Each year we seem to have a flu epidemic in spite of (or because of?) the government flu vaccination programme. Doctors are now declaring that the vaccine last year was only 10% effective – however, it does appear to have been very effective in shedding the virus far and wide and thousands of people began suffering with the symptoms, caught from the live nasal spray. There’s a reason I can say that with such confidence, and that’s because I got symptoms and they were unlike any cold or flu I’d ever had before, and we do tend to suffer with these things with our own similar symptoms each time don’t we? This ‘flu’ that wasn’t quite flu just went on and on, I took some well indicated remedies and they’d helped a bit, for a while but I didn’t get the usual improvement from them. I was a bit baffled, and very frustrated, and I finally decided to take a remedy made from the nasal spray vaccine – and within a couple of hours I was hugely improved and within the day fully recovered. Maybe the fact that this happened within a couple of weeks of our local primary school vaccinations was a complete coincidence – but I don’t think so.
The flu – what to do?
We should really only suffer from the flu a couple of times during our lifetime, it’s horrible, but there are things we can do to prevent it, and to help it if we’ve got the symptoms.
Prevention is Better than Cure
Most obviously (and not always easily) eat as healthily as you can, drink lots of water, don’t put yourself under too much stress and get enough sleep. Also:
- Use a high quality Vitamins C and D
- I like Doterra’s ‘On Guard’ – it strengthens your immune system and protects against all sorts of germs. You could diffuse it or make a roller ball using your favourite carrier oil and use it as necessary – or even just rub a bit on your hands. Some hospitals apparently diffuse this in their surgeries now as it’s proven to lessen infection problems after surgery.
- Consider using a homeopathic remedy prophylactically (which means as a deterrent). You could use the current year’s flu strain which could be bought from a homeopathic pharmacy, or remedies such as Influenzinum or the remedy which helped most in last year’s flu epidemic (which was Eupatorium-perf).
What helps once I have Symptoms?
Keep up with the above points – but change the homeopathic remedy to one now indicated (see below). To help with the symptoms you are experiencing, consider a good Elderberry syrup, higher doses of Vitamin C, lots of sleep and whatever you know helps you. You could try a peeled onion by your bedside which is meant to draw out bacteria (I tried this and didn’t notice an obvious improvement – but remember we are all different and what helps one person won’t help another). Homeopathic remedies which are mostly known to help with flu type symptoms are:
- Eup-perf (which seemed to be the most helpful last year). Typical symptoms include a deep aching all over, restlessness, weakness, fever, very thirsty and other symptoms such as a headache, congestion and a cough.
- Bryonia which develops symptoms slowly and where you feel far worse if you move. A great thirst, possible headache and a dry cough can confirm this remedy choice and the remedy will prevent the symptoms reaching the chest.
- Gelsemium is for when you feel very dull and weak, often with chills and shivering with aching muscles. Often you could have a headache at the back of your neck and your symptoms will have come on gradually.
- Ant-tart is excellent for old people or children and good as a final remedy to finish symptoms off if there is a lot of mucous still on the chest. Apathetic and irritable with a rattling cough they lack the energy to expel the mucous.
- Belladonna is best for young children if they have a high fever and are or are almost hallucinating with it. There’s delirium, heat and intensity in this remedy.
There are many other remedies to consider, although these are among the most popular for flu and flu like symptoms. Repeat the most indicated remedy as long as you have symptoms and for as long as that remedy continues to help. Use it in a 30C or 200C potency if possible. Remember that as symptoms change, your remedy choice also needs to change to match symptoms.