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Raise Your Immune Response

There are two philosophies regarding fighting off influenza viruses. The first and most prevalent is to raise the body’s immune response. The other is to maintain normal immune response to prevent a collapse caused by over-response—hypercytokinemia, commonly called a “cytokine storm.” Hypercytokinemia is an immune-system overreaction to infection in which a feedback loop develops between cytokines and ostensibly helpful immune-system cells, such as T-cells. Once this feedback loop develops, cytokines rapidly build up to very high levels. Effectively, the body’s immune system overreacts, and begins to attack healthy tissue.

While opinion is divided on this issue, I tend toward keeping the means at hand to trigger a strong immune response—particularly if combating a highly virulent illness.

To increase your resistance to disease it is important that you stop smoking. If you are a smoker you are much more susceptible to respiratory infections, and you are at high risk to develop complications.

Get plenty of exercise, eat healthy foods, drink alcohol only in moderation, get plenty of sleep, and use top-quality vitamin supplements.

If you are overweight, you need to alter your diet to get down to within five pounds of normal body weight. Unhealthy foods weaken your immune system. Cut out refined sugar. Avoid candy, junk foods, soft drinks, and any processed foods with preservatives, artificial sweeteners, or MSG. Avoid store-bought meat, which is often tainted by the hormones and antibiotics used in commercial livestock feeds. Wild game or home-raised livestock is much healthier.

Lastly, pray. Why? Anxiety is a form of stress that weakens the immune system, and prayer is a proven way to relieve anxiety and stress. And more important, as a Christian I believe that it is crucial to pray for God’s guidance, providence, and protection.

Be Ready to Fight the Illness

Know thy enemy: Flus typically cause fever, chills, achy feeling (malaise), headaches, and extreme fatigue. Cold symptoms are usually restricted to the upper respiratory tract, while flu symptoms tend to involve the entire body.

Influenzas kill most of their victims in two ways: dehydration and lung congestion. Even the avian flu, which is a respiratory infection, typically starts with stomach-flu symptoms. Stomach flus usually induce diarrhea, which rapidly dehydrates the victim. To fight dehydration, you need to stock up on both anti-diarrhea medicines (such as Imodium AD, an antispasmodic) and electrolyte solutions such as Pedialyte. The latter is available in bulk through large chain warehouse stores. The various sports-type drinks (such as Gatorade) can be used as oral rehydration solutions (ORSes) too. However, I prefer to dilute them about 50 percent with water; they have a lot of glucose in them, which will exacerbate diarrhea symptoms.

If commercial ORSs are not available, I have read that you can make an emergency solution as follows:

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons honey, sugar, or rice powder

• ¼ teaspoon potassium chloride (table-salt substitute)

• ½ teaspoon trisodium citrate (can be replaced by baking soda)

• 1 quart clean water

Imodium is a trade name for loperamide. It can be purchased generically for relatively low cost. The generic or house brands are just fine. Stock up on acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin) as well—for treating fevers. Have a traditional glass thermometer on hand for each person, or a digital thermometer with lots of disposable sleeves. The thermometers are a couple of bucks at most drugstores. The sleeves are a dollar or so per hundred. Don’t cross-contaminate your patients.

Because influenzas are viral rather than bacterial, most antibiotic drugs (antibacterials) are useless in combating them. If you suspect that you are coming down with influenza, get bed rest. Too many people ignore their symptoms because that project at work just has to get done. Not only do they risk their own health, but they put their