Flu
I am not sure if this has been brought up, but there are a couple of things going on. The "flu" is one, that has severe "cold" symptoms, but also a norovirus that has the effects of a stomach "flu." Often mistaken for food poisoning.
pogopossum said:
I am not sure if this has been brought up, but there are a couple of things going on. The "flu" is one, that has severe "cold" symptoms, but also a norovirus that has the effects of a stomach "flu." Often mistaken for food poisoning.
Stomach "flu" is NOT influenza. While it is possible that excessive phlegm or coughing might cause stomach distress, the actual flu (influenza) is an upper respiratory disease and most "stomach flus" are a completely different type of disease.
Tom_Reingold said:
I got my shot, and wow, it was so painless. Needles have gotten thinner. No soreness or side effects afterwards, either.
The flu shot is one of the least painful immunizations around. Of course, the skill of the person administering the injection is a factor also, but my experience has been similar to yours. But others are more painful, no matter how skilled the person giving it. (From what I hear, one of the worst is the HPV vaccine given to pre-teens and teens these days.)
Yes my daughter had the HPV shot. That must be what stuck in my mind. It hurt badly for days.
I meant elping the immune system fight off illness, like echinacea, vitamin C, Lysine, etc. Obviously, if you have an auto immune disease, the last thing you need to do is ramp it up more.
shoshannah said:
callista said:
A lot of folks have been touting elderberry syrup as a great immune booster. I hadn't heard of that before.
Don't count on it.
BTW, can you explain what you mean by "immune booster"?
Unless you have an immune-compromising disease (in which case you'd be under the care of a doctor), you do not want to "boost" your immune system. Just ask anyone with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, diabetes type I, and other autoimmune diseases. They have "boosted" immune systems.
Mayo notes for colds:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/in-depth/cold-remedies/ART-20046403?p=1
NIH notes on natural products for colds and flu:
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/flucold.htm
NIH notes on flu and colds in depth, what's helpful (includes elderberry notes):
callista said:
I meant elping the immune system fight off illness, like echinacea, vitamin C, Lysine, etc. Obviously, if you have an auto immune disease, the last thing you need to do is ramp it up more.
shoshannah said:
callista said:
A lot of folks have been touting elderberry syrup as a great immune booster. I hadn't heard of that before.
Don't count on it.
BTW, can you explain what you mean by "immune booster"?
Unless you have an immune-compromising disease (in which case you'd be under the care of a doctor), you do not want to "boost" your immune system. Just ask anyone with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, diabetes type I, and other autoimmune diseases. They have "boosted" immune systems.
If you are a healthy person, there's nothing you can do to "help the immune system fight off illness." Truly.
Really??!
“Just keep saying that ‘I’ll never have the flu. I’ll never have the flu,’” she continued. “Inoculate yourself with the word of God. Flu, I bind you off the people in the name of Jesus. Jesus himself gave us the flu shot. He redeemed us from the curse of flu.”
Heavens above. This approach didn't cure plague, it won't cure the flu pandemic. (Try combining it with the strategies discussed above, and maybe you'll have better odds)
More sugar than anything else, according to the literature.
There's a fairly recent reference that I can't find now (I'm migrainey today, not functioning well, perhaps JF can find the link) that compares the best 'immune boosters' according to evidence-based research. The list includes before symptoms manifest and after, in other words what keeps infection at bay and what shortens your attack.
What seems to work best is the old-fashioned advice: good hygiene, eat healthy, sleep well, avoid people who are germy; get the vaccine; if you feel the beginnings of symptoms, stay well hydrated and rest.