Natural Flu Prevention

General Preventative Measures During Flu and Cold Season

• Get enough sleep
• Exercise
• Limit sugar
• Eat whole, unprocessed foods
• Take a daily multivitamin, or boost the immune system with Vitamin C and Zinc
• Vitamin C: 1000-2000 mg for adults, 500 mg for adolescents over age 12, and 250 mg for ages 3-12, younger children should typically get extra vitamin C from food
• Zinc: 15-30 mg for adults, 15 mg for adolescents over age 12, 10 mg for ages 3-11, and 5-10 mg under age 3
• Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) syrup 1-2 teaspoons daily. Sambucol is sold over the counter at drugstores
• Homeopathic Flu Vaccine (available at Nature’s Helper Medical Clinic)

At the First Sign of Cold or Flu:

• Take extra vitamin C: 1000-2000 mg daily for adults, 1000 mg for adolescents, 500 mg for ages 3-12, and 250 mg for children ages 1-3.
• Take extra zinc: 30 mg/day for adults and not more than 50 mg total (check multivitamin and other supplements), because too much zinc can be toxic. A safe children’s dose is 5-10 mg under age 3, 10 mg ages 3-11, and 15 mg per day for adolescents.
• Do the Wet Socks Hydrotherapy treatment, you can repeat if needed.
• Elderberry syrup 2-4 teaspoons daily for adults and 1-2 teaspoons daily for children.
• Homeopathic Flu Remedy (same as above) 3-4 pellets 3-4 times daily until flu symptoms subside. Or you can use Oscillococcinum, which is available at the health food stores.

*You should always check with a naturopathic physician before starting new dietary supplements. Although those mentioned above are generally safe in the doses recommended, use with certain physical conditions or other medications or supplements may not be indicated.

Go to the doctor if...your symptoms are prolonged, or you experience any of the following: stiff neck, fever above 103 (101 for children and 100 for babies), excessive diarrhea or dehydration, sore red throat, pronounced fatigue.

Wet Sock Hydrotherapy Treatment

You will need:

• One pair of wool tube socks
• One pair of cotton tube socks (shorter than the wool socks)
• Basin or tub of hot water

Before going to bed for the evening, wet a pair of thin cotton socks with cold water and wring them out so they’re not dripping. Set them beside the basin of hot water, along with the dry wool socks. Soak your feet in the hottest water you can stand for 2-3 minutes, then take your feet out of the water and immediately put on the cold, wet cotton socks. Then pull the dry woolen socks on top of the wet cotton ones. Get into bed and cover up. This treatment is for people who are generally in good health and who have a strong immune system, not those who are weak and debilitated from prolonged illness.