Dear Friends,
After listening to endless news reports about the flu and how you, your children and the elderly need to get vaccinated to be protected this season, I have given up wondering why they lie to us. I know that the safety and effectiveness of the flu vaccine has not been established in those under 18 or over 65, that there have been NO studies that adequately demonstrate the flu vaccine will decrease your risk of getting the flu. Plus flu vaccines are not tested for mutagenicity, carcinogenic potentiality or fertility impairment. How do I know this? I’ve read the vaccine insert that plainly states this. I have accepted that our reporters are no longer truth-seeking journalists of yesteryear. The majority are talking heads towing their corporate line. “Presstitutes” if you will.
Well, now that I got that off my chest…(cleansing breath)… let’s talk about real ways to stay healthy this flu season. Let’s start with good things you can do. It can’t be said enough that a good diet is paramount! You will not stay healthy very long if you live on fast food. So choose your food wisely and eat a balanced diet of home cooked meals rich in vegetables and quality protein. Prepackaged “convenience” foods are prepared from low quality foods loaded with questionable ingredients and toxic chemicals that can gunk up our lymphatic system.
Herbs are the planet’s medicinal gift to us. Our bodies are in-tuned with herbs since they have been our food and medicine since time immemorial. I think it’s wise to use a blend of herbs that balance and nourish the immune system and cleanse the lymphatic system. I make one such blend called Endocrine Strengthener. I formulated this tincture originally for autoimmune diseases but it has proven to be especially effective for preventing colds and flu. One example: my Mom once was hospitalized during a terrible flu outbreak. Luckily her doctor prescribed Endocrine Strengthener for her so she received it regularly with her meds. While everyone (including the hospital staff) was dropping like flies from the flu, Mom remained flu-free.
Ginger and turmeric are two wonderful herbs. Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory with anti-tumor properties that prevents and dissolves gallstones. It has a mild flavor so you can add it to many dishes as long as you don’t mind the rich yellow color. It works very well for yellow rice, chicken coating or chicken soup. Ginger is a delightful herb with warming properties that stimulates the lymphatic system and settles the stomach. I always keep fresh ginger on hand. At the first sign of a sniffle I slice the ginger root and place it in a Thermos with boiling water. If you drink ½ cup every waking hour for 24 hours, nine times out of ten you will ward off the encroaching illness. You can use the sliced ginger 3 times by refilling it with boiling water.
Eat more fermented foods to add healthy bacteria to your digestive tract. Digestion is very important to health; when you don’t digest properly you can’t eliminate all toxins. Try adding fermented foods to your diet. Kefir contains ten times more healthy bacteria than yogurt, making it an excellent choice to repopulate your gut. Kombucha tea is served cold and it has a mild apple cider vinegar taste. Some other fermented foods to try are kimchi, fresh sauerkraut, tempeh, miso soup, naturally fermented apple cider vinegar and rejuvelac.
The Healing Path
Holistic Prevention of the flu
By Lori Jacobs
Herbalist
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