Health Brief

THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF NATURAL WAYS TO FIGHT THE FLU THIS SEASON

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The number of available flu shots was reduced by 50% this year following a severe crackdown on the British vaccine manufacturer Chiron Corp. Now, many people are scurrying for alternatives that will keep them from getting the high fever and severe body aches associated with the flu.

A problem for adults is that flu season coincides with the busy holiday season. According to Dr. Tom Lischwe of Boulder Medical Center of Avista Hospital in Louisville, during this time, people get less sleep, eat a less healthful diet and drink more alcohol, all of which suppress the immune system and makes people more susceptible to the flu.

Lischwe recommends, in addition to proper hand washing, increasing the daily intake of vitamin C and taking echinacea.

Christopher Turf, a pharmacist and director of compounding and medical outreach at Pharmaca, also recommends a higher dose of Vitamin C. Turf noted his allergies and immune system have both improved after taking a 2,000-3,000 mg of Vitamin C each day.

Another recommended therapy is Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. According to Elise Sachs, L.Ac. and C.H. and Julie Jiayu Zhang, D.O.M., "Chinese Medicine treats the root causes of the disorder and works in synergy with the body."

They recommend a combination of Acupuncture and Chinese herbs, which can be extremely effective in boosting the immune system, reducing infection and relieving symptoms of the flu such as fever and muscle aches.

Children can also be treated with certain alternatives, said Albert Mehl, a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente Medical Offices. Although antiviral medications are commonly prescribed, the benefit in healthy children is likely to be minimal. "Even when they are prescribed right away, the antiviral drugs may only modify the disease to a slight extent," he noted.

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SOURCE: The Daily Camera, Boulder CO, wartobouldernews.com, October IS, 2004.