Maybe you’re as sick of all the flu hoopla as I am. But flu is here to stay, whether it actually arrives in our winter season or any other season. Phooey!
VACCINE FREE: NOW WHAT? INFLUENZA CLASS (class eight of the 12-class series)
Because a new vaccine is offered yearly, Influenza will be one of the classes offered in the 12-week Vaccine Free: Now What? teleseminar course. Influenza is an annual infectious illness so every year there is more and more pressure to ‘get your flu vaccine.’ And every year, parents are told that the flu vaccine is safe for babies and small children. You are already well-informed parents, but how many of you are aware that the H1N1 Influenza vaccine Pandemrix that was promoted in Canada as being safe for pregnant mothers, babies, and children (remember this was going to be the BIG swine flu pandemic in 2009?), is now linked to narcolepsy (involuntary falling asleep and/or uncontrollable sleepiness) in children? Research from Europe is linking the oil-based adjuvant (chemical used to simulate an immune response) AS03, commonly known as squalene, as the culprit for this adverse reaction. You can read read all about the 2009 flu vaccine’s adverse effects and current research at the Vaccine Risk Awareness Network.
This is only a sample of the kind of information and research that you will get in the 12-week course. So if you are completely vaccine free or just flu vaccine free, come join us in the course to learn how you can use homeopathy to prevent flu and, should you ‘get it,’ help your children, your elderly parents and grandparents, and yourself heal.
I GOT IT AGAIN – DOUBLE PHOOEY!
What a way to end 2012 and begin 2013 – flu in the fall and yet another bout of flu just two weeks ago. Many of you likely have a similar story. Some of my patients also got the Norwalk virus (diarrhea and vomiting) as an added challenge. (Check out the January 2013 newsletter for more on that…)
With every illness, there is always something to learn about homeopathy, especially with flu. There are a number of options with over-the-counter homeopathic preparations; you can buy one yearly to prevent the flu (Boiron Influenzinum) and another one to use if you get the flu (Boiron Oscillococcinum). It can be confusing, especially when you read a previous newsletter about using single homeopathic remedies! AGGGHH! How do you know what to use and when, especially when you are in the thick of being sick?
You really are not alone. I found myself in the same situation just a couple weeks ago. After starting out with Arsenicum (I woke at midnight and was sneezing, chilly, and wanted warm drinks) but no improvement. What to do?
Out of simple desperation, I turned to a homeopathic nosode called Influenzinum from Helios Pharmacy in England. It made a huge difference.
In addition to prevention (Boiron Influenzinum), over-the-counter homeopathic remedy when you have the flu (Oscillococcinum), and single remedies (like Arsenicum), I’d like to introduce you to a ‘nosode’ called Influenzinum from Helios. A nosode is a homeopathic remedy made from the disease tissue. I know it sounds a bit gross, but the homeopathic pharmaceutical process of dilution makes it quite safe.
TAKING THE PHOOEY OUT OF THE FLU
For Prevention:
Homeopathic BOIRON INFLUENZINUM 2012-2013
(Each box contains five single-dose tubes of Influenzinum 9CH 2012-2013.)
What is homeopathic Influenzinum made from?
Each year, Boiron Homeopathic Pharmacy receives from the World Health Organization (WHO) the three viral strains they have chosen for that year as the strains most likely to be active in the current influenza period. According to Boiron, Influenzinum prevents the contraction of flu-like symptoms such as fever, headaches, vertigo (dizziness), aches, and pains.
A clinical study was done on 100 patients where 85% had suffered from an episode of the flu or a similar infection each year. The study followed the patients over two winters to test the preventative effects of Influenzinum.
With this product, you are getting the viral strains without the adjuvants (like squalene) and preservatives (like thimerosal) in the vaccine.
For Treatment of Flu Symptoms:
Homeopathic BOIRON OSCILLOCOCCINUM
Oscillococcinum is made from the liver and heart of the Barbary duck. This single homeopathic remedy is almost a perfect picture of flu symptoms in general. Like Arnica, whose remedy picture fits the general symptoms of bruises, bleeding, swelling, and inflammation from injuries, Oscillococcinum has a picture of aches, pains, fever, sneezing, runny/watery eyes and nose, and bursting headaches – all the general symptoms of the flu.
Below are some links for more information about Oscillococcinum. Several studies have been done and this remedy has proven itself to be effective in lessening the intensity and duration of flu symptoms.
http://cure-guide.com/books/flu/homeopathy-flu/
http://www.homeoinfo.com/06_materia_medica/other/oscillococcinum.php
http://www.irishhomeopaths.com/birdfluremedies
There is another name for this remedy as well. Oscillococcinum is a proprietary product (Boiron owns the formulation), but a similar remedy can also be purchased from Helios Pharmacy in England as Anas barbariae. Check out the link below to read more remedy information.
For Prevention and Treatment of Flu Symptoms:
Homeopathic INFLUENZINUM 200 from Helios
This remedy is made from the disease tissue from the 1918 Spanish Influenza. Helios Pharmacy reports success using this in any flu season for prevention or treatment of the flu. And this is the remedy I turned to with my second bout of the flu. It will likely be my go-to flu remedy in any season! At one point, my nose and eyes were so runny and watery that I thought I would actually have to resort to an antihistamine because I just could not find any relief with a single remedy. (So I really do understand how desperate you can get when you are sick with the flu!)
I still had the flu but the intensity of the symptoms was much less: I could breathe and best of all, I could sleep uninterrupted through the night.
This is the one single flu remedy I would recommend every family have. You can use it preventatively or to treat flu.
If you’re interested in learning more, please consider joining me and 11 others for the Vaccine Free: Now What? teleseminar class. During the 12-week course, you will get even more information including homeopathic philosophy, potency, remedy preparation, and dosage – everything you would want to know to be a better home prescriber!
