Treatment Tuesday - Viral Infections

Summer is nearing its end and autumn is almost upon us. With it, fall tends to bring cold and flu season. Viruses seem to thrive in our bodies as the weather grows cold, fortunately there are several things that we can do to prevent and fight viruses.

What Are Viruses?

Unlike bacteria, viruses are not living organisms. They are particles or molecules that reproduce inside the cells of other (host) organisms, causing damage to the host. They are difficult to remove once they take hold, so the best treatment against viruses is preventative treatment.

Antiviral Treatments

Viruses live and thrive in unhealthy systems, so the most effective way to remain virus-free is to keep your system strong and healthy. This means fortifying your immune system through a healthy diet. Besides adding positive substances, your antiviral treatment should include the removal of negative substances, such as tobacco smoke, excess alcohol, food toxins and additives, environmental toxins and stress. Here is a summary of the essentials:

• Take olive leaf extract and nutrient-rich, health-forming foods to support your immune system.
• Take Echinacea, St. John’s wort, and skullcap herbs for antiviral protection.
• Get exercise and a little sunlight every day, and eat more high-antioxidant foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts are great).
• Stop smoking and excessive drinking, and remove processed foods and excess sugar from your diet.
  

Other Considerations

Research indicates that the mineral zinc is also an effective antiviral agent. For example, a double-blind study published in 2000 demonstrated that zinc significantly reduces the length of overall common cold symptoms by 50%, including cough by 50% and nasal discharge by 30%.
Foods high is zinc are shellfish, red meat, beans and nuts.

Other antiviral supplements include:

High doses of enzymes will also make your body a hostile environment for viruses, while assisting digestion and cleaning out pockets of waste in your lower bowel, a place where viruses breed. These natural viral reagents will cause the weaker viruses to die and the stronger, more virulent ones to retreat into a small, safe place they can burrow in, somewhere in your body, depending on the type of virus. They’ll only awaken if you feed them something that wakes them from their dormant state (e.g., poor diet, smoking, drinking, drugging, a negative mind-set, stress, and poor sleep patterns).