032 Flu Prevention [5 Oct 2009]

The safest, and probably most effective, measure to protect yourself and your family from the flu is to ensure adequate levels of vitamins D and C. This is the conclusion of Dr. Mercola in his latest newsletter.

An analysis by Dr John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council [www.vitamindcouncil.org] of the latest Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report on H1N1 Flu deaths revealed a hidden link to vitamin D deficiency. So far this year 36 children have died of the flu in the USA. Of these nearly 2/3 had a neurodevelopmental condition including epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation. All of these conditions are associated with Vitamin D deficiency.

A recent (2009) study at Albert Einstein School of Medicine studied the vitamin D levels of 6,000 American children ages 1 to 21. They found that 70% were deficient and 9% very deficient in Vitamin D. Children with low levels were more likely to have abnormal blood lipids (cholesterol), high blood pressure, obesity, and abnormally high parathyroid hormone levels.

Mercola writes “although studies proving vitamin D’s protective powers against the flu do not include the swine flu virus specifically (it’s too new), it’s likely that vitamin D can offer protection against swine flu as well. Flu viruses mutate each year, yet people with sufficient vitamin D levels appear immune to the seasonal flu without regard for which strain is currently in circulation.”

Remember my column about Vitamin C and polio (4 August 2009 Eagle)? Dr. Mercola related a similar case of a New Zealand farmer who picked up the swine flu in Fiji. Despite the use of Tamiflu and antibiotic treatment in an Auckland hospital, he continued to deteriorate and was put on life support. The doctors were ready to “pull the plug” saying there was nothing more they could do when the family persuaded the hospital – against tremendous resistance – to try intravenous vitamin C. He regained consciousness in a few days and within a few weeks he had fully recovered. The staff was amazed – they had never seen anything like this.

Unfortunately it is highly unlikely that this Auckland hospital, or any other conventional hospital that learns of the case, will try this again without further pressure. Sadly it seems in the current system it is safer for doctors and institutions to allow patients to die with conventional treatment than to save them with an unproven (especially natural) therapy.

This article is intended for educational purposes only; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.