I am often asked about the best ways to protect the body from viral invasion.
In addition to a non-inflammatory, whole-food diet and a lifestyle that includes sufficient rest and exercise, my immediate recommendations for added protection against the flu and other viruses are Kali Mur 6X and vitamin D.
Kali Mur 6x is a homeopathic cell salt, which is gentle and highly effective. Cell salts help to reorganize the way tissues function, often lifting them out of their pattern of dysfunction. I recommend Kali Mur 6X because it helps to protect the integrity of cells against viral invasion. This includes almost every cold and flu, as well as more serious viruses. Dr. Rudolph Ballentine, master homeopath and one of the most influential doctors in the alternative health movement, discusses Kali Mur 6x in his book, Radical Healing:
“…when smallpox used to sweep India, health workers would go from village to village ahead of the epidemic, handing out Kali Mur 6X. Where this was done, it is said, the epidemic passed over or there were only mild cases.”
Vitamin D is an equally important tool in your vibrant health arsenal. In October of 2007, Epidemiology and Infection presented some very important findings concerning the epidemic levels of vitamin D insufficiency in the United States. The public health impact of this observation could be great, but more specifically:
- Over a 3-year period, taking 800 IU of vitamin D3 reduced the incidence of colds and flus by 70%.
- Taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 reduced the incidence of colds and flus to nearly zero (only one person out of 104 had a cold or flu while taking 2,000 IUs of vitamin D. That one person only had ONE COLD all year out of all 104.). The people in the control group, also numbering 104 members, suffered an average of 3 colds/flu per person per year.
Additionally, a 2009 report in the journal Pediatric Research stated that infants and children appear more susceptible to viral rather than bacterial infections when deficient in vitamin D. Based on the available evidence showing a strong connection between vitamin D, infections, and immune function in children, vitamin D supplementation may therefore be a valuable therapy in pediatric medicine.
Remember: the best defense is an early defense!