Medicinal Foods, Herbs, & Spices Best — and Safest — Rx for Staying Out of Sick Bed During Flu Season
It’s cold and flu time again, but there’s limited vaccine this season.
Some doctors are saying it’s not even worth trying to get the shot.
The flu vaccine has its downside. First of all, the vaccine may not be the correct strain. Because viruses can mutate so quickly, the strain you were vaccinated for may not be the one going around the office. Secondly, vaccines lower your immunity to bacteria and viruses other than the strain you were vaccinated for, so you are more likely to get what’s coming around.
Also, vaccines cause incredible stress to the immune system, using up to 70% of your body’s immune reserves, whereas fighting the flu without vaccination uses only 4-7% of immune reserves.
And, in addition to the more common side effects of the vaccine, such as soreness, redness, and fever, you also run the risk of neurological disorders, including Guillain-Barre, paralysis that has been associated with the penumococcal vaccine.
Before you decide to get the vaccine read the small print. The small print on Fluzone, Squibb Connaught’s influenza virus vaccine, under the section on warnings, states that this vaccine interacts with anticoagulants, theophylline and anti-convulsants. It also states that if jet injection is used, special precautions must be taken during sterilization to prevent the transmission of hepatitis or other infectious agents. Also, neurological disorders such as encephalopathy (brain damage) have been linked to this vaccine. These reactions can begin as soon as a few hours or as late as two weeks after vaccination. You also will learn that when the doctor or his nurse brings in the tray for your injection, the tray should be carrying two syringes–the second containing adrenalin, in case you go into shock from the vaccine.
So what can you do to prevent influenza without being vaccinated?
Strengthen your immune system with a variety of powerful, natural anti-virals. Our bodies were made to be able to heal and protect themselves. However, in our modern society we’re consuming too much prepackaged, over-processed food, and not enough of the raw foods, herbs, and spices known for centuries to have powerful medicinal value.
Below are some of my recommended foods, herbs, and spices for building and strengthening the immune system:
Garlic- It both kills germs outright as well as inhibits their growth.
It also strengthens immune defenses, aiding in the ability to hunt and destroy invaders.
Ginger- It has powerful “pharmaceutical” properties. It is anti-infective, anti-parasitic, and anti-inflammatory.
Papaya – The only fruit powerful enough to make the list of germ killing foods. It’s actually the enzyme within the fruit, specifically within the seeds, that is the killer.
Radishes – Mostly neglected as anything other than a garnish, this vegetable contains sulfur compounds, which are significant antiseptics.
Yogurt – A major aid to immune health. It provides essential amino acids, which are used by the body to produce components of the immune system, such as white blood cells and antibodies.
Oregano – Lab tests have proved that this spice kills all sorts of germs, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, yeasts, molds and parasites.
Allspice – When tested at Cornell University it killed a wide range of bacteria.
Cinnamon- This spice contains significant antibacterial properties and is especially aggressive against molds and yeasts.
Things that harm your immune system include alcohol, smoking, sugar, and caffeine, including chocolate.
To beat the influenza bug a good diet, exercise, and proper sanitation such as washing your hands and keeping your home and office desk clean are very important.
Dr. Cass Ingram is one of the world’s leading experts in natural remedies and the antimicrobial effectiveness of wild oregano and other spice oils.
He holds a D.O. from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences, and is the author of 13 books, including The Cure Is in the Cupboard: How to Use Oregano for Better Health,The Respiratory Solution: Finally, Relief from Asthma, Bronchitis, Mold, Sinus Attacks, Allergies, Sore Throats Colds and Flu., and How to Eat Right and Live Longer. His books teach people how to strengthen their immune systems against killer germs.
