Kall the Kops!
Remember those old Keystone Kops movies? With mad determination the Kops always found a way to make a complete mess of their mission, falling over each other and inciting mayhem all along the way.
That’s how I imagine the scene these days in the offices of the National Immunization Program (NIP), a branch of the Centers for Disease Control. Normally, the folks at NIP would be in full swing with their annual motivational campaign to get citizens up off the couch to go get a flu shot. But not this year.
After the surprise October announcement that this season’s flu vaccine supply would be cut in half, NIP officials put the brakes on their usual litany of scary details about flu pandemics and the thousands of deaths supposedly caused by the flu every year.
Then things got crazy. We saw long lines of elderly people being turned away when vaccine supplies ran low. Then we heard that other vaccine sources might be found in Canada – our favorite drug dealer. Then Canada said, “Nope.” More recently there have been reports that some clinics actually have a surplus of vaccines. And finally the Keystone Komedy of the situation was captured in this headline I saw in the satirical news weekly, The Onion: “Outgoing HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson Caught With Briefcase Full Of Flu Vaccine.”
Even though we can imagine the folks at NIP comically pulling their hair out in frustration, there’s no humor to be found when you come down with a nasty flu yourself. With that in mind, I called on HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., and asked him what tips he might have for those who do their best to stay healthy, but still manage to pick up a bug somewhere.
First response
In the e-Alert “Be Afraid Be Very Afraid – Part II” (10/17/02), Dr. Spreen told us about three natural antibiotics. I wondered if these three natural agents (vitamin C, grapefruit seed extract, and olive leaf extract) might also help provide protection against the flu or be useful as treatments once the flu has set in. His response: “In my opinion, absolutely! Since I don’t take the flu shot myself, these are my main armamentarium.”
When I asked about recommended dosages for anyone who feels like they may be coming down with something, Dr. Spreen told me that at the first sign of aches, sore throat, cough or any other symptoms of flu (or cold, or other infections), he starts with a “hit” of several thousand milligrams of vitamin C, and then follows that with 1000 mg (one gram) every hour until symptoms recede.
Sometimes the vitamin C alone will do the trick, but when more is needed, olive leaf extract (OLE) and/or grapefruit seed extract (GSE) may be added or used alone. Dr. Spreen explained, “OLE is the simplest to work with, as its concentration is not a problem. 500-1000 milligrams every few hours is what I do, with or without the C, depending on the situation (I’m usually a ‘shotgunner’ when getting well fast is an issue). Normally, for straight oral use, the C and OLE are a great pair by themselves (the OLE lowers the needed amount of vitamin C, which can get into very high amounts for a serious flu attack).”
Calling in the reserves
As for grapefruit seed extract, Dr. Spreen recommends taking it in capsule form, using the suggested dosage on the label. He adds, “The full-strength liquid GSE is bitter beyond comprehension, and must be diluted. The advantage of GSE is that there are different forms available, such as throat spray, ear drops, topical, etc. Bio/chem Research in California, has done extensive research on the antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiparasitic properties of this amazing substance.”
I asked Dr. Spreen if he would add any other natural therapies to what he calls “my big three,” and he said there is one, but it’s not a preventive agent against the flu. He said, “I’d add some acidophilus culture (also called probiotics) to the mix, during and for a few days after the use of OLE. The situation here is that OLE is such a good antibacterial that it can also kill the ‘good guy’ bacteria that we need in our gastrointestinal (GI) tracts. A capsule or so of acidophilus before meals should be adequate insurance for keeping these beneficial organisms established.”
The essentials
Even though we do our best to stay healthy, it’s sometimes difficult to stay on course with the four key things necessary to maintain optimum immune system health:
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Exercise regularly
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Eat nutritious foods (preferably fresh, whole foods)
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Manage stress levels (See the e-Alert “Easy Does It” 11/26/03)
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Get the right amount of sleep
For more tips on strengthening your immune system, see the e-Alert “Debugging Kit” (9/24/03), because it’s never too late to take a few simple steps to give your immune system an advantage against viruses.
