, and flu-free holiday season!
