What I’m Doing to Avoid the Swine Flu
Dear Friend,
For years we’ve worried about the
possibility of a flu pandemic, and it seems those fears may become a
reality. The swine flu, which recently
surfaced in Mexico, has sickened thousands and alarmed millions of people around
the world.
As of the time that I’m writing
this, there are 109 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in the United
States—spread out among 11 different states. Not surprisingly, I’ve been fielding a lot of questions
about it from colleagues, patients, and subscribers who want to know what they
can do to avoid contracting the virus—as well as how to cope if they fall
ill. Here’s what I’ve been telling them…
Prevention is your best defense
The first thing you want to do is
follow the same basic flu prevention techniques that you would during the
regular cold and flu season. So far, the virus seems to be behaving like more
common strains of flu, which means good hygiene is essential if you want to
avoid infection. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, especially if you’ve
been around someone who is sick or you’ve visited a public place.
Good hygiene also requires that you
avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. This is a special challenge at this
time of year because so many of us—including me—have seasonal
allergies. However, it’s the best way to avoid transferring traces of the virus
that may be on your hands to the mucous membranes where infection could take
hold.
Next, eat a consistently nutritious
diet. Fruits and vegetables, which
are rich in antioxidants, are especially important. You also want to watch your intake of sugars, since high-glycemic
carbohydrates and sweets weaken the immune system, as will alcohol.
Bolster your
immune system so it’s in peak shape
A
strong immune system continues to be your best defense against any acute
illness, including the swine flu. There
are several potent nutritional supplements that you can start taking now to
power up your immune system, including:
- Resveratrol: This powerful antioxidant,
which is found most abundantly in red grape skins, helps to prevent the flu by
making it tougher for flu cells to divide and replicate themselves.
- Quercetin: This powerful polyphenol that
is found in fruits and vegetables is very similar to resveratrol in its
chemical structure. It helps to
protect the lung tissues from free radicals, and helps to prevent cytokine
storms, which are the inflammatory messengers that can overwhelm healthy lung
tissue.
- Beta
Glucan: This complex sugar (polysaccharide) is derived from the cell wall
of baker’s yeast, oats, and barley, as well as some medicinal mushrooms. As a
supplement it primes neutrophils, white blood cells in your immune system that
engulf alien microorganisms.
- Selenium: You need selenium to make
glutathione, your body’s most potent natural antioxidant. Plus, as a cardiologist I’m very in
touch with the impact of selenium on cardiomyopathy. Years ago, a famous disease in China called Keshan disease
was causing cardiomyopathy in adults and children, due to a deficiency in
selenium that weakened the heart muscle. When patients were given selenium, it increased the efficacy of the
white blood cells, mobilizing them to eradicate the infection that caused the
cardiomyopathy.
- N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC): This important amino acid is the precursor to
glutathione—which as I just mentioned is your body’s most potent
antioxidant. It also helps to
support your liver, and helps remove toxins from your body.
What to do if you begin to feel ill
If you follow all of these
precautions and still begin to feel worn down and symptomatic, you want to do three
things:
- Add licorice root to your supplement
regimen. Licorice root extract
supports the adrenal glands and fights inflammation in the lungs. Star anise is
an herb that is one of the materials used to make the flu
medication Tamiflu. Interestingly, the star anise plant is in a similar plant
family to licorice root. This may
explain the antiviral properties of licorice root extract. There is a lot of press about
Tamiflu, but I would be cautious about giving Tamiflu to young adults unless there
is a diagnosis of the H1N1 flu, since overuse can cause bizarre psychological
reactions. Licorice root extract is
safe, and it does have some efficacy in treating viruses. It’s sold in liquid form, and you
should take one dropperful under the tongue twice a day. NOTE: If you have high blood pressure,
use licorice root extract only on a very short-term basis, one to two weeks at
most. With prolonged use, licorice root can cause blood pressure to rise. If
you have a home blood pressure monitor, keep a close eye on your readings.
- Up your vitamin C intake…and I don’t
mean by just a little bit. I recommend 5,000 mg of vitamin C a day, in divided
doses, to help fight infection. Just be aware that this much vitamin C can
cause diarrhea. If this happens to you, reduce the dosage to the highest amount
you can tolerate.
- Seek medical help. This is one time that
you shouldn’t try to go it alone. The sooner you are evaluated by a doctor, the
better your chances of having a short illness and full recovery.
Finally, keep a positive mindset
I can’t stress enough how important
it is that you avoid undue stress and have positive intention as we weather
this storm. By that, I mean telling yourself that you’re not going to become
sick and then trusting that you—and your immune system—are up to
the challenge.
Too often, we subconsciously create
what we fear the most. This is undoubtedly a frightening time, but don’t allow those
emotions to consume you. A cautious but positive approach to life is the best
medicine for all of us right now.
It’s also important to remember
that we’ve seen swine flu before and it does not carry the mortality and
morbidity of other previous flus, such as the epidemic of 1918. The swine flu virus can be checked, and
it’s not nearly as horrific as the Asian bird flu virus, which I’ve written about
in Heart, Health & Nutrition in the past.
To Your Health,
Stephen Sinatra, M.D., F.A.C.C, F.A.C.N.
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