The antiviral duo that can keep you healthy this flu season

If you start to feel sick this flu season, you may want to think twice before grabbing the Tamiflu.

As Dr. Marc Micozzi explains in his Breathe Better Lung Health Protocol, “Tamiflu has serious side effects. Not only nausea, vomiting, and headaches—which are bad enough—but also kidney disorders and even psychiatric syndromes.”

But the good news is you have an alternative. Recent research shows that the herb echinacea combined with elderberry is just as effective as Tamiflu for reducing or ending flu symptoms.

To confirm this, Dr. Micozzi refers to a study where researchers recruited 473 people who had experienced an early onset of flu symptoms.

Researchers gave volunteers either Tamiflu or a hot beverage containing extracts of echinacea and elderberry. Here’s how symptoms changed over the 10-day trial:

  • After one day, 2 percent of the echinacea group and 4 percent of the Tamiflu group had mild or no flu symptoms.
  • After five days, 50 percent of the echinacea group and 49 percent of the Tamiflu group were symptom-free.
  • And after 10 days, 90 percent of the echinacea group and 85 percent of the Tamiflu group had fully recovered.

In other words, the echinacea/elderberry beverage performed roughly the same as Tamiflu—without any of the nasty side effects.

But that’s not all…

It turns out, this herbal duo was particularly impressive when it came to preventing more serious health issues.

Dr. Micozzi sums it up: “Seven percent of the Tamiflu group ended up getting pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis, or gastrointestinal issues like nausea or vomiting. But only 3 percent of the echinacea group had these respiratory problems, and none of them suffered from the gastrointestinal issues.”

How do these simple herbs mange to handle the flu so effectively? Dr. Micozzi explains…

The powerful antiviral duo

Dr. Micozzi cites research that reveals two ways these natural botanicals work together:

  1. New research shows that, after ingesting elderberry extract, the body produces a compound called desaminotyrosine (DAT), which acts as a metabolite in the GI system to fight the influenza virus.
  2. Additional research shows echinacea stimulates immune cells of all kinds, like neutrophils, macrophages, and natural killer cells.

Dr. Micozzi suggests that at the first sign of cold or flu symptoms, brew up a big batch of echinacea tea spiked with elderberry extract, then drink it often.

And to make this pleasant beverage even more comforting, he suggests adding other ingredients like honey, ginger, lemon, and turmeric.

But don’t neglect his important warning: “Remember not to take echinacea unless you are coming down with a cold or flu. Otherwise, you run the risk of chronically over-stimulating your immune system. Which, ironically, could increase your susceptibility to colds and flu.”

For more practical insights about steps you can take to protect your respiratory tract throughout the coming flu season, I strongly encourage you to check out Dr. Micozzi’s Breathe Better Lung Health Protocol—a truly integrative online course, combining the best insights that mainstream medicine and alternative therapies have to offer.

Click here to get started today or to learn more about this essential protocol.

SOURCES

“To Tamiflu or Not to Tamiflu?” National Center for Health Research, retrieved 11/6/19. (center4research.org/tamiflu-not-tamiflu/)