Can Alternative Remedies Prevent Swine Flu?

Reader Comments
Back to blog

Fairly Fascinating post. Couldnt be written any much better. Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate! He usually kept talking about this. I will forward this post to him. Fairly certain he will have a great study. Thanks for sharing!

Revitol Cellulite Solution of AL 8:38AM June 19, 2010

US News - I expect a hell of a lot more from you. The links on these stories are very dated. You ought to be looking at the stories you link and modifying those stories for upddated information as the sotry changes. Example 14 things you need to know to keep safe from swine flu - April date and shows 20 deaths in the US......talk about out dated.
I am so disappointed that the weekely magazine died. The daily electronic one is not even a close substitute, especially when you recycle the same articles over and over with no updates.

Leslie of WA 2:29PM November 04, 2009

i dont know about swine flu but their surely is a ayurvedic medicine called flu defense which immunizes the body against flu attacks , it can be found at herbalhealthhealing

jim 2:00PM July 14, 2009

I agree with Gerald, that, for someone who is supposed to be researching and reporting on alternative remedies this is a poorly researched and written article. There are a number of traditional remedies out there and a simple PubMed search gains access to the multitude of available peer-reviewed research that has taken place over decades with much success. Though mainstream Western Medicine doesn't always like to recognize them because it takes money out of the pharmaceutical company's pockets and essentially theirs,research has been done and many herbs, vitamins and minerals have been found to be significantly effective.
It is better to help your body with its innate ability to fight infection instead of constantly trying to add a vaccine. New research has come out saying Americans are living less healthy lifestyles than 20 years ago, even with modern advancement in medicine, because it is all focused on treatment or reactive instead of preventative and proactive. By living a healthy lifestyle and taking preventative action it is possible to increase your chances of not becoming sick or recovering more rapidly if you do.
This is a terrible reporting of a great and well needed topic that could help people gain information how they can apply preventative measures such as; nutrition, vitamins, supplements, herbs, and exercise to increase their immunity and make their health their responsiblity and make changes in their own lives. Instead it simply stated don't buy over prices tissues, alternative remedies have no merit and don't wash your hands raw.

Julia of NV 4:25PM May 28, 2009

There is good evidence that getting your measured 25 hydroxy vitamin D levels up to 75-125 nmol/L. will prevent the flu and many other diseases. This will stake a supplement of 1000 IU per day or more for most people.
Search for Vitamin D and flu on LEF.ORG to get the full story.
- Jerry

Jerry W. Segers of GA 10:10PM May 13, 2009

There are plenty of alternative and homeopathic remedies available. While you have to be careful in which alternative you select and they may not all work, some are very helpful and at the very least can ease the pain that comes along with any flu. There has been a resurgence in these alternate medicines in recent years. I found a good resource earlier today which seems to have some decent information and frequent posts being added at swinefluremedies.org

Joe PA of PA 5:27AM May 04, 2009

For someone working in complementary health Adriane comes out with the usual conservative line of - I am sorry to say - garbage.
First of all, no one knows why some people get infected while others don't - there are just too many variables. So how do you get "scientific evidence" on whether something works or not? You try it over time - tens, hundreds or even thousands of years - and you see what works. That is how doctors operated 50 years ago, before they bought in to ideas of "golden standard scientific evidence", which as everyone now knows, just cannot relate to real-life situations, and is open to false conclusions anyway.
Many serious and ethical medical researchers will tell you that medical science is largely based on profit, and not science, or even human need. This means that any treatment that doesn't promise profits is unlikely to be funded for research - and therefore can never become "scientific evidence".
This applies to all simple health measures and generic herbal treatments.
Secondly, Adriane doesn't seem to understand the effects of traditionally-prescribed foods, spices and herbs on the immune system. They generally don't "stimulate" the immune system, they support it. Spices like turmeric not only enhance immunity, digestion, and liver function; it also acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. By the way, there is heaps of "scientific evidence" on the properties of turmeric and other spices and herbs - Adriane just needs to look in the right places.
Many ayurvedic herbs for immunity have high vitamin C, antioxidant and/or adaptogenic (stress reducing) properties. For instance, for years I have given my 8-year old son an ayurvedic preparation containing amalaki (Embilica officinalis) and other herbs, and he hardly gets a cold or flu - unlike his school mates. When he does get sick, it is only for 2-3 days. He is unvaccinated and exceedingly healthy and intelligent. If I were to wait for "scientific evidence" to raise my child to be healthy, I would be waiting literally for another 100 years. That is why many people are turning to traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda - medical science just doesn't have the philosophy or the economic motivation to offer real health-promoting solutions.
If the medical community can only come up with masks to prevent the flu, well it just doesn't even bear commenting on.
Best regards,
Gerald
Auckland,New Zealand
www.ScienceOfLife.co.nz
www.twitter.com/gezz_nz

Gerald Lopez 3:56AM May 03, 2009

IMPORTANT WARNING
"Swine Flu Forum" at "Above Top Secret.com"
The True Epidemic Approaching: Mass Tamiflu Poisoning
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread459675/pg1
MASSIVE TAMIFLU POISONING IS PREDICTED. They give great details. May post showed why the flu is a problems and how to stop it:
In 1960 Dr. DC Jarvis wrote a best selling paper-back that warned the way we are feeding our animals and fertilizing our foods is changing the PH of our blood from slightly acid to alkaline. Viruses cannot thrive in the acid blood, but thrive in alkaline.
He prescribed: 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 teaspoons of honey; then add one glass of water and sip during 3 meals or between. Tastes a bit like Sprite, you can adjust the dose. It quickly regulates the blood. The honey is also slightly acid and you cannot over-use acids in your system. They even end acid indigestion.
His paperback books are still available at Amazon
The book is: ARTHRITIS AND FOLK MEDICINE
Another of his books is: FOLK MEDICINE in which he also shows that our bodies are craving the acid; that we why we drink so much cola and alcohol. The acid from the honey and apple cider vinegar ended the cravings.
I noticed the comment: "During a 10 step process which takes a year to complete and involves some fairly precarious high explosive work, Shikimic acid is extracted from the plant and serves as the active ingredient in Tamiflu. " It has severe side affects including a tendency to suicide. I mentioned this in church and it is reported that President Obama has stock in Tamiflu.
Children and animals naturally crave the acid taste (sweet tarts, pickles etc.) He described diseases in animals that resemble bird flu and mad cow disease, and told how to deal with it.
The apple cider vinegar also worked well on people and animals that are hyper or aggressive, even a mad bull. That means that what Tamiflu makes worse at $100 a dose can be eliminated and avoided with apple cider vinegar and honey. If you are suffering from different ailments, these inexpensive books would have inexpensive remedies you might want to try.
I try to turn people from the employment lifestyle to the garden paradise lifestyle. It solves world problems created by the employment lifestyle including healing our bodies. Divine-Way.com

Marie Devine of MO 11:10PM May 02, 2009

Thanks for trying to clarify the facts about Ayurveda and scientific validation. Your statement: "While Ayurvedic medicine has been practiced in India for several thousand years, "time-tested" doesn't mean tested and shown to be efficacious in an actual scientific study."
But there actually is peer-reviewed research on Maharishi Ayurveda and other forms of Ayurveda. Some can be found here: http://mapi.com/maharishi_ayurveda/research/index.html
With all due respect, I find it ironic that the doctor you quoted dismisses Ayurveda as a preventative health care system. Modern medicine essentially has no systematic preventive protocol at all, but is actually a "disease care system." Not to mention all the negative side effects of almost all conventional medical treatments. With the health care system in the mess it's in, this is no time for sweeping, reactionary dismissals of "time tested" modalities. Ayurveda has much good advice, such as every single one of the points your mentioned in your article.

laughing crow of IA 4:24PM May 02, 2009

These "alternative" medicines and the scam artists who perpetuate such garbage thrive in times of crisis, real or imagined. Thank you for a tiny voice of reason among the screaming voices of scammers and their wares.

shawmutt of PA 8:12AM May 02, 2009