Fighting the Big Bad Flu—Naturally

By Charlene Muhammad
SeeingBlack.com Health Writer

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As beautiful autumn careens into winter, our respiratory systems surely take notice of the change in weather. Soccer moms in supermarkets across the U.S. discuss when and where to run for the annual flu shot—especially this year, with predictions that the "new" bird flu will wipe out all of us.

Is it true that birds can make us sick? Are we in for another natural disaster, this time of the pandemic type? Or perhaps Avian H5N1 influenza virus is the same old flu by any other name: one we must learn to co-exist with in nature.

What is the 'New' Bird Flu?
The Avian H5N1 influenza virus is a reportedly new strain of flu that was discovered back in 1996 in Guangdong Providence, China. One year later, poultry farms in Hong Kong were found to have birds infected with the same flu strain. At the time, 18 people in Hong Kong reportedly contracted this virus, with six of them dying from complications from infections. Now, ten years later, the virus has been tracked among thousands of wild and domestic birds throughout Asia—and health experts are fearful of its ability to spread to humans. Of the 125 people known to be infected by it, 62 died.

When common influenza viruses affect our respiratory system, the result is excessive congestion due to a build up of histamine and other inflammatory reactions. In the majority of cases, such symptoms are our body's natural response to fight the virus.. Millions of people worldwide catch a flu virus every year. The flu has become as common as the "common cold" and could easily fit the "pandemic" definition on an annual basis. On the other hand, 125 new cases in Asia (less than 1 percent of that population) is not quite the pandemic picture that the same old flu bug already looks like.

Most flu viruses—at least three of the officially known strains—is from birds. Birds, like humans and other creatures in the animal kingdom, get sick from time to time. But this normal cycle is complicated when disease passes between species—in this case, from birds to humans— because humans must learn to adapt physically to the new foreign substance. For a healthy person, this adaptation isn't much of a challenge because the immune system is designed for just such a job. For the not-so healthy individual— alas! the majority of folks— this adaptation creates a huge challenge.

The American Solution
At the beginning of flu season- November 1, 2005 to be exact- the White House rolled out its "National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza," a 12-page document that reads much like the Patriot Act. Avian Flu is the newest terrorist and its H5N1 protein strain is its W.M.D. The strategy includes containing the virus within isolated areas and definitely outside of American borders, assuring that the spread is minimal, and more importantly, guaranteeing that the pandemic does not impact the U.S. economy. After all, we must keep business as usual.

I do agree with one statement in the National Strategy, which emphasizes individual responsibility for staying safe during a pandemic threat. However, sadly lacking from this treatise on public health are specific action steps needed to stay healthy in the first place. Stockpiles of vaccines and quarantine control guidelines may not be necessary if Americans are taught how to maintain their own health. Simple, healthy action steps are more cost effective for the average person, even if pharmaceutical companies beg to differ.

The People Solution
News organizations have spun many stories about the ways that bird flu is spread from animals to humans. The owners of cock-fighting roosters are said to have sucked mucous from the birds' noses and contracted the flu. Other flu victims were farmers and various poultry workers with direct, daily access to sick birds. Absent from the media hype is the risks associated with eating birds—and we do eat a lot of them, from rotisserie chicken to Chicken McNuggets.

Politically speaking, it's easier to point a finger at foreigners in distance lands frolicking with wild and domesticated birds, as the World Health Organization's risk assessment of the Influenza pandemic threat in Africa so noted. Rarely do news reports mention that Americans, per capita, eat more than or at least as much poultry as the majority of the world. Two concerns that Americans should ponder are: (1) where are our chickens imported from and (2) whether the U.S. poultry industry's processing methods are healthier than those in Asia. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) estimates that 76 million illnesses and 5,000 deaths in the United States have been caused by food borne bacterium. Salmonella, Listera and E.coli bacteria are as deadly as any influenza virus and spread just as quickly.

Nature's defense.
Staying healthy begins with our diet. Agreed, protein is important fuel for the body and animal protein may be a good choice—but only when it's clean. If we eat food for its potential benefits knowing that basic natural ingredients- vitamins, minerals and fiber- will sustain life, then we must also accept that food contaminated by toxins will affect our health as well. Sick chickens will make us sick. Buyer beware.

Eat a traditional diet. Grandma's culinary cuisine was intuitive. Her winter stews and soups usually started as a basic stock seasoned with onions, garlic, cayenne, oregano, rosemary and sage- the aromatic bitters that cleanse the gut and respiratory tract. These herbal spices are also used medicinally for centuries as anti-microbial, as well as to support digestion. African and Indian cuisines also include the yellow and red herbal spices; cumin, turmeric and cardamom that are medicinal antioxidants and cardiovascular support aids.

Drink lots of clean water daily. Water provides our blood with a source to carry oxygen around the body. Oxygen is the molecule that ignites our metabolism. The body is smart enough to extract water from juice, coffee and tea, but it's more like "contaminated" water, not the pure stuff. During the colder months, drinking water can be a challenge. Sipping a cup of warm water with fresh squeeze lemon juice works just as well.

Exercise is good for all that ails you. As smart as folks living in the first world have become with their technology and leisure time, the resulting sedentary lifestyle is pretty dumb. Exercise stimulates blood circulation. When you don't move, your blood becomes stagnate like swampy water. Toxins just hang out and wreak all kinds of havoc. When you exercise, your blood moves through all of its biological filters: heart, lungs, liver and kidneys, getting a good daily cleaning.

Use supplements to support vitality. Vitamin C and other bioflavinoids nurture the immune system. Trace minerals such as potassium, magnesium, chromium, selenium, calcium and sodium, support energy functions on the cellular level. Most vitamins and minerals can be taken in from fresh vegetables, however, adding a supplement, such as a good food-based multi-vitamin, can be beneficial during the flu season.

Herbal supplements can be used to nudge the body back to health. Whole herbs support the body just like whole foods do. Standardized extract of herbal constituents support the body like vitamin supplements. A few good choices of herbs for the flu season are:

Echinacea—Echinacea increases the body's resistance to infection by stimulating the immune system's complement pathway. Echinacea may be taken preventatively throughout the flu season, or taken at the first sign of infection.

Chamomile—Chamomile is a traditional cold remedy that is also a good remedy for young children. It is a soothing anti-inflammatory herb that eases the symptoms associated with the flu: fever, runny nose and mild aches and pains. Chamomile's bitter qualities are also calming when the flu bugs causes digestive upset.

Yarrow—Yarrow is a strong decongestant and anti-inflammatory remedy for the common cold and flu. A cup of Yarrow tea may prove to be diaphoretic—coaxing a fever to do its job of heating the body to rid itself of any lingering antibodies causing the cold or flu systems.

Rest is key. Depending on your age and physical fit-ness, a bout of the flu may call for as little as 72 hours and up to two full weeks of bed rest. Don't cheat your body out of convalescence when it needs it. A good night's rest is the best rejuvenator of them all. Life always looks better in the morning!

— December 13, 2005

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