The flu is a viral infection with symptoms that range from mild to severe. You can be affected with fever, chills, headache, aches and pains, coughing, and a sore throat for many days. It can result in complications like ear and sinus infections, especially in children. It can lead to pneumonia, and if you are pregnant, the flu can impact your unborn baby.
However, there are simple, natural ways to help prevent getting the flu in the first place. Let’s take a deeper look.
The flu can be very serious. When it reaches the level of a pandemic, the flu can kill millions of people quickly. For instance, the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 resulted in over 50 million deaths worldwide. More recently, the world has faced potential pandemics from the Swine Flu, H1N1, and other forms of Avian Flu.
Fortunately, those epidemics were not as deadly as first predicted. In addition, the pharmaceutical industry has reaped billions of dollars in profits from flu medications and flu vaccines, which work only a small percentage of the time.
Prevention is critical, but what is the best way for you and your family to prevent the flu?
Should You Get the Flu Vaccine?
Getting any vaccination is a personal decision. You should gather as much information as possible to make your decision. The flu vaccine may not be right for everyone. At the same time, the flu can be very serious. Let’s take a look at some factors.
Most cases of the flu result in a cold-like syndrome or a few days of discomfort from fever, chills, and aches. Other cases may become more serious. Other people may be more inclined to experience a severe flu illness including very young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic medical conditions like diabetes, lung disease, and heart disease. They are at an increased risk for complications.
The effectiveness of flu vaccines ranges from 24% to 60%. They don’t prevent you from contracting the flu, although they may reduce the severity of the illness and symptoms. Keep in mind it takes 10-14 days after getting vaccinated to gain immunity, so if you’ve already been exposed, or get exposed in that 2-week window after getting the flu shot, it might not help.
If you want to get the flu vaccine, look for a single injection, pre-loaded syringe vaccine. The multi-dose variety contains mercury, which can cause side effects including autoimmune disease.
What About Tamiflu?
Tamiflu is oseltamivir, a drug that has been in use for quite a while. It is a neuraminidase inhibitor that may reduce the duration and severity of flu symptoms when used early after the onset of symptoms. It may also prevent the shedding of the virus and help reduce passing the flu on to others. It is typically given within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms to be most effective in otherwise healthy people. The manufacturer and medical community have endorsed its effectiveness and safety for years.
However, some recent reports suggest that the endorsement isn’t warranted. Apparently, the manufacturer has not released safety and effectiveness data, and some of the data may be questionable. Actions by the British Medical Journal and The Cochrane Library to force the manufacturer to release the data did not work.
More recently, the data has been obtained by a Yale researcher, who suggests the bigger picture is that oseltamivir is less effective than the manufacturer presented to regulators, clinicians, policymakers, and consumers. The benefits may have been overestimated and the harms underreported.
In particular, the review found no compelling evidence to support claims that oseltamivir reduces the risk of complications of influenza, such as pneumonia and hospital admission, claims that were used to justify international stockpiling of the drug.
If you wish to try Tamiflu, you can wait for 48 hours to see if your symptoms begin to subside on their own. If not, you can try it knowing that it may not be as effective as the marketing suggests.
Six Natural Ways to Help Prevent the Flu
Prevention is critical. The pharmaceutical industry is motivated by profits, and the flu vaccine is at most 60% effective. You need a toolbox of flu prevention methods. Natural methods can be very safe, effective, affordable, and without side effects.
These 6 tips are safe for nearly everyone (exceptions for pregnant moms noted below). Most of these supplements and herbs can be found at any major health food store or online.
Wash Your Hands
Mom was right. Washing your hands is a key prevention method, especially if you have shaken hands with someone or touched a lot of items in a public space like the grocery store or an elevator. Exchanging money can spread a lot of bugs as well.
Washing for 20 seconds with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can significantly cut down on your risk of getting sick or bringing the flu home to your family. Avoid using antibacterial hand sanitizers as they may promote resistant strains. They also contain certain chemicals that act as endocrine disruptors.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. This spreads the germs from your hands to entry points on your body. And if you have symptoms of the flu, stay home from work or school.
Get Extra Rest
Flu season is not the time to be overworked and stressed. Slow down, pause, and rest. Being exhausted inhibits your immune system from functioning at its best. Make good sleep a priority. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and screen time at night. Enjoy some herb tea and turn off the lights early.
Eat Nutritious Foods
Now is a good time to reduce your intake of alcohol, sugar, fruit juice, and processed foods to make sure you’re eating high-quality protein and vegetables. Food that is high in sugar can inhibit your immune system. Eat a whole foods diet to help prevent the flu.
Take your vitamins
Consider taking the following supplements to help prevent the flu (and colds) during flu season. For up to 2 weeks take the following for prevention:
For kids
A Multi-vitamin/mineral is a good way to cover the basics and ensure optimal nutrient intake and immune health, especially in picky eaters
For adults
Buffered Vitamin C: Daily use of Vitamin C has been shown to reduce the likelihood of colds and flu, reduce antibiotic use, and school absences in children. People who take vitamin C regularly can expect shorter colds (by 8% in adults and 14% in children) with slightly less severe symptoms. A 2018 meta-analysis also supports the idea that vitamin C can shorten colds and lessen symptoms. The dose is 500-1,000mg/day for kids and 1000-2000 mg/day for adults.
Vitamin D3: Adequate vitamin D status is critical for optimal immune function and is hard to get enough of from food alone, especially in the winter. It’s also been shown that adequate vitamin D levels reduce your likelihood of getting the cold and flu substantially. A large systematic review suggests that supplementation may help prevent upper respiratory infections. The dose for adults is 2000-5000 units daily; for kids it’s 400-2000 units/day depending on age.
Zinc citrate: Daily supplementation with zinc reduces colds and flu. The dose depends on age. For adults, it’s 30-60 mg/day total.
Probiotics: A healthy gut flora supports a healthy gut and taken daily, has also been shown to prevent colds and flu. Use a product that contains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains.
Cod Liver Oil: High in vitamin A, which is strongly supportive of the immune system and particularly the respiratory passages, is another daily support you can use for your family’s or personal flu prevention plan.
Pregnant women should check with their obstetrician about supplements.
Reduce stress
Flu season coincides with the major holidays, so staying calm may present a challenge. Keep in mind that you want to stay healthy. Set limits, learn to say no, get plenty of rest, allow yourself to indulge a little, and practice mindfulness to stay more resilient and healthier.
Herbs for flu prevention
Herbal medicines work well for boosting immunity and preventing the flu. Many herbs have anti-viral and immune-boosting effects, yet are safe and gentle on your body. Herbs to consider for flu prevention include Echinacea, elderberry, astragalus, and medicinal mushrooms.
You may wish to try the following:
- Echinacea Liquid Extract: 1 tsp. twice daily (modify for children down to ¼ of the dose ages 2-7 years old, and ½ the dose 8-12 years old, safe for pregnant/nursing women).
- Medicinal Mushrooms: You can try a combination of medicinal mushrooms including cordyceps, turkey tail, reishi, and maitake, for example, as a part of a daily immune-boosting herbal protocol.
- Also, cook with onions, garlic, turmeric, and ginger, all of which have been used historically to prevent and treat infection, and which modern science validates for antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects.
If you get the flu
The symptoms of the flu overlap with symptoms of the cold or an upper respiratory infection. Whether you have a bad cold or the flu, do the following:
- Stay hydrated; Drink plenty of hot tea, water with lemon, and broth
- Stay comfortable and give yourself permission to rest; sleep is healing.
- Start taking the above nutritional supplements for extra immune support
Elderberry Syrup: 1 Tbsp. 3 times daily for adults (modify as for Echinacea for children, safe for pregnant women for a limited time of 5 to 7 days, though if you’re pregnant and get the flu, it’s important to also seek appropriate medical care; elderberry is safe for nursing moms).
Final thoughts
The flu is typically an uncomfortable illness that subsides on its own. However, the flu can become serious and lead to difficult complications. Gather information on vaccines and medications like Tamiflu before making any decisions. As always, prevention is a critical step to take. Try the methods above to stay healthy this flu season.