Integrative Medicine Strategies for Swine Flu Management
It's the same as for managing any flu virus. It's the immune system dummy (no offense meant)!
Due to the current outbreak of Swine Flu, many patients are concerned about their risk of contracting this potentially deadly disease. There are simple steps one can take for maximizing a patient’s protection against contracting the illness. These include:
• Washing hands
• Avoiding contact with sick people
• Avoiding crowds
• Use common sense
More importantly, however, are the natural, antiviral approaches. As with any illness, the immune system is the front line of defense against disease, or more specifically, Lymphocytes are the body’s main line of defense against viral infections. The T and B cell line of lymphocytes need antigen presentation to become active. An antigen is a protein or polysaccharide that is present in the blood and prompts the generation of antibodies in the blood. The lymphocytes then react to the antibodies. Many viruses and bacteria have evolved to find ways to get around antiigen/antibody detection. To compensate for this we have another form of Lymphocyte called the natural killer or ‘NK” cell.
NK cells are known for their ability to recognize and destroy virally infected cells and tumor cells. The NK cells do not need antigen/antibody presentation to be active against viruses. One attractive feature of NK cells is that they do not have the characteristic “lag” phase that T and B lymphocytes need for clonal expansion to be effective. NK cells are clearly more effective earlier against viral infection and show a capacity for limiting the spread of a virus early on in the disease process while the T and B cells have to recruit and clone before becoming effective.
One of the best ways I have found to quickly stimulate NK Cells is by use of a hybridized mushroom extract called AHCC. AHCC is an alpha glucan that stimulates the NK cells in a dose dependent manner to fight viruses, bacteria and tumor cells. In a study published in the November, 2006 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, titled “Supplementation with Active Hexose Correlated Compound Increases the Innate Immune Response of Young Mice to Primary Influenza Infection” AHCC supplementation:
• boosted NK activity
• improved survival
• reduced the severity of H1N1 influenza infection in mice.
The conclusion reached by the researchers was that “Bolstering innate immunity with dietary bioactives may be one avenue for improving the immune response to primary flu infection.”
One commercially available AHCC product that is manufactured to high quality standards is ImmPower-AHCC and is available through many distributors such as Emerson Ecologics. Further research on AHCC’s effectiveness on influenza is listed below.
Also, essential oils are useful as well as they have broad-spectrum anti-viral properties and they enter the body quickly. The best oils for this are Oregano, Rosemary, and Thyme. To use them one should take one ounce of carrier oil such as Jojoba, Almond or Grape seed oil and add 5-7 drops of each of the essential oils to the carrier oil. You can rub it on your chest like you would use a vapo chest rub or use the oil to coat the inside of your nostrils. Coating the inside of your nostrils with a medicated oil is a great way to avoid getting sick on an airplane as the air-conditioning of a plane can dry out your nasal passages causing them to crack which allows the virus to enter through the cracks.
Do not forget that probiotic supplements can also protect against flu viruses. 50% of your immune system is GALT or Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions you may have to keep this threat from reaching a full-blown pandemic.
Yours In Health,
Dr Frank Ervolino
Due to the current outbreak of Swine Flu, many patients are concerned about their risk of contracting this potentially deadly disease. There are simple steps one can take for maximizing a patient’s protection against contracting the illness. These include:
• Washing hands
• Avoiding contact with sick people
• Avoiding crowds
• Use common sense
More importantly, however, are the natural, antiviral approaches. As with any illness, the immune system is the front line of defense against disease, or more specifically, Lymphocytes are the body’s main line of defense against viral infections. The T and B cell line of lymphocytes need antigen presentation to become active. An antigen is a protein or polysaccharide that is present in the blood and prompts the generation of antibodies in the blood. The lymphocytes then react to the antibodies. Many viruses and bacteria have evolved to find ways to get around antiigen/antibody detection. To compensate for this we have another form of Lymphocyte called the natural killer or ‘NK” cell.
NK cells are known for their ability to recognize and destroy virally infected cells and tumor cells. The NK cells do not need antigen/antibody presentation to be active against viruses. One attractive feature of NK cells is that they do not have the characteristic “lag” phase that T and B lymphocytes need for clonal expansion to be effective. NK cells are clearly more effective earlier against viral infection and show a capacity for limiting the spread of a virus early on in the disease process while the T and B cells have to recruit and clone before becoming effective.
One of the best ways I have found to quickly stimulate NK Cells is by use of a hybridized mushroom extract called AHCC. AHCC is an alpha glucan that stimulates the NK cells in a dose dependent manner to fight viruses, bacteria and tumor cells. In a study published in the November, 2006 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, titled “Supplementation with Active Hexose Correlated Compound Increases the Innate Immune Response of Young Mice to Primary Influenza Infection” AHCC supplementation:
• boosted NK activity
• improved survival
• reduced the severity of H1N1 influenza infection in mice.
The conclusion reached by the researchers was that “Bolstering innate immunity with dietary bioactives may be one avenue for improving the immune response to primary flu infection.”
One commercially available AHCC product that is manufactured to high quality standards is ImmPower-AHCC and is available through many distributors such as Emerson Ecologics. Further research on AHCC’s effectiveness on influenza is listed below.
Also, essential oils are useful as well as they have broad-spectrum anti-viral properties and they enter the body quickly. The best oils for this are Oregano, Rosemary, and Thyme. To use them one should take one ounce of carrier oil such as Jojoba, Almond or Grape seed oil and add 5-7 drops of each of the essential oils to the carrier oil. You can rub it on your chest like you would use a vapo chest rub or use the oil to coat the inside of your nostrils. Coating the inside of your nostrils with a medicated oil is a great way to avoid getting sick on an airplane as the air-conditioning of a plane can dry out your nasal passages causing them to crack which allows the virus to enter through the cracks.
Do not forget that probiotic supplements can also protect against flu viruses. 50% of your immune system is GALT or Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions you may have to keep this threat from reaching a full-blown pandemic.
Yours In Health,
Dr Frank Ervolino
posted by Dr Frank Ervolino | 6:51 AM
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