Home Page  H1N1 / H5N1 Pandemic Flu Supplemental Support |
   for Individuals with a compromised Immune System. |
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Those with a weak or inefficient immune system frequently do not tolerate certain antiviral remedies that seem |
to work well for people whose immune system functions properly, with Echinacea being one example. However, |
while herbs such as Echinacea can be effective against the Common Flu, they tend to overstimulate the immune |
system in even healthy individuals as a result of cytokines - regulatory cell proteins such as lymphokines and interleukins - being ineffective against a Pandemic Virus. This is one reason why many younger, and seemingly |
healthy individuals die during a Pandemic Flu. (H1N1 = Swine Flu, H5N1 = Avian / Bird Flu). |
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Many compounds (e.g. Elderberry) also increase the production of immature White Blood Cells in individuals whose numbers are already on the high side, and thus worsen some forms of Leukemia. Various foods, spices, and beverages affect the immune system in a similar fashion, and should be increased or avoided accordingly. |
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Recommended  Caution  Not Recommended |
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Vitamin A   Vitamin A (when pregnant) Dairy products - all (butter is ok) |
Vitamin D   Vitamin B1, B5, B15 Sugar (white, brown) |
Vitamin C + Bioflavonoids Lecithin, Choline, Inositol Fructose |
Carotenoids   Copper   Honey |
Garlic (fresh)  Iron   Molasses |
Ginseng (Siberian)  Selenium  Corn syrup |
Ginger    Tin   Maple syrup |
Cranberry   Zinc   Candy, cookies, sweetened cereal... |
Green Tea   NAC   Sweet Fruit juices, jams, marmalade, |
Milk Thistle   Stevia   Sweet Fruit (including bananas, figs, |
St. John's Wort  Melatonin  dates, raisins, pears, sweet melons...) |
Resveratrol   Astragalus  Chocolate / Cocoa products |
Skullcap (adults only) Omega oils (higher intake) Skullcap (when pregnant) |
Turmeric   Bromelain  Licorice |
Bee pollen   Glutamic acid  Cloves |
Coconut oil   Acidophilus / Probiotics White Willow bark |
Thymus gland extract Pancreatic enzymes Echinacea |
Cat's claw   Cat's claw (in children) Cat's claw (when pregnant) |
Calcium **   Royal jelly  Kelp, Chlorella, Spirolina |
Chromium **   CoQ10   Soy products |
Magnesium **   Colostrum  Puncture vine |
Eucalyptus oil   Oil of Oregano  Oregano |
Kwan Loong oil (topical) Pepper (black, cayenne) Elderberry * |
Moderate exercise  Wheat   Alcohol |
Deep sleep (stage 4-5) Vitamin E (ok when supplemented with large amounts of Vitamin C) |
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* While research studies are divided on the use of Elderberry for a Pandemic Flu, it is contraindicated for a weak immune system. |
** Ca, Cr, and Mg have anti-inflammatory properties. Adequate intake is important when fighting a viral or bacterial infection. |
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Items listed in the "Caution" column generally pose no problems for individuals with a healthy immune system, |
or some may actually enhance their immune response. However depending on the amounts consumed, they are |
likely to cause a mucus-forming, or inflammatory response in individuals with a malfunctioning immune system. |
For instance, probiotics help maintain a healthy gut, but they are detrimental to a compromised immune system. |
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In addition to the above, the list of natural remedies said to have antiviral properties include Aloe vera, Boneset, |
Buchu, Chamomile, Dragon's blood, Forsythia, Goldenrod, Goldenseal, Honeysuckle, Juniper, Lysine, Lemon balm, |
Lomatium, Lonicera, Myrrh gum, Peppermint, Reishi, Schizandra, Shiitake, Thuja, Wild Indigo, and various others. |
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However the problem with many of these antiviral remedies is the fact that their efficacy largely depends on an |
individual's immune response to a particular virus and the particular remedy. As mentioned above, for patients |
with an excessive number of immature White Blood Cells, many of these antiviral remedies actually worsen and |
prolong a bout with a common or pandemic flu virus by overstimulating their immune system even more, instead |
of helping the body to produce healthy White Blood Cells and thereby lowering their numbers. Or, a (pandemic) |
virus is immune to cytokines such as TNF-a or IL-6, causing a cytokine storm as a result of the body trying to |
cope with its inability to fight the virus, which affects healthy individuals to their detriment as well. Remedies |
in the "Recommended" column are chosen to help reduce those problems. |
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The immune system's recovery time from an intake of Simple Sugars listed in the "Not Recommended" column |
may take up to several hours for individuals with a normally-functioning immune system, but it may take several |
days or longer for someone with a weak or inefficient immune system. This applies to "Simple Carbohydrates" |
only, but not to the intake of "Refined Carbohydrates" or "Complex Carbohydrates." Click here for details. |
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Download printable version: Flu-Remedies.rtf |
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According to Dr. Arthur Lavin, if children come down with the H1N1 flu, and parents notice unusual symptoms such as: • Labored Breathing • Stiff Neck • Continuous, localized Pain • Blue Nails • Abnormal Behavior, |
they should promptly seek medical attention. |
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Copyright © 2000-2010 Ronald Roth        Flu Remedies |
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