One of the Key Herbs that Prevents and Treats Swine Flu

Ayurveda, India’s traditional 'science of life,' has the remedy for swine flu in the form of the basil leaves commonly known as Tulsi.
Tulsi is well known in India for its remarkable healing properties. But the anti-flu property of Tulsi has been discovered by medical experts across the world quite recently. Tulsi improves your body's overall defense mechanism, including its ability to fight viral diseases.Apart from acting as a preventive medicine, Tulsi can also help a patient recover faster.

Sources:
Yahoo News August 12, 2009


Dr. Mercola's Comments:
It’s no coincidence that Tulsi is known by the names:

• The Queen of Herbs



• The Incomparable One



• Elixir of Life



• The Mother Medicine of Nature



• Holy Basil

The stimulating powers of Tulsi have been recognized by ancient healers and sages, and Indians have long worshipped Tulsi as a sacred plant, using its branches, leaves and fragrance for purification purposes and to heighten spiritual awareness.
One of the reasons why I personally drink Tulsi tea, however, aside from the fragrant flavor, is that it is one of the most effective adaptogens (an agent that helps your body adapt more efficiently to stress) ever known.
But Tulsi also has another very beneficial “side effect,” and that is helping to prevent and treat swine flu.

According to the article linked above, Tulsi may:

1. Improve your body’s overall defense mechanisms, including its ability to fight viral diseases
2. Help speed up your recovery process if you do get the swine flu
3. Strengthen your immune system
   

These benefits may stem from Tulsi’s highly complex, unique chemistry. It contains beneficial compounds called phytochemicals -- naturally occurring compounds that plants produce to protect themselves against bacteria, viruses and fungi -- that interact and have strong antioxidant, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and immune-enhancing properties that promote general health and maintain your body's natural defense against germs, stress and disease.
If you are concerned about the swine flu, I would highly recommend trying Tulsi over any of the flu drugs or vaccines now being offered.

Putting Swine Flu into Perspective
Even though swine flu appears to be continuing to spread, you need to know that this is typically a MILD illness. Most cases resolve with no medical care needed whatsoever.
If you are still considering taking the swine flu vaccine, please take a few minutes to get informed on the reasons why I don’t recommend it by reading these important articles:
Swine Flu is NOT the Problem -- It is the Vaccine that May Harm or Kill You
Squalene: The Swine Flu Vaccine’s Dirty Little Secret Exposed
Swine Flu Vaccine Makers to Profit $50 Billion a Year!!
Next, stay calm and do not buy into the ensuing paranoia and hysteria. To put this into perspective, look into the past Swine flu epidemic that NEVER materialized … or the Bird Flu Pandemic that never was either.
At the same time, do take care of your health to reduce or eliminate your risk of contracting any strain of influenza.
I am currently consulting with some of the leading experts on a swine flu product that I hope to have by the end of the year that will use completely natural ingredients that build your immune system.
In the meantime, the following 10 steps will typically be all you need to stay healthy, even in the midst of a pandemic:

1. Optimize your vitamin D levels.
   Optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu -- not the flu virus itself.
   This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you can take. I would STRONGLY urge you to have your vitamin D level monitored to confirm your levels are therapeutic at 50-70 ng/ml and done by a reliable vitamin D lab like Lab Corp.
   For those of you in the US we hope to launch a vitamin D testing service through Lab Corp that allows you to have your vitamin D levels checked at your local blood drawing facility, and relatively inexpensively, soon. It the meantime, you can also take part in the D*Action Project to have your levels tested as part of a five-year study for public health.
   If you are coming down with flu-like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection. Some researchers like Dr. Cannell, believe the dose could even be as high as 1000 units per pound of body weight for three days.
   However, most of Dr. Cannell's work was with seasonal and not pandemic flu. If your body has never been exposed to the antigens there is chance that the vitamin D might not work. The best bet is to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D around 60 ng/ml.



2. Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness.



3. Get Enough Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. rest.



4. Use Effective Tools to Address Stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness. If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using a tool such as the Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT), which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of events, from work to family to trauma.



5. Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.



6. Take a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fats like Krill Oil. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are in trans fats and processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response.



7. Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Also be careful not to over-wash your hands, which can damage your skin and allow an entryway for pathogens.



8. Eat Garlic Regularly. Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body. And unlike with antibiotics, no resistance can be built up so it is an absolutely safe product to use. However, if you are allergic or don't enjoy garlic it would be best to avoid as it will likely cause more harm than good.



9. Avoid Hospitals and Vaccines. In the case of swine flu, I recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you're having an emergency, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could be one of the likeliest places you could be exposed to this new bug. Vaccines, when available, will likely be ineffective and may lead to crippling paralysis like Guillain-Barré Syndrome just as it did in the ‘70s.



10. Take a High-Quality Probiotic or eat plenty of naturally fermented foods. Eighty percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system, so enhancing your gut health with probiotics is a very effective method to ward off cold and flu viruses.

Related Links:
Critical Alert: The Swine Flu Pandemic – Fact or Fiction?
Swine Flu Vaccine Makers to Profit $50 Billion a Year!!
Good Bacteria Fight the Flu