Giving the flu a good boot in the trasero before it gets yours.

We're having quite the flu season here, and of course, I got it. Rather than let things get out of hand, I used practically every natural remedy known to give it a good boot in the rear.

Here's the list:

1. Pour a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide into each ear, one at a time. leave it until all the foaming stops, then do the other ear.

2. Take antihistamines such as Chlor Trimeton at the first sign of trouble.

3. Hot toddies: this stuff is great medicine, works really well, and even if it doesn't quite do the trick after a couple of these you won't even care about having the flu.

Minimum 2 ounces, 3 might be better of Dark rum, Scotch or Rye whiskey
Juice of half a lemon
Raw (unpasteurized honey) a big spoonful
Hot boiled water

4. Still not felling good, well it's time to bring out the big guns. Essential oils. There's a lot of controversy about this, however I have seen this stuff work under a phase contrast microscope, (one can view live organisms using these) they do work, especially tea tree oil which was used as an antibiotic in Australia prior to the development of commercial antibiotics. Kills everything within seconds, and I mean everything.
I made up a mixture of 10 drops of tea tree oil, 10 drops of lemon oil and 10 drops of eucalyptus oil ( an ingredient in Vicks). Chuck this into a pot of boiling water and inhale, preferably under a towel. The oils will vaporize into the air and start wreaking havoc with the flu bug and any other opportunistic nasties which might seize upon your weakened state and make things a whole lot worse.

These are available at health food stores and here one of the pharmacies carries tea tree oil.

O.K. this has so far done the job for me, however if you're really still under the weather rub some Vicks on your chest, wrap up in a towel and robe and hit the sack to sweat it out.

Don't forget vitamins C and D3.
Tylenol to reduce fever and get rid of aches and pains.

Good Luck Amigos.

P.S. Smokers, don't start up here all you anti-smoking fanatics. For those of us who do smoke, immediately switch to menthol cigarettes till all sign of sniffles cough and sore throat is gone. Menthol is one of the ingredients used in cough drops.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menthol

Disclaimer: This should in no way be construed as a substitute for medical advice, it's anecdotal only, so if things really do turn ugly see your doctor.

Hola.... Thanks for the list! However, I'm writing to urge caution with this current bout of illness. My wife had it for 10 days before visiting a real doctor who said it had turned into bronchitis and put her on major antibiotics to get rid of it. Another friend had the same result. Yet another was put in the hospital due to already compromised lungs and was on IV antibiotics for three days before knocking it out.

I also had it, but it never got too severe. My doc said he thought it was a flu strain that hadn't made it into the flu vaccine this year (apparently a fairly common problem--a pal who worked on vaccines for the Canadian government said this happens a lot).

Anyway, I'd like to suggest this is nothing to fool with, especially for older folks. It seems it can jump into the lungs fairly quickly, and that's where real problems like bronchitis, pneumonia, sepsis, etc. can get going in a hurry.

Jane, I'm normally one who thinks el tequila is the best medicine for almost anything that ails you, but not this time!

Jim

Indeed, Jim, I couldn't agree more which is why I did put the disclaimer at the bottom. I got this thing Saturday, and since it's our year to do Christmas dinner, just figured I'd get a jump start on this bug which is, as you noticed, nasty. Very weird symptoms BTW, I felt hot all over but my throat felt freezing cold.

About four years ago I got a really bad bout of bronchitis from the flu after ignoring it for too long, anyhow this is what worked then, however I would strongly recommend anyone who is coughing stuff up for more than 24 hours to go straight to the doctor, especially if their lungs are compromised. Definitely not to be fooled with.

That's why I like to kick it in the trasero fast so it doesn't get a head start. If it's too late, well antibiotics are the only remedy I'm afraid.

Hmmm.... You have slightly different symptoms than I, Jane, however it sure kicked my butt. I had zero energy and just wanted to lie in bed. Good luck with your Christmas dinner prep!!

I had been hearing about the so-called anti-pneumonia vaccine being given in the US, and our doc here suggested we take it. My wife already has hers, and I'll be getting it later this week. Here's a brief summary about it from the US Government's Centers for Disease Control:

**********
Pneumococci are a type of streptococcus bacteria. The bacteria spread through contact with people who are ill or by healthy people who carry the bacteria in the back of their nose. Pneumococcal infections can be mild or severe. The most common types of infections are

Ear infections
Sinus infections
Pneumonia
Sepsis
Meningitis

Treatment is with antibiotics. Vaccines can prevent pneumococcal infections. There are two vaccines. One is for infants and young children. The other is for people at high risk, including those who are over 65 years old, have chronic illnesses or weak immune systems, smoke, have asthma, or live in long-term care facilities.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Jim

Jim, I'm kind of conflicted about vaccines. My mother had COPD from having had asthma all her life. I discovered over time that every time she had a vaccine she got really sick and wound up in the hospital. I was her primary care giver, so eventually I had to request no more vaccines. At the same time I decided that if I had made that decision for her, I would stick by it myself, obviously I didn't really like making a serious decision like that for someone else, but felt I had no real choice.

Anyhow, after we stopped the vaccines, she never again wound up in hospital. Prior to that she always developed pneumonia after a shot, and twice it got really close to game over. She also never got sick at all after that until she died. Mind you she was in her late seventies at the time.
She died at 82.

After that I got really interested in alternative remedies. So, first I'll go with the more natural remedy first, however if things turn bad, no problem going for the antibiotic. I just give it a few days to see if I'm getting better, if not, off to the doc.

My husband, who is now 73, quit smoking for a couple of years. We went up to Canada and he picked something up, probably on the plane. Despite using a natural remedy he went downhill fast. In fact since our daughter-in-law is a nurse and we were both keeping a close eye on him for two days it was shockingly fast how quickly he got horribly ill. In fact, she said he's just fine why don't you join us for dinner at our favorite Japanese restaurant. I had a bad feeling about the whole thing, so stayed in. Within 2 hours he was deathly ill. An ambulance trip and four days later with the really heavy duty stuff IV in the hospital he was sort of better and returned home to Mexico in a wheelchair. Another 10 days of antibiotic orally.

Where I'm going with this is even more strange. I actually have a feeling that cigarettes might be good for you. GASP, I know that mainstream media would have you believe other wise, however I do have a list of medical studies which would seem to indicate that this might be true.

As your friend from Canada stated there can be strains which don't make it into the vaccine. Therein lies the risk factor. Your body is weakened from a mild attenuated vaccine, then a previously unknown strain gets you. All in the luck of the draw I'm afraid.

Bacteria are fairly easy to defeat IMHO, viruses are another issue altogether, one exception being MRSA.

Again, I am not an M.D. so this is all simply personal opinion based on personal experience and my training in microbiology.

BTW the flu bug I got made me really exhausted as well. !4 hours of sleep a day. Sneezing, coughing up phlegm etc. So far, the essential oils stopped the coughing instantly. Just a lucky break perhaps.

Hi Jane. Unlike you, I'm not gun shy about vaccines. I've taken flu shots for 20+ years, and this is the first time I've gotten the flu. I've also had all the childhood vaccines, and had yellow fever and other vaccines while traveling to "unsafe" areas of the world, and never a problem. Thus, I'll happily take the anti pneumonococal vaccine.

Maybe I'm drinking the kool-aid, but all the discussion about the growth of antibiotic resistant strains of diseases has me thinking I'd rather head them off at the pass than treat them after the fact.

Of course, like you I'm no MD, and everyone must evaluate the available evidence and do what makes sense for them.

Raq, I hope you are feeling OK!!!

Today I got the Pneumococcal vaccine. Everything seems OK except that I have two large green antennae growing out of my head. Do you think I should be concerned?

Jim

I am feeling just fine thanks Jim, those herbal remedies worked a right treat. The hot toddies made having the flu seem downright pleasant at times. You should try some.

On to the green antennae, how's the reception? Now you can probably ditch your cable hook up to Fox news.

Keep us posted on any other channels, you might be on to a real money saver here.