According to the CDC, in the good old US of A, 5-20% of the population will contract the flu...wait... That doesn't seem like a lot.. Well, of that 5-20% only 200,000 are hospitalized (typically the immune suppressed and elderly). But Doc, what exactly is the flu? I'm glad you asked, the flu (or Influenza) is an opportunistic VIRUS, meaning when the immune system is weakened this virus takes effect and creates a sickness and symptoms.
Well how do we prevent this? Before we discuss on how to prevent, lets take a few moments and discuss how our body works (Now stay awake, this is the good stuff!).
Our bodies were born with this innate intelligence, to heal when cut, to cure when diseased, to activate the heart to stay alive, ect. Part of this innate intelligence was the ability to develop an IMMUNE SYSTEM, which consists of different white blood cells whose purpose is to seek out and destroy bacteria/viruses/parasites/fungus/bad cells. Now, this immune system starts to develop when your still womb, and IgG (immune cells) are passed from the mom's breast milk to the baby when nursing (IgG mom thanks).
As we are exposed to different pathologies (bacteria, virus, ect) our body develops anti-bodies which are markers to help the immune system identify and neutralize the foreign object. When dealing with germs (bacteria, virus, ect.) and getting sick there are different theories out there but I can tell you this, YOU DON'T FALL ON A GERM AND GET SICK!!! Otherwise we would all be dead by now, cause we would be over loaded with germs and out immune system would be killed off.
So, how do we get sick then if our immune system is suppose to keep us well?! Easy answer is, different factors suppress the immune system allowing opportunistic germs to get in. Lets talk about factors that suppress our immune system.
1. Stress: This will make or break you! With stress, our cortisol levels increase, decreasing our good prostaglandins which help support immune function.
2. Poor Sleep: Sleep is natures battery charger, we require it live, but in terms of immune, T-cell are reduced when sleep is reduced. T-cells help fight off diseases and boost the immune system
3. Bad Diet: We all know the saying, "You are what you eat"! Foods that are processed and/or are high in sugar create inflammation in the body which also decreases the immune system.
4. Pinched Spinal Nerves: Nerves control every function in your body, so it only makes sense that when they are pinched, it makes the organ or tissue going to them not function to 100% ability. Only a Chiropractor has the ability to correct pinched nerves.
5. Seasonal Changes: Believe it or not but the change in temperature can lower your immune system. This is known as a physiologic stress and increase the blood concentration of adrenocortical steroids which in turn suppresses the immune system.
Now lets talk about some remedies that can boost up the immune system or help fight off the flu NATURALLY!
1. L-Lysine: This great product is an Amino Acid (the basic building block of life), and when taken at the appropriate dosage can slow/stop the virus from replicating allowing your body to attack the virus. During flu season I usually take between 500-1000mg (depending how many people around me might possibly have it) and when getting the symptoms of the Flu I increase it to 1000mg 3X/Day.
2. Colloidal Silver: this is a great product that I use for most of my illness involving germs. Silver has been used for decades to help fight against microbial infections. The nanoparticles of Silver help protect the T-Cells and combat the viruses from attacking them.
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18505176?dopt=AbstractPlus) (http://www.jnanobiotechnology.com/content/3/1/6)
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18505176?dopt=AbstractPlus) (http://www.jnanobiotechnology.com/content/3/1/6)
3. GET ADJUSTED!: Getting adjusted isn't just for fixing pain! It restores life back to the body, and allows the body to do what it does best, heal its self and function in the way that it was meant to! See a Chiropractor and get your self realigned!
4. Olive Leaf Extract: Did you know it was the first Botanical mentioned in the Bible? It's healing properties are amazing for combating against germs. Here, Read This: ( http://curezone.com/foods/oliveleaf.asp)
5. Oscillococcinum: This product is great to take when you contract the flu. If you start taking this wonderful homeopathic when you first get signs of the symptoms it will help it run its course faster! (http://www.oscillo.com/) Whole foods has a 365 version of it called Flu Ease.
Well folks, there are great alternatives to not having to get the vaccine, I'm not going to tell you not to or to get it, but get educated first. I myself dont need the vaccine cause I follow everything above and i have been Flu/Swine Flu free for years, even when ive been in contact with people who were deathly ill. Im going to leave you with one note and I want you to truly think about this. Drugs companies are a business, if they make a certain number (135 million flu vaccines produced for this year, with 313 million people in the USA) of a product, they need to sell a certain number of that product, in order to reach their profit margins.
In Health and Chiropractic,
Dr. Matt Meccia
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