Flu season: The inevitable part of every winter. And with it comes extensive amounts of misinformation, fear propaganda, and an ignorance of the most basic ways to stay healthy.

Whenever an illness is seasonal, we have to ask ourselves what is it about that particular season that could be causing this illness to be so prevalent. I mean, do you notice how the flu outbreak is always after a season of increased sugar consumption, stress, and less sunshine/fresh air?

Regardless, here is your complete guide to preventing and treating the flu naturally:

(This post is specifically referring to influenza, not the norovirus which is sometimes incorrectly called the "stomach flu.")

Things to Avoid

Flu Vaccine

“All vaccines are immune suppressive—that is, they suppress your immune system, which may not return to normal for weeks to months. Here are just some of the ways vaccines impair and alter your immune response:

-Some components in vaccines are neurotoxic and may depress your immune and brain function, particularly heavy metals such as mercury preservatives and aluminum adjuvants.

-The lab altered vaccine viruses themselves may further impair your immune response.

-Foreign DNA/RNA from animal tissues can wreak havoc in your body and trigger autoimmunity in some people.

-Vaccines may alter your t-cell function and lead you to become chronically ill.

-Vaccines can trigger allergies by introducing large foreign protein molecules into your body that have not been properly broken down by your digestive tract (since they are injected). Your body can respond to these foreign particles in the form of an allergic reaction.”

— Dr. Joseph Mercola

Even worse than that, the influenza vaccination has even been linked to increased inflammation and oxidation in arterial function:

“Abnormalities in arterial function and LDL oxidation may persist for at least 2 weeks after a slight inflammatory reaction induced by influenza vaccination. These could explain in part the earlier reported increase in cardiovascular risk during the first weeks after an acute inflammatory disorder.”

— Ann Med. 2007;39(5):392-9.

Tamiflu

Did you know that the Tamiflu flu drug is responsible for causing neuropsychiatric problems such as dementia, delirium, delusions, and suicide?

This is a little more well-known in other countries where it is required warning language but not in America. In America, the Tamiflu label only cites seizure and convulsion as the neurologic effects observed during clinical practice.

Check out the difference between the U.S. and Japan's adverse reactions label for the same exact drug Tamiflu:

U.S.: "Observed during clinical practice for treatment section; Neurologic: Seizure and convulsion."

Japan:
"PRECAUTIONS
3. Adverse Reactions
7) Psychoneurological symptoms (frequency unknown): Psychoneurological symptoms (e.g. disturbances in consciousness, abnormal behavior, delirium, hallucination, delusion, convulsions) may occur. If any abnormality is observed, the administration should be discontinued. Patients should be carefully monitored and appropriate therapeutic measures should be taken according to individual symptoms."

From this report from the FDA

I encourage everyone to read this document from the FDA. You can read for yourself stories of teenagers jumping out of high-rise windows to kill themselves, young children screaming in panic attacks, adults experiencing suicidal behavior, patients running away from home in a delirious state, people banging their heads against the wall, and many more devastating effects of this drug.

The report from the FDA linked above says that they still are unsure of why this drug causes these problems but hypothesize that it crosses the blood brain barrier.

AND DEATH??! Look what this study found about Tamiflu:

“RESULTS: Of 119 deaths after Tamiflu was prescribed, 38 deteriorated within 12 hours (28 within 6 hours)...
CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest Tamiflu use could induce sudden deterioration leading to death especially within 12 hours of prescription. These findings are consistent with sudden deaths observed in a series of animal toxicity studies, several reported case series and the results of prospective cohort studies. From “the precautionary principle” the potential harm of Tamiflu should be taken into account and further detailed studies should be conducted.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22156085/

Antibiotics

Influenza is a virus and antibiotics are not only ineffective for viral illness but can exacerbate it due to their detrimental effect on the gut, of which 70% or more of the immune system resides.

“Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have found that antibiotic use made neutrophils, a type of immune cell, less effective in fighting infections and weakened the intestinal barrier against invading bugs.

They found that antibiotics disrupted the mice’s gut microbiomes, decreasing the activity of neutrophils and blocking these important white blood cells from responding when needed. This left the gut insufficiently protected. In essence, the gut’s guards did not respond when called and the invaders could march right in.

In addition, the intestinal barrier that protects against disease was compromised. The disruption of the microbiome reduced production of a key cellular protein vital to the barrier’s effectiveness.”

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170817141523.htm

Hospitals (unless needing emergency care)

Not only are hospitals the best place to go when you want to catch a virus (or MRSA), but hospital-acquired viral infections are proven to be more dangerous than other viral infections. For instance:

“Our results suggest that in children with severe viral respiratory infection, hospital acquisition of infection is associated with increased mortality even after adjusting for chronic medical conditions that predispose to an increased risk of complications from viral illness.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21666538

Refined Sugars

According to a study done by Loma Linda University, when you eat 100 grams of sugar, about as much sugar as you find in a 1 liter bottle of soda or lots of little pieces of candy, your white blood cells are 40 percent less effective at killing germs. This can cripple your immune system for up to 5 hours after eating sugar.

Sugar impacts your white blood cells by competing for space in those cells with Vitamin C. When Linus Pauling did research in the 1970s to find out how the body uses Vitamin C, he discovered that white blood cells need Vitamin C to destroy bacteria and viruses.

Sugar and Vitamin C are similar in their chemical structure. When you eat sugar, it directly competes for space in your immune cells with Vitamin C! The more sugar in your system, the less Vitamin C can get into your white blood cells. Sugar DOES NOT help your immune system fight infection at all, resulting in a weakened defense from infections. Watch food labels for refined sugars such as:

Cane sugar/evaporated cane juice
Organic cane sugar/organic evaporated cane juice
Beet sugar
Raw sugar
Turbinado sugar
Brown sugar
Powdered sugar
High-fructose corn syrup

Things to Do

High-Dose Vitamin C

Vitamin C in orthomolecular doses during illness is one of the most underutilized and overlooked inexpensive natural treatments. It has been used for decades by orthomolecular physicians and was used in hospitals in early 1900's before pharmaceuticals and high profits weaseled their way into hospitals. In one example of research showing the benefits of high-dose Vitamin C, participants in the test group were given 1,000 mg of Vitamin C every hour for the first six hours and then three times daily thereafter. The study concluded:

“Overall, reported flu and cold symptoms in the test group decreased 85% compared with the control group after the administration of megadose Vitamin C.”

For maximum benefits, click here for Dr. Klenner's high-dosage chart for dose based on weight and follow the instructions at the bottom for preventative/maintenance doses.

(HFFG's non-GMO Vitamin C ultra-fine powder is currently on backorder.)

Cod Liver Oil/Vitamin D

Extensive research has been done and found a significantly increased risk of flu and flu complications in those with low Vitamin D levels. For instance, this research found that daily or weekly supplementation of Vitamin D for those with very low Vitamin D cut the risk of respiratory infection in half.

(Click here to read how RSV in infants is also linked to low Vitamin D.)

But it's not always as simple as adding in a Vitamin D supplement, although for some it will need to be that too. The overlooked reason that most people are deficient in Vitamin D is because their liver is unhealthy and cannot make the conversion of it to a form their body can use. VD3 from food and supplements is converted in the liver to 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)VD3), which is the main circulating form of VD3.

So while some people may need significant amounts of D3, it's always important to provide support for the liver.

Another important thing to note is that when taking significant amounts of supplemental D3, it is crucial to also take K2 with it. Click here to read more about why this is so important.

My first choice for supplemental Vitamin D is a good cod liver oil. (This is different from fish oil as fish oil does not generally contain Vitamin D.) Cod liver oil has the added benefit of Vitamin A which is crucial for immune support.

“The skin and mucosal cells of the eye and respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts function as a barrier against infections. Vitamin A helps to maintain the structural and functional integrity of these mucosal cells. Vitamin A is also important to the normal function of several types of immune cells important in the innate response, including natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages, and neutrophils. Moreover, vitamin A is needed for proper function of cells that mediate adaptive immunity, such as T and B lymphocytes; thus, vitamin A is necessary for the generation of antibody responses to specific antigens (56).”

— Linus Pauling Institute

List of Recommended Supplements

Click here for a home Vitamin D test

Other Things I Can't Legally Share

I guess this isn't going to be your complete guide. This is hard for me. Because I have a wealth of research on other things that have worked so incredibly well for us. But there are certain governmental restrictions preventing me from having free speech on this in a public format along the topic of a "disease claim." Please feel free to scroll around HFFG for some other things I love for our immune health. Click here for my post on Winter Wellness.

(If you're an Oily Friends member, please be sure to check out more info in the Private Portal.)

What about other things?

There are many other things that people use to help combat the flu naturally, such as oscillococcinum, raw honey, elderberry syrup, master tonic, raw garlic, etc. While I recommend exploring which of these may help your family, I have not included them in this post as I have focused primarily on the things that are the most effective and backed by research.

One other thing--Probiotics should not be overlooked! These are essential for helping support your immune health! Click here for my recommended supplements.

One of the best things you can do in subsequent years is focus on prevention in December. Decide to have a healthier holiday season with goodies sweetened naturally with honey, pure maple syrup, etc.; healthy boundaries with relatives and spending; adequate water intake; and testing and optimizing Vitamin D levels before January.

Blessings of good health,