The taming of the flu: natural remedies and immune boosters can minimize your misery if cold or flue strikes—and perhaps help you sidestep the sniffles entirely

Kathleen Doheny

Is there a germ out there with your name on it? The average American suffers through two to four colds a year and has a 20 percent chance of getting the flu: the numbers are higher for women, especially those tending young children. Keeping your body strong and healthy (see "Prevention Plan," page 54) boosts your chances of getting through the hack-and-sniffle season unscathed. But no one's immune, so it's best to be prepared with a plan to minimize the misery.

which is which?

Colds and flu can strike anytime, but they peak from mid-October through February. In the early stages, it can be tough to tell the two apart. "Influenza causes fever that's generally over 102 degrees, muscle aches, headache, and often a dry cough," says Jane Murray, M.D., a family physician at the Sastun Center of Integrative Health Care in Mission, Kan. "Colds typically don't cause that high of a fever."

Dwelling on the diagnosis can be a waste of time, says Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council in Austin, Texas. "Both are viral, and most of the time you don't know what you have until it's progressed," he points out. "I build up my immune system either way."

If you feel a virus coming on, treat yourself within a few hours of noticing the first symptoms to get the best results. But seek professional help if your fever is very high or lasting (see diagram, left) or if you have a cough with fever or chest pain. As always, talk to your doctor if you're using alternative treatments.

the right remedy

What's the first rule of battling a cold or flu? "Slow down," says Murray. "People need to go to bed early and cut their commitments. The body really needs rest to fight this off."

Before you tuck yourself in, dose yourself with your remedy of choice. Avoid antibiotics, which have no impact on colds and flu (and help create drug-resistant supergerms); other popular options, such as golden-seal, are more hype than help. But research is promising on the following:

elderberry For centuries, elderberry has been used in folk medicine as a remedy for colds and flu, and scientists are finally determining why. "Elderberry extract appears to have antiviral activity," says Murray. In an investigation published in The Israel Medical Association Journal, researchers found that black elderberry extract activated the immune system by boosting the production of cytokines, which are small protein molecules secreted by immune calls. In another study, published in The Journal of Internal Medicine Research, patients with the flu who took elderberry syrup (15 milliliters four times a day for five days) reported relief from symptoms four days earlier than those who took a placebo.

zinc For colds, zinc lozenges get a cautious nod from Murray. "It may be that they slightly decrease the duration of the cold," she says. In a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 48 subjects with cold symptoms took a lozenge containing 12.8 milligrams of zinc or a placebo every two to three hours. The zinc group reported shorter duration of symptoms--4.5 days compared with 8.1--and had less coughing and nasal discharge.

Additional research, published in the American Journal of Therapeutics, found that zinc lozenges (marketed as Cold-Eeze) prevented or reduced the number of colds in school-age children.

"Zinc will help shorten the length of a cold if you start taking it at the outset," says Erica Oberg, N.D., a naturopathic physician at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle. Lozenges are better than tablets, she adds. "You could take two or three 15 milligram lozenges a day safely for seven to 10 days if you check with your health-care provider first."

echinacea This classic cold treatment gets mixed reviews. "Echinacea is still worth doing," insists Blumenthal, though he concedes that "the [medical] literature is all over the place." While a University of Wisconsin analysis concluded that echinacea reduced symptoms in upper-respiratory infections, a recent study on children, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, found that echinacea fared no better than a placebo. In some protocols, subjects may not have started their treatment soon enough, says Blumenthal, who suggests three or four droppers of tincture every three or four hours, starting at the very first sign of symptoms.

oscillococcinum For flu, this homeopathic remedy with a very long name may offer a little bit of relief, says Murray. In a review of studies published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, Oscillococcinum reduced the duration of influenza by one-fourth of a day but did not seem to prevent it. The manufacturer suggests that the first dose be taken at the onset of symptoms and two additional doses taken at six-hour intervals.

dolivaxil Designed to work like a vaccine, the homeopathic preparation Dolivaxil contains minute amounts of the flu viruses expected to be prevalent during the coming season; this stimulates the immune system to mount a defense against them, says Darren Krein, a spokesman for Dolisos America, the U.S. distributor. Dolivaxil is taken under the tongue once a week for four weeks; a fifth dose follows three weeks later.

Besides the viruses, the product includes only sucrose and lactose. "Homeopathic remedies will work well for some people," says Oberg. "They are generally safe, so it's certainly something people can try."

herbal bath For flu, Blumenthal recommends taking two or three herbal baths a day. He prefers Olbas Herbal Bath, a mixture of wintergreen, peppermint, eucalyptus, juniper, and clove oils. Make the water as hot as you can stand, he says, and sit in it for 15 or 20 minutes. "The skin is the biggest organ of absorption," he says. "It's like you're sitting in an herbal tea."

chinese medicine Colds are defined by Chinese medicine as either hot or cold. A "cold cold" (sniffles, chills, scratchy throat) "makes you want a warm room, warm food, and warm clothing," says Efrem Korngold, co-author of Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine, "Hot colds" (fevers, headaches, swollen glands) make you want to spend the day in an ice bath,

To treat a cold cold, Korngold suggests this simple hot remedy: Steep grated whole ginger root and four chopped scallion bulbs in a quart of boiling water, Drink a cup of the hot tea, followed by a bowl of hot white rice. Then wrap yourself up from head to toe and get in bed. While you sleep, your clothing will absorb your perspiration, and you should feel better by morning.

Treating hot colds is not so simple. "Rather than eat or drink anything cold, take herbs that have a cooling effect," says Korngold. He recommends adding one heaping teaspoon each of dried peppermint, chrysanthemum, and honeysuckle flowers to a quart of boiling water. Cover and let steep until tepid. Drink a cup of this tea every two hours and keep your body at a comfortable room temperature.

For lingering cold colds, try Yin Chiao Chieh Tu Pien, which has forsythia buds, burdock seeds, and licorice root. Stomp out persistent hot colds by taking four tablets of Gan Mao Ling every four hours. It contains the potent antiviral and anti-inflammatory herb isatis, as well as peppermint and honeysuckle.

Defend yourself from future colds by sipping cups of hot water throughout the day. You can add a bit of licorice extract for flavor and for its harmonizing and detoxifying effects, Korngold notes.

prescription treatments Anti-viral drugs like Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Flumadine (rimantidine) slow down the replication of the virus. But the window of opportunity is narrow. "They must be started within 48 hours of symptom onset," says Murray, who doesn't generally recommend either medication. "They're very expensive, and they reduce the duration of symptoms by only about one day."

It's difficult to know in the first day or two if an illness really is influenza, she says. There is a rapid test for influenza type A, but Murray only suggests it for patients at high risk--such as the elderly or those with chronic serious lung problems.

prevention plan

The key to Setting through cold and flu season is to stay healthy in the first place. Start with these basics:

* hit the sack. "Number one is to get enough sleep," says Jane Murray, M.D. "Viruses are around us all the time, and it's when our immune system is lax that they can take over."

* get fresh. "Eat the least amount of processed foods possible," Murray says. "The worse the diet, the worse your body's ability to repair and recover."

* stay near a sink. "Wash your hands before eating and after coming into contact with people who are sick," says Erica Oberg, N.D. While you're at it, keep your fingers off your face. "Don't rub your nose and eyes," says Murray. "We definitely transmit viruses from hands to mucous membranes."

* work it out. "Moderate exercise Is a great strategy for preventing colds and flu," Oberg says. Stick to your regular routine. (If you do get sick, keep your contagions away from the gym, and don't work out at all if you have a fever.)

* play misty. Ask your doctor if you need to be vaccinated. FluMist, the new nasal-spray flu vaccine, contains weakened live flu viruses and is approved for use in healthy people ages 5 to 49. The injectable vaccine contains killed viruses and is recommended for seniors, young children, and those with weakened immune systems. Neither vaccine, by the way, can give you the flu.

* get to the root. Ginseng may have antiviral properties. University of Milan researchers gave subjects 100 milligrams daily of ginseng or a placebo, followed a month later by a flu shot. The herb group had far more success avoiding the flu.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
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