TREATMENT DURING THE 1918 "SPANISH FLU."
Bird Flu Preparation, PRevention & TReATment
If bird flu ever becomes pandemic, national governments will likely prove inadequate at protecting or treating its citizens. The only way to ensure safety and wellbeing for oneself, one's family, and one's community in the coming times is by preparing at the local level.
The following is a discussion of avian influenza H5N1 and how we can best prepare for it. It also discusses possible treatments of H5N1 using "alternative" methods. Much of the information has been compiled from other sources (listed at the bottom.) We are not medical doctors and do not claim to be. The information contained below should be considered carefully, and discussed with your physician. We are not responsible for any of the treatments discussed below in the article.
Dr. Gratton Woodson has written, by far, the most important and useful information on preventing and treating bird flu.
In "The Preparedness Planner," Dr. Gratton Woodson gives recommendations on many aspects of treatment of H5N1, including use of Tamiflu, the only antiviral which is thought to be effective against the virus. His book is invaluable (and inexpensive); it should be purchased by anyone preparing for a possible bird flu pandemic.
However, more than a few epidemiologists are questioning if Tamiflu will in fact be effective against H5N1 considering evidence which suggests the virus is already building a resistance to the antiviral. Further, it seems likely that only a tiny percentage of the entire world population will even be able to have access to the drug.
"How will we deal with the threat of a bird flu epidemic, possibly without the aid of modern pharmaceutical medications, during a period of social chaos and instability due to peak oil? "
In light of the massive shortages of vaccines and antiviral medications (even in the United States), a central question and concern is: How will we deal with the threat of a bird flu epidemic, possibly without the aid of modern pharmaceutical medications, during a period of social chaos and instability due to peak oil? And if Tamiflu and other pharmaceutical medications are available but prove unreliable or ineffective, we are faced with the same problem: How do we treat this sickness without modern medications? This leads us to consider other approaches to treating bird flu, using “alternative” and herbal approaches.
It is important to note that no herbal medicine regiment has proven effective specifically against H5N1, although many cultures have used plant medicinals for hundreds of years to treat flu and other viral infections. Though many regard herbal medicine merely as “unscientific,” “new age,” and inferior to modern medicines, many rigorous scientific studies have demonstrated the efficacy of herbal medicine in specific cases. All said and done, one might as well try to treat someone using herbal medicines if nothing else is available. At the very least, the patient (perhaps your loved one) will be comforted by the thoughtfulness and love of someone taking care of them regardless of the direct effect of the medicines.
The ultimate form of preventing bird flu, or any other disease or illness for that matter, is the maintenance of a balanced and active lifestyle with a healthy diet. This will obviously contribute to a much stronger immune system and will prevent one from being as susceptible to diseases and viruses such as bird flu. Maintaining a high level of general health is probably the most important and immediate thing we can do to prepare for bird flu.
Diet: Diets that include the following fruits, vegetables and herbs may help strengthen the immune system and prevent influenza: Onion, Garlic, Shiitake Mushrooms, Green Tea, Ginger, Cranberries, Turmeric Spice, Red Wine, Grape Seeds, and Japanese Knotweed are all known to have strong antiviral effects. Including them in your diet will help boost your immune system and may help prevent contraction of influenza.
Vitamins: Along with taking a high quality daily vitamin, taking the following vitamin supplements may strengthen the immune system and prevent influenza. Vitamin C (1,000 to 2,000 mg per day), Zinc (25 to 50 mg per day), Selenium (50-100 mg per day).
Herbs: Curcumin Supplement, Skullcap, Resveratrol Supplements, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Astragalus,
Exercise: Maintaining a daily exercise routine such as lifting weights, running, yoga, tennis, etc., are all good practices that will boost your mental and physical well-being.
In The Way of Herbs, Michael Tierra writes on the importance of attitude:
“Health is a reflection of the balance between the different aspects of ourselves (body, mind, soul) and our environment, our experiences, our associations and our food. There cannot be sickness in any of these categories without its being reflected to some degree in all of the others…Strong allopathic drugs with dangerous side effects may give quick symptomatic relief but are often the cause of weakness and diseases that may occur later. Even natural remedies such as herbs, vitamins and dietary changes may be inappropriate if they are not accompanied by a good healing attitude" (1).
The importance of attitude, in the end, may be the crucial factor of how individuals, families and communities deal with bird flu if and when it becomes epidemic. Indeed, adopting the attitude of a resistance, compassion, and humor may be the most important step we can take as we face not only bird flu but the onset of many of the troubling and converging trends of the 21st century.
VITAMIN-C TREATMENT
David J. Kennedy, who has written the book The Natural Bird Flu Cure They Don’t Want You to Know About, says that the “cure” to bird flu simply requires taking massive doses of Vitamin C (2). Much of the information is derived from the work of Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel Prize winner, who advocated for the treatment of many different types of ailments using vitamin-C, otherwise known as ascorbic acid. Important points from the book:
- “Many scientist and physicians at the forefront of ascorbate (vitamin C) research strongly believe that high-dose vitamin C is a remarkably safe and effective treatment for severe viral infections, including that caused by avian bird flu. In high doses, vitamin C neutralizes free radicals, helps kill viruses, and strengthens the body’s immune system. Taking supplemental vitamin C, in large amounts, has been shown to routinely help prevent viral infections.”
- “In addition to the antiviral action of vitamin C, many researchers have reported that ascorbate inactivates bacteria…others have reported a considerable degree of success in treating various bacterial infections in humans with large doses of vitamin C.”
- “For best results, said Dr. [Linus] Pauling, take vitamin C in evenly divided doses (2 to 3 grams of vitamin C every two hours) during the waking hours. Continue taking vitamin C on this schedule until, Pauling said, you have loose stool (just short of diarrhea). After having loosened stool, reduce the vitamin C dosage by about 25 percent. If you have another loose stool, reduce the vitamin C again, but if the symptoms of the viral infection begin to return, increase the dosage…Continue until you are completely well.”
For treatment, Kennedy offers the following: For a severe cold take 60, 000 to 100,000 milligrams of ascorbic acid per day; for most influenzas take 100,000 to 150,000 milligrams per day; for bird flu take 150,000 to 300,000 milligrams per day.
TREATING INFLUENZA WITH HERBS
Here we will look at the work of three authors that have different recommendations for treating the H5N1 virus specifically.
Herbal Treatment Recommendation #1:
The first author, Dr. Subhuti Dharmananda, gives a largely Chinese inspired herbal medicine routine for bird flu in his paper, “Chinese Herb Response to Flu Pandemic: Avian Flu and Other Epidemics" (3). He writes that, “Chinese herb therapy, applied to address the first signs of influenza, might prevent the infection from developing into the full symptomatic disease.” For an adult dosage, he recommends the following regimen:
1) Ilex 15 (Seven Forests): 5-6 tablets three times a day
“A complex formulation of Chinese herbs that are used to treat upper respiratory systems infection…This formula has been used for 15 years. It is suitable for use by itself in the early stage of common influenza and other respiratory viral infections. In addition, there is a potent broad-spectrum antiviral combination called Isatis 6 that may be used alternatively or along with Ilex 15.”
2) Myrolea-B (White Tiger): 1 tablet three times a day
“A simple formulation of highly concentrated extracts from four Chinese herbs and one Western herb. The Chinese herbs include forsythia and lonicera, two of the key ingredients of Ilex 15…thus boosting the dosage of these essential ingredients…contains the antiviral agents scute and terminalia. The Western herb in this formulation is olive leaf, which is one of the primary anti-viral herbs derived from the European tradition.”
3) Calmagnium: 1 tablet three times a day
“A comprehensive mineral and vitamin supplement (not a Chinese formula). The concept behind its use is that by providing optimal or even high levels of certain nutrients, the immune system has a stronger effect against pathogens. For example, it is considered possible that vitamin C, zinc, and selenium contribute to antiviral activity. The point of providing a broad nutritional supplementation, rather than just focusing on a few of the established ingredients, is to assure a more balanced effect.”
Dharmananda says that this regimen should be taken at the first signs of infection: “The antiviral agents are expected to have their best effect at the earliest sign of infection and for the phase of the disease where the amount of virus is exponentially growing, perhaps the first three days of symptoms for influenza. After that, the virus comes under some degree of control, even though symptoms can persist. However, additional symptoms can be generated if a bacterial infection arises; typically, a bronchial infection develops, and it may persist for several days or weeks if not successfully treated (if herbal therapy is not successful, antibiotics should be used in case of bacterial infections).” And further that, “It is important to note that high doses of immune enhancing formulas may not be suitable for use in treating the flu during its primary active phase. The harmful effects of the flu at that time may include the adverse impact of a high immune response, and attempts to elevate that immune response will not only fail to have a substantial extra impact on the virus but may contribute to the severity of the symptoms. Thus, one should be careful about attempting to apply this approach. Usually, information about pathology of the virus that dominates a flue season will be available and can be checked to determine whether this immunological concern requires attention. Generally, the immune based therapies are applied either during the preventive health care phase of treatment or during recover phase when the dominant symptoms are reducing.” For boosting immunity Dharmananda recommends Jade Screen tablets and an astragalus based combination of herbs called Astragalus 10+.
Herbal Treatment Recommendation #2:
The second author, Mike Adams, offers, “…twelve of the most powerful antiviral herbs I could find…They’re the most well-documented, the most clinically proven, the most aggressive antiviral herbs known to the natural health community,” which he believes could offer a potent remedy to bird flu (4).
1) Echinacea
2) Astragalus
3) Cat’s Claw
4) St. John’s Wort
5) Olive Leaves
6) Licorice
7) Ginger
8) Lemon Balm
9) Garlic
10) Shiitake Mushrooms
11) Onion
12) Garlic
Additionally, Adams recommends the vitamins C, A, and E, the minerals zinc and selenium, and grapefruit seed extract for immune enhancing qualities. He also recommends to products Sambucol, Hydrogen peroxide, Illumination, Shiitake Mushroom Supreme, Arcozon, Una de Gato, Mushroom Optimizer, Spirulina, and Astanxanthin along with Jenny Lee A-V tincture.
Herbal Treatment Recommendation #3:
Jonathan Byron analyzes many possible treatments to H5N1, even those which he feels are ineffective, dangerous, or prohibitively costly (5). I will leave out these possible treatments, and focus only on those which are most effective, safe, and practical.
1)Curcumin: Turmeric
2) Natural Neuramidase Inhibitors: Skullcap, Passionflower fruit
3) Emodin: Aloe Vera
4) Resveratrol: Red wine, Grape seeds, Japanese Knotweed
5) Cranberry NDM
6) N-Acetyl-Cysteine
If you have more information regarding the treatment or prevention of avian influenza (particularly if you are a medical doctor) please send it to us. We will be sure to credit the source.
RESOURCES:
World Health Organization Bird Flu Preparation
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. National Institute of Health
Mayo Clinic Bird Flu Prevention
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