What is the true underlying cause of the flu? The argument has been raging since the days of Hippocrates (460-357 B.C.)
and was termed the "seed or the soil" argument in the days of Claude Bernard, a
19th century French physiologist and contemporary of Louis Pasteur, a French
chemist. Bernard argues that it was the soil 9the state of the individual
exposed to the infection) that had the largest impact on whether someone got
sick while Pasteur argued that it was the seed (the infective germ).
According to Bernard, as long as the individual was healthy, the body could keep
the infection in check. Recent research has confirmed this theory numerous
times. The National Academy of Sciences, among the most respected
scientific organizations in the U.S. (modestly billing itself as Advisors to
the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine) stated in their
prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA,
Vol 93, pp.14304-14307, December 1996.
"It is now established that nutritional deficiency is commonly
associated with impaired immune responses, particularly cell-mediated
immunity, phagocyte function, cytokine production, secretory antibody
response, antibody affinity, and immunodeficiency worldwide."
Malnutrition creates "fertile soil" for pathogenic germs to get
root and grow strong. So strong in fact that one of the biggest concerns
in our health care system is mutating germs for which medications have no
effect.
What is Viral/Bacterial Mutation? Mutation is always thought of as a negative or grotesque developmental
change. With viral or bacterial mutation, what is actually occurring is
that with less competition from a host organism the germ gets stronger and
healthier. As an individual becomes more and more nutritionally deficient,
their immune system provides less and less competition to keep infectious germs
in check. These individuals become "green houses" and breeding grounds for
stronger, healthier, more pathogenic germs that require more and more toxic
drugs to kill them. It is the human race that is mutating -- DOWN.
In 1996, Melinda Beck, Ph.D. and Oral Levendar, Ph.D. gave a
report that absolutely shocked the attendees:
"The bodies of malnourished animals provide a breeding ground for
virulent, mutating viruses for which healthy animals have no current
resistance." They found that "the coxsackie virus (a run-of-the-mill
virus) mutated into a deadly, rapidly reproducing strain. It infected
animals that were deficient in vitamin E and selenium. No
mutation of the coxsackie virus occurred in non-deficient animals."
("Nutritional Health and Microbe Mutation", The Federation of American
Societies of Experimental Biology, Washing D.C., April 1996.)
Dr. Steven
Morris, expert in infectious disease at Rockefeller University, stated, "The
finding was technically specific to the coxsackie virus, but I'd be highly
surprised if there weren't others that reacted the same way."
This means that in malnourished individuals, with no
competition from the immune system, harmless germs grow into healthy, strong,
infectious germs that are extremely hard to kill. A healthy
immune system keeps these germs in check.
How does vitamin C work? The white blood cells have a higher concentration of vitamin C than any
other cell in the body. If white blood cells are the soldiers against
infection then vitamin C is the ammunition. "It is a tragic fact
that no patient is known to die [from infection] until his reserves of vitamin C are completely
exhausted" (Dr. Royal Lee). The FDA has classified the chemical
"ascorbic acid" as vitamin C. While ascorbic acid is part of the vitamin C
complex, naturally occurring vitamin C also contains mixed bioflavonoids, K, J
and P factors, and tyrosinase (a copper bearing enzyme), as well as all of the
unknown factors yet to be discovered. Tyrosinase is the enzyme white blood
cells use to perform their deadly destruction of foreign invaders. Without
the whole vitamin C complex, white blood cells are unable to function properly.
Illustrating this was a research study which showed that the white blood cells
of healthy individuals contained a 5-7 times the amount of copper than AIDS
infected indfviduals.
Ascorbic acid by itself is
virtually worthless to the body. While it has some limited benefits, the high doses required to have an
effect lead to other problems such as DNA damage, athrosclerosis, and cancer.
The lack of benefit was first realized by the discoverer of ascorbic acid, Dr.
Albert Szent-GyOrgyi, who thought he had discovered the anti-scurvy chemical in
certain foods. While he received the Nobel Prizer in 1937 for discovering
ascorbic acid, he tried more than once to warn the scientific community of its
relative uselessness:
"Various chemical and clinical
observations have led to the assumption that ascorbic acid is
accompanied in the cell by a substance of similar importance and related
activity. In absence of both substances, the symptoms of lack of
ascorbic acid (scurvy) prevail and conceal symptoms of the deficiency of
the second substance. ...we have found that in certain pathological
conditions, characterized by an increased permeability or fragility of
the capillary wall, ascorbic acid is ineffective, while the condition
can readily be cured by the administration of Hungarian red pepper ('vitapric')
or lemon juice. Spontaneous bleeding ceased, the capillary
walls lost their fragility towards pressure differences and no more
plasma protein left the vascular system on increase venous pressure...We
propose to give the name 'Vitamin P' to the substance responsible for
the action on vascular permeability.
(From the renowned British Journal Nature. July 4, 1936 p. 2
Letters to the Editor: Dr. Al Szent-GyOrgyi "Vitamin
P: Flavonols as Vitamins")
"I am talking in such detail about
this substance (ascorbic acid) because of a small accident that happened
to us at that time. I had a letter from an Austrian colleague who
was suffering from a severe hemorrhagic diathesis (vascular type).
He wanted to try ascorbic acid in his condition. Possessing at
that time no sufficient quantities of crystalline ascorbic acid, I sent
him a preparation of paprika that contained much ascorbic acid and the
man was cured by it. Later with my friend, St. Rusznyak, we
tried to produce the therapeutic effect in similar conditions with pure
ascorbic acid but we obtained no response. It was
evident that the action of paprika was due to some other substance
present in this plant..." (Dr. A. Szent-GyOrgyi
"Oxidation" Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, 1939, pages
73-74. Published 2 years AFTER receiving the Nobel Prize for
vitamin C - ascorbic acid).
What about the countless individuals who have
taken large doses of ascorbic acid to get over the flu? It does work
Let's look at how:
Optimum media pH for pathogen growth (neutral=7.0, low = acidic)
Bacteria
pH
Staphlycoccus
7.4
Streptococcus
7.4 - 7.6
Pneumonoccus
7.6 -
7.8
Corymbacterium diptheriae
7.2
Clostridium tetani
7.0 -
7.6
H. influenza
7.8
Gonococcus
7.0
7.4
Meningococcus
7.4 -
7.6
Brucella abortus
7.2 - 7.4
("Folk
Medicine" by D. C. Jarvis, MD)
These are highly alkaline environments in
which these bacteria thrive. In an acidic environment these same germs
struggle to thrive and reproduce. D. C. Jarvis, MD understood and taught
this principle 50 years ago:
"It becomes apparent, as one
studies this list, the microorganisms harmful to the human body grow on
alkaline soil. This is particularly interesting in the light of
the evidence that in dairy cows and human beings alike, an instinct
exists which leads them to seek an acid intake. In the light of
the above evidence, it seems reasonable to suspect that pathogenic
bacteria which are harmful to the body are in the world for another
purpose than to cause sickness in human beings. Nature has
spread acidic vegetation about with a lavish hand, apparently to prevent
infection of the body with pathogenic microorganisms, turning into
infection of the body by these same microorganisms. The
instinct leading animals and humans to seek acid vegetation and acid
liquids has been given as a protection" (D. C. Jarvis, MD "Folk
Medicine")
When an individual takes ascorbic ACID,
the pH in the body drops making it difficult for the infectious germs to
function and reproduce. This allows the immune system to bring things back
under control. What doses of ascorbic acid are required to get this
effect? 1000 - 5000 mg. This demonstrates its relative weakness.
Apple cider vinegar will do the same thing much more efficiently and cost
effectively (1-2 cents per treatment). General doses: one
teaspoon/tablespoon per day when ill and one teaspoon/.tablespoon per week to
once a month for prevention.
Calcium: "The 1% Factor" Ninety-nine percent of the
calcium in the body is in the bones. The most critical percent however is
the 1% in the rest of the body. Calcium is used by every cell in the body
and is the only mineral that has its own endocrine gland, the parathyroid gland.
The calcium in the bones acts as a reserve to supplement the 1% and the body
will always sacrifice the bone to keep the 1% balanced.
There are numerous studies showing the
importance of calcium in the immune system response (targeting invaders,
stimulating white blood cells, etc.). The following is from a more recent
study:
"April 17, 2003 Howard R.
Petty, Ph.D., professor and biophysicist at the University of Michigan
Health System's Kellogg Eye Center, has dazzled his colleagues with
movies of flourescent-lit calcium waves that pulse through the cell,
issuing an intracellular call-to-arms to attack the pathogens within.
Through images of phagocytosis, the process by which a cell engulfs and
then destroys its target, Petty is able to track the movement of calcium
waves as they send signals to key players in the immune response."
When there is an infection, the demand by
the body on the 1% is great due to its benefits to the immune system. The
1% calcium is "cash" for use right now. What happens when the cash runs
low? The body must go to the bank (bone) and make a withdrawal. This
requires a lot of energy thus increasing the metabolism and driving up fevers:
Any child that lacks...soluble
calcium...is going to be susceptible to any disease that involves fever.
In fact, he'll develop a fever from the calcium deficiency alone, in
many cases. Whenever you've got a youngster that's
running a temperature, and maybe it's just a degree or two above normal
and wanders up and down, whether it's the infant or anybody else, it's
calcium deficiency. It's strange that these are also associated
with virus diseases and bacterial diseases that cause fever.
The youngster that's got plenty of diffusible calcium in his body fluids
is practically immune to children's disease. If you feed that
youngster vitamin C and calcium, I don't care if he's already infected
with whopping cough or mumps or scarlet fever, you load him up heavily
with Calcium Lactate and vitamin C...and you will be surprised in
twenty-four hours. You can eliminate all symptoms." (Excerpt
from Lectures of Dr. Royal Lee, Vol.II)
What about Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory
Drugs (NSAIDS) for fevers? Whale these drugs may help control fevers,
recent studies indicate that they also prolong infections and contribute to
viral/bacterial mutation:
"NSAIDS suppress the white blood
cell's ability to move towards, capture and kill bacteria. White
blood cells tend to ignore bacteria when the NSAIDS work." ("Could
Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Enhance the Progression of
Bacterial Infections to Toxic Shock Syndrome" Dr. Stevens, Science
News, 7 Oct 1995)
What are the best sources of calcium?
Calcium Lactate and Calcium Citrate. These become usable as soon as
they are absorbed. Unfortunately, the worst source of calcium is also the
most abundant in supplements -- calcium carbonate. It is the cheapest and
the most abundant form of calcium in the world., The problems is that it
requires 13-15 reactions in the body to convert it into usable calcium.
Calcium lactate and citrate only require one reaction to become usable.
In an emergency how can you make your
own absorbable calcium? Combine egg shells with the fresh juice of a
lemon, let it sit for 30 minutes, remove the egg shell, and drink the juice.
The citric acid of the lemon juice will combine with the calcium from the egg
shell and make calcium citrate. You will also get natural vitamin C from
the lemon juice.
Vitamin F: Critical Synergist
to Calcium Vitamin F is old terminology for
what the FDA has reclassified as fatty acids. There is however a vitamin
complex in fatty acids that has the effect of driving calcium into the cells of
the body for use. This is the effect that is critical for preventing
infections. Why? Because calcium does for the what it does for
the bone -- it provides strength and tone:
Vitamin F transfers calcium
from the blood into the tissues. Vitamin D puts calcium into
the bloodstream. So, if you get too much D, it locks up the
calcium in the blood and can't go into the tissues...That's sunstroke.
You're out in the sun too much, you get too much D, your calcium is held
into the blood supply and can't get into the tissues...You get
weak...your perspiration is shut off and you won't live very long
if you don't get into the shade. Vitamin F reverses that trend,
acts as an antidote for the D by diffusing the calcium again into the
[tissues]." Excerpt from Lectures of Dr. Royal Lee, Vol.II.)
"QUESTION: (Joe Nichols, MD):
What is the etiology, prevention, and cure of chronic canker sores on
the tip of the tongue?
ANSWER: Canker sores have the same cause as polio -- lack of
diffusible calcium in the body. If you'll get some Calcium Lactate
and some Vitamin F you probably have any more trouble."
(Excerpt from Lectures of Dr. Royal Lee, Vol. II.)
While there are many good sources of fatty
acids, beef liver appears to have the greatest impact on the "calcium effect".
Echinacea: Good or Bad? While there are many herbs that
can help with treating infections and flues, Echinacea is perhaps the most well
known. But what are its limitations?> Many professionals advise not
using it for more than 2-3 weeks because it loses its effectiveness in the body
or because it causes other problems. Research studies show that it helps
with infections but the conclusions always show that it DELAYS the infection
rather than gets rid ot it -- the subjects still eventually get sick. Why
does this occur? Let's look at the mechanism.
How does Echinacea work?
Echinacea purges stored vitamin C out of the cells for use. The vitamin C
is then picked up by the white blood cells which has a stimulating effect and
increases their ability to fight infections. This is the same mechanism
that occurs with sulfa drugs.
"(NEW YORK Reuters) - Results of a
preliminary study indicate that Echinacea, an herb sold over the counter
as a cold remedy, boosts activity in white blood cells, immune cells
that fight infection, according to a researcher at the University of
Florida in Gainesville...In the study, Percival gave 10 healthy,
college-age men an Echinacea supplement for 4 days. Taking samples
of their blood on day 1 and day 4, she found that by day 4, the men's
white blood cells had a three times greater ability to kill bacteria
(+300%) "Echinacea Stimulates Immune System" March 8, 1999)
What happens when the body runs out of
stored vitamin C? The Echinacea no longer has any significant effect.
In addition, the individual is left vitamin C deficient leading to many other
problems. The remedy for this is to take a high quality, natural source of
vitamin C with the Echinacea. This provides the necessary fuel to run the
Echinacea reaction in the body. Good natural sources of vitamin C include
citrus, buckwheat, acerola (berries), rose hips, and mushrooms (raw).
When looking at Echinacea there are two
sources -- the leaf and the root. While the leaf has some effect, the
root is much more potent and effective. It is also more expensive
because the plant must be killed to harvest the root.
Homeopathy Even though homeopathic remedies
have been around since the 1780's, they have only recently begun to appear in
pharmacies. Homeopathic remedies work by the principle of "like cures
like". What this means is that if an individual has a disease, taking
something in very small amounts that normally causes that disease will act as a
cure.
The extent to which substances are diluted
in homeopathic remedies is so great that the remedy may not contain even a
single molecule of the substance. For this reason, homeopathic remedies
are classified as "energy medicine". The benefit is that one cannot
overdose on a remedy and there are rarely any negative reactions or side
effects. The down side is that the remedies do not physically support or
supplement anything in the body. The way homeopathic remedies work is to
stimulate the body into action to perform a certain function or bring something
into balance. For this reason, homeopathic remedies may be used in acute
and chronic infections as well as for prevention.
Even though there is no treatment for
viral infections in our medical health care system, viruses do not stand up very
well against homeopathic remedies. Even some of the most stubborn viruses
can be brought under control relatively quickly with the use of homeopathic
remedies. At the Institute of Chiropractic & Acupuncture Therapy, we
have formulated specific homeopathic remedies for the various flues, whether
they are viral or bacterial in cause -- one for the traditional flu and another
for the intestinal flu.
The proper doses of the above
recommendations are dependant upon the size of the individual (adult or child),
and biochemical individuality (some individuals require more or less of certain
vitamins and minerals than others.) At the Institute of Chiropractic &
Acupuncture Therapy we are able to test for an individual's particular
nutritional needs.
