Measures of War for Cold & Flu - the Supplements

I was trying to find a Remembrance Day service to attend, they are all online this year, that’s sad to me. Our soldiers who had to endure mud, rain, snow, or scorching heat and sand did not get to shy away from “it might be dangerous”. It was dangerous and they offered themselves up to provide freedom for the folks back home to keep them safe. My Dad and his brothers were in the Korean war, I want to keep remembering their sacrifices. Thank you never seems quite enough, but I am so thankful to them and the others with and before and our brave soldiers out there today for giving me a country of freedom to live in. Please will you join me in remembering them today?

I am not trying to be flippant, but there is another war on as we enter our normal cold and flu season. It is a battle.

Everyone around you is listening carefully for a cough, sneeze or other normal bodily function. Could be allergies or even choking but the sound of a horrible haunting hacking cough, sniffle or sneeze is bound to send someone around you running and thinking Covid but it could be the sound of flu season.

It is time to revisit the preventative measures of war for all colds and flus including Covid, I also added my favorite supplements for health.

You might ask why should we supplement when we eat healthy? Can’t we get our nutrition from our food? Long and short answer: yes and no.

I learned that it takes 11 store bought spinach plants to equal one Organic grown spinach plant to get the same nutritional value. The reason is that our soil has been leached of many nutrients and by adding chemicals and sprays in growing our crops they add to the problem. So, unless you are eating Organic or right from your own garden, you might not be getting the nutrition that you thought you were even if you eat “healthy”.

1) Oscillococcinum –Europe’s #1 flu fighter. Homeopathic, safe for everyone, including children and it can be taken while on other medications and does not interfere with them. Widely available in health food stores, grocery stores, and most drug stores now carry it. The best way to take it is right at the beginning of a cold or flu, if you feel something might be trying to attack you, take it! The package contains little plastic vials filled with tiny pellets. You open up a one vial and dissolve all of the pellets under your tongue – they have no taste. If I feel like something is starting to attack, I take it 3 times on the first day and 95% of the time I do not get sick. It can stop colds/flu/virus’s right in their tracks! For little ones you can dissolve the pellets into water and drop it into their mouths. During this season, I always have a box on hand.

2) Olive Leaf – capsules. Olive leaf is a natural antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal. At the beginning of the school year, I used to give my family one a day. If they started to get sick, I upped it to 2 or 3. (warning too much is not always a good thing and could cause diarrhea)

3) Oil of Oregano is certainly an efficient option. I personally think it tastes awful. You can get capsules or liquid and if you cannot swallow either, you can rub the oil into your skin or on the soles of your feet and it can be absorbed that way, a great way for children and babies, but be warned - you will smell like Italian food or pizza for the rest of the day.

4) Vitamin D in Canada the sun exposure in the winter wanes and the cold keeps us inside. The MS Society recommends that adults take 4,000 IU of Vitamin D per day to keep their immune systems up. It also helps with your bone health. Toxicity of Vitamin D supplements starts after taking 10,000 IU/day therefore 4,000 is safe, but check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other medications.

5) Remember to up your Vitamin C intake as well – bell peppers, papaya, broccoli, brussel sprouts, strawberries and pineapple have the some great amounts of Vitamin C - more than oranges.

6) Spirulina is a blue green algae and considered a Super Food. I use it in place of a multi because it contains so many nutrients and is a great antioxidant. Gram for gram Spirulina has more protein than meat: 1 tablespoon contains 4 grams of protein. It also contains B1, B2, B3, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Manganese and almost all other minerals and vitamins. It is used by NASA as a super food. A multi vitamin or Spirulina is on my essential list. Available in powder, tablet and capsule.

7) Digestive Enzymes this supplement helps with digestion of food. It can help reduce gas, bloating, and is especially necessary after big meals when you are sorry you ate that much. Our digestive enzymes in our digestive system can get thrown out of balance by illness, aging and poor eating.

8) Oil -Omega 3, 6, 9 – you can add a good oil to your diet (I pour mine into a smoothie) or take a supplement. This is so important for your brain function, cardiovascular system, skin and over all well being.

9) MSM – Methylsulfonylmethane is used to treat muscle soreness, arthritis issues, and skin ailments including Rosacea. This supplement contains sulphur. Brian takes these capsules when his knees or elbows start to act up, he finds it helps relieve the pain.

10) Magnesium and Calcium – this is a must for everyone unless you are eating your required amount of calcium via food.

11) Probiotics – these are the good bacteria that live in your body, they fight the bad guys and keep your immune system healthy in your gut and aid in digestion. Antibiotics kill all bacteria – good and bad, so after any antibiotics taking Probiotics is necessary. It is also a good thing to take after an illness or yeast infection and no yogurt with probiotics is not enough to help you. Look for Probiotics that have several different strains mentioned on the label, perhaps there are shelf stable ones now, but when I was in the health industry, we were warned only to get refrigerated ones.

Stay healthy and warm and please take some time today to remember our Veterans who fought so valiantly for our country.