Fears around H1N1 or Swine Flu, and flu in general, are mounting as we head on into flu season. Keep in mind that excessive fear will negatively impact your immune system, which will ultimately be your best defense.

Some facts to bear in mind:

* Some people die from the flu, but most do not. There are 36,000 deaths from flu-related complications every year. The deaths from H1N1 do not so far represent a substantial increase of those, partly because, for unknown reasons, the virus has not proved as virulent in the US as it was when it first appeared in Mexico.

* Natural, non-invasive solutions for immune support exist. While vaccinations are the preferred course of action according to world health authorities, there are valid concerns around the efficacy and safety of that approach. Do your research on this. Important to note is the success rate of homeopathic medicine in preventing flu-related deaths during the epidemic of 1918. The death rate was 28.2% among those people treated with what we would today call “conventional medicine”, while only 1.05% of those treated homeopathically met the same fate.

To attempt to prevent the flu without vaccination, if that is the route you choose, here are some recommendations:

* Wash your hands frequently.

* Get adequate rest.

* Have homeopathic flu remedies on hand to take at the first onset. This would include gelsemium and byronia, which were mentioned as the primary remedies used to control the 1918 epidemic.

* Recent studies have  shown that full-spectrum elderberry extract,  such as Immunity Take Care by New Chapter, effectively blocks the H1N1 virus.

* As an alternative to the vaccinations, a homeopathic remedy made directly from viral strains is available, possibly at our store in the near future. Please call and ask our naturopath for more information.

Hello all you parents out there!

we have started a group here at Rainbow for parents.  a place to chat about whatever is going on in your family life these days.  a place to connect with other parents, share your stories, learn a thing or two from other savvy parents like yourself, and be a part of your community here in Seattle.

we just finished up the second week and i have to say, it is so lovely.   we enjoy some tea, and get to know each other.  very laid back…

so, we get together on Tuesday mornings at 9:30.  my name is melissa and i am the hostess…i have to get back on the floor at 10:30, but by all means, everyone is welcome to hang and keep chatting.  And people are tending to do so….it’s great!

hope we see you here one of these Tuesdays….

peace…melissa

ok, so this tea journal is about more than one herb.  I was planning on sticking to the one herb at a time…but the temptation of these two herbs blended together got the best of me and I can’t seem to make myself drink any other teas right now.

Roasted Chicory Root & Roasted Dandelion Root….these are the herbs that make up our new Rainbow Roast.  I have been experimenting with amounts and cooking times.  At first, I did my usual, more is better thing and used a heaping tablespoon for one cup…and I also only steeped it for about 10 minutes.  I was anxious to sip the roast.  It was good.  However, I just did not know how good it could be.  The next time I made it I used about the same amount of Rainbow Roast, except I made it in a pot, using about 6 cups of water.  I then brought it to a boil and simmered for around 20-30 minutes.  It was even more delicious.  It was not at all bitter, and was very smooth.  I add a little half and half or soy milk and a squirt of agave.  MMmmmmmm.  I also do not recommend using a french press…i tried that and it just was not a good as really cooking it down a bit.  You can even add more awter after it simmers if it cooks down too much, and it still is rich and yummy.

You can find our new Rainbow Roast near our pre-made tea blends, to the right of the herb counter.  i suggest checking it out.  If you are trying to kick the coffee altogether it is a good option, or maybe switch your afternoon cup to one of the Roast as a way to cut back on caffeine.  We all love it here at the store.

The key to preventing or lessening the severity of cold and flu symptoms is maintaining a healthy, effective immune system.  The best way to ensure this is through proper nutrition from your diet and appropriate supplementation.
Let’s look at a few of the nutrients which help us to stay healthy:
- Vitamin C stimulates the immune system’s ability to produce interferon, a natural virus-killing glycoprotein.
Hundreds of studies reveal that consuming generous amounts of vitamin C can empower the activity of white blood cells by anywhere from 100% to 300%.  Individuals who take 1 to 3 g of vitamin C daily consistently report fewer colds than the ones who do not supplement with this vitamin.
In a study conducted by the Naval Medical Research Institute, vitamin C plasma levels of 28 men on a 68-day submarine patrol were checked frequently.  The ones with the lowest plasma levels of this vitamin came down with twice as many colds as did the sailors with the highest vitamin C plasma levels.
The biochemist G. Ritzel conducted a controlled study with school-aged boys.  Those who began taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C per day reported that their number of colds decreased by 45% and their sick days per cold decreased by 30%.
A recommended dosage of vitamin C for boosting your immunity is 250-500 mg two to three times daily.
- Well-documented for protecting mucous membranes, Vitamin A is another preventer of colds and flus because it boosts the immune system.  Naturally-occurring vitamin A is fat soluble and stored in the liver; it can, therefore, be toxic in large amountsalthough most people must take at least 100,000 IU of active vitamin A daily for a period of months before developing any signs of toxicity.
A recommended immune-boosting dosage is 5,000-10,000 IU of vitamin A per day.
- What is not generally known is that many of the B-complex vitamins are crucial to the immune system’s ability to defend us.  According to Mark Mayell in Off-the-Shelf Natural Health, “Vitamin B6 is the most important of the B vitamins for keeping your immune system working optimally.”
- Zinc supplementation multiplies the number of white blood cells, lymphocytes, and cellular antibodies and revs up their fighting ability.  Zinc deficiency seems to play a role in the development of auto-immune diseases, in which the immune system attacks itself or other body tissue.
- Vitamin E enjoys a growing reputation as an immune stimulant that can boost the body’s ability to resist various diseases.  Studies indicate that taking optimal levels of vitamin E improves antibody response and T-cell activity.  Vitamin E’s effect on the immune system is thought to be partially due to its role as an antioxidant that protects the thymus and lymphatic tissue.
- One of the great American folk remedies is the immune-stimulator echinacea, used for centuries by Native Americans to conquer colds.  Echinacea’s reputation as a substance that activates white blood cells, boosts the immune system, and short-circuits colds and other respiratory infections has made it America’s most popular healing herb.

Reference: Langer, Stephen, M.D., and Scheer, James F.  Solved: The Riddle of Illness, Second Edition.  New Canaan, CT, 1995.