An All-Natural Approach to Avoiding the (Bird) Flu

Warranted or not, the flu is a real concern for many people. And after years of government efforts, hype in the media and scare tactics by pharmaceutical companies, most people feel that our only safety from this threat is in vaccinations.

And why not?

Every year, the US government and health organizations sponsor a massive campaign to vaccinate everyone against the flu. This year, they've gone to the extreme, suggesting that, unless we take extraordinary measures — at the cost of billions of dollars — 1.9 million Americans could die from an avian flu pandemic.

The media is quick to join the campaign. It's good copy, afterall; and pharmaceutical companies provide them with most of their ad revenue. Never mind that science and the facts don't support this scare — or the effectiveness of vaccines.

The manufacturers of the vaccines that "we can't live without" also spend unbelievable amounts on advertising campaigns, both to you and your doctor. (The makers of the nasal vaccine spent $25 million in 2003 to persuade you to use their product, and Wyeth, it's partner, spent $100 million marketing to doctors.) Yet vaccines don't always work, and they carry inherent risks more serious than the flu, including Alzheimer's from the aluminum and brain damage from the mercury.

Isn't there a better approach to avoiding the flu?

A healthy alternative to toxic vaccines

Whatever the relative value of vaccines might be, any of them presents serious problems in themselves. If your desire is to avoid catching the flu, it's far better to just build up your body's own immune defenses (see text insert).

Gary Youngs recommendations

Gary Young, the founder and president of Young Living Essential Oils, mentioned in a meeting a couple of years ago how many people in America were becoming ill with the flu.  He was asked about the products he would take to prevent catching the it, or to help in recovering from it.  His response surprised many of those present.

The following is a list of immune-boosting products Gary recommends — in their order of importance — and Gary's explanation of why they are so helpful.

• A good enzyme blend: People aren't adequately digesting their food; and this creates an environment in the gut that is the perfect host for bacteria and illness.
• The pH balancing supplement: Many people's systems are way too acidic; and if you're building up acid, you're not detoxifying properly. If this is the case, it doesn't matter what else you take, it will not be effective.

Acid is produced in the body at night. Taking a pH balancing supplement before bed will help to alkalize your body.

• An immune booster supplement: This provides essential food for your immune system.
• Therapeutic-grade essential oils: Oils like lemon, wild orange, frankincense and myrrh are very effective at boosting immune function.  Oils like cinnamon, oregano, thyme and melaleuca are excellent at fighting off viral and bacterial pathogens.
• Alpha CRS: The world's most powerful antioxidant complex, and a rich source of immune-boosting polysaccharides.
• On Guard — Diffused: Diffuse On Guard a minimum of 15 minutes a day, morning and night.  Use On Guard lozenges and spray to help protect the body.

My tweak of Gary's suggestions

While Gary's suggestions are very good, and should be of help to you, I'd like to tweak the list a little.  I've found some things that have proven themselves to be very helpful for me, and I'd like to share them with you.  Most of these products are at Essential-Vitamins.com.

• Systemic & Digestive Enzymes: The importance of enzymes is hard to overstate, and goes way beyond merely digesting foods. Every metabolic action in the body is dependent upon enzymes. If you steal too many away to digest your food, other functions in the body are short-changed. This can affect everything from mental function to vision to muscle development and recovery to liver overload and immune function.

It's critical — in my estimation — to supplement with systemic and digestive enzymes because modern methods of agriculture have left us with a food supply that is seriously deficient in the enzymes that used to be available there. When you add in food processing and cooking (especially in microwaves), there is very little enzymatic activity left in our normal dietary sources of enzymes.

Even if you make the effort to purchase organically grown foods, they may be short on enzymes. Most of the seed available, even to organic farmers, has been hybrid for yield; enzyme content is often lost in the process.

HP270V is a very good enzyme formula (I've been using it myself since it came out); but it's not the only option available to you.  I've also had good results with Ω-Zyme™ ULTRA.  While many enzyme supplements on the market today lack any significant enzyme activity, these enzymes offer you a broad spectrum of enzymes in sufficient quantity to be very effective.

However, these enzymes that don't include essential oils, for the best effect, you might try taking it with DigestZen.  It's amazing what a difference this can make.

Enzymes should be taken away from meals for best systemic effect, with meals if you are experiencing digestive stress.

• Probiotics and HSOs: While proper digestive and systemic enzymes are very important, so is your intestinal flora.  A good probiotic complex, like Primal Defense ULTRA or PB Assist, can go a long way in boosting immunity.  I like the Primal Defense ULTRA the best; it's acidophilus on steroids.  Actually, it's a blend of homeostatic soil organisms that puts back into your digestive tract the kinds of flora that would have been there before modern farming methods essentially sterilized the earth.

Using HSOs has boosted my immune function considerably, improved my energy, improved my absorption of nutrition, improved my elimination.  I even give it to my dog.  When my wife and I picked him up through Pyr Rescue, and he was in pretty bad shape.  After being on HSOs for about a week, he went through a personality change — much more responsive and happy.

I most highly recommend HSOs for anyone.

• pH Balance: Having the proper pH balance is very important.  I struggled with Fibromyalgia for over 30 years before being introduced to therapeutic-grade essential oils.  Adding lemon oil — or the new Slim & Sassy blend — to your drinking water can have amazing effects at balancing your pH.

Using a soda-based product to manage pH balance is not a good idea.  I've found Acid Defense to work very effectively, without the negatives that can come from using soda.  It's not soda-based; rather, it's a blend of enzymes, whole foods (like beets and carrots) and a mineral blend derived from fermented goat's milk.  It tastes good, and is a great product to help normalize pH levels.

Something else I do to help balance my body's pH: Morning and evening, I squeeze the juice from half a lemon into 10 oz of water, add a tablespoon of Grade B maple syrup and a pinch of cayenne pepper, and drink it down.  It's loaded with good stuff, and helps to reset the pH.

• Immune-Boosting Supplements: I'd have to say that the single most important thing you could do to boost your immunity is to take the super antioxidant juice. The NingXia wolfberry polysaccharides in it are truly amazing in their ability to lift your immune defenses to a whole new level. And it tastes great. I've also found it to boost my energy as much as a good cup of tea (coffee is a real no-no).

• Silver: Something else that works great is silver products, either colloidal silver or silver protein.

At the first signs of a stuffy nose, sore throat or cough, I generally take a dropper of colloidal silver under the tongue and apply some more topically to my chest, cheeks (over the sinuses) and throat.  This usually stops the infection in its tracks.

An alternative that works just as well — and may be better in some situations — is silver protein. I get it as a nasal spray from Vitamin Research Products.  However, I only occasionally use it as a nasal spray.  Mostly, I put a drop on a finger, massage it in over my nose and sinuses, throat and chest.

• Xylitol: Another product from Vitamin Research Products that is very effective in beating a cold or the flu is Xylitol.  It comes in a nasal spray, mints and gum.  It's great for the teeth; but as a nasal spray, it works like teflon on those nasty little buggies, so they flush out of the system, instead of sticking around and making you sick.
• Essential oils: Purify is nothing short of awesome.  You really need to be using it regularly, throughout the year.  I like to kick it up by mixing in roughly equal parts of melaleuca before applying it; but it's great as is.  Frankincense and myrrh are also powerful immune boosters.  And don't forget about oregano and thyme.  They are powerful anti-viral, anti-bacterial oils.  Use them on your feet daily, rub them onto your abdomen, use them in the RainDrop Technique; and you might try diluting them and putting them into capsules.  Incredible.

Other suggestions to support your immune system against the flu

And, of course, don't forget your vitamin C.  However, vitamin C always works better with vitamins E and A, as part of a broad-spectrum vitamin-mineral supplement.

And, if you have recurring colds, I'd also consider trying lymph, spleen and thymus glandular supplements.  I've had very good results from this for many years.  And adding adrenal to the mix can also be very helpful.

Proper hygiene as an immune booster

You've heard most of your life about the importance of washing your hands, especially during the cold and flu season.  It remains one of the best defenses your body has against these viruses.  But, what most people don't realize is that hygiene does not mean sterilization.  You can read more about this in Dr. Jordan Rubin's book, The Maker's Diet.

To assist you in maintaining proper hygiene without sterilizing your system — and so, supporting your overall immunity — nothing beats essential oils.  You can wipe down surfaces with a little lemon oil mixed in water, or use On Guard wipes or spray.  You can also get On Guard Foaming Hand Wash, a really nice sanitizing wash in a convenient pump bottle.

Anyway, those are my suggestions.  I'm no Gary Young, but I've been dealing with an immuno-suppressive condition for most of my life.  These are the things that I've found most effective in keeping the doctor away.