HerbScientist

Natural Health Views of a Research Scientist

  • Home
  • Who is the HerbScientist?
  • Talk With Me?
  • Privacy Policy
  • FDA Disclaimer

Flu Cure – Myth or Reality?

by Dr. Dennis Clark Leave a Comment

flu cureIf you are in the hunt for a flu cure, the plant kingdom is a good place to start. Herbs often provide antiviral substances that are safer and more effective than prescription or over-the-counter drugs.

Flu Cure is a Legal Issue

I say this because the U.S. Foolish Drug Administration (FDA) has a monopoly on defining diseases and the drugs for them. (That is why we have so many more diseases now than all of prior human history.) The FDA also does not allow the use of the word ‘cure’ for anything. Example: Saying that vitamin C is a cure for scurvy is illegal according to federal regulations, even though the truth of this statement has been known since at least 1936.

In light of this scenario, I am going to be careful and never claim the existence of a cure for anything. However, I will point to activities of certain natural products on viruses, in this case flu viruses.

Important Biological Principles to Consider

As you already know, use of a single drug for any kind of microbial infection leads to the development of resistant forms of the offending microbe. What you may not know is that drug cocktails – mixtures of multiple drugs – do not have the same effect. As scary as it might seem, drug cocktails do better. This is not a common strategy for infectious diseases because the side effects from drug mixtures are too deadly.

Fortunately, this principle holds true for natural products, which is why whole herbs and extracts do not lead to the development of resistant microbes. Moreover, side effects of natural treatments are generally minimal or nonexistent.

A second principle that is supported by excellent research is the synergy among mixed natural products. Mixtures of flavonoids in particular have a boosted effect against flu viruses. This means that the antiviral activity of several flavonoids together is more powerful than any single compound.

The Abundance of Antiviral Herbs

Even a cursory check for the topic, “antiviral,” on PubMed yields nearly 500,000 articles. Searches on “antiviral plants” produces just under 15,000. Many of these are reports of antiviral activities of plant chemicals against human viruses. Indeed, several hundred of them involve antiviral flavonoids from a wide variety of plants. Not too long ago, I did a comprehensive search for the best antiviral plants and came with a list of 6 outstanding candidates. A new research study at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (Tempe, AZ) is underway to further explore the antiviral potential of several more.

The Top Antiviral Herb

Out of all of the research that I have done myself, and that I have found in the scientific literature, the top antiviral herb in my view is still the creosote bush, Larrea tridentata. This species produces an abundance of compounds that show activity against HIV, herpes (including shingles and cold sores), influenza, and other viruses.

Antiviral activities of extracts and compounds from Larrea have already led to a handful of patents, on some of which I am a co-holder (for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,837,252).

Yes, I am biased in favor of this plant as one of Mother Nature’s top herbal medicine chests. However, I am following in the footsteps of Native Americans who discovered dozens and dozens of uses for it in their herbal pharmacopeia. One of these uses was for treating stomach flu. If you live in any desert in the southwestern U.S., from Texas to California, you can collect this plant on your own.

Other Excellent Antiviral Herbs

As I mentioned above, this is a long list. Almost every plant that has ever been evaluated for antiviral activity shows positive results. Some are even active against flu. The key, however, is to know which ones show the most potent anti-influenza action. To keep this post from being too long, I’ll just say that, besides Larrea, the best ones that I have found, based on published research, include the following: Baikal skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis), black elderberry (Sambucus nigra), garlic (Allium sativum), green tea (Thea sinensis), and American cranberry (Oxycoccus macrocarpus). If you find yourself in the predicament of looking for a good anti-influenza herb mix, this list would be a great start. And current research will certainly be expanding on these.

All the best in natural health,

Dr Dennis Clark

DISCLAIMER

Statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Filed Under: Herb Research Tagged With: American cranberry, antiviral herbs, Baikal skullcap, black elderberry, flu cure, garlic, green tea, larrea, larrea tridentata

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

My Fellow Seniors!


Baby Boomer Driving -2

A Scientist Speaks (Me!)

How to Lose Belly Fat

Prevous Posts

  • Health Benefits of Sunlight vs. Medical Dogma
  • Green Tea Weight Loss Bonuses
  • Prebiotic Foods – Better Than Supplements? Yup.
  • How to Find Truly Healthy Energy Drinks
  • Dark Chocolate Health Benefits for Lovers Only? Yes and No
  • Baking Soda Benefits – Cheapest “Supplement” Ever
  • Seed Oils – The Good vs. The Bad
  • How to Choose a Nice Bone Broth Recipe – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
  • Do You Need a Fructan Intolerance Remedy? (It’s Not About Gluten)
  • Ultimate Candida Diet – Foods to Eat, Foods to Avoid
  • Natural Blood Thinners You Already Have at Home
  • Is There a Best Essential Oil for Sinus Health?
  • Natural Candida Cleanse for Addressing a Modern Epidemic
  • Purple Loosestrife – Health Benefits of a Common Weed
  • Ground Ivy Health Benefits
  • Top 6 Herbs For Edema In Legs And Ankles
  • Coconut Oil for Thyroid Health, Weight Loss, And More
  • Herbs To Heal Leaky Gut
  • Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids: What’s Better, Seafood Or Plants?
  • Ever Heard of a C60 Supplement? Me, Neither – Until Now
  • What is Beef Gelatin vs. Pork Gelatin vs. Plant ‘Gelatin’?
  • How to Find the Best Supplement Brands for Multivitamins
  • Silly Number One Fat Loss Secret
  • Newest Weight Loss Methods Tackle Sitting Disease
  • Is There a Natural HCQ?
  • Natural Tools for Viral Infections – Part 2
  • Cold Thermogenesis: First Cold Soak of the Winter Today
  • Natural Tools for Viral Infections – Part 1
  • Defending Your Health in a High Tech World – Part 3
  • Defending Your Health in a High Tech World – Part 2
  • Defending Your Health in a High Tech World – Part 1
  • COVID-19 and 5G Wireless – What’s the Link?
  • Antiviral “Drugs” Your Body Makes – Unsung Superheroes
  • Herbs – Nature’s Antiviral Drugs
  • PQQ – New Top Energy Nutrient in Veggies
  • Can You Really Reverse Brain Aging?
  • Eggs Are Bad Again? Latest Research BS
  • Are Dangers of Calcium Supplements Real?
  • Vitamin C Supplements Don’t Contain Vitamin C
  • Do You Really Need Nutritional Supplements? Maybe.
  • Alzheimer’s Disease – What To Do About A Modern Medical Fiasco
  • The Real Danger in Schools
  • How to Overcome Environmental Toxins
  • EEK! Poison for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
  • Glyphosate Toxicity – Government Approved Lies That Keep On Giving
  • Healthy Diet Update – Fat For Fuel, Sort Of
  • How To Choose A Truly Healthy Diet – Really!
  • Breast Cancer Awareness Failure
  • Myths About Saturated Fat – Pure Medical Idiocy
  • Truths About The Benefits Of Chocolate
  • Why Taking More Calcium Is Not The Best Osteoporosis Treatment
  • Simple Tartare Recipe for Steak or Tuna
  • Veggie Cap Crap – How Supplements Can Harm You
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup – Deadly Stuff
  • Building Muscle As You Age – Food
  • Mackerel Head Smoothies – An Epicurean Delight
  • Building Muscle As You Age – Exercise
  • Building Muscle As You Age – Supplements
  • Multivitamins – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
  • Heart Disease, Homocysteine Levels, and B-Vitamins
  • Foods That Speed Up Aging
  • TMAO – Dr. Oz’ Latest Heart Risk Boogeyman in Red Meat
  • When Food Looks Back at You – Fish Head Soup
  • Achieving Fitness in Less Time
  • The Worst Diet in Human History
  • Latest Federal Dietary Guidelines: Still a Nutrition Minefield
  • Stop Calorie Counting – Food Is Not About Calories
  • A New Energy Vitamin in Your Veggies?
  • Live Long And Prosper With Healthy Mitochondria
  • How to Get the Most Out of Vitamin C

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in