<p>I am recovering from major abdominal surgery and am scheduled to attend a function at my daughter’s college in 3 weeks. I will be in a huge stadium for an entire day with thousands of students and staff…with endless amounts of flu and cold germs.</p>
<p>I am very much into healthful eating and believe that proper nutrition and herbs have a huge effect upon our ability to fight infection.</p>
<p>I am looking for suggestions on natural ways to decrease my chances of getting sick. I am not able to get the flu shot and wonder how effective it actually is anyway.</p>
<p>(1) Elderberry extract or syrup - take a small amount daily. (Most manufactures make an extract that you take by the dropperful. I prefer a concentrate made by “Natural Source” - I just add a tablespoon or two to hot water . . . it’s my favorite drink!)</p>
<p>(2) “Moducare” - an immune booster that I (and kids) have used for years.</p>
<p>(3) Source Naturals “Wellness Formula” - also touted to be an effective immune booster.</p>
<p>me too, friends recommended that probiotic liquid yogurt stuff. I also got a flu shot.
Stopped by the doctor’s office today and they had a notice posted that they require any staff who does not get a flu shot to wear a mask. I guess they were explaining to patients why some clerical staff members were wearing masks. So, you could wear a mask.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Get the flu vaccine unless medically contraindicated.</p></li>
<li><p>Wash your hands after contact with anyone else or public door handles and the like.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Carry a hand sanitizer. They make purell and generics in a number of size. I keep one in my car and in my backpack.</p>
<p>Then recognize that sanitizers aren’t effective against everything. They’re great against bacteria but don’t do it for stuff like some norovirus because they can have a coating the sanitizers don’t crush. That is why you need to wash your hands. And wash for 20 seconds with soap to make your hands essentially germ free.</p>
<p>Other than that, don’t touch your eyes or the opening of your nose because those are the ways you put germs in your body.</p>
<p>I know people who put zinc under the tongue but I think that’s a waste. There is some evidence for probiotics but not for disease prevention.</p>
<p>Handwashing is the number one way to decrease chance of flu. CDC guideline.
Take a mask with you,Stay away from those coughing and sneezing. Eat s diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Limit dairy products, they are mucous producing. If you can , get a prescription for tamiflu. You do not have to fill it, but if you feel flu like symptoms coming on/ or are within 2 days of exposure, then start taking. Its used for prophylaxis or decreasing severity of the flu virus.</p>
<p>You might not feel comfortable wearing a mask, but take the appropriate one with you just in case you are seated by by someone coughing or sneezing up a storm. Bring a pillow to sit on so you can shift your weight.</p>
<p>We use oscillococcinum once a week throughout the winter. Also eliminate white sugar. Eat really healthy, good sleep, exercise, stay hydrated. Keep hands away from face.</p>
<p>I second the elderberry recommendation, it’s been used since the 4th century to avoid the flu. I make my own syrup but it’s readily available in the stores. We also take vitamin D and a multivitamin. Any immune boosting would certainly help.</p>
<p>Dont touch anything including pens, clipboards, doorknobs, handrails.<br>
Wear mask while in public transportation.
Change your clothes as soon as you come home. </p>
<p>While we cant keep her germ free, its so easy for us to open the doors, extend our elbow so she doesnt hold onto the handrails and wash an extra load of clothes.</p>
<p>Since you asked, I am providing a link to this article. This article was referenced by a website that claims the flu vaccine is largely ineffective. You know, it’s all a government conspiracy. So, keeping in mind where it is coming from, the article gives you some suggestions on how to naturally avoid the flu. Personally, I am not sure what to believe. </p>
<p>And the significance of this is . . . what, exactly?</p>
<p>Are you suggesting that getting named in a malpractice action is the rare exception for physicians (in which case you’d have to explain why they all carry malpractice coverage), that all malpractice actions result in plaintiff verdicts, that only bad physicians get named in malpractice actions, or that simply being named as a defendant renders all suggestions in the above article suspect? Since at least one of her suggestions corresponds to what several of us posted above, does that make us all suspect?</p>
<p>Oh, and for what it’s worth (apparently very little to you), the claim against Dr. Connealy was for negligent hiring/retention (and an alleged failure to release medical records), not for malpractice. In other words, she was accused of being a negligent business manager, not a bad physician.</p>
<p>But, just to be on the safe side, before following my suggestion to try elderberry extract, if the OP wants a record of all of my past business dealings, and any and all lawsuits that I have ever been a party to, please just let me know.</p>
<p>The author of the article cited “Dr. J. Anthony Morris, The Former Chief Vaccine Control Officer of thr FDA” as a source. A very quick google search turns up articles with citations showing that Dr. morris worked As a virologis at the NIH from the 1940’s to the time the early 1970’s. Basing suggestions on avoiding the flu shot on statements and research done 40 years ago is questionable.</p>
<p>A little in-depth Googling reveals that Dr. Connealy, the author, is a full-blown, self-promoting quack (cancer “cures”, yeast malarkey, the usual gamut, to say nothing of eating garlic and mushrooms to avoid the flu). I wouldn’t take her advice for my hamster. But even if she were legit, I really don’t get why anyone would ignore the advice of tens of thousands of physicians and rely on one vaccine opponent. </p>
<p>Have any of the naturopathic remedies recommended by posters proven their efficacy via double blind studies conducted in accordance with professional protocols? I don’t trust my health to anecdotes.</p>
<p>First - dumb question – inside or outside? Obviously, if outside that is better.</p>
<p>Second – pay attention to who is sitting around you. If possible, sit in a less crowded area. Will the event be a “sell-out?” We were at a movie recently and went to sit down. The man next to the seats clearly had a nasty cold. We moved.</p>
<p>Third, my friend is in chemo and attended a workshop yesterday and will attend one tomorrow. She wore a mask and will wear one again. She also sat in the last row, by herself.</p>
<p>Sing Happy birthday three times while washing your hands. Wash your hands a lot.</p>
<p>The changing clothes thing is also important. At the height of flu season here in December, I made my kids do it when they got home from school.</p>
<p>The flu is actually starting to ebb here but now there are reports of a really nasty norovirus. </p>
<p>Is this a “once in a lifetime” event? If not, and you aren’t recovery nicely, you might just consider opting out. There will be other opportunities to support your daughter. However, having had major surgeries, three weeks is a long time and hopefully, you will be feeling great.</p>