This year the USA and many other countries worldwide are facing several health challenges: flu epidemics, outbreaks of a new type of norovirus and a severe whooping cough. More people than ever are sick this winter, including those who got their flu vaccination. The recommendations for flu shots reaches a high point even though many studies have shown that flu vaccination don’t offer much in terms of protection.

I have been asked many times about my opinion of flu shots.

This is a very controversial subject among the medical communities and of course the presenters of alternative and natural medicine are much more critical of it. One of the problems is that the vaccine only can protect for the virus from last year because they mutate so rapidly and the laboratories cannot produce vaccines for the current form of virus. The estimated protection rate for this year is about 60 %.

This recent situation is a perfect example of the general “sickness” of our public health systems. Instead of educating people about the importance of a properly functioning immune system, a defense system that is able to protect or in case of infection, to fight effectively against infections, they spread out panic and fear which are never good protections against diseases.

We have to remember, that all living systems including our human race live in symbiosis and coexistence with bacteria and viruses. Countless friendly bugs are necessary for our survival. But there are some not so friendly ones and these are the ones that challenge our defense systems. We can argue about the benefits of these challenges: Maybe our immune system needs once in a while a bit of a “work out”, a training so to speak”? In pediatric medicine we know now that it is important for children to be exposed to dirt and germs to develop a healthy defense system.

Disease and illness is part of our existence; there is no 100 % protection possible. But it is possible to live a life that supports deep immunity (see my article of last month). It is my experience from more than 40 years of working in the health field that people who start to treat their body well with natural foods and physical activities are less sick with colds or flu. n case of an infection the recovery time is much shorter than before. Long lasting periods of diminished energy are extreme rare among these people.

Avoiding a serious case of influenza is not about vaccination but more about maintaining a healthy, well functioning immune system.

Some important advice about preventing the flu:

• Take care of a well functioning digestive system and an optimum gut flora, because the bacteria in your intestines have enormous control of your immune system.• Check your Vitamin D level. Take Vitamin C, Zink, Echinacea, Propolis.

• Avoid sugar and processed foods. Eat more fruit and salads and drink water and herbal teas.

• Have enough sleep and avoid excess stress.

• Hygiene: wash hands frequently, for disinfection use a solution of 10 to 30 percent household bleach (alcohol is not sufficient).

The Natural Basic Treatment Program

It is very simple: In case of an infection the body activates its own defenses and natural medicine just support these mechanisms: Fasting with tea and juices, intestinal cleansings with saline laxatives, herbal cough syrups or use onion/ honey juice as expectorants.

Most effective are homeopathic remedies. They work fast especially in cases of severe or painful coughs, extreme weakness, muscle and bone pain. We try not to suppress fever and discharges because these are healing reactions of the body.

For more information, please look up my previous articles on cold and flu and infections on my website www.chapalahealth.com.

Find more on this topic in our next issue.

For more information contact:

Barbara Rotthaler,
German certified Naturopath
Sta. Isabel 240,
Riberas del Pilar
Telephone (376) 108-0444
barbararotthaler@gmail.com
www.ChapalaHealth.com