By: Dr. Chantell Groenewald (M. Tech Hom UJ)
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is a viral infection that targets your respiratory system including your nose, throat and lungs. There are two types of influenza viruses, influenza A and influenza B, that are mainly responsible for the seasonal flu epidemics each year.
The virus is spread from person to person through sputum droplets spray when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
Body aches and pains
Runny or congested nose
Anyone can get influenza and develop mild to severe symptoms. Individuals with a compromised immune system, pregnant women, the elderly and young children are most at risk for developing flu-related complications.
A healthy immune system plays an important role in flu prevention and a fast recovery should you contract the virus.
1. Get enough sleep: 7-8 hours of good quality sleep each night is important for maintaining healthy levels of cortisol. Chronic low-levels of cortisol supresses the immune system and can contribute to developing recurrent colds and flu with poor recovery time.
2. Vitamin SUN: Vitamin D is expressed on our immune cells and play an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Some studies suggest that most of our population is in fact deficient in Vitamin D. The sun is the best source of Vitamin D, so catch up on some winter sun during the flu season. If a blood test reveals that you are deficient in Vitamin D, then you need to talk to your health care practitioner who can prescribe a suitable supplement.
3. Eat 5-7 servings of vegetables each day: A healthy diet is key to a healthy immune system. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables each day promotes healthy biological pathways which helps protect us from disease.
4. Maintain a healthy gut: 70% of our immune system resides in our gut. Gut permeability contributes to low level inflammation and supresses our immune system. Avoid foods that can cause inflammation such as sugar, processed foods, additives and preservatives. Include foods rich in pre and probiotics like kefir or kombucha with gut healing bacteria.
5. Stress management: Chronically elevated levels of cortisol contributes to chronic
inflammation. Chronic inflammation is associated with chronic disease which can put you at risk for developing flu and serious flu related complications.
Natural anti-viral supplements:
1. Vitamin C: Studies suggest that therapeutic doses of Vitamin C assists in alleviating and reducing symptoms of colds and flu.
2. Echinacea root: This herb has immune enhancing and immune modulating activities which can assist in the treatment of acute infections such as cold and flu. It also has anti-inflammatory effects which can alleviate upper and lower respiratory symptoms associated with bronchial inflammation.
3. Sambucus Nigra (Elder Berry): The key indications for this herb is in the treatment of influenza, the common cold and other acute viral infections.
4. Vitamin ACE, Zinc and selenium: Vitamin A, C, E as well as Zinc and selenium plays an important role in a healthy functioning immune system. Talk to your pharmacist or health care provider about an immune boosting multi-vitamin to support your immune system during flu season.
5. Garlic (Allium Sativum): Research studies conducted on aged garlic for the treatment of acute colds and flu found that garlic had positive immune boosting effects and reduced the severity of cold and flu symptoms.
Homeopathy is another safe and effective modality for the treatment of influenza and will be the topic of my next article. Homeopathic remedies for the safe and effective treatment of influenza.
For more information please contact The Naturopathic Health Care Center on 012 460 9216 or
This article in no way serves to diagnose or to treat anyone suffering from influenza. If you suspect you are suffering from influenza, then you should consult with your primary health care physician. Before using a new herb or supplementation,
you should consult with a qualified health care practitioner. The opinions and suggestions in this article are those of Dr. Chantell Groenewald based on her years and experience as a qualified Homeopath and should in no way serve to replace a
physical consultation with a qualified health care practitioner.
Dr. Marike de Klerk
"Mwanamke mmoja wa Marekani, Chantelle Groenewald, ambaye anajua sana ugonjwa wa kifafa, alisema: ""Huenda ikawa na virusi vinavyopiga mfumo wa kupumua, kutia ndani pua, koo na mapafu." Kuna aina mbili za virusi vya mafua, mafua ya aina ya A na ya aina ya B, ambazo husababisha magonjwa ya mafua ya msimu kila mwaka. Virusi hivyo huenea kutoka mtu mmoja hadi mwingine kupitia matone ya mkojo yanayotolewa na mtu aliyeambukizwa anapokosa, anapokunywa au anapozungumza. Ugonjwa wa mwili: Mvua au pua iliyojaa Mtu yeyote anaweza kupata mafua na kuendeleza dalili kali hadi kali. Watu wenye mfumo wa kinga dhaifu, wanawake wajawazito, wazee na watoto wadogo wana hatari kubwa ya kupatwa na matatizo yanayohusiana na mafua. Mfumo wa kinga wenye afya una jukumu muhimu katika kuzuia mafua na kupona haraka ikiwa utaambukizwa virusi. 1. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Usingizi wa kutosha: Usingizi wa saa 7-8 kila usiku ni muhimu kwa kudumisha viwango vyema vya cortisol. Kiwango cha chini cha cortisol huathiri mfumo wa kinga na inaweza kusababisha mafua na mafua ya mara kwa mara na muda mfupi wa kupona. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Vitamini D: Vitamini D huonyeshwa kwenye seli zetu za kinga na ina jukumu muhimu katika kudumisha mfumo wa kinga wenye afya. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba watu wengi wana upungufu wa vitamini D. Jua ni chanzo bora cha vitamini D, hivyo kupata jua wakati wa baridi kali. Kama uchunguzi wa damu unaonyesha kwamba una upungufu wa vitamini D, basi unahitaji kuzungumza na daktari wako ambaye anaweza kuagiza nyongeza inayofaa. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kula mboga 5-7 kwa siku: Mlo mzuri ni muhimu kwa mfumo wa kinga. Kula matunda na mboga mbalimbali kila siku huendeleza njia za kiafya zenye afya ambazo husaidia kutukinga na magonjwa. 4. Uwe na uhakika Kuhifadhi afya ya tumbo: 70% ya mfumo wetu wa kinga unakaa katika tumbo. Uwezo wa kupenya wa matumbo huchangia uvimbe wa kiwango cha chini na huzuia mfumo wetu wa kinga. Kuepuka vyakula vinavyoweza kusababisha uvimbe kama vile sukari, vyakula vilivyotengenezwa, nyongeza na vihifadhi. Vyakula vyenye virutubisho vya prebiotic na probiotic kama vile kefir au kombucha vina bakteria za uponyaji wa matumbo. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Usimamizi wa mkazo: Viwango vya cortisol vilivyoinuka kwa muda mrefu huchangia uvimbe wa muda mrefu. Uvimbe wa muda mrefu unahusishwa na ugonjwa wa muda mrefu ambao unaweza kukuweka katika hatari ya kuendeleza mafua na matatizo makubwa yanayohusiana na mafua. Dawa za asili za kupambana na virusi: 1. Vitamini C: Uchunguzi unaonyesha kwamba vitamini C katika kiasi cha kutosha husaidia kupunguza dalili za homa na homa. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Echinacea: Mti huu una uwezo wa kuongeza na kupunguza mfumo wa kinga, na inaweza kusaidia katika matibabu ya maambukizo ya ugonjwa wa homa. Pia ina athari za kupambana na uvimbe ambazo zinaweza kupunguza dalili za upasuaji wa juu na wa chini zinazohusiana na uvimbe wa bronchial. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Sambucus nigra ni dawa ya kawaida ya kuambukiza homa, homa ya kawaida, na maambukizi mengine ya virusi. 4. Uwe na uhakika Vitamini A, C, E, na Z zinahusika katika mfumo wa kinga. Zungumza na daktari wako wa dawa au mtoa huduma ya afya kuhusu multivitamin ya kuongeza kinga ili kusaidia mfumo wako wa kinga wakati wa msimu wa homa. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Vitunguu (Allium sativum): Uchunguzi uliofanywa juu ya vitunguu vya zamani kwa matibabu ya homa kali na homa uligundua kuwa vitunguu vilikuwa na athari nzuri za kuongeza kinga na kupunguza ukali wa dalili za homa na homa. Homeopathy ni njia nyingine salama na yenye ufanisi ya kutibu mafua na itakuwa mada ya makala yangu ijayo. Homeopathic matibabu ya salama na ufanisi wa ugonjwa wa mafua Kwa maelezo zaidi, tafadhali wasiliana na Kituo cha Huduma ya Afya ya Naturopathic kwenye 012 460-9216 au nakala hii haitumiki kwa njia yoyote kugundua au kutibu mtu yeyote anayeteseka na mafua. Ikiwa unadhani una ugonjwa wa mafua, tafadhali wasiliana na daktari wako wa msingi wa huduma ya afya. Kabla ya kutumia mimea mpya au virutubisho, unapaswa kushauriana na daktari mwenye sifa. Maoni na mapendekezo katika makala hii ni yale ya Dk Chantelle Groenewald kulingana na miaka yake na uzoefu kama homeopath waliohitimu na haipaswi kwa njia yoyote kutumika kuchukua nafasi ya ushauri wa kimwili na mtaalamu wa huduma ya afya waliohitimu. Dr. Marieke de Klerk