Natural Relief from the Flu

Your Child Has the Flu: What's a Mother to Do?
By Lauren Feder
Issue 128 - January/February 2005

Let the gentle healing of homeopathy ease your family's suffering.
By Lauren Feder, MD

Every fall and winter, many children and adults suffer from the familiar symptoms of cold and flu. Because of concerns about mercury in flu vaccines and the side effects of antibiotics, many parents are now turning to homeopathy and other forms of natural medicine to prevent and treat those nagging symptoms. “When my boys are sick, I’ll usually give them a homeopathic remedy,” says one of my patients, Susanna Campbell Watson. “Within a few days they usually get better, and I rarely need to go to the doctor.”

Homeopathy is a form of holistic medicine based on using minute doses of a substance to stimulate the body to heal itself. A remedy is chosen based on the person’s physical complaints as well as his or her mental and emotional symptoms. Homeopathy can be used to treat acute and chronic conditions in both children and adults. In my office, five children with the flu may each be prescribed a different remedy because each child’s combination of complaints is unique. Homeopathy is easy to administer, safe to use, and available over the counter.

Is it a Cold or the Flu?
Sometimes it is difficult to ascertain if your child has a cold or the flu. Both are caused by viruses, and both are contagious. Colds are most commonly caused by a nasal virus that leads to symptoms such as congestion, sneezing, and sore throat. Often, a runny nose begins with clear drainage and changes color as the cold matures. Contrary to popular thought, yellow-green mucus does not always indicate that an antibiotic should be prescribed. According to the Minnesota Antibiotic Resistance Collaborative, “Color changes in nasal mucus are a good sign that your body is fighting the virus.”

High fever, muscle aches and pains, and weakness and exhaustion are more characteristic of the flu. The flu, caused by the influenza virus, can be a more severe illness, as it can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia. The flu season typically lasts from November to March. Colds can occur any time of the year but are more abundant during flu epidemics. Both viruses can go into the chest and cause coughs. In general, younger children can get as many as seven colds a year. As their immune systems develop, they get colds less frequently. Healthy adults usually have two colds a year.

Cold and Flu Prevention
Although colds and the flu can’t always be avoided, the following measures can aid in preventing or minimizing symptoms:

• Get plenty of rest. This can be more difficult during the holiday season, but lack of sleep makes us vulnerable to getting sick.
• Dress warmly in layers and cover the feet. “Warmth supports all healing. Loss of warmth often leads to illness,” write the Wellness Nurses of the Los Angeles Alliance for Childhood. “The addition of warmth maintains health in a well person, and supports healing in a sick one.” Both children and adults should wear thin layers of natural fabrics, especially in the cooler months. In colder climates, hats should be worn outside.
• Encourage the drinking of healthy fluids, preferably at room temperature to warm. Avoid cold drinks. Give herbal tea, broths, and unsweetened, diluted juice. Ginger tea (heat several slices of fresh ginger in three cups of water for ten minutes), or a natural cold and flu tonic, can be soothing and therapeutic. You can make a tonic with 2–5 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar and 1–2 tablespoons honey or unrefined sweetener in 1 cup hot water, with a dash of cayenne pepper to taste.
• Eat well. Avoid sweets and dairy. Refined sugar compromises the immune system.
• Wash hands frequently to minimize the spread of germs.
• Avoid swimming in fall and winter, especially for susceptible children and adults.
• Dolivaxil (Influenzinum 2004–2005) is a homeopathic remedy that has been used in Europe for years during the flu season to prevent flu symptoms. Each year, the World Health Organization predicts which flu viruses are most likely to infect humans and cause flu symptoms. Based on this information, the homeopathic solution is reformulated each year to help prepare the body during the flu season. This remedy contains the same virus used by companies that manufacture the flu vaccine; however, the homeopathic preparation is natural, easy to use, and contains no mercury. Many families in my practice use it during the flu season as a prevention, with good results.
• Briar Rose is a gentle herb (see “Gemmotherapy,” below) that is useful for many conditions in children, especially infections of the ear, nose, and throat. I use it several times a week during the cold and flu season as a prevention, and twice a day while sick. It can be used in conjunction with homeopathy and all other medicines.