The Herbal Way To Keep Flu at Bay

Dec. 12, 2003 -- Alternative medicines can ease flu and cold symptoms. And they just might give you the edge you need to keep from getting the flu.

No, alternative medicines won't take the place of flu vaccine and timely flu treatments, but -- together with good hygiene and a healthy lifestyle -- they may very well help you keep you from getting the flu bug.

Alternative medicine guru Andrew Weil, MD, director of the program in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona, Tucson, says several of these alternative medicines can help protect against flu and cold germs. But he's quick to note that they aren't a substitute for common sense. Before he'll talk herbs, he first talks hygiene.

"The main preventive measure against flu is hand washing, which should be done if you've been out in public places," Weil tells WebMD. "If you are using restrooms on planes or any other public place, wash your hands with hot water and soap. It may even be a good idea to carry alcohol towlettes with you."

And if you do get the flu, Weil advises people to take advantage of modern medicine.

"If I was coming down with the flu, I would take one of the prescription drugs," he says. "The trick is to take it within the first 48 hours of getting symptoms."

Herbal Flu Prevention

Weil also has nothing against the flu vaccine, which he recommends. This year, however, he's concerned that the vaccine may not offer full protection against the Fujian flu that's going around. That's why he's taking three different alternative regimens:

The first of these is astragalus, also known as Chinese milk vetch.

"Astragalus is an immune-enhancing herb to ward off flu," Weil says. "Astragalus is cheap, so there is no risk of adulterated products. But get a standardized product. I often recommend Nature's Way brand, but there are lots of good ones. Adults take two capsules twice a day and children get half that dose. There are no side effects. I use it myself."

The second remedy Weil recommends is a widely available mushroom extract.

"I also use a mushroom product called Host Defense, an extract of seven mushrooms," he says. "And there are various other Chinese mushroom products on the market. It comes in a capsule form that is easily taken. I take one capsule twice a day, but there is great latitude on dosage because this has no side effects."

Finally, Weil recommends taking your vitamins -- especially the antioxidants.

"I think it is useful to be on a good multivitamin, multimineral supplement," he says. "It's also important to get natural antioxidants from berries, from tea, and from dark chocolate. At least that last one should be easy to find this time of year."