Flu fighters

Eat, drink and sleep your way to health

Here's a strategy for avoiding the flu that doesn't involve going to the doctor. The approach begins with consistent hand washing, eating lots of garlic, and keeping those germy paws out of the candy jar.

Also, try cutting cut back on the morning java, sleeping more and stocking up on echinacea, elderberry, zinc lozenges and instant hand sanitiser. Oh, and work out and meditate.

If you think of the flu as an opportunistic bug, one that breaks down the body's defences when its guard is down, then the best way to prevent it is to bring on some reinforcements, says Dr. Bronner Handwerger, a naturopathic physician affiliated with Peak Wellness, an integrative medical centre in Greenwich, USA.

"I liken it to bringing on some extra security,'' he says. "The more cops you have, the better the chance that no one is going to break in.''

While traditional practitioners offer flu shots and good old-fashioned hand washing as the best preventatives, nutritionists and specialists in alternative medicine say there are plenty of natural ways to keep yourself healthy in the cold and flu season.

"The single best strategy you can employ is finding ways to build up your immune system so it's stronger,'' says Dr. Paul Epstein, a naturopathic physician in private practice in Norwalk.

Epstein, like many naturopathic practitioners, shies away from making blanket recommendations, saying much of his advice is based on patients' specific needs.

You won't hear him recommending daily doses of an herb like astragalus or sharing a recipe for a meal based around fresh garlic. (Although he sometimes eats garlic to bolster his immune system.).

"While I love something like carrot juice,'' Epstein says by way of example, "I hesitate to recommend that because what you need may be to exercise, eat better, talk to your husband more or cut back on the hours.''

His fervent belief: "Stress is the single biggest challenge to our immune system and the chief reason why we get sick.'' That said, there are some natural vaccines, homeopathic remedies and dietary changes that could help the average healthy person keep the flu at bay.

Handwerger and Dr. Joanne McGary, also a licensed naturopathic physician in private practice in Stamford, are among those who offer patients Dolivaxil and Oscilla (oscillococcium), anti-viral homeopathic remedies touted as natural flu vaccines.

"They have been shown to improve the immune system's response to the virus,'' says McGary.

Handwerger concedes both are controversial options. "Like the flu vaccine itself. There are people who believe they are very effective and people who think they are not. I recommend them to people who really want an option to the flu shot.''

McGary says nothing beats a good quality multivitamin as a basic booster for the immune system. "Plenty of people just need to start there,'' she says.

Dr. Tim Frank, medical director of the Health & Healing Center at the Noelle Spa for Beauty and Wellness in Stamford, Connecticut, USA, is big on basics like vitamins, sipping organic green tea and good hygiene. "Hand washing is about the best place to start,'' he says, adding a cautionary note.

"Here at the spa, we're pretty scrupulous about hygiene. But some people overdo it. They wash too much or use anti-bacterial soaps too much and end up with skin problems.'' So even the best preventive strategies can go too far.

The same is true with nutrition, notes Peter McKnight, chief clinical dietitian at Stamford Hospital. People stock up on zinc during the cold and flu system, with good and bad results. "Some is fine,'' he says. "But too much can actually deplete your immune system.''

Health and nutrition experts were asked to suggest some dos and don'ts for preventing the flu. Here are their top recommendations.

Cut back on sugar. This was the advice of all the naturopaths interviewed. As a rule of thumb, they say too much sugar depletes the immune system. Of course, this means candy is not a great flu-buster.

"But when I say sugar I mean all kinds of sugar,'' says Handwerger, who tells his patients to avoid natural fruit juices, refined breads, pastas and other sugar sources when building up their immune system.

His rule of thumb: "If sugar is the first thing on the ingredient label, you don't want it. If it's fourth or fifth, it might be OK.'' Nutritionist McKnight is a bit dubious about the sugar connection. "I don't know what impact it has on the immune system. I don't think a little will hurt.''

Cut back on caffeine. "Coffee taps out the adrenals,'' says Epstein. "It creates stress in the body and you don't need it.'' If you need a little caffeine, go with green tea, says Frank. "It's a much better choice because we know green tea is good for the immune system and has lots of antioxidants.''

Eat yoghurt. McKnight is fond of any good quality yoghurt that has lots of natural bacteria and acidopholus, which is good for the immune system.

Eat garlic. Frank makes a tea with garlic and ginger. Handwerger eats it by the handful, raw and chopped. (He doesn't chew to spare his breath.) Add garlic to soups, salads and entrees.

"If you are in a restaurant and one entree has garlic and another one doesn't, get the one with garlic,'' says Epstein. "It's an easy way to get more into your diet.''

Take the best multivitamin you can find. McKnight recommends Centrum if you are shopping at the pharmacy. McGary sells vitamins in her private practice.

Take zinc. But not too much. Sunflower seeds are a good natural source. More than 90 milligrams a day is probably too much, says Frank. And pregnant women should avoid it. "If a zinc supplement makes you sick to your stomach, then you probably don't need it,'' says Handwerger.

Take Vitamin C. But again, not too much. Talk to your health care professional or a nutritionist about appropriate doses.

Consider natural flu vaccines. But be an informed consumer. Not all health care practitioners are convinced of their efficacy, but some naturopaths (and patients) swear by them.

Ingest essential fatty acids. Epstein recommends flax seed and olive oils. Handwerger gives orange-flavoured cod liver oil to his kids. "It's great,'' he insists. And serve salmon for dinner as long as it's not farm-raised. "It lacks the Omega 3s,'' says Handwerger.

Try natural echinacea, goldenseal and elderberry or astragalus. All are considered potential boosters to the immune system. Talk to a qualified naturopath or nutritionist about appropriate doses.

Be especially careful with echinacea, which after two weeks is no longer effective. "I recommend people take it in cycles, two weeks on, one week off,'' says Frank.

Exercise. "It improves circulation, which naturally boosts your immune system,'' says Handwerger.

Eat lots of fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins. "In the elderly, it's the people who subsist on tea and toast I worry about,'' says McKnight. "I also worry about women who subsist on muffins and Diet Coke.''