| |  | | Home Treatment for Influenza
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Jason
Posted on: January 17, 2006
I’ve heard that black walnut hull and goldenseal are effective against the ‘flu. Is this accurate? If so can you give some guidance for use: how much, how often, etc. My kids are 4 and 6 years of age and I’m especially interested in home treatment for them.
Influenza is a viral infection of the respiratory tract. Symptoms can include chills, fever, cough, headache, achiness, fatigue, and lack of appetite. Treating the ‘flu early can shorten recovery time and avoid more serious disease. Rest, to allow the body’s energies to focus on healing, and plenty of fluids, to encourage elimination of toxins, are top priorities. Eating small meals, focusing mainly on vegetable juices, reduces the energy required for digestion, which allows more energy to be focused on healing. Hot herbs, such as ginger and cayenne, increase the body temperature, which discourages the influenza virus.
I would not use goldenseal and black walnut hull as a remedy for the ‘flu.
Goldenseal is not a systemic antibiotic and is not active against the influenza virus. It has antimicrobial actions only on the body tissues with which it comes in contact. If you are taking a tincture, this would be the mouth, stomach and intestines. It is not absorbed into the blood stream. It is an endangered plant and should not be misused.
Black walnut hull is a strong medicine, only used for very short periods of time, usually for parasitic infections.
Some good home remedies for "flu include the following:
* drink plenty of liquids: water, herbal teas and fruit and vegetable juices
* herbal teas of elderflower, peppermint and yarrow
* ginger tea, made by simmering one inch of fresh, chopped ginger in 3 cups of water for 20 minutes
* steam inhalations of eucalyptus essential oil: place 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil in a small bowl of water that has just been boiled. Cover the head and the bowl with a large towel and inhale steam until water has cooled
* cinnamon and cayenne: 1/3 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne, mixed into water or juice, every 2 hours.
* 500 mg. of vitamin C daily
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