8 Natural Foods and Supplements You Should Have on Hand for Cold & Flu Season

Here are some natural foods and supplements that our family keeps on hand every cold and flu season, which has dramatically reduced the incidence and severity of viral illnesses in our household for the past few years. All of these are based on evidence-based scientific research studies.

The first item we started using was vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D is normally absorbed in the skin during sun exposure, and helps to boost the immune system. In colder climates where there is less sun exposure and people tend to stay indoors, people tend to have lower vitamin D levels, which reduces the efficiency of the body’s immune system. Multiple studies have revealed that daily or weekly supplementation of vitamin D can cut the risk of developing respiratory infections in half (McGreevey & Morrison, 2017).

Before taking Vitamin D supplements, I typically suffered severe bronchitis symptoms that would last for months every winter. After reading studies about how effective vitamin D supplements were in a regional study in Canada as an alternative to the influenza shot in combatting the flu, I began taking this supplement at a dose of 1000 IU per day. For the next three years I did not contract a cold or any other respiratory infection at all. As I have gotten older, I have upped the dose to 2000 IU/day.

Scientific studies have also shown Vitamin C taken on a regular basis to slightly reduce the length and severity of colds. Oral zinc has been shown to reduce the length and severity of illnesses caused by the cold virus. Our family takes these lozenges at the first sign of a tickle in the throat. We also start taking an oral probiotic or eat yogurt at the first sign of a sore throat. Probiotics were found better than placebo in reducing how often individuals contracted upper respiratory tract infections. Probiotics that come in direct contact with the throat, like yogurt or probiotic gargles, are effective in reducing sore throat, which is where infections often start. Other supplements shown to be effective against colds and flu were licorice root, maoto, antiwei, North American ginseng berries, pomegranate, Echinacea, guava tea, carnosic acid, Bai Shao, and alkaline drinks (Mousa, 2017). 

Once a cough develops, several natural substances have been shown in scientific placebo studies to be effective. In multiple studies honey was shown to relieve cough symptoms in children to a greater extent than no treatment, diphenhydramine, and placebo, and possibly slightly more than dextromethorphan (Oduwole, Udoh, Oya-Ita, & Meremikwu, 2018). Studies have also shown that pineapple, which naturally contains a substance called bromeline, can help suppress coughs (Peixoto et al., 2016). 

Our family discovered oregano oil about 7 years ago, and have noticed a recognizable reduction in the length of respiratory illnesses since taking it. Oregano oil has been shown to be effective against bacteria, fungi, and viruses, including the stomach flu virus (Brochot, Guilbot, Haddioui, & Roques, 2017; Gilling, Kitajima, Torrey, & Bright, 2014). Our family typically fills several drops of the oil into a cellulose capsule and we take it at the first sign of a cold. Usually the next morning the cold is gone or significantly improved. A few extra doses helps to finish the cold off once and for all. 

Our latest discovery is elderberry concentrate. Elderberries have been shown to significantly improve flu-like symptoms (Kong, 2009). Our family adds about 2 Tbsp. twice a day to a cup of warm green tea with honey, and have noticed symptoms resolve in hours. 

Combining all of these remedies, cold & flu season has become much more manageable for our family without having to take over-the-counter cold medicines.

References:

Brochot, A., Guilbot, A., Haddioui, L., & Roques, C. (2017). Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. Microbiologyopen, 6(4). doi: 10.1002/mbo3.459. Epub 2017 Mar 14.

Gilling, D., Kitajima, M., Torrey, J., & Bright, K. (2014). Antiviral efficacy and mechanism of action of oregano essential oil and its primary component carvacrol against murine norovirus. Applied Microbiology, 116(5). 1149-1163.  doi: 10.1111/jam.12453. Epub 2014 Feb 12.

Kong, F. (2009). Pilot clinical study on a proprietary elderberry extract: efficacy in addressing influenza symptoms. Online Journal of Pharmacology and PharmacoKinetics, 5(32-43). http://omicron-pharma.com/pdfs/ElderberryClinicalOJPK_Published.pdf

McGreevey, S., & Morrison, M. (2017). Study confirms vitamin D protects against colds and flu. The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved from https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/02/study-confirms-vitamin-d-protects-against-cold-and-flu/ 

Mousa, H. (2017). Prevention and treatment of influenza, influenza-like illness, and common cold by herbal, complementary, and natural therapies. Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine, Jan;22(1):166-174. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27055821 

Oduwole, O., Udoh, E., Oyo-Ita, A., Meremikwu, M. (2018). Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database Systematic Review. 2018 Apr 10;4:CD007094. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007094.pub5.

Peixoto, D., Rizzo, J., Schor, D., Silva, A., Oliveira, D., Solé, D., & Sarinho, E. (2016). Use of honey associated with ananas comosus (bromelin) in the treatment of acute irritative cough. São Paulo Pediatrics. 2016 Dec;34(4):412-417. doi: 10.1016/j.rpped.2016.03.006.

It's Time to Change Your Lifestyle

In the past few years my husband and I have witnessed four close relatives die and numerous friends die of cancer, or get diagnosed with cancer. As a young person, cancer seemed like a distant, rare disease and I don't remember knowing very many people who had cancer. Now, everywhere we turn friends and friends and family are turning up with cancer. We hear people saying things like, "why are so many people getting cancer?" and "I wish they would finally discover a cure for cancer."

 The truth is, we do know what causes cancer. Scientists have uncovered most of the facts about cancer, and are making amazing breakthroughs. There are literally thousands of evidence-based research studies on scholarly websites outlining everything from the locations of exact gene mutations causing specific cancers to what food products fight cancer the best and which are the most harmful. We know that cancer is caused by genetic mutations to cells, and we know a lot now about what kinds of things and environments make those mutations happen. We know that there are some genetic factors are involved causing some people to inherit a greater risk. Still, so much is known now that can be done to prevent cancer. So why aren't people taking these preventative measures more seriously?


I get it, I really do. I spent most of the first four decades of my life popping candies of all colors and sweets (especially chocolates!) into my mouth, feasting on barbecue pork steaks, hamburgers, French fries, and the like. These things are comfort foods, and I enjoy eating them as much as the next person. But there is nothing like friends and family dying all around you to give you a wake-up call.
The National Institutes of Health and the American Cancer Society now tell us that over 1/3 of Americans have or will have cancer in their lifetime. 1 in 3 people! And, if that's not bad enough, the numbers are rising, and the worldwide incidence of cancer is expected to double by the year 2030.
Ever since my husband and I decided to radically change our diet to prevent cancer (since I have already had tumors with suspicious cells, and my husband has a strong family history of cancer), we feel sometimes like others perceive us as odd. Really, we don't know why more friends aren't listening to the latest research and taken seriously the warnings about how we as Americans live is killing us. We get the flu vaccine when the risk of dying from the flu is less than odds of getting cancer. We take shelter in our basement when there is a tornado which will likely not touch our house. Yet one thing we can do that will help to prevent 1 out of 3 of us from getting cancer, we don't do.


The American Cancer Society also has a few words of wisdom to share, which come from evidence-based research:

1.      Stay away from tobacco, the cause of 1/3 of cancers in the US.

2.      Be as lean as possible throughout your lifetime – stay slim!

3.      Get regular physical activity, cardio several times a week – cancer dies in oxygen rich environment.

4.      Breathe deeply – again, cancer hates oxygen

5.      Limit sedentary behavior – inhibits the lymph and circulatory systems

6.      Limit processed and red meat (best to limit animal protein to 5-10% of diet).

7.      Eat raw fruits and vegetables – at least 2 ½ cups a day

8.      Choose vegetables, whole fruit, and other low-calorie foods instead of calorie-dense foods such as French fries, potato and other chips, ice cream, donuts, and other sweets.

9.      Emphasize whole fruits and vegetables; choose 100% juice if you drink vegetable or fruit juices.

10.  Limit your use of creamy sauces, dressings, and dips with fruits and vegetables.

11.  Eat whole grains like oats and brown rice instead of refined grain products like white rice or things made with wheat flour (that means no donuts, white bread, bagels, pasta, most boxed cereals)

12.  Drink very little alcohol

13.  Eat organic as much as possible – avoid foods that might have pesticides and herbicides like soy, wheat, corn in particular which are often farmed with these

14.  Eat whole foods – that means avoid artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, additives, and any

15.  Avoid foods packaged in BPA plastics

16.  Limit intake of ocean fish – although a lean meat, the risk is rising of mercury and radiation contamination

17.  Avoid meats with nitrites

18.  Avoid meats that are charred or heated at high temperatures – that means no grilling, frying, etc. Better to boil, bake, poach or broil.

19.  Avoid foods that are genetically modified (GMO)

20.  Avoid animal protein that is fed antibiotics

21.  Limit your intake of refined carbohydrate foods, including pastries, candy, sugar-sweetened breakfast cereals, and other high-sugar foods.

So I challenge you to take charge of your future and make some changes. Read over these things carefully and see which ones you can slowly incorporate into your lifestyle. Little changes go a long way. You may be saving your own life, and the life of your whole family. We need to learn to eat to live, not live to eat. And I hope you will discover that many of the good things for you are actually quite delicious. I hope you find as I have that I no longer crave the things that are bad for my body.

American Cancer Society. (2018). Stay healthy. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/healthy.html
National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2018). Cancer statistics. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics

Cancer Virus Transmitted through Polio Vaccines

The CDC has admitted that between 1955–1963 over 98 million Americans received one or more doses of a polio shot which was contaminated with a cancer-causing virus called Simian vacuolating virus 40 (SV40).  The CDC quickly took down the page, along with Google, but the site was luckily cached and saved to symbolize this grand admission.
 
For more information, go to:

http://www.vaccines.news/2015-09-23-cdc-admits-98-million-americans-were-given-cancer-virus-via-the-polio-shot.html

Clinical Trials instead of traditional Chemo

Entrectinib is an investigational therapy designed to target specific causes of certain types of cancer, specifically rearrangements or “fusions” of the NTRK1, NTRK2, NTRK3, ROS1, and ALK genes (visit Ignyta.com to learn more about the relationship between gene fusions and cancer formation).

Ignyta’s STARTRK-2 trial of entrectinib is now recruiting patients with fusions of the ROS1, ALK, and NTRK genes. Your doctor can order a no-cost test to see if your cancer has these gene fusions, and if you are a candidate for the STARTRK-2 clinical trial. This test, in most cases, can be performed on a tumor sample that was previously obtained and stored, avoiding the need for a new biopsy.

Check this out at  https://www.startrktrials.com/

Turkey-Tail Mushrooms for Breast Cancer

This is one of the most exciting breakthrough's in breast cancer treatment that I have seen lately. Research funded by the NIH has shown very promising results. Here's a video from Paul Stamets who was involved in the research. His compound is now manufactured by Host Defense (http://hostdefense.com/) and is available through a variety of vendors including Amazon.

Video retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWT09ZDqFlE

Introduction

This is a new site, replacing my old site at http://canceralert-karen.blogspot.com/, which I can no longer access due to a security breach. I hope to eventually re-post updates to my old posts, but for now, here is a fresh site which I hope will be a helpful resource to those fighting cancer, or whose loved ones are fighting cancer.

Breakthrough in T-cell Therapy

Great news from MIT Technology Review about a breakthrough in T-cell therapy against cancer. This is a copy of an article written by Antonio Regalado, January 25, 2017 (link provided below):

Doctors in London say they have cured two babies of leukemia in the world’s first attempt to treat cancer with genetically engineered immune cells from a donor.

The experiments, which took place at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital, raise the possibility of off-the-shelf cellular therapy using inexpensive supplies of universal cells that could be dripped into patients' veins on a moment’s notice.

The ready-made approach could pose a challenge to companies including Juno Therapeutics and Novartis, each of which has spent tens of millions of dollars pioneering treatments that require collecting a patient’s own blood cells, engineering them, and then re-infusing them.

Both methods rely on engineering T cells—the hungry predator cells of the immune system—so they attack leukemic cells.

The British infants, ages 11 and 16 months, each had leukemia and had undergone previous treatments that failed, according to a description of their cases published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine. Waseem Qasim, a physician and gene-therapy expert who led the tests, reported that both children remain in remission.

Although the cases drew wide media attention in Britain, some researchers said that because the London team also gave the children standard chemotherapy, they failed to show the cell treatment actually cured the kids. “There is a hint of efficacy but no proof,” says Stephan Grupp, director of cancer immunotherapy at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who collaborates with Novartis. “It would be great if it works, but that just hasn’t been shown yet.”

Rights to the London treatment were sold to the biotech company Cellectis, and the treatment is now being further developed by the drug companies Servier and Pfizer.

Treatments using engineered T-cells, commonly known as CAR-T, are new and not yet sold commercially. But they have shown stunning success against blood cancers. In studies so far by Novartis and Juno, about half of patients are permanently cured after receiving altered versions of their own blood cells.

But commercializing such personalized treatments raises unprecedented logistical headaches. Grupp says Novartis has outfitted a manufacturing center in New Jersey and that patient cells have been flown in from 25 hospitals in 11 countries, modified, then quickly shipped back. Novartis has said it will seek U.S. approval to sell its T-cell treatment for children this year.

The promise of immunotherapy has drawn huge investments, yet many newer entrants are betting instead on the off-the-shelf approach. Among them are biotech giant Regeneron, Kite Therapeutics, Fate Therapeutics, and Cell Medica.

“The patient could be treated immediately, as opposed to taking cells from a patient and manufacturing them,” says Julianne Smith, vice president of CAR-T development for Cellectis, which specializes in supplying universal cells.

In the off-the-shelf approach, blood is collected from a donor and then turned into “hundreds” of doses that can then be stored frozen, says Smith. “We estimate the cost to manufacture a dose would be about $4,000,” she says. That’s compared to a cost of around $50,000 to alter a patient’s cells and return them.

Either type of treatment is likely to cost insurers half a million dollars or more if they reach the market.

Robert Nelsen, a venture capitalist and a founder of Juno Therapeutics, which raised hundreds of millions for the custom approach, says he’s not worried about companies developing universal alternatives. “What they can do in the future is what we can do today,” Nelsen said in an interview last year. “And I guarantee you even if things were equal, which they are not, you would want your own stuff, not someone else’s cells.”

The London treatment is notable for involving the most extensively engineered cells ever given to a patient, with a total of four genetic changes, two of them introduced by gene editing using a method called TALENs. One alteration was to strip the donor cells of their propensity to attack the body of another person. Another directs them to attack cancer cells.

In the U.S. and China, scientists are also racing to apply gene editing to make improved treatments for cancer and other diseases.

Article retrieved from: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603502/two-infants-treated-with-universal-immune-cells-have-their-cancer-vanish/?utm_campaign=add_this&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post