Dr. Holtorf  of the Holtorf Medical Group posted a question and answer session online from his interview with an international news network.  Here is a quote from his suggestions to prevent viruses and infections. Use the link in the footnote to read the full article.

Natural ways to prevent an infection include vitamin D 5000-15,000 per day (best to check levels), zinc 50 mg/day, vitamin C 3000 mg/day, licorice root extract and miataki mushroom D-fraction. There are good combination products available (Virunex, Immunostim). Nasal colloidal silver can be very effective. It is very safe, and no virus has ever been shown to develop resistance to silver. (1)

Dr. Joseph Mercola is also a strong advocate of optimizing your vitamin D levels, not just for flu prevention but daily health. It is also one of the least expensive ways to be proactive.

He makes 2 strong statements advocating vitamin D:

-Optimizing your vitamin D levels is the absolute best strategy for avoiding infections of all kinds.
-Vitamin D deficiency is the most likely true culprit behind seasonal flu, not the flu virus itself. (2)

Here are his 2 suggested standards for vitamin D supplements:

1. He strongly suggests that you have your vitamin D levels monitored to confirm that they are at a therapeutic level, which is between 50-65 ng/ml.
2. If you are coming down with flu-like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D, take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat acute infection. (2) [Notice this amount is for acute infection. Dr. Cannell says 5,000 units per day is an appropriate amount to maintain good health.]

Here are 8 Other Daily Health Practices to Build a Strong Immune System and Prevent the Flu. These are excerpts from Dr. Mercola’s newsletter. See the footnote for the full article.

Avoid sugar and processed foods-  Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately.
Get sufficient rest.
Effectively address stress.
Exercise-  Exercise increases your circulation and blood flow throughout your body. When the parts of your immune system have better circulated, your immune system has a better chance of stopping an illness before it spreads
Take a good source of animal-based omega-3 essential fats-  Dr. Mercola prefers krill oil. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils like the trans fats found in most processed foods.
Wash your hands-  Use a simple chemical-free soap.
Eat garlic regularly-  Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body.
Avoid hospitals and vaccines-  Dr. Mercola recommends staying away from hospitals unless you’re having an emergency during this flu season. (2)

Here are a couple of video clipe by other notable doctors on the benefits of increasing your vitamin D for flu prevention.

Use this link to hear Dr. Joe Prendergast explain why vitamin D is better than any vaccine and increases the immune system by 3-5 times as well as share testimonials of its amazing effect in reducing cancer.

Use this link to hear Dr. John Cannell on how 5000 units of vitamin D a day improves health, fight flu viruses, and destroy even encapsulated virus cells, bacteria, and fungus.

You may also want to check these prior posts on Building Your Immune System and Flu Prevention.

Immune System Boosters – 7 ways to boost your immune system

Flu Prevention – Virus blocker we use and other site’s suggestions.

Superfoods Boost Overall Health – Improve your health for a few dollars a day be adding superfoods into your diet.

1. Dr. Kent Holtorf’s questions and answer on swine flu. 
2. Dr. Mercola’s flu prevention methods. 

Natural virus blockers are an effective way to prevent the flu from taking hold.

Last winter, when the some severe flu strains were taking over large regions of the US, we had stayed pretty flu free all season. Toward the end of the season, I evidently caught the strain from a coughing cashier and stopped by the health food store to buy extra vitamin C and see what else they had available. They had a huge display of a product called, Blockade. The store reps said that they had been selling a good deal of the product and people were bringing back good reports, so I decided to give it a try. If you recall, last winter’s strain of flu was holding on for 2-3 weeks at a time. I was significantly better in 24 hrs. and completely over it within 48 hrs.

Blockade is an all herbal virus blocker.

According to the write-up, viruses reproduce in the human body after entering human cells, as opposed to infections in the blood stream which can be treated with antibiotics. Since viruses reproduce within the cells, antibiotics do not work on them. The bioactives in Blockade coat the viruses and prevent them from attaching to and entering human cells. Since the viruses cannot reproduce, the illness does not progress. Laboratory studies have shown a 100% success rate in keeping the flu virus from entering cells. Blockade is sold as lozenges. I believe that I paid about $6 for a pack of 7 lozenges. A pack of 14 is also available. It is very important to follow the directions; the lozenges are not to be chewed or dissolved like a cough drop. You are to hold the lozenge under your tongue and let it dissolve all the way so it is absorbed immediately into your bloodstream, rather than going through your digestive system. If you have taken many health food supplements, you will be familiar with doing the same thing with liquid vitamins.

We found Blockade at our local Vitamin Shoppe (chain store); my relatives bought it at their local health food store. You can also find it at many places online by searching Blockade with Virabloc.   GNC has also started carrying their own version of a virus blocker, which we have found to be very effective.

Echinacea is often used as an immune system booster.

Studies show it can lessen the duration and severity of a cold, especially if taken as soon as the cold begins to develop. In capsule form, they recommend 900 mg to 4.5 grams per day. In liquid extract, 3-9 milliliters is recommended. People allergic to ragweed may be allergic to Echinacea. (GreenWise, Dec 04, p. 11)

Elderberry has been used as a cold and flu remedy for centuries.

One study found that people taking elderberry recovered from the flu in 3 days as opposed to 6 without it. They recommend 3 t. per day of extract or 500 mg capsule 3 times a day. Prevention.com

WebMD has a list of 12 simple lifestyle changes to avoid flu and/or speed recovery.

Ginger Tea is said to bring relief from fever and chills.

Fever and head congestion can be relieved by making a tea of 1/3 t. of powdered ginger into a cup of hot water. (GreenWise, Dec 04, p. 11) I, personally, would mix honey into that to make it more flavorful.

Other Sites of Interest for Natural Flu Prevention-

You can find many sites for natural flu prevention. Two others I came across were Body and Fitness and
Organic Nutrition, both of which list herbs for various cold and flu prevention or symptoms.

Table of contents for Swine Flu

1. Why You Should be Concerned about the Swine Flu Vaccine and Your Family
2. Empower Yourself with Knowledge of the Flu Vaccine Types
3. Improve Your Body’s Natural Defense Against Swine Flu and Other Infections

There are natural ways to optimize your body’s natural health defenses through supplements and some common health practices.

Dr. Kent Holtorf of the Holtorf Medical Group drew international attention after an interview with Fox News about why his own children will not be receiving the swine flu vaccine. People are not always aware of the ways to improve their health and the body’s own defense against the flu and other infections.

Dr. Holtorf posted a question and answer session online about the swine flu (dated April 2009). Here is a quote from his suggestions to prevent viruses and infections. Use the link in the footnote to read the full article.

Natural ways to prevent an infection include vitamin D 5000-15,000 per day (best to check levels), zinc 50 mg/day, vitamin C 3000 mg/day, licorice root extract and miataki mushroom D-fraction. There are good combination products available (Virunex, Immunostim). Nasal colloidal silver can be very effective. It is very safe, and no virus has ever been shown to develop resistance to silver. (1)

Dr. Joseph Mercola is also a strong advocate of optimizing your vitamin D levels, not just for flu prevention but daily health. It is also one of the least expensive ways to be proactive.

He makes 2 strong statements advocating vitamin D:

-Optimizing your vitamin D levels is the absolute best strategy for avoiding infections of all kinds.
-Vitamin D deficiency is the most likely true culprit behind seasonal flu, not the flu virus itself. (2)

Here are his 2 suggested standards for vitamin D supplements:

1. He strongly suggests that you have your vitamin D levels monitored to confirm that they are at a therapeutic level, which is between 50-65 ng/ml.
2. If you are coming down with flu-like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D, take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat acute infection. (2) [Notice this amount is for acute infection. Dr. Cannell says 5,000 units per day is an appropriate amount to maintain good health.]

Here are 8 Other Daily Health Practices to Build a Strong Immune System and Prevent the Flu. These are excerpts from Dr. Mercola’s newsletter. See the footnote for the full article.

Avoid sugar and processed foods-  Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately.
Get sufficient rest.
Effectively address stress.
Exercise-  Exercise increases your circulation and blood flow throughout your body. When the parts of your immune system have better circulated, your immune system has a better chance of stopping an illness before it spreads
Take a good source of animal-based omega-3 essential fats-  Dr. Mercola prefers krill oil. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils like the trans fats found in most processed foods.
Wash your hands-  Use a simple chemical-free soap.
Eat garlic regularly-  Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body.
Avoid hospitals and vaccines-  Dr. Mercola recommends staying away from hospitals unless you’re having an emergency during this flu season. (2)

Here are a couple of video clipe by other notable doctors on the benefits of increasing your vitamin D for flu prevention.

Use this link to hear Dr. Joe Prendergast explain why vitamin D is better than any vaccine and increases the immune system by 3-5 times as well as share testimonials of its amazing effect in reducing cancer.

Use this link to hear Dr. John Cannell on how 5000 units of vitamin D a day improves health, fight flu viruses, and destroy even encapsulated virus cells, bacteria, and fungus.

You may also want to check these prior posts on Building Your Immune System and Flu Prevention.

Immune System Boosters – 7 ways to boost your immune system

Flu Prevention – Virus blocker we use and other site’s suggestions.

Superfoods Boost Overall Health – Improve your health for a few dollars a day be adding superfoods into your diet.

This is Part 3 of a 3 part series on Swine Flu.  If you missed Parts 1 and 2 on why the concern over the vaccine and the 2 different types of vaccines, please use the series link at the beginning of this post.

1. Dr. Kent Holtorf’s questions and answer on swine flu. 
2. Dr. Mercola’s flu prevention methods. 

Table of contents for Swine Flu

1. Why You Should be Concerned about the Swine Flu Vaccine and Your Family
2. Empower Yourself with Knowledge of the Flu Vaccine Types
3. Improve Your Body’s Natural Defense Against Swine Flu and Other Infections

Knowledge of the Two Types of Flu Vaccines is necessary for an educated decision.

This post is Part 2 of a 3 Part Series.  In this post, we’ll discuss two different types of flu vaccines, how virus statistics are determined, and important label info from the vaccine manufacturer.

Part 1 discusses why some leading doctors are vocalizing concern over the swine flu vaccine. If you missed it, click the above series link.  Part 3 will give you easy, safe and natural ways to prevent the flu and other infections.  The purpose in this post is not to address the political issues involved regarding the swine flu and its vaccines, but only to make sure that you, my readers, are well informed for the safety and well-being of your own family.

Swine flu vaccines are available in both a nasal spray, which contains live virus, and the injectable vaccine which contains a dead virus.

Nearly all of the swine flu vaccines that made available in October are the nasal spray type that contains live virus’, which is not recommended for pregnant women, people over 50, or those with asthma, heart disease or several other health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control’s own website.  See the footnote below for the CDC’s full list of who should not get this vaccine. (1)

Dr. Joseph Mercola also cautions that the nasal spray causes a much greater immune reaction, and since it contains live virus, they may multiply too quickly if your immune system is already compromised. (2)

Dr. Mercola also explains that though the injectable vaccine will supposedly contain only killed and fragmented virus components, in order to “make it more effective,” it also contains adjuvants — ingredients designed to cause a greater immune reaction by lowering your immune function. Some of these adjuvants, such as thimerosal and squalene, are toxins that have already been shown to carry considerable health risks.(2)

As alarming as statistics of any deaths from viruses against which people feel powerless, it is important to grasp the flu statistics in perspective with other health statistics.

Here are excerpts of stats from Dr. Mercola’s site about death-related flu statistics:

1. More Americans die from asthma and malnutrition each year than the flu.
2. Death caused directly by the flu virus is very rare. The vast majority of flu-related deaths are actually due to bacterial pneumonia, a secondary illness resulting from an already compromised immune system. The actual number of people who died from the flu in 2005 in the US (most recent data available) was 1,806.
3. Elderly and people with other pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease are at higher risk of pneumonia after the flu.
4. Treatment for bacterial pneumonia is an antibiotic, so it would not be logical to take a flu vaccine to prevent pneumonia.
5. Before the CDC advocated vaccinating children under the age of five, the number of children dying from the flu was very low. In 2003, after children age five and under started getting vaccinated, the number of flu deaths skyrocketed. (3)

It may also assist in your decision to know how the flu strain in the vaccine is chosen.

In the first 2 months of each year, health officials from the US travel to Asia to study flu strains. They assume the strains in Asia in January will reach the US by fall. US vaccine manufacturers start producing the vaccine using the strains from Asia. If the viral strain in the US in the fall is not identical to the one from Asia, the vaccine is a complete “dud.” (3)

Another vital piece of information you usually won’t see is the flu vaccine manufacturer’s insert disclaimer.

It appears there would be no argument at all if flu vaccine’s insert was read by everyone. FLUAVAL’s insert for the 2009-2010 formula says that no trials have been done to prove that you are less likely to contract the flu after their vaccine:

FLULAVAL is an influenza virus vaccine indicated for active immunization of adults 18 years of age and older against influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and type B contained in the vaccine. This indication is based on immune response elicited by FLULAVAL, and there have been no controlled trials demonstrating a decrease in influenza disease after vaccination with FLULAVAL. (4)

Last, let’s take a look at why, with regard to the recent presidential announcement, there are conflicting reports of pandemic flu emergencies versus normal yearly flu counts.

In a July 24, 2009 Press Release, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) stated that they are no longer requiring doctors to test to confirm swine flu among their patients. Basically, anyone with flu symptoms is being categorized as a possible swine flu carrier. Obviously, as there are also strains of seasonal flu and many other illnesses which can cause similar symptoms to the swine flu, the counts appear larger than reality. Here is the quote from the CDC’s own site:

This week we have posted the latest numbers for case counts, but I want to mention this will be the last where you will see that kind of reporting. …We’re no longer going to expect the states will continue this individual reporting…(5)

A three-month-long investigation by CBS News, released October 21, 2009, is what brought the above quote and other issues about the flu virus back to public awareness. CBS study found that H1N1 flu cases are NOT as prevalent as feared. A CBS article even states:

If you’ve been diagnosed “probable” or “presumed” 2009 H1N1 or “swine flu” in recent months, you may be surprised to know this: odds are you didn’t have H1N1 flu. In fact, you probably didn’t have flu at all.(6)

We commend Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Kent Holtorf, Bill Sardis, CBS News and others who have championed the cause of public awareness on this topic.

1. CDC’s Nasal Vaccine Information. A partial list is on page 1 of this .pdf, but you need to read page 2 for the full list of who the Center for Disease Control says should not get this vaccine.
2. Excerpts by Dr. Mercola on both the nasal and injectible vaccines.
3. Flu-related death statistics and determining the virus strain. “Flu Virus Exposed.”
4. FLULVAL’s package insert
5. CDC’s Press Release on Ending Virus Testing
6. Results of CBS News 3 Month Flu Virus Study

Table of contents for Swine Flu

1. Why You Should be Concerned about the Swine Flu Vaccine and Your Family
2. Empower Yourself with Knowledge of the Flu Vaccine Types
3. Improve Your Body’s Natural Defense Against Swine Flu and Other Infections

Let’s look at a few reasons why more concern is unfolding regarding the flu vaccine and your family’s safety than the swine flu itself.

Below is various info I came across as well as excerpts from Fox News’ interview on September 23, 2009 with Dr. Kent Holtorf, an expert in autoimmune diseases. His interview created international concern over the new flu vaccine. See link below for full interview.(1)

The first concern is that the vaccine was rushed to market.

Dr. Holtorf said, “I have more concern about the vaccine than I do about the swine flu. It’s been rushed to market.”

An article by LeuRockwell.com’s Bill Sardi stated his research on the flu shots also confirmed this:

This is the first year mock vaccines have been used to gain FDA approval. Mock vaccines are made to gain approval of the manufacturing method and then the prevalent virus strain in circulation is added just days before it is actually placed into use. Don’t subject your children to experimental vaccines. Yes, these vaccines have been tested on healthy kids and adults, but they are not the same vaccines your children will be given.(2)

The second main concern is the toxicity of the adjunct in the flu shot, a substance added to increase its performance.

The main adjunct in the swine flu vaccine is Thimerosal, a compound containing mercury.

Read this alarming quote that I found straight off the FDA’s own website:

Over the past several years, because of an increasing awareness of the theoretical potential for neurotoxicity of even low levels, Thimerosal has been removed from or reduced to trace amounts in all vaccines routinely recommended for children 6 years of age and younger, with the exception of inactivated influenza vaccine.(3)

Dr. Holtorf’s concerns over the adjunct include possible autism, as well as high risk for children, pregnant women, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia patients:

There are high levels of adjuncts, which make it more potent. It’s kind of an unrefined method that they used. They had to use high levels of these adjuncts, including Thimerosal… it’s been shown to cause autism in children with mitochondrial dysfunction. and the problem is you don’t know if your child has mitochondrial dysfunction. I also worry about children and other people with blood brain barrier dysfunction, or it’s not fully developed, which include children, pregnant women, chronic neurological illnesses, and chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. People been devastated by these vaccines.

The toxicity risk has caused Dr. Holtorf to refuse to give it to his own children.

When asked about giving the H1N1 vaccine to his own kids, he replied:

I definitely would not…You are rolling the dice. It is a proven neurotoxin. It has 25,000 times the level of mercury than would be considered toxic if a food or water…It’s too big a risk.

What action should you take this flu season?

Classic symptoms of the swine flu are the same as the seasonal flu:

cough, fever, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, some vomiting and diarrhea

Dr. Holtorf recommends that you call your physician if you have a continual fever for more than 3 hours, if your fever returns after a few hours, or you are a person at high risk.

This post is Part 1 of a 3 Part Series.
Part 2 will explain the two different types of swine flu vaccines, how they are produced, how statistics are determined, and important label info from the vaccine’s manufacturer.
Part 3 will give you easy, safe and natural ways to prevent the flu and other infections.

1. Watch the Full Fox News interview with Dr. Kent Holtorf
2. Article by Bill Sardi, 18 Reasons Why You Should Not Vaccinate Your Children Against the Flu
3. FDA’s quote on the danger of Thimerosal