Reduce Your Risk of Swine Flu
   by James Occhiogrosso, N.D.

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There are many ways to reduce your risk of getting the swine flu. Below are some suggestions: (click the links for additional information.)

Lifestyle — get plenty of rest, stay hydrated. Wash your hands frequently. Basic hygiene is very practical and also very effective! Avoid crowded and closed areas like airplanes wherever possible.

Vitamins, Minerals and other Antioxidents — Use a good Multivitamin / Multimineral product that provides most if not all of the elements listed in my Basic Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplement List.

If your multi doesn’t provide it, add 50 mg/day of Zinc, 200 mg/day of Grape Seed extract and 200 mcg of selenium. Deficiencies of selenium or zinc are known to increase susceptibility to the flu and other pathogens. In particular, make sure that either through your multi or via separate supplementation you get at least 2000 mg of vitamin C, 800 IU of vitamin E, and 1000 IU of vitamin D at least for the duration of the flu epidemic.

Use a good herbal immune support supplement containing at least 200 mg of astragalus root extract as well as a blend of at least 3 or 4 mushroom extracts. Astragalus is a Chinese herb that has a powerful immune stimulating effect that is not specific for any viral or bacterial strain. It simply improves overall immune function. The same is true for various mushroom extracts.

Colloidal silver in low doses can be used for extra insurance. Prior to the discovery of Penicillin in the early 20th century, colloidal silver was the remedy of choice to treat most diseases. It has a history of safe and effective use against many bacterial and viral pathogens, and is also a powerful immune stimulator.

You can also use Echinacea, Elderberry, Goldenseal and Ginseng.  Studies have shown that extracts of each of these can significantly to help reduce your risk of catching a cold or flu.

Of course, you can also scour the Internet and find many other recommendations. There are hundreds of herbs and nutrients that help improve immunity and lower risk of infection. What I have listed above is what I consider to be a reasonable approach without excessive expense or overkill.

Most important is not to panic. Even though this flu has been spreading rapidly, the CDC has recently indicated that the spread appears to be slowing. Also, most of the cases in the U.S. to date have been mild and recovered spontaneously. To reduce your risk of getting sick, follow a simple nutrient plan, eat well, get lots of sleep and exercise, and wash your hands frequently.

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