I copied this over from the Everything about elderberry thread. It's a reply to Zkurmus question about using a sambucol supplement that also contains echinacia. But as you will see, I get into other possibilities... I hope others will share their family prep plans.
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Zkurmus, just a quick reply...
Echinacia is considered an immune system booster. I haven't looked into the research that might support this. My mom always swore by it and drank all sorts of things with echinacia in it on a daily basis. I saw some articles posted by Shannon or LMonty that echinacia may boost some of the factors that the body produces in its over-reaction to H5N1 that is called the "Cytokine Storm". (Cytokines include interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, other immune system messengers that "cascade" too vigorously in response to H5N1 infection...). Maybe I can find some of those references.
The cytokine storm (and ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome) which may result from H5N1 infection is thought to be more likely in children and healthy young people with strong immune systems.
- The death rates from H1N1 in the 1918 pandemic supports this hypothesis: 50% of deaths occurred in those 18 to 40 years old, and most died within a day or two.
- So do the death rates among the young in Asia from H5N1 today: don't know the exact stats, but 50% of deaths so are in those under 25, I think.
There must also be an exposure factor determining who gets ill ill in the first place: the youthful work force in 1918, and kids who care for chickens in Asia today should be factored in.
Thus, there are suggestions that
having a strong immune system may be a risk factor for death from H5N1 in the coming pandemic
if you get sick. If that is true, then the argument by some is that to the degree that any herbal remedy, medical treatment or vitamin enhances immune function, it may increase risk of death by cytokine storm
if you get the bug.
Key will be avoiding becoming infected with H5N1. Social distancing and being reclusive will be a protection. Having food,
basic multi-vitamins,
vitamin C and other resources available to be able to remain sequestered will be a protection.You and your family don't want to have contact with other humans who could infect you.
Before the pandemic hits, I'm suggesting to my family that we all have the best functioning immune system possible. Prior to pandemic we're continuing with echinacia if we already take that supplement (I don't, but some family members do.). Some family members who keep bees swear by
bee propylis. I don't think it increases the cytokines, but I don't know any research on this.
Other family members swear by
reservatrol, which is present in full cluster unfiltered concord grape juice (or wine) where grapes are prone to getting a fungus and reservatrol is created on the grape skin in reaction to the fungus. Reservatrol is also found in almonds, peanuts, full cluster unfiltered, hot extracted mulberries, blackberries. I posted on that on another preps thread.
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...ht=reservatrol
If someone gets sick, we plan to
stop the echinacia, but not the propylis, or reservatrol.
Some believe it's helpful to take
sambucol before infection and increase the amount if you get infected with H5N1. We're planning to do that. I've made a number of quarts of sambucol tincture from dried elder berries soaked for 10 days in vodka. I didn't sweeten it. It tastes like death warmed over, but I think it helps, given some recent experience with the common flu and pneumonia. I may try making some without alcohol as I am not much of a alcohol consumer. I have also made tea from the dried berries.
If your sambucol supplement contains echinacia perhaps you should discontinue it when the pandemic hits near you.
If the person gets sick, there are other supplements that may reduce cytokine storm (and ARDS).
Antihistamine like "Benadryl" or the generic equivalent is another "over the counter drug" we have on hand. It's cheap and available at places like Costco in the US.
Turmeric (95% curcumin) is another anti-cytokine storm herbal remedy. It should be abundant in your part of the world.
Omega 3 fatty acids are said to be beneficial.
Lipitor (10 mg/day) is a
prescription drug that may be beneficial in recucing the cytokine storm. It is prescribed for high cholesterol and should be taken under a doc's supervision. The doc checks liver function to make sure you're not one of the rare people who have an adverse reaction.
I have not saved all the scientific research notes I made when sorting my way through various options last fall. I'm willing to see if I can find some of them again on the internet. If so, I will post them under
preps. Maybe others who have thought through the "what if's" will contribute as well. We're all in uncharted waters in planning to mitigate the pandemic effects. What each person and family does will have to be based on personal research, what's available where you are, and making your "best guess".
I am not an MD; this is not advice, simply what my family and I are doing. We don't have antivirals, so we're in the same boat as you on that one...
Here's a page of food, materials and supplement preps I made up with some firefighters last fall. Med stuff is at the very bottom under PERSONAL NOTES.
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...34&postcount=1
Enhancing the immune system vs minimizing cytokine storm
Linear Mode
