3 Effective Natural Winter Flu Fighters

If winter causes your local weather to drop a few or many degrees you know that, for a lot of people, illness is not far behind. When the body’s temperature drops so does its defense system, add that to more indoor activities bringing germs inside and you are in the perfect storm for contracting a winter illness.

From a sinus infection to all out influenza, winter health threats can sneak up on you quickly. This is why it is best to have as many natural remedies on hand including these 3 effective natural winter flu fighters.

Build up Resistance with Olive Leaf Extract

Extract from the olive leaf is considered one of the most inexpensive, easily available, potent antiviral/antibiotic capable botanical remedies. Several studies have confirmed the olive leaf phytonutrient compounds oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, caffeic acid and verbascoside as all working together to resist bacterial and viral damage.

Italian researchers published the study, Effects of the Olive-Derived Polyphenol Oleuropein on Human Health in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences stating,

“Oleuropein also possesses a well-documented antiviral activity. Its efficacy against hemorrhagic septicemia rhabdovirus (VHSV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was demonstrated.”

Following a daily olive leaf tincture or capsule supplemental protocol, twice per day, may help build up antiviral activity that could prevent winter bacterial or viral illness such as colds or flus.

Fight the Flu with NAC (N-acetyl L-cysteine)

Boosting specific amino acids has shown to significantly improve certain ailments. NAC (N-acetyl L-cysteine) is a potent antioxidant amino acid derived from the amino acid L-cysteine which is associated with various studies when going up against the flu.

Researchers at the Institute of Medical Virology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt, reported in Biochemical Pharmacology that,

“The antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) had been shown to inhibit replication of seasonal human influenza A viruses…NAC inhibits H5N1 [flu strain] replication and H5N1-induced production of pro-inflammatory molecules. Therefore, antioxidants like NAC represent a potential additional treatment option that could be considered in the case of an influenza A virus pandemic.”

In an archived study published in the European Respiratory Journal, lead author, Dr. Silvio de Flora, commented,

“Administration of N-acetyl L-cysteine during the winter appears to provide a significant attenuation of influenza and influenza-like episodes, especially in elderly high-risk individuals.”

Dr. Mark Stengler, author of “Beat the Flu Without a Shot” recommends the following dosage for flu treatment:

“Take 600 mg twice a day for healthy adults, and half that amount for kids during the flu season to avoid the disease. And if you happen to get the flu despite your turbo-charged immune system, increase the [adult] dose to between 2,000 mg and 3,000 mg a day for up to a week.”

Shore Up Your Gut for Winter Health

Your intestinal tract holds enormous amounts of microbes that are up to ten times more than the one trillion human cells circulating your body. Keeping these microbes balanced is essential to optimal health and could significantly improve immune system capability. It is building up this terrain that is essential.

According to NYC holistic practitioner, Dr. Anthony Salzarulo, DC, PT,

“Because the symptoms of your body are reflective of the state of your terrain, when your underlying ecology is out of whack, you are going to have symptoms.”

Using probiotics daily could shore up your immune system to help fight potential pathogens especially during winter months, when indoor susceptibility is at its highest. This has been shown to particularly improve the health of children when used daily.

Researchers at the Department of Research and Development, Danisco, Madison, Wisconsin published the study ‘Probiotic effects on cold and influenza-like symptom incidence and duration in children’ in the journal Pediatrics concluding,

“Daily dietary probiotic supplementation for 6 months was a safe effective way to reduce fever, rhinorrhea, and cough incidence and duration and antibiotic prescription incidence, as well as the number of missed school days attributable to illness, for children 3 to 5 years of age.”

Don’t let the winter flu knock you down when you can start now to prevent illness with these 3 effective natural winter flu fighters. All it takes is some minimal extra effort to stay on this supplemental track and stave off winter illness so you can walk into spring the picture of health.