Reminders for a Healthy New Year... re: Cold and Flu Season

I’m posting this review for new readers who may not be aware of the natural remedies or preventive measures that are available should you become symptomatic during cold and flu season.

I was motivated to offer this reminder since recently, a friend was becoming symptomatic with stuffy head, runny nose and cough… and I reminded him that I had given him samples of Liposomal Vitamin C to try the last time he was flirting with a cold. He didn’t care for the taste, so he did have some left. I told him to take at least 3 packets … spaced out between late afternoon and before bedtime. The next day, I when I saw him… he had a big smile and said.. he went from highly symptomatic to absolutely zero… last dose at midnight. And, he ordered a couple boxes to have on hand for the cold and flu season. Below is a post I previously offered several years ago on Liposomal C so you have the details if interested.

Another very good remedy is also mentioned in that post… Grapefruit Seed Extract, or GSE. There’s a 1997 book, “The Authoritative Guide to Grapefruit Seed Extract ….A Breakthrough in Alternative Treatment for Cold, Infections, Candida, Allergies, Herpes, and Many other Ailments” by Alan Sachs, DC, CCN… that offers good tips on uses for GSE.

Nutri-Biotic is the brand name… of the Liquid GSE Concentrate. These drops are very strong and don’t taste great and always MUST BE DILUTED… but again… highly effective. You can check this link to see the many uses other than for a cold or sore throat. [www.nutribiotic.com] I always have a bottle of the concentrate handy. Other uses: Diarrhea, allergies, dental rinse, throat gargle, ear rinse, nasal rinse, topical treatment for minor skin irritations, warts, athletes foot, nail fungus and several household cleaner/disinfectant uses….including veggie wash and cutting board disinfectant.

EpiCor® made by Healthy Origins is another highly effective preventive measure. The label says: Starts working in 2 hours – Supports a Healthy Immune System. I’ve used this numerous times when I’ve noticed a slightly sore throat or even a runny nose. Works like magic… and helps me uphold my record having no flu and only one cold in over 20 years… mostly because of my preventive protocols but also because of my ‘holistic preventive arsenal.’

Following is the response post … I was unable to find the date posted.

Have a Healthy New Year!
Jackie


Response from Jackie - previous post:

Yes… inflammatory cytokines do cause afibbers more symptoms than probably those w/o arrhythmia. Anti-inflammatories that are not related to aspirin or NSAIDs include many helpful herbals. However, if you don’t already have a remedy ‘arsenal’ on hand, often it’s hard to get out to get it once you are hit by a bug.

For the future, I’d like to share some of my home remedies that have worked well for me for many years. Some are early prevention protocols and others, are to help circumvent acute, onset symptoms so you don’t become severely ill. As is typical, timing is everything.

When symptoms of flu or cold first start to surface, it’s important to address that immediately. That means having a stash of helpful interventions on hand so you can load up right away. I’ll give examples later in this post.

For prevention, it’s important to recognize that flu and colds are part of every seasonal cycle so it’s smart to be prepared in several ways. First, is to ensure that your immune system has all the support needed so it can perform well if you are exposed to a bug…either bacterial or viral. That means starting early in the cold/flu season by supplementing daily. Know your vitamin D levels (25 OH D) so you can begin additional support if you are on the low side. Most functional medicine and nutritional therapists like to see vitamin D at least at 50 ng/ml and preferably in the 60-70 ng/ml range. Historically, those who maintain the higher ranges have the best record of resisting colds and flu. Example: I keep mine between 60 and 70 year round and have not had a cold for 16 years or flu for 17 years. I have not had a flu shot since 1995. The form to take is Vitamin D3 cholecalficerol. I take 5,000 IU daily and double that starting in late September through the end of April when I can get out in the natural sunshine again. I am tested twice a year.

Zinc is an important mineral that helps support every aspect of immune system function and many other important functions as well. It’s often too low in many people. Easy to supplement and economical. You can be tested for zinc deficiency and an easy test is a home test… such as Zinc Challenge or Zinc Tally. It’s a liquid form of Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate. You put 2 teaspoons in your mouth and hold for 10 to 30 seconds and measure your taste experience by a scale of zero taste to horrible. Zero = deficiency and various stages of Bad to Horrible indicate adequate zinc levels. If you are low, you can supplement by taking some of that liquid and repeat the testing until taste indicates improvement. [www.amazon.com]

Adequate levels of Vitamin C are also important to maintain year-round for health and prevention. Many ailments are the result of low vitamin C and many influences deplete it quickly. Therefore, high-food content and supplementation are recommended. If the body has high need of vitamin C as with chronic ailments, more is needed and because most vitamin C tends to have the bowel tolerance issues, the liposomal form of vitamin C is excellent for both daily use and high-doses when cold or flu symptoms surface. It’s useful for afibbers because of the anti-inflammatory properties as well.

Preventive measures for Symptoms of cold or flu:

If I ever have a symptom such as a scratchy throat or sneezing, I have a preventive protocol stash that I use immediately and the symptoms are gone in a flash.

Lypo-spheric Vitamin C - by LivOn Laboratories
Some time ago, in a post on the lipospheric form of Vitamin C… (LipoC), the benefits of this form of vitamin C were described.

Lipo C is known to cure many diseases… reference books: “Curing the Incurable” and “Priman Panacea” by Cardiologist, Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD. It has proven to be exactly as advertised for me and a host of people to whom I’ve recommended it. Read more here: [www.livonlabs.com]

It’s important to have at least one box on hand. Two would be best. That way, you can begin treatment immediately. If you wait to order, the bug can take hold. I would never travel without at least 10 packets of LipoC.

Use:
At the first ‘inkling’ of a symptoms that could be a cold or flu, start by taking 2 packets of LipoC and another 2 packets at bedtime. If symptoms are severe the next day, continue with 2 or more packets. The good news is there isn’t the bowel tolerance issue that is typical with various other forms of Vitamin C.

The Dosing Equivalency:

One packet delivers 1,000 mg of the liposomal C.

The substitution equivalencies (Lipo C equivalent to C as ascorbic acid)
1,000 mg = 3,000 – 4,000 mg powder
2,000 mg = 8,000 – 10,000 mg powder
3,000 mg = 12,000 – 18,000 mg powder…. (page 133 of Primal Panacea)

Typically, no bowel tolerance issues or stomach distress.

Additionally, just as insurance, I also recommend having the nanoparticle colloidal silver, aka MesoSilver on hand as well. Again, this immediately locks on to pathogenic bugs. Take a teaspoon or two, hold in your mouth for a minute or two, then swallow.

Source: 2 reliable companies… order by the closest location. Have a couple bottles on hand. Additionally, the topical silver gel is great for cuts, scrapes, bites.
Colloids for Life [www.colloidsforlife.com]
Purest Colloids [www.purestcolloids.com]


Another preventive that is very effective for sore throat and the feeling of a cold coming on is quick, and easy to do…although the taste is not great. I’ve had friends call me to stop by so I can give them a sample of the mixture to carry them through. Most recently, a friend called asking for help as she had a major presentation to the Board of Directors of her company the next day and she was highly symptomatic of a bad cold. She called the next day to say she had been amazed at the rapid turnaround and all went well.

5 drops of – Thieves Essential Oil by Young Living - (safe to ingest- the only one I would trust)
5 drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract concentrate by NutraBiotics
2 oz of water. Stir… gargle as long as possible… then swallow the mixture.
It’s very strong/gross… but works like ‘magic’…

Source:
[www.amazon.com]
[www.nutribiotic.com]

Plan ahead for next year and stock up on your preventive arsenal. Plus have your Vitamin D test soon so you know where you stand with that.

Jackie

Jackie, good recommendations in my opinion - thank you!

It was last winter that a viral cold set off my AF again for 5 weeks. It began with irregular HR but with a P wave for a few weeks and then it turned into AF.
Maybe i should have taken more Lipo C which i make myself (maybe that's a problem)
Here (in Melbourne, Australia) we seem to only have Citrus Kernel extract available. Wonder if it has the same efficacy as Grapefruit?
Have only used it to treat suspected food poisoning and tummy upsets.

Thanks for the reminder, Jackie.

Viral infections, especially a rip-roaring case of the flu, really do mess with the mitochondria that we rely on for healthy heart function. In fact, viruses effect all organs in the body that rely on mitochondria.

The following article gives more information on this:

Viruses as Modulators of Mitochondrial Function

I realize that this article is written in 'science talk', but I believe the people on this forum can get the jist of it.

I can trace my AF to a really bad case of the flu.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2019 08:29PM by Jim Benton.

Hi Joe - I checked the GSE book and it says the grapefruit seed extract is chemically identified as diphenol hydroxy-benzene complex and that the product, itself, contains approximately 50% Total Grapefruit Extractive... if that gives you any help for comparison. " The extract does include the seeds, membranes and pulp which is converted into the highly acidic liquid and is an excellent source of polyphenolic compounds such as quercitin, hesperidin, campherol glycoside, naringin, apigenin, rutinoside, etc" ... so if any of those names are indicted on the Citrus Kernel Extract, then maybe it would have similar benefits. Hard to know.

Jackie

Thanks Jim - Your info adds to the recent report on Mitochondrial Health... at this link... in case you didn't see it.
[www.afibbers.org]

Jackie