1. As soon as you start having symptoms of catching something, drop a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide into each ear canal, allowing the bubbling to subside (usually 5 – 10 minutes) in one ear and letting it drain out onto tissue, before doing the second ear. Repeat every 3 – 4 hours.
2. Avoid all sugar, and foods with sugar and refined flour. This includes all types of refined sugar – from cane, beet and corn (including corn syrup and dextrose). And even more importantly, avoid artificial sweeteners.
It seems that from Thanksgiving through the New Year, we are often bombarded with many offerings of sweets and baked goods loaded with refined carbohydrates. The effects of refined carbohydrates (sugar and white flour) on immune suppression are well documented, leading to greatly increased susceptibility to viral, bacterial and fungal infections. The immune system can take up to 3 months to recover from a period of high sugar consumption.
3. Oranges and orange juice can actually worsen respiratory congestion. Instead, squeeze fresh lemons and/or limes, into preferably hot water, for the needed vitamin C and flavanoids. Very helpful is hot “lemonade”, using raw honey for the sweetener: Heat your water, then add the fresh lemon or lime juice and honey to taste. If your digestion is upset, you can add fresh grated ginger to the water first, bring it to a boil for a few minutes, then strain before adding lemon and honey.
4. Studies show that hot chicken or turkey soup actually does help alleviate cold and flu symptoms. However, it’s much more effective if you make it fresh: Sauté the onions, garlic and celery or fresh fennel, and any other favorite vegetable in organic, cold-pressed oil (from your health food store, health food section of supermarkets, or Sunnyfarms). Then add organic chicken broth (Imagine or Pacific brands, which comes in cartons). Noodles are optional, but they must be whole-grain. A shredded or chopped dark green leafy vegetable can be added before serving. Adding cayenne pepper, ginger and other warming spices and herbs are all helpful for cold and flu symptoms.
5. Drink plenty of other hot fluids. Several organic herbal tea formulas for colds can be found on the health food store and supermarket shelves these days. One of my favorites for a cold or flu is elderflower tea, or elderberries made into a tea. Also, “Sambucol” is an elderberry juice concentrate that’s very helpful for viral infections. Avoid coffee, regular tea and all caffeinated beverages, including so-called “decaf”. Many people get their 8 cups of water/day in by sipping plain hot water as a beverage throughout the day.
6. The list of antiviral and antibacterial botanicals is too extensive for this article. I use kinesiology to find which of the herbals would be the most helpful for each patient. Homeopathic remedies, such as Oscillococcinum, are helpful for flu symptoms and can also be taken as a preventive. Colloidal silver and gold are best taken only during active infection, not all the time.
7. Extra vitamin A and D (in Carlson’s cod liver oil) is very helpful, as well as vitamin C with flavanoids (no more than 500mg C at a time). Many people are mineral deficient, so zinc and other minerals would help their symptoms. B vitamins, and free-form amino acids, are also very helpful for those who are deficient.
8. Eat only if you have hunger. Lightly cooked vegetables and brown rice are good foods during a cold or flu. The only juice that should be consumed is raw, freshly pressed vegetable juice, as well as the raw juice of apples, pears or berries. Use a juicer that crushes the produce rather than spinning it, such as an Omega 8000 series.
9. For sinus infections, up to 4 times each day, use an Alternating Hot and Cold Sinus Compress: Wash cloth soaked in very hot water, wrung out and placed over sinuses 3 minutes. Then cold, wrung out washcloth over sinuses 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Followed by a Nasal Rinse: Using a netti pot, baby nose bulb or eyedropper, and ½ teaspoon sea salt dissolved in a cup of tolerably hot water. Breathing through the mouth, squirt the solution in one nostril, then blow and spit out the solution. Repeat in the other nostril. Repeat till sinuses are clear. This washes away more than 90% of the infection.
10. An increase in body temperature is the natural way the body combats infection. Saunas are very beneficial, as well as hot baths, with a teaspoon of eucalyptus, thyme, oregano or mint oil added.
The above steps should handle most infections. Those with compromised immune function can bring a sample of their infected mucous in a closed glass container in to the office, and have a NAET treatment for their infection (www.NAET.com). The QXCI instrument also searches for the frequencies of various infectious agents, and provides balancing frequencies (www.theqxci.com).
