Best remedy for Swine Flu? H1N1

[jdhowland]

[QUOTE=taai gihk yahn;932444]actually, one "old guy" I studied w/for a brief time had a great way of dealing w/the shock of going in and out of air-conditioned buildings/subways in the summer: before you go in (or out), you take a deep breath of the air you are in; then you walk into the other temp, holding the breath as long as you can; then you exhale that breath all the way and hold it out as long as you can; only then do you take a breath of the different air - by then you are much more acclimated - works like a charm, I gotta tell you, especially in NYC subways in the summer QUOTE]

I've been doing something like that most of my life, but with a variation: Where I live, there can easily be a hundred degree temperature difference between indoor and outdoor air. When you leave a heated building you take a breath, exhale slowly and gently "sip" small quantities of cold air to give your lungs and circulation time to adjust. You Canucks know what I'm talking about.

jd

[GeneChing]

I drink a similar tea as a general detoxicant.

* November 4, 2009, 3:49 AM ET
Recipes from China’s Alternative Swine Flu Frontlines

Until recently, China has been fairly sheltered from bad news associated with the H1N1 flu virus. But since early October, when the country reported its first H1N1 death, temperatures have dropped and H1N1 cases are reportedly rising steeply, so a corresponding increase in anxiety levels is inevitable.

Amid such fears, the available science doesn’t always prevail.

On the Internet, rumors that H1N1 could be caused by vaccines prompted a strongly worded refutation from the Ministry of Health, while flu fears at a Beijing university spurred school authorities to rid the campus of stray cats, despite a lack of evidence that the animals play a role in the spread of the H1N1 virus. (And to be sure, Chinese authorities don’t help when they add restrictions to imports of pork products, which the WHO says would not transmit the H1N1 virus via consumption).

China has launched an ambitious H1N1 vaccination campaign and drug makers are operating at full capacity to produce vaccine doses. But even so, health officials say domestic vaccine makers will only be able to produce around 100 million vaccine doses by the end of March 2010,still a long way from the 390 million doses needed to inoculate targeted groups, such as military, medical personnel, students and the chronically ill.

Against that backdrop, Chinese traditional medicine (TCM) offers some alternative measures for H1N1 prevention. An official with the department of medical administration in the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine referred us to the following TCM recipes (available in Chinese here). She noted that the recipes are only intended as a reference, since variations among regions and individuals must also be taken into account.

Soup

5 grams scallion, 30 grams daikon radish, 3 grams parsley. Add an appropriate amount of water, boil and drink.

Salad

30 to 60 grams fresh “fishy grass” (aka cordate houttuynia) (fresh whiteflower patrinia or purslane may be substituted), blanched and mixed with garlic juice and vinegar.

Bean Porridge

1. 30 grams each red beans, green beans and white hyacinth beans, cleaned and boiled with 500ml water.

2. 30 grams each red peanuts, red beans and red dates, boiled with 500ml water. Add brown sugar to taste.

Tea

Three grams each green tea leaves, dried chrysanthemum flower and licorice steeped in boiling water. Three to five nasturtium flowers may be used as a substitute for the tea.

[GeneChing]

I'm only posting the bigger ones...

China launches new swine flu medicine that cures in 3 days
© REUTERS/ Wolfgang Rattay
10:5103/11/2009

MOSCOW, November 3 (RIA Novosti) - Sales of a traditional Chinese medicine against swine flu, which its producer says is especially effective for children, have been launched in China, a local newspaper said on Tuesday.

The China Daily quoted the deputy head of the Beijing traditional Chinese medicine bureau as saying that children with the flu should be cured with "No 2 Cold Medicine" within three days.

"Some children will be cured with only one dose, while others might need two," Tu Zhitao said.

The World Health Organization said it was not familiar with the traditional Chinese medicine recommended for children and could not comment, the paper said.

Tamiflu and Relenza are so far the only two approved antiviral drugs that are available for treatment of the H1N1 virus.

As the number of H1N1 cases reached 6,196 in Beijing as of Monday, 20 traditional Chinese medical hospitals opened 24-hour anti-H1N1 departments, the paper said.

An unidentified bureau official said the traditional Chinese medicine is very effective and does not harm the stomach, unlike western medicines. "Chinese medicine does not have this side effect. This No 2 cold medicine is an upgrade of former anti-flu medicines," the paper quoted her as saying.

Other experts said the medicine is basically the same as an ordinary Chinese anti-flu drug.

Nearly 50,000 confirmed swine flu cases have been reported in China. Seven people have died of the disease and 118 are in critical condition.

China was the first country to complete tests of a swine flu vaccine and started the vaccination campaign in September. The country plans to produce up to 360 million doses of the vaccine, and is set to allocate a total of $725 million on efforts to curb the disease.

[TenTigers]

I've been drinking Airborne since before the flu season and all through it. It seems to help boost immune system. I also make sure I get plenty of fresh air, sunlight, rest/sleep, exercise, optimum nutrition, plenty of water, a good natural high potency multi-vitamin, and extra C.
I also heard that moxibustion to stomach 36 during this time is also good. Correct me on the points if I am mistaken.

[GeneChing]

I traveled in China when SARS flu broke out and remember a similar rush of TCM curatives. TCM never really provided a real remedy, but I packed my Banlaigen. Well, I always pack some Banlaigen when I travel in Asia. That's good stuff.

TCM may be another alternative in fight against H1N1
By Channel NewsAsia's Hong Kong Correspondent Leslie Tang | Posted: 21 November 2009 0011 hrs

HONG KONG: Hong Kong Chinese medicine practitioners are collaborating with a Macau university to test what they believe is another alternative to combating the H1N1 virus.

If they are successful, the formula will be the first Chinese herbal prescription cure for H1N1.

As temperatures drop, Hong Kong health officials are bracing themselves for a second wave of H1N1 to hit the city.

Other than Tamiflu and flu jabs, Hong Kong R&D company Rorric Biotechnology believes it may be able to offer a less invasive cure to H1N1, using traditional Chinese medicine.

Dr Chow Ching-fung, chairman of Rorric Biotechnology, said: "This formula is effective in two ways. First, it combats and eliminates the virus. Second, it boosts the immune system, helping the patient to become stronger."

The formula is made up of 21 common Chinese herbs, such as honeysuckle and Bai Shu.

"Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of being proven to have fewer side effects as it uses herbal ingredients," Dr Chow added. "Western medicine contains a mixture of chemicals from the manufacturing process, so the risks are higher."

Dr Chow said he had prescribed the formula, which is currently in powder form, to 100 patients suspected of contracting H1N1 and they have fully recovered.

Moreover, tests at the Wu Han Institute of Virology have shown that the formula is not only effective against H1N1, but also other mutated forms of Influenza A.

Rorric Biotechnology is now collaborating with the Macau University of Science and Technology to test the formula on 300 patients over four months.

The first goal is to have the drug registered in Macau. If all goes well, the team hopes the drug's success will gain the support of authorities in Hong Kong to give it the green light.


- CNA/so

[uki]

you won't see this potential remedy propagated any time soon...