The Dreaded Flu - Naturopathic Approaches

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With winter 2019 in full swing,^[1] we can count on our flu season and symptoms to peak right along beside it. Cold weather drives humans indoors, which means we endure each other’s bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens more frequently. Remember that stranger you passed on the subway—the one with the hacking cough, gushing nose, red watery eyes, fever, chills, body aches, and many more uncomfortable issues?^[2] Simply for the fact that the same air was inhaled and exhaled by both of you, an elevated risk for an illness now exists. Completely avoiding exposure to colds and flus is completely impossible. Everyone living outside of a sterile environment has frequent interaction with the microbial world. So, we do the best we can with what we’ve got. This discussion will vary depending on whether it is seen through the lens of prevention or treatment.

Though it seems tedious, we absolutely must discuss basic hygiene from the naturopathic perspective. Just like we would not build our dream home without a strong foundation, we cannot discuss avoiding illness without touching on the process of “degerming.” Granted, the term is very strange upon first reading it. The word “decontamination” is heard more frequently in common speech and has the same meaning. Technically, “degerming” refers to “Reducing or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms by the application of an antiseptic hand-rub or by performing an antiseptic handwash.”^[3] The word antiseptic is very important. Have you ever watched a medical show which portrayed surgeons scrubbing before surgical procedure? It seems like they take forever, scouring every inch of skin on their hands and forearms, as well as under their fingernails. Any time you are at your sink, pretend you are the surgeon. Imagine that anything you miss, from being hurried or lazy, has the power to hurt someone. In this case, it can potentially bring disease to your doorstep. So, scrub exceeding well, even under all ten of your fingernails! Ladies, if you have long, beautiful nails, handwashing by itself is not enough: Science has shown that any nails longer than 3 mm beyond the flesh of the finger will trap pathogens of all types.^[4] So, keep a toothbrush reserved for degerming your nails next to your sink. They should be replaced at least once a month.

It is also good manners to cover a cough or a sneeze. However, what you choose to cover with can stack the deck in your favour or against you. If we use our hand, forearm, or elbow, it is necessary to wash that appendage immediately after. To save ourselves the time and effort, instead use the inside of a piece of clothing. This way, any germs will be well-contained and less likely to enter your body. While on the topic of clothing, we should examine our coats and jackets. They are often the front line of defense, as many of the pathogens we encounter touch our outerwear first. For this reason, they should be washed as frequently as possible. Between laundry days, they should be stored away from most living spaces.

Now that we have covered the most basic aspects of prevention, we can shift our focus to the kitchen. Hippocrates is the ancient Greek physician considered the father of medicine and whom our current Hippocratic oath is named after. Even as far back as fourth century BCE, he recognized the fact that what we eat and drink is the basis of our health. He is famously quoted as saying “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”^[5] This very much includes what we choose to consume and what we choose to avoid. As much as our tongues would beg to differ, it is a well-established fact that eating processed sugar suppresses our immune system.^[6] So, click that willpower and motivation into high gear: Set down that bag of candy and the box of cookies. Since alcohol is broken down into sugar once inside the body, we should also avoid drinking alcoholic beverages of any type while in hard-core prevention mode. What are other bacteria-busting goodies we should be munching on instead? The answers include real foods that are high in vitamins and other nutrients. Vitamin C is a well-known player in boosting the immune system. Easy, raw snacks high in this vitamin include broccoli, yellow bell peppers, kale, guavas, kiwis, lemon/oranges, and much more. Thyme and parsley contain lots of vitamin C, as well as many other compounds which can function as natural immune boosters.^[7]

Oregano oil, concentrated from the same spice in many of our cupboards, is a potent natural antibiotic which has been used to fend off or fight infections for thousands of years. If you have ever had signs of an allergic reaction after consuming oregano or tend to be allergic to members of the mint family, this herb may not be for you. We should always consult our primary-care physician before beginning any new treatment. Be aware that concentrated oregano oil has a very strong and distinct taste. This herb should always be taken on a full stomach to avoid digestive upset. Supplements tend to either be liquid or encapsulated. If you expect a very pungent taste to be off-putting, encapsulated oil may be better for you.^[8] We could talk for weeks on end about using food as pharmacy. Try in general to focus on consuming vegetables, fruits, and whole unprocessed foods to support immune health.

Lastly, the importance of increased fluid consumption cannot be discounted when preventing winter illnesses. Basically, bacteria and viruses are not flushed through our system when we are dehydrated. When those pathogens cannot be flushed out of the body, they will hang around to cause disease. The question becomes how much of what should I be drinking? In terms of water consumption, a well-publicized rule of thumb is to base how much water you drink on your weight in pounds. Before we get into the calculation, heart issues, kidney issues, or other chronic health issues must be considered when determining fluid-balance requirements. If your primary-care doctor has ever given you a maximum number of ounces of water to consume in one day, please never exceed that. If you’ve never been given a caution, use the following formula to estimate your needs:

Weight (in pounds) / 2 + 10 = Daily water requirement in ounces

For example, a person who weighs 182 pounds would shoot for 101 ounces of water consumed throughout the day (182 / 2 = 91 oz, plus 10 oz = 101 oz). If the answer you get is above 150 ounces, disregard the true number to cap your liquid consumption at the 150-ounce mark; at a certain point above that number, the body can become hypersaturated and start to lose electrolytes.

It is important to know that all the principles of prevention still definitely apply to treatment. Please feel free to enact any of the strategies we’ve already discussed if you do become sick. Now switching gears, we will explore effective naturopathic modalities that can treat a cold or flu. A very simple substance with a profound impact to clear illness from the body is the amino acid N acetylcysteine, often abbreviated as NAC. This antioxidant helps to essentially thin all our internal secretions, making mucus easier to excrete. The faster we get germs out of our body, the less congested we become. This significantly lessens the chances of getting a secondary infection like pneumonia, bronchitis, or sinusitis. This amino acid is also very supportive to the immune system and liver. Again, we should consult our medical provider before we begin any treatment. People who have issues with copper retention in their body should shy away from this treatment. An adult dose of NAC (while ill) is 600 mg in the morning and 600 mg in the afternoon or evening.^[8] If you notice more mucus draining, the treatment is working! Postnasal drip is not the most comfortable thing, however. One way to alleviate the discomfort of this symptom is to add honey and freshly squeezed lemon to warm water before consumption. Honey is a powerful natural antibiotic, and lemon supports the immune system. When consumed in warm water, the warmth of the fluid dilates the blood vessels in the back of our throat. This can ease our pain, as well as bring new, healthy blood to help fight infection.^[8]

Another naturopathic secret to fighting the flu is elderberry. The concentrated syrup of this beautiful, dark-purple berry has been shown to eradicate the flu days faster than a placebo course of treatment.^[9] As stated previously, make sure that your doctor thinks that elderberry would be safe for you before trying it for the first time. One huge positive is that elderberry syrup is naturally sweet, making it much easier to tolerate orally. A typical dose of the concentrated syrup is 15 mL four times daily while flu symptoms persist. Finally, resting and avoiding stress as much as possible is a vital component of our recovery. When our anatomy and physiology are overtaxed, run down, and depleted, it simply does not have the energy to get us well.