JAMIESON EXPERTISE

No Flu for You!

Dec 12, 2011     Posted by: Guest Expert

Flu and "colds" are borne from different viruses. The way to tell the difference between 'just a cold' and 'its the Flu!' is that flu symptoms almost always include a cough and fever. Common flu symptoms also include fatigue, muscle aches, sore throat, headache, decreased appetite, runny nose.  Sometimes you’ll also have nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
 
The flu, or influenza-A, is a virus that runs November to April and affects 10% to 25% of Canadians annually, sends 20,000 to hospital and unfortunately kills approximately 4,000 people ever year.  Being aware of these statistics and having recently travelled to Italy to update my arsenal of natural remedies to include the most effective flu weapon, Jamieson FluShield, was my very motivation to trip across the country and educate the masses about flu prevention.  My campaign is “No Flu For You”.  By coincidence,  just a few days prior to leaving for the west coast, the largest study of its kind released in the Lancet (1967-Feb 2011)showed the flu vaccine is only 59% effective!   On the heels of such a surprisingly low efficacy of the often touted ‘only effective solution’, more than ever I felt compelled to inform as many people as possible as to what more they could do and take to stay healthy before the next flu epidemic hit. Onward I went to Vancouver, through Calgary, then Winnipeg, Ottawa, a week in Toronto, over to Halifax, and last stop in Quebec. 
 
It is important to note is that approximately 20% of Canadians (5.4 million of us) use alternative remedies to treat cold and flu. It is even more important to remember that likely upwards of 50% or more of those are junk, not studied as effective, or are only marginally effective.  So, my mission was to first decide on the “best of” flu prevention solutions. In a nutshell, here was my message: take the right type of Echinacea only found in Jamieson’s FluShield, get enough Vit-D for immune enhancement, take Probiotics for gut immune support (especially post antibiotics), and follow a host of good hygiene practices, nasal showering techniques, salt rock inhalation, and some petroleum jelly up the nose for that extra bit of protection!
 
You can read my top 10 recommendations for "No Flu For You” daily practices on our specially-designed T-shirt at www.wyldeabouthealth.com/articles/view/32)
If you’d like to know when flu may peek in your neck of the woods, take a look at “Google Flu Trends”. The Google team has found that certain search terms are good indicators of flu activity. “Google Flu Trends” uses aggregated Google search data to estimate flu activity. Visit www.google.org/flutrends/ca/#CA to find more information.
 
There is no better time than now to start your daily regime against the annual flu.  And where the flu shot is only 59% effective, whether you opt for it or not, you may wish to shield yourself further.
 
Bryce Wylde is an alternative medicine expert, clinician, television host, educator, author, and philanthropist.  Bryce holds a Diploma in Homeopathic Medicine and Health Sciences (DHMHS) from the Ontario College of Homeopathic Medicine and is known as one of Canada's leading alternativehealth experts.