Five Element Healthcare

Classical and Contemporary Healthcare

Cold and Flu Season

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Souv Ete 8
Stephen Hayes, Souv Ete 8

Now is the time to prepare for the cold and flu season.

As we begin to move from the yang seasons of summer and late summer to autumn, we are called to bring balance into our lives. It is in autumn that we pay special attention to our inner balance and become acutely aware of our unique balancing act.

You can start by paying attention to the balance between activity and rest, taking in and letting go, in our social life and our inner life. This attention will prepare us for the winter months ahead, when we are to rest and build our reserves for the activity to come in spring and summer.

As we all know, achieving this balance is not easy in a society that is out of balance itself; increasing activities in the fall that often peak in winter. The best we can do is to keep the ideal in mind and let it temper our daily decisions. This allows us to control those activities we do have under our control. The choice to go to bed early or stay home on a fall evening with a book can go far in keeping us tuned to the season and help build our reserves. As the days become shorter and the nights cooler, let this wisdom of nature temper your activities.

Do not be discouraged if the ideal cannot be achieved. Continue to apply the principles the best you can. Do not apply a rigid set of rules to your life but focus in and respond to your individual inner sense of balance.

Even with a concerted effort to be in balance, we still can become ill. There is no blame here. Illness is just the other side of health. It strengthens and rebalances our lives in ways we may not understand.

When ill we should strive to respond to what is being called for: not to battle the illness or overwhelm it but to work with nature to help restore your health. Learn how to be ill. Rest, stay home from work, drink lots of fluids and wait for your body to do what it does best; recover. It is best not return to work until you are fully recovered.

Dress warmly in the winter and do use ice in your water or drinks. It is also best to avoid sweet foods and drinks during the rainy season. They can contribute to a condition the Chinese call ”internal damp” which makes you more susceptible to colds and flu and can increase mucous discharge.

As you see more colds and flu in the community wash your hands frequently and keep them away from your face. Most cold viruses are passed from the hands to the eyes and nose, where they can enter our bodies and begin their attack. Work on eliminating unconscious habits that bring our hands into contact with our eyes or nose. Research shows that getting the flu or a cold depends on the amount of exposure to the virus. Keep that exposure to a minimum! That said, there is much we can do to avoid, limit or reduced the time we spend ill with the use of Chinese herbs, vitamins, vitamin D and German biologicals. It is important to stress that these remedies are not to be used in place of the advice above, but together with it.

Package #1

  • 1 bottle Lonicera Formula (100 capsules) : anti-viral and anti-bacterial action.
  • 1 bottle Herbal ear, nose and throat formula:(100 capsules)- sinus infections, sore throat, earaches, headache, congestion.
  • 1 bottle Garlic Tablets 600mg (90 tablets)- strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial action.

Package #2

  • 2 bottles Lonicera Formula (100 capsules) : anti-viral and anti-bacterial action.
  • 2 bottles Herbal ear, nose and throat formula: 100 capsules)- sinus infections, sore throat, earaches, headache, congestion.
  • 1 bottle Garlic Tablets 600mg (90 tablets)- strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial action.

A closer look: “Vitamin D no match for common cold”

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Many readers report a reduction (not absence) of colds and flu with 5,000 IU daily doses of vitamin D. However, hundreds of media outlets are reporting on a well-conducted JAMA study that showed no benefit for vitamin D in preventing the common cold.

The randomized controlled trial, led by Dr David R Murdock of the University of Otago in New Zealand, found that 200, 000 IU per month for two months followed by 100,000 IU per month of vitamin D for 16 months in 161 patients did not prevent either the diagnosis or complaint of the common cold. The study included viral cultures, rigorous efforts to capture all infections, vitamin D given during monthly doctor visits, and initial and follow up vitamin D levels. The average initial level in the treatment group was 29 ng/ml and 18 months later, the mean level was approximately 50 ng/ml, with no side effects.

However, only 13 of the 161 placebo patients had levels below 20 ng/ml and only 5 of the 322 total patients had levels less than 10 ng/ml to begin the study. That is, the placebo group had relatively high levels (mean of 28 ng/ml initially), compared to most populations, and all but 13 patients had levels above 20 ng/ml for most of the study, apparently from sun exposure.

Compare Dr. Murdock’s results to the result of another study, one in the Lancet by Dr Adrain Martineau and colleagues, who, as a secondary end-point, assessed upper respiratory tract infections over two months in patients given 2.5 mg (100,000 IU every two weeks for eight weeks for ancillary treatment of TB.

Martineau AR, et al. High-dose vitamin D(3) during intensive-phase antimicrobial treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis: a double-blind randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2011 Jan 15;377(9761):242-50.

They found a six-fold reduction in upper respiratory infections, but their English popu- lation was severely vitamin D deficient to begin with.

In addition, two randomized controlled trials in children, one in Japan and one in Mon- golia, both given daily vitamin D, showed a reduction in upper respiratory tract infections. Both studies had placebo arms. In the Mongolian study, the investigators measured vitamin D deficiency in the placebo arm, and it was much worse than in the JAMA study, a point the JAMA authors note.

In yet another secondary end point in a randomized controlled trial, 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D in African Americans with initial low levels reported a dramatic reduction in respiratory infections. Both the report and our group’s reply are free to read and download in its entirety.

Aloia JF, Li-Ng M. Re: epidemic influenza and vitamin D. Epidemiol Infect. 2007 Oct;135(7):1095-6; author reply 1097-8

Thus, the JAMA study leaves us with a number of possibilities:

  1. Vitamin D does not help prevent the common cold.
  2. Monthly doses of vitamin D do not help prevent the common cold while daily or weekly dosing does.
  3. Levels above 20 ng/ml (92 % of the placebo group) are all that is required to lower the infection rate.

I am unaware of any study that used significant daily doses for an entire winter that was negative. What is your experience with daily doses of vitamin D and infections?

posted via John Cannell, MD on Vitamindcouncil.org

Cold and Flu Herbal Formulas

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Lonicera complex

Lonicera complex is a general remedy for cold and flu. It’s principle ingredients have been used in Chinese formulas for thousands of years. It has proven effective for viral and bacterial infections. It can shorten the duration and severity of a cold or flu.

With the sudden severe onset of a flu or cold I recommend strong dosages of this formula for 24 to 48 hours. A typical strong dose ( adult body weight 160 to 175 lbs. ) would be 5 pills every three to four hours ( do not wake up to take dose if asleep) for an adult. If after 24 to 48 hours the symptoms are reduced in severity, reduce to three pills 4 to 5 times a day. If there is little effect you may need to add the herbal ENT or Garlic to the formula. See below.

With a mild onset: malaise and moderate symptoms you can do 3 pills every three to four hours.

If you are improving after 24 to 48 hours you will need to take this formula throughout the illness, three pills three to four times a day. When symptoms improve take two to three pills two to three times a day for five days after you feel fully recovered. This will prevent a relapse.

If you are not improving after 24 to 48 hours you may need additional formulas to help get through the flu or cold. A cold or flu that settles in the chest will need additional formulas. You will need to call the office for advice.

Lonicera Complex can also be used for prevention of colds and flu. When those around you are sick or when you fly try taking 2 to 3 pills 1 -3 times a day depending on severity of the exposure.

Garlic

Garlic is a powerful anti viral and antibiotic effects. Don’t underestimate garlic, it can for some people be the herb of choice. You can add it to the above Lonicera formula one pill three times a day to enhance the effects of lonicera. Some people can not tolerate garlic and have digestive complaints with its use, if this is the case for you, stop taking it. If your symptoms are severe: headache, sore throat, fever, body aches, running nose, etc. you can take as much as two pills three times a day.

Herbal ENT

The ENT represents ears, nose and throat. This formula can be added to Lonicera and garlic when there are heat symptoms present in these areas. Those are high fever, severe body aches, headache, yellow or green mucous, severe sore throat. This formula adds stronger antibiotic herbs. If you are prone to sinus or ear infections infections with colds and flues you can add this to lonicera and garlic right at the start of a cold or flu. I would suggest 1 to 3 pills of Herbal ENT taken with the lonicera depending on the severity of heat symptoms. Green mucous is a stronger heat symptom than yellow mucous.

These formulas are just a few that I use for colds and flues. Each person is unique and each illness is as well. So, it is best when possible to call in and talk to me or email the office and we can fine tune the dosages of these formulas. If the cold or flu settles in your lungs additional formulas will be needed and you will need to call the office for those.

Do not come into the office when ill. Herbs are more effective than acupuncture for colds and flu and it is best to stay home and rest when you are ill. We can mange the herbal diagnosis over the phone or email and have additional herbal formulas set out for you to pick up when needed.