We’re not even past Labor Day and I’m already hearing the mainstream medical minions talk about how bad this year’s influenza virus is going to be. And, of course, in their next breath, they talk about how everyone needs to do their due diligence in getting this season’s new influenza vaccine.
But, as I always advise, you should skip out on the government’s ineffective — and dangerous — flu vaccine. Instead, you only need to take a few simple precautions to avoid this winter’s outbreak.
In fact, a new study found that supplementing with one simple nutrient can dramatically reduce your risk of getting the flu and pneumonia. More on that study in a moment.
Fighting the real enemy
Of course, the real danger isn’t the flu itself. It’s if and when the infection migrates from the upper respiratory tract to the lower respiratory tract, which causes pneumonia. And this can be fatal — especially in older adults.
That’s why doctors during my medical training in the mid-1970s referred to pneumonia as “the old man’s friend,” because it inevitably ended any of the patient’s suffering.
Fortunately, today we know a lot more about how to support lung health naturally.
And a lot of emerging research shows supplementation with vitamin D decreases the frequency of respiratory infections.
In fact, in the December 2017 issue of my monthly newsletter, Insiders’ Cures (“The single vitamin secret to cutting your risk of colds, flu, and pneumonia in half”), I detailed how regularly taking vitamin D cuts your chances of getting colds, flu, and other dangerous viral infections like pneumonia in half.
Turns out, good, old vitamin D works by charging up your immune system when it’s under attack.
Build up your defenses — naturally
A healthy immune system provides a complex and effective barrier against most harmful microbes trying to enter the body. And this barrier is pretty large. Immune tissues line your entire respiratory system — from your nose down to the back of your mouth, throat, and lungs. (Fun fact: The tissues of just the lungs, if spread out flat, would cover an entire tennis court, so that’s a lot of territory to protect!)
And when microbes enter the upper respiratory system of the nose and throat, a healthy immune system attacks and destroys them.
But sometimes, germs break through that first barrier…
At that point, the body mounts a second attack in tissues of the trachea, which connects the throat and lungs. In fact, the body starts producing antimicrobial peptides in the fluid that lines the trachea, called airway surface liquid (ASL).
And surprise, surprise…
Vitamin D increases the antimicrobial activity of ASL.
But, amazingly, there’s never been a study to actually look at the effect of vitamin D supplementation on ASL in healthy people.
Until now…
Vitamin D significantly increases antimicrobial activity
For the new clinical trial, researchers divided patients into two groups. Participants in the first group received 1,000 international units (IU) per day of oral vitamin D3 for 90 days. The second group received a placebo for 90 days.
The researchers collected ASL samples at the study’s outset and after supplementation.
They found vitamin D supplementation “significantly increased” ASL antimicrobial activity and concentration of vitamin D in the blood. Which is a little astounding considering they gave the participants such a small amount of vitamin D.
As you know, I recommend you take 10,000 IU per day of this critical nutrient. Especially during cold and flu season. And my recommended dose is 10 times more than they used in the study.
Low dosing doomed to fail
I’ve talked about the problem of low dosages before. Many studies fail to show good results…not because the nutrient being studied doesn’t work — but because they used dosages too low to produce tangible, therapeutic results.
In the case of this new study, they used a low dosage…and still got great results! Just imagine what would happen if they used more effective dosages?!
Of course, mainstream medicine issues dire warnings about using this supposedly “high” level of 10,000 IU of vitamin D per day. I think that’s just a plot to scare people away from improving their health naturally.
This study is pretty amazing in another way too…
It helps explain vitamin D’s all-important “mechanism of action.” In other words, it helps explain how vitamin D works to prevent respiratory infections.
One patient commented that before starting supplementation, her vitamin D level was borderline. And she’d been seriously ill with respiratory infections three times in one year, taking lots of antibiotics.
But daily supplementation helped raise her blood levels of vitamin D and drastically lowered her susceptibility to colds and flus. Now, when coming down with a respiratory infection, she uses vitamin D plus other natural products to recover without drugs.
Strengthening the defenses
Fortunately, you have many safe, effective, natural approaches to protect yourself from respiratory infections, colds, and flus, including:
1.) Vitamin D
As I mentioned earlier, take 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily. Look for vitamin D3 in a convenient liquid form, which is available together with astaxanthin, the potent marine carotenoid. Head over to my website, www.DrMicozzi.com, to learn more.
2.) Avoid crowded spaces
Thomas Jefferson gave the solid advice to avoid unhealthy crowded areas to prevent infections over 200 years ago — and it remains good advice to this day. Especially during cold and flu season.
3.) Use soap and water to wash hands
As you know, I recommend good, old-fashioned soap and water for hand-washing. And when you can’t get to a sink, carry hand sanitizer (alcohol-based only).
4.) Be prepared
Carry your own pen and use it at banks, post offices, and retail stores to avoid touching contaminated objects or surfaces.
5.) Wipe down first
Before touching the gas pump or grocery cart, wipe down the handles. Many gas stations and grocery stores provide wipes near the pump or entrance.
6.) Use a real towel
In a public bathroom, skip the supposedly “energy-efficient” hand dryers and use a paper towel or carry your own handkerchief. Then use it to open the bathroom door upon exiting.
As I wrote in the February 2015 issue of my monthly newsletter, Insiders’ Cures (“The shocking source spreading cold and flu viruses”), research shows that hand dryers just blow viruses around the whole bathroom. To revisit this article, simply visit www.drmicozzi.com and type the article title in the top right search bar. Not a member? Sign up today. You’ll have access to all my archives — instantly.
This new research on vitamin D is more important than ever, especially as we learn more about the real dangers of the flu vaccine, which I’ll tell you more about tomorrow.
So, take control over your health. Be proactive in preventing illness. And as I always say, the best thing you can do right away for your overall health is to start supplementing with 10,000 IU of vitamin D each and every day. I’ll give you more details about preventing colds and flus in my upcoming September Insiders’ Cures newsletter.
Source:
“Effect of vitamin D 3 on the antimicrobial activity of human airway surface liquid: preliminary results of a randomised placebo-controlled double-blind trial,” BMJ Open Respiratory Research, 2017.