This article appeared in Healing Path Magazine - Fort Collins, Colorado

Beating the Flu Naturally

by Barbara Seideneck, CCH, RSHom (NA)

You boost your immune system with vitamin C. You increase your exercise, dress warmly, get plenty of sleep and wash your hands after visiting public places. Then everyone at work gets the flu, the kids bring it home and your husband gets sick. Even a strong immune system can break down after multiple attacks. You finally succumb to the flu bug. And after trying home remedies like ginger tea, Epsom salt baths and Echinacea, the illness persists.

This year to help beat the flu, try a homeo­pathic remedy. It may minimize your flu symptoms and speed up recovery. Homeopathic treatment is based on the premise of "like cures like" - a substance that creates certain symptoms in a healthy indi­vidual will heal a person with similar symp­toms when ill. Homeopathic remedies are most efficient when matched to a person's specific symptoms.

Was it the weather?

Alternating Hot and Cold

Have you been shopping on a cold, damp winter day, in and out of stores, warm and sweaty and chilled in between? Soon you are restless, achy, stiff, the air feels cold in your throat and you start sneezing a lot. Rhus toxi­codendron (Poison ivy) can help this situation. The flu comes with stiffness and aching in the joints, worse on initial movement, better after moving a little. Movement, hot baths and any kind of warmth alleviate the pain.

Out skiing in the cold, dry wind?

Thirsty for cold drinks? If you get chilled and suddenly feel ill afterwards, Aconite (Monkshood) may do the trick. It works well for sneezing and a feverish feeling or a sudden high fever before clearly defined symptoms develop.

Snow melting after a cold. spell? Gelsemium (Yellow jasmine) helps when ill­ness starts as the snow melts after a cold spell. The body feels heavy allover, especially in the eyelids, head and limbs. You feel apathetic, drowsy and have a dull headache. Shivers run up and down the spine and there is no thirst during the fever.

Chilled to the bone?

Eupatorium perfoliatum (Boneset) can be taken for a flu that starts after getting chilled to the bone. Everything hurts so much you want to moan and groan. The bones feel as if they'd been broken. The chest is sore and raw, and coughing makes the head hurt. The eye­balls are aching and sore with a bursting headache. You want ice-cold water despite vio­lent chills.

Life stresses can increase susceptibility

Too much partying? Working overtime? Losing sleep?

Nux vomica (poison nut) can help the gastric flu with vomiting, diarrhea, aching limbs and back. The nose runs during the day and is stopped up at night. You feel very chilly and can't get warm. You're impatient, very sensitive to the slightest draft, and wake around 4 a.m.

Did you get sick after an exam, giving a ' speech, or hearing bad news?

These stresses can lead to a Gelsemium type of flu; see symptoms above. Sometimes the immune system is weak­ened after emotional upheaval.

Bryonia (Wild hops) helps with a flu that develops slowly after anger. Very irritated, you want to be left alone and infrequently drinks large gulps of cold water. With every dry, painful cough, you hold your chest, sides or head. You feel much worse from movement and around 9 p.m.

Did you recently experience a grief, a fright or financial loss? Arsenicum album (Arsenic trioxide) eases flu with great weakness combined with anguish, restlessness, anxiety or fear. The person is extremely chilly, has cold sweats and is thirsty for frequent sips of warm drinks. Eyes and nose are burning from the acrid dis­charges. Everything is better from warmth except the headache, which is better with cold compresses. The person typically feels worse from midnight to 2 a.m.

Health food stores generally carry homeo­pathic remedies in a 30e potency. Take them as directed on the bottle. Stop the remedy with improvement. Repeat if the same symptoms return. No response after six doses usually means that another remedy is needed. Seek medical attention for severe symptoms.