What To Do About the Flu

​ This time of year can be overwhelming. Back to school, holidays rapidly approaching, the weather shifts for most of the United States, and a brand new strain of the Flu shows up to hang around for a while.

Influenza, referred to as the flu, is a severe viral respiratory tract infection. Other colds and unknown viruses are sometimes loosely deemed the flu, but a lot of practitioners disagree and state that real flu is a much more serious infection and often appear in the form of epidemics.

Typical Symptoms:

Fever of 100-103 (can be higher in children)

Headache

Body Ache

Severe Fatigue

Cough

Sore Throat

Runny Nose

Though it is thought the the flu is the actual culprit of being life-threatening, that's not entirely true. Most people recover entirely from the flu within a week or two, a lot of the time without medical intervention. After all, it's a virus and there's no such thing (in medicine) as an anti-viral, and that means antibiotics are useless against the flu itself. What the flu can do, though, is dramatically increase the risk of a secondary bacterial infection such as pneumonia. This contributes to a much worse prognosis. So, it can be said that the flu can be serious for a few different reasons, and we should take care to prevent it and especially treat it as early as the VERY first sign.

"So how do we go about that?", is the million dollar question.

It's one of the most common issues in the Medical and Naturopathic worlds- the Healthcare industry as a whole, really. Researchers and the CDC continue to develop vaccines each year, basing their choice of the year's batch on calculations that determine which strain is most likely to spread this year. The reality is, they're just guessing. There's no way to know. And there's no way to predict how they will mutate to form a totally new virus. The idea behind the vaccine is to introduce the virus into the bloodstream so that you can create antibodies and trick the "actual virus" should you come into contact with it. Sounds good, in theory. Unfortunately, the vaccine comes with several risks and downsides due to it's ingredients.

• Yes there's still mercury in it

• Yes it will infect you and possibly make you sick with the FLU. Shocking.

• It's made inside chicken egg fetuses

• They also have gelatin (from cow bones) and other human and animal cells. So if you're vegan, think about that for cruelty.

• It's increased fetal death something like 4000% attributing to miscarriage and stillbirth

Unlike some of the health agencies out there, I don't like to fear monger. So feel free to check my references at the bottom of the article. Do your own research, question things that don't feel right to you!

What I do like to do is educate and share. I can share my knowledge from personal and professional experiences and hope that it will help you all. I was recently in conversation with a friend and colleague of mine about this topic. He mentioned that he recently fought the flu (and like me, he's a naturopath and didn't use standard medicines to overcome it). I asked him what he thought about the flu shot, and we shared the same knowledge and evidence-based beliefs. I kind of bragged that I had never gotten the flu shot and I had never had the flu. I later realized that I had just told a fib!! Oh my god, how could I have forgotten two very important times?!

My eighth grade year being the first. This was the first and only year I got the flu shot, I can't remember exactly what was different than my opposition from the years before. I'd always been against most vaccines and stuck to the bare minimum. The flu shot never made my list of necessities. I'm sure though, the media made it some different strain that was going to sweep the world and instilled fear into my grandma. Anyway, I got the shot that year for whatever reason. I didn't get the flu, but I ended up with mononucleosis. Good god, I was begging for the flu. The first day of onset, I remember it so well. We had a class trip to the zoo. The day started off normal, and I felt just fine. When we got back to school, I instantly came down with a very high fever and I was freezing cold. Every inch of my body hurt. I borrowed a friends letter jacket and laid my head on the desk and I don't remember anything for the next 3 days. Nothing. I didn't eat or drink or move from the couch for a week, and it took me three months of going to bed at 6pm and waking up at 7am, going through the motions at school and barely making it home to do the same thing. And after that, it took me 6 months to regain my full energy back. I've never been so sick. I know 100% that I got that sick because whatever was in the shot that year completely diminished my immune system. Research needs to be behind why it effects people differently, but one thing is for sure, I damn sure didn't get the flu that year.

The second occurrence was in 2009. This was the year that the H1N1 flu was a huge epidemic. You remember it? The big ol' bird flu extravaganza. That year, just like the few years before, was full of traveling the US for me. Philly, Connecticut, Seattle, some other place I can't remember, then landed in Chicago in early march. I love Chicago! The people, the city, the shopping and the food, everything! I really love it there! There's no way to tell where I picked it up, guess who contracted H1N1?! I did. Most likely just from the recycled airplane air and the lowered immune system, but while I was in Chicago I quickly became symptomatic. High fever, chills, terrible cough, all of that. This definitely felt different than your average cold, so I went to the clinic down the street from my hotel and I tested positive for it. They attempted to give me some stuff but of course I didn't take it. I went to a local vitamin shoppe and loaded up, and holed up in my room. I actually had to postpone a trip to Puerto Rico for a few days. When I told people what was happening, they thought I was crazy for thinking I'd only need a few days to heal, but I did! Three days later I was on my way to Puerto Rico with only a few annoying lingering symptoms.

Not surprisingly, several of my people come to me with similar stories to both of mine. I see more often than not that they want powerful all natural ways to prevent and protect their families. And they're in luck!!

So, if you're like several of the people I see- you probably want information on how to prevent it and what to do holistically if you do end up with it. First of all let me say that if you feel like you MUST get the flu vaccine, please make sure to do a vaccine-customized detox. Trust me! (ask me for more info on that)

Prevention:

• Vitamin D (at least 3000iud/day)

• Vitamin C (at least 2000mg/day 4000 recc)

• Hibernate (well kind of. plan to stick with a sleep schedule that will allow you at least 1 extra hr/night)

• Garlic Oil Tablets

• Oregano Oil Tablets

• My Flu Fighter Bitter tonic (proprietary blend)

• Sun

• Water

Treatment (at very first symptom):

• All the same things as above +

• High Doses of Goldenseal herb

• High Doses of Echinacea Herb

• Antiviral Baths (as hot as tolerable with drops of tea tree oil, or oregano oil, or rosemary oil, or all if you can!) Daily for 2 or three day

All of these things are easily obtainable, but if you need help please reach out to me! I'd be happy to help you and your family stay happy and healthy this season.

Until Next Time!

Health and Happiness,

Ashley Rogers, TND|Herbalist

**This information is intended for educational purposes. It is not intended to diagnose or cure any condition, or to replace current medication. Never start or stop any medicines unless under the advisement of your health practitioner.