Cold and flu prevention

I'm no expert.....but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night so I can comment....

We're all individuals...genetics plays a part as does your environment. You can increase your chances for 'better' health by doing the right thing - eat healthy, exercise, seek to be mentally balanced. But you can't stop illness all together even with doing all the right things.

Pay attention to what your body tells you. When I'm hyper-stressed because of family or work, not getting enough exercise and not getting 'good' sleep ..... I can tell my immune system is compromised long before I catch something even when I'm eating right. I can tell I'm more likely to get a cold/flu and it's more likely to hammer the crap out of me. When I'm in a good place I can tell that also and even though I may still get a cold/flu the affect isn't going to be nearly as bad as when I'm in a bad place mentally.

The mind / body connection is real and all the flu shots, diet suggestions, etc. aren't going to do as much for you if your mind isn't right. I've seen it countless times ... people who are sad, stressed and 'whoa is me' oriented tend to get sick more and get sick worse.

Which brings me back to MJ....I believe MJ makes me a happier person..so in turn MJ can be helpful during the cold/flu season. That's my story and I'm sticking to it

biohacker said:

goat and sheep milk are more appropriate than cow milk for human consumption.

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All I had to do was search for what you wrote, so thanks for that.

Because the fat globules are bigger (& the main reason why the cream separates) cow’s milk is harder to digest than goat's milk. It takes the human body about 2 hours to digest cow’s milk(even raw). Not too bad, but a far cry from goat’s milk 30 minutes. The 3rd most common allergy for children is cow’s milk, and there are many theories for this from GMO leaky gut side effects to a mutation in the beta casein protein in “newer breeds” cow’s such as the common Holstein.

Goat’s milk is closest in structure to human milk. The fat globules are smaller which aids in digestion. In a recent study of infants allergic to cow’s milk found that 93% of them were able to drink goat’s milk with absolutely no allergic reaction! The ease of digestibility is due to the high amount of medium-chain fatty acids, and has 35% compared to cow’s 17%. Goat’s milk also contains less lactose (milk sugars) than cow’s milk which helps those who suffer from lactose-intolerance. Goat’s milk is slightly alkaline, unlike cow’s milk which is slightly acidic.

While there’s some debate on the actual amounts of fat soluble vitamins in sheep’s milk, they still produce the CREAMIEST milk, and are famous for the deliciously succulent cheese their milk makes. They are efficient producers, only needing 100% cheap grass (no alfalfa or grain) to produce rich milk. They, like goats, have naturally homogenized milk, which means smaller fat globules and more medium-chain fatty acids. This aids in digestion just like goat’s milk.

biohacker said:

@grokit sounds like like he has all his eggs in one basket by believing everything Mercola says as gospel.

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Another failed assumption. Just because I follow mercola doesn't mean that he is the only one, just that we have the same outlook on preventative care and integrative medicine. As far as nutrition goes there are others I follow more closely and I have many other sources of information. I'm certified in raw food and I have completed a natural foods chefs training program that encompasses different healing cuisines from throughout the world. Sites like quackwatch or whatever can't compete with sites like mercola's although they sure do try, and they are usually funded by the reactive care industry -- just follow the money and then look the other way if you want the truth (just like politics/news/anything).


Edit: Thinking that these washed-up, attention-seeking las vegas comedians/magicians' medical opinions are more credible than the world's leading integrative physicians' are is a joke/trick in as of itself lol.
I'm sure they have your best interests at heart @Havelock Vetenari

Seriously? You may want to quote my complete sentence before taking it out of context. Yeah follow the Money, just like Mercola.

biohacker said:

Seriously? You may want to quote my complete sentence before taking it out of context.

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Okay here you go the whole sentance, complete with the emoticon you used for context:

biohacker said:

I just can't stand discussing things like goat and sheep milk are more appropriate than cow milk for human consumption.

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Las Vegas comedians...?
I take it you're referring to Penn & Teller,although i think they are more known as (very good!)illusionists and are therefore somewhat more knowledgeable in the field of deception than the usual person(as James Randi was/is too for example,another hero of mine) and as such quite believable in their 'critisisms' of BS-artists,again completely IMAO of course,like moneyraking liers as mr. Mercola seem to be(if we follow the money we certainly do find him at the end).
Having said that i do sadly 'trust'(more like agree with the headshaking folly of us walking,talking monkeys and a certain need to see the funny side of it all)the content of certain programs/comedians better nowadays than i would the nonsense on a site from a clown like Mercola.
(Probably not your favourite site either,but here's another link i find illuminating regarding some of his claims : http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/9-reasons-to-completely-ignore-joseph-mercola-and-natural-news/ )
Here's John Oliver with a good example btw :
but

Ps I do think not vaccinating is putting not only your own kids,but everybody else's at risk...

grokit said:

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I wonder how camel milk stacks up?

Btw this whole shitstorm happened because I put up a vitamin c solution that I've used successfully for knocking colds out of my system for over a decade, and I was attacked mercilessly for it. It was taught to me by european medical doctors that can't afford to get sick. It's not like I made it up, and I never brought up any of this other crap.

Edit: on-topic, helpful information from just one of oh-so-many articles on the subject:

"So many research trials have shown that large amounts of vitamin C lessens the frequency and symptoms and shortens the duration of a cold. A review of sixteen such studies showed that, on average, 34 per cent less days of illness are experienced by those who supplement vitamin C. So why do so many doctors still sneeze at vitamin C for colds? There are an equal number of papers that show no effect. A close look at these papers, however, shows two common fundamental flaws... In some studies, laboratory-bred viruses are squirted up the poor subject’s nose. These viruses are so virulent it’s little wonder vitamin C shows no effect. It’s a bit like testing a boxer’s mouth guard by hitting him in the face with a sledgehammer! The more frequent blunder is a failure to administer enough vitamin C. The best results have been achieved using between 400mg and 1,000mg per hour. According to Dr Linus Pauling, “The amount of protection increases with increase in the amount of ingested vitamin C and becomes nearly complete with 10g to 40g per day taken at the immediate onset of a cold.” In fact, the amount needed depends very much on the person. Some experience loose bowels on high doses, but that is all: there’s no harm from taking large amounts of vitamin C for a few days.

Seven ways to stop a cold dead in its tracks

1. Take 3 grams of vitamin C immediately and then 2g every four hours (or three times a day) until symptoms subside (this method is a bit different than the one I use and advocate, which is stronger and works more quickly). Alternatively, mix 6 grams of vitamin C powder in fruit juice diluted with water and drink throughout the day. The ideal juice is Cherry Active because cherries are low GL and very high in antioxidants. Some people prefer to use calcium or magnesium ascorbate, a less acidic form of vitamin C. If so, be aware that you can overdose on magnesium. You don’t really want to take more than 600mg a day.
2. Supplement other immune-boosting nutrients, especially vitamins A and E, selenium, and zinc.
3. Eat lightly, preferably relying mainly on fruits and vegetables, including foods rich in vitamins A and C, for example carrots, beetroot, green peppers and citrus fruit. Avoid mucus-forming and fatty foods, i.e. meat, eggs and milk products. These make your lymph limp - and lymphatic fluid is the main transport system for immune cells which carry invading viruses to lymph nodes for further punishment.
4. Avoid all alcohol, cigarettes, tea and coffee. Drink plenty of water and herb teas.
5. Boost your immunity with herbs. Either drink two cups of cat’s claw tea a day, or have 15 drops of Echinacea tincture twice a day and, if you have flu or a severe cold also have a dessert spoon of Sambucol (elderberry extract) four times a day. Some vitamin c supplements con tain black elderberry extract.
6. Take it easy. Do everything slowly and avoid stress. Get some rest and plenty of sleep.
7. If you think you’ve won the battle, wait at least 24 hours before reducing the vitamins down to 1 gram of vitamin C three times a day, and one immune boosting vitamin and mineral supplement in the morning. Once you have been well for three days go back to your normal supplement programme."

Edit2: The guy that runs quackwatch is a quack himself, and his finances have quite the pharmaceutical "taint" to them:

"Is Stephen Barrett, M.D. a Quack?

According to the Quackwatch website, Stephen Barrett, M.D. says this about quackery: Dictionaries define quack as "a pretender to medical skill; a charlatan" and "one who talks pretentiously without sound knowledge of the subject discussed."

Stephen Barrett, M.D. does not have a degree in nutrition science. Stephen Barrett, M.D., when it comes to the field of medicinal use of nutritional supplements, can be easily defined as a Quack since he pretends to "have skills or knowledge in supplements and talks pretentiously" without actually having clinical expertise or sound knowledge of herbal and nutritional medicine.

A person can't be an expert at a topic if they have not had hands-on experience. Do you feel comfortable relying on nutritional advice from a retired psychiatrist, Stephen Barrett, M.D. of Quackwatch, even though he has not had hands-on experience using supplements with patients and does not have a degree in nutrition science? An American medical doctor typically receives less than four hours of nutritional training and are far from experts in nutrition.

Apparently Stephen Barrett is a retired psychiatrist. Does he take any supplements himself to learn firsthand how they work? Does he treat patients with nutritional supplements in order to get an insight how these herbs and nutrients influence the body? Anyone who comments about supplements and has not taken them, or has not had feedback for several years from hundreds or thousands of patients, does not have a full understanding of how they work or what benefit or side effects they have. Their opinion cannot be fully relied on, no matter how many articles they have read regarding the effect of these supplements on rodents or in vitro lab studies.

Why has Stephen Barrett, M.D. focused almost all of his attention on the nutritional industry and has hardly spent time pointing out the billions of dollars wasted each year by consumers on certain prescription and non-prescription pharmaceutical drugs? If he truly claims to be a true consumer advocate, isn't it his responsibility to make sure the big scams are addressed first before focusing on the smaller scams? It's like the government putting all of its efforts going after the poor misusing food stamps while certain big companies cheat billions of dollars from consumers with hardly any governmental oversight.

For example: Why is there no review of Vioxx on Quackwatch? Why is there no mention on quackwatch.org of the worthless cold and cough medicines sold by pharmaceutical companies and drug stores? Hundreds of millions of dollars are wasted each year by consumers on these worthless and potentially harmful decongestants and cough syrups. Why is there no mention on quackwatch of the dangers of acetaminophen use, including liver damage?

December 2007 - After a 6-year legal battle, a California judge ordered Stephen Barrett, M.D. to pay the legal fees of a defendant who, although she has posted negative statements about him, was not held accountable due to a technicality. In an effort to protect Web hosting companies from what is posted on their clients' Web sites, the US Congress put into legislation language that the courts have interpreted as protecting individuals from suits if they don't originate the alleged libels.

Where does Quackwatch get funding, anyway? Quackwatch has been involved in a number of lawsuits and apparently Stephen Barrett had lost one or more lawsuits where the judge made him pay the opposing attorneys fees. Where does he get his funding? He is a retired psychiatrist, how can he afford getting involved in so many lawsuits and pay all the legal bills?"

From: Is Stephen Barrett a Quack? Quackwatch Review by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
http://www.raysahelian.com/quackwatch.html

Again, really? I attacked you? Common man, all I said was that there was sugar in the Emergen-C supplement, and it is a fact that sugar weakens immunity.

Further to that, and the real reason for this post because I have long put this thread behind me now, is the recent big news release on MILK. No shock to me, or you too @grokit that it isn't the healthy bone building food that has been shoved down our gullets. The culprit appears to be GALACTOSE.

And apparently, there is more Galactose in GOAT milk, than cows milk.

I actually prefer making my own almond milk in the Vitamix.

"Milk is for babies, when you grow up you have to drink BEER!"
-Arnold, the Austrian Oak

His_Highness said:

I'm no expert.....but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night so I can comment....

We're all individuals...genetics plays a part as does your environment. You can increase your chances for 'better' health by doing the right thing - eat healthy, exercise, seek to be mentally balanced. But you can't stop illness all together even with doing all the right things.

Pay attention to what your body tells you. When I'm hyper-stressed because of family or work, not getting enough exercise and not getting 'good' sleep ..... I can tell my immune system is compromised long before I catch something even when I'm eating right. I can tell I'm more likely to get a cold/flu and it's more likely to hammer the crap out of me. When I'm in a good place I can tell that also and even though I may still get a cold/flu the affect isn't going to be nearly as bad as when I'm in a bad place mentally.

The mind / body connection is real and all the flu shots, diet suggestions, etc. aren't going to do as much for you if your mind isn't right. I've seen it countless times ... people who are sad, stressed and 'whoa is me' oriented tend to get sick more and get sick worse.

Which brings me back to MJ....I believe MJ makes me a happier person..so in turn MJ can be helpful during the cold/flu season. That's my story and I'm sticking to it

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I like your story, and can relate
I think the natural cannabonoids in the MJ and body, I.e Receptors play a part

I am a Couple oF weeks without and feel ill lol

Yeah that's called Withdrawal, and i'm 1 week without it and feel like death. I can't sleep for the life of me.

This just in:

Milk may not do a body good after all
"Recently published research suggests that milk may actually make bones brittle and might lead to earlier mortality."

(more...)

keep clean, eat clean, drink plenty of clean water. when i do get the flu ive been able to kill it within 1-2 days (typically) by taking raw crushed garlic (2-3 cloves per day) and making chamomile, lemon balm, peppermint tea with echinacea extract added. if i have vit-c laying around i'll take that too.

I get acupuncture for this as well

So i just completed my first chicken bone broth to store for the C&F season - pretty delicious actually. i blended the bones in the vitamix after cooking them for 2 days on low in crock and stirred them back in the liquid. Food is my primary medicine and prevention~

His_Highness said:

I'm no expert.....but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night so I can comment....

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Me too! What room were you in?LOL!

His_Highness said:

The mind / body connection is real and all the flu shots, diet suggestions, etc. aren't going to do as much for you if your mind isn't right. I've seen it countless times ... people who are sad, stressed and 'whoa is me' oriented tend to get sick more and get sick worse.

Which brings me back to MJ....I believe MJ makes me a happier person..so in turn MJ can be helpful during the cold/flu season. That's my story and I'm sticking to it

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I so agree with you on the mind/body connection and stress will do more harm than poor/mal nutrition ever will!

I find when I get really stressed out with a lot of anxiety I will catch a cold really easy. I try to wash my hands a lot. I work with the public so at times I have folks coughing in my face. I do use the Airborne when I feel like I'm getting a sore throat. I've been able to ward off a cold sometimes.

It's been proven that stress alone is unhealthy. I use cannabis for anxiety.

Taking care of yourself and eating right is the best preventative. Trying to have a positive attitude if possible. A lot can be said for having balance in your life.

I'm so happy that cannabis laws are changing in the county.

CarolKing said:

I find when I get really stressed out with a lot of anxiety I will catch a cold really easy. I try to wash my hands a lot. I work with the public so at times I have folks coughing in my face. I do use the Airborne when I feel like I'm getting a sore throat. I've been able to ward off a cold sometimes.

It's been proven that stress alone is unhealthy. I use cannabis for anxiety.

Taking care of yourself and eating right is the best preventative. Trying to have a positive attitude if possible. A lot can be said for having balance in your life.

I'm so happy that cannabis laws are changing in the county.

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Me too and watching closely to states that are opening up to more homeopathic options and compassionate end of life choices.

Good ole chicken soup. (And lots of cannabis)
Homemade is best but even canned(yuck) chicken noodle soup apparently has some benefits.
from Mayo Clinic:
Chicken soup. Chicken soup might help relieve cold and flu symptoms in two ways. First, it acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils — immune system cells that participate in the body's inflammatory response. Second, it temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus, possibly helping relieve congestion and limiting the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose lining.

Silver420Surfer said:

Good ole chicken soup. (And lots of cannabis)
.

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I actually added the leftover bud from my last cannaoil infusion but it had no active thc left in it and in the bone broth its totally inert