Good Morning Dr. Hollander,

I have the flu. It sucks! What can I do to get better?

Good Morning!

Sorry to hear you have the flu. Not only is this a good question, it is also timely. 'Tis the season! Having just recovered from the flu I'm happy to share with you some easy approaches that are natural and physiologically sound.

Different than just your average "head cold," the flu is often accompanied by fever, muscle aches, and headaches. It's like a "super head cold." As with any infection, it is important to support your immune system as much as possible. The following methods are very effective:

-Vitamin C. You might be thinking "duh," but vitamin C is such a vital co-enzyme to your immune system. So the question becomes how much? The answer, as much as possible! Also known as "ascorbate loading," you should take Vitamin C all day. While fighting an infection the body's need for vitamin C will increase considerably. You may need in excess of 5,000mg. Slow down if your stool gets loose (gross!) .

-Vitamin E. This anti-oxidant has excellent immune boosting properties and works synergistically with Vitamin C to boost effectiveness. Unlike Vitamin C, Vitamin E is not water soluble; it is fat soluble and therefore you can more-easily take too much of this. I would recommend taking about 400 I.U.s of vitamin E at least 2x's per day while you are "ascorbate loading."

-Zinc. Zinc is awesome! Zinc has strong anti-viral properties which is just what the doctor ordered for a viral infection like the flu. Zinc lozenges are wonderful. I also recently became fond of Zinc Picolinate, which is better absorbed. 50mg a day is a good place to start. Slow down if you start to get a "copper taste" when you take it. Lysine is an amino acid known to have anti-viral properties as well. This can be taken with zinc for a viral "one-two punch."

-Chiropractic Adjustments! Bet you didn't see that one coming. In practice, I would commonly hear from patients "sorry I missed my appointment, I couldn't make it because I was sick." That's stinkin thinkin! When you are sick it is extra-important to get adjusted. Adjustments help boost the immune system in a variety of ways. It inhibits the "sympathetic" nervous system (fight or flight), and promotes the "parasympathetic" nervous system (rest and digest). Since the parasympathetic nervous system is primarily responsible for cellular immunity, it is super important to keep this one in charge.

-SinuCleanse/Neti Pots!

My goodness, these are awesome. My girlfriend introduced me to SinuCleanse a couple years ago and I'm so glad she did. It's simply a (pretty expensive) little plastic pot and saline packets. You mix the saline with water and place the spout against your nose creating a seal. You then tilt your head and the water will flow through your sinuses and the saline will help dissolve all that extra mucous. You'll be able to get a great "blow" out of your nose afterwards and have a much easier time breathing as well. Great to do before bed!

If your appetite vanishes (like mine did) you can quickly find yourself deficient in protein. Get some protein powder and drink it with water if you have to. I felt so much better afterward.

The flu is caused by the influenza virus; it is not vulnerable to antibiotics, which only target bacteria. If you take something like a "Z-pack" or another "general" antibiotic while you have the flu, you create an excellent opportunity for a bacterial super-infection like pneumonia by wiping out your normal flora.

Finally, your symptoms are your body's expression of fighting an infection. Medication that reduces these symptoms can also reduce your body's ability to fight effectively. A fever for instance creates an unfavorable environment for bacteria. Try letting it "run its course" to avoid bacterial super-infections. Avoid NyQuil, Sudafed, and the like. You'll often hear from people who use these products "I've been sick for a month; I don't understand why!"

While it sucked having the flu, I am happy that I was able to take care of it for the most part in about 3 days. I hope this helps, please feel free to add suggestions/comments and share your own experiences and remedies!

Mad Chiro Luv, Darren, DC