Herb you heard the latest?

Until Influenza A (H1N1), you probably didn’t think that a flu was life-threatening. You went to work or school or wherever even when you were running a fever or sneezing or coughing (or all of the above). After all, a paracetamol would take care of all that. You didn’t care if all your sneezing or coughing would infect the people seated close to you in your cramped air-conditioned office. Sad to say, your unsuspecting infected seatmate calls in sick the next day.

As you had most likely observed in the not-so-distant past when you used the public toilets in malls or anywhere, some people simply bolted out of the cubicles in a flash and never bothered to wash their hands, even if soap was available and there was precious tap water.

Well, our hygiene habits (or the lack of ’em) have changed since H1N1. Now, you probably see people lining up at the sink to wash their hands after using the toilet. A lot of people now even make sure they have a small bottle of alcohol or hand sanitizer stashed in their bags wherever they go. It’s something they won’t leave home without.

Fact is, there are millions of viruses and bacteria (although most of them are harmless to humans) just waiting to invade and consume our body. “There are over 500,000 such organisms on each square inch of our skin trying to get in,” elaborates Dr. Robert Fusco, medical editor of e-Newsletter.

Because they’re all around us, in the very air that we breathe, it’s nearly impossible to avoid exposure to viruses and bacteria. Dr. Fusco pinpoints, “All surfaces have some bacteria as do our friends and family. At work, the most contaminated surfaces are found on computer keyboards and mice, desktops, and telephones. In hotels, the remote control has more bacteria than the toilet seat. In the home, the kitchen counter, cutting boards, and moist sponges are breeding grounds for bacteria. Seventy percent of people with colds have infectious levels of viruses on their hands. So much for the friendly handshake. We are literally picking up these germs all day and bringing them to where they want to be — our nose, mouth, and eyes.”

And the cold reality is that if we catch a cold, we’re pretty much on our own. Says Dr. Fusco, “An upper respiratory infection, or so-called ‘cold,’ is a viral infection of the mucous membranes that line your nose and throat. Antibacterial antibiotics will do nothing to help get rid of the virus. And since over 200 different viruses are known to cause the symptoms of the common cold, it has been impossible to develop a single effective vaccine.”

The good doctor adds, “The only way to get over a cold is to wait for your immune system to eliminate the virus, and for your body to produce a new virus-free mucous membrane surface. Medical science can’t do anything to speed up this process. Resurfacing the mucus membranes takes three to four days, but getting rid of the virus takes a week or two, and until the virus is gone, the new membranes will keep getting infected. Since we have no medicines that will eliminate or even slow down the cold viruses, most doctors do not give antibiotics to someone who has only a cold, unless there seems to be a very good chance that they may develop a bacterial infection on top of the cold. Giving antibiotics when there is a viral infection will likely do nothing except help the bacteria in the nose and throat become resistant — which makes the next bacterial infection much harder to treat.”

Seemingly the best way to fight viruses today is via vaccination. Dr. Fusco explains, “Since we can’t depend on antibiotics to eradicate viral infections, we must rely on our immune system even more. Our immune system can find and kill many of the viruses that attack us, but sometimes a virus can multiply and overwhelm the immune system before it ‘comes up to full speed.’ Each viral strain is different and requires a unique vaccine. Vaccinations allow our immune system to learn how to defeat a particular virus so that when the real thing comes along, it’s prepared … By exposing our bodies to a deactivated form of these viruses, vaccination teaches us what the invaders look like. When the real viruses attack, our immune system is ready and there is no delay in the counterattack …”

Dr. Fusco did repeatedly mention the immune system. The book Herbs for Health and Healing — A Drug-Free Guide to Prevention and Cure (available at National Book Store) by Kathi Keville, director of the American Herb Association, with Peter Korn does focus on the immune system. Building up the immune system is important, says Keville, because our general health is based on our ability to fend off disease. And the author is not just talking about flu viruses; there are also the serious immune-related diseases like psoriasis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, and even cancer.

And now comes the “immune stimulant,” a term coined by German researchers to describe herbs “that help put your immune system in gear.” German scientist Hildebert Wagner, PhD, prefers to use the term “immunoregulator” because these herbs not only “stimulate an underactive immune system but also help prevent the immune system from overreacting to invaders or to substances the body falsely identifies as invaders.”

The book tells us which herbs help boost our immunity — those herbs that enhance the production and function of T-cells, for instance, or the vital immune cells that kill viruses, fungi, and certain bacteria. But first, do you want to know what lowers our natural immunity? The book identifies the culprits as follows: emotional or physical stress, poor diet, smoking cigarettes, and drinking too much alcohol.

Yes, it’s time to mend one’s ways and build up one’s natural defenses. As for the last, trust the herbalists of yore as they have studied just how certain herbs make the body more resistant to disease. And the most popular “immune herb” is echinacea that’s native to North America. Since the 1950s, nearly 400 studies have proven that echinacea improves the immune system by increasing the activity of the immune system’s workhorses — T-cells, interferon, and natural killer cells. It makes the cells stronger and more resistant to invasion. Long live the king of immune herbs!

If echinacea is to North America, astragalus is to China. Astragalus has traditionally been used to promote vitality and healing.

Ginseng (there’s Chinese, Siberian, Indian) is said to be an “adaptogen” because it helps the body adapt in many ways; it also improves immunity and counters stress.

Over in Italy, researchers have found that thyme, lavender, bergamot, and lemon enhance immunity. Later, after many other studies, they added eucalyptus, tea tree, rosemary, black pepper, cardamon, and ginger to the list.

Through the ages, more and more immunity enhancers have been discovered. For instance, there’s cat’s claw. One study affirms that cat’s claw improves immunity in people with cancer by increasing the amount of disease-fighting immune cells in their blood.

There are herbs that can loosen congested lungs so you can breathe better. These lung decongestants, which also relieve clogged sinuses, include eucalyptus, peppermint, and thyme.

And no need to cough up a lot of moola for those expensive cough medicines. Onions will do the job just fine. Here’s the recipe for homemade onion poultice: 1 chopped onion, I cup water, cloth. Lightly cook onion in water, enough to soften. Mash or blend and apply to the chest while still warm. Cover with a soft cloth.

Truly, in onion there is strength.

The book dishes out many other herbal recipes, such as lung tincture, cayenne gargle, onion syrup, homemade nasal inhaler, and sinus congestion tea.

Wanna know what else our herbalists have in nature’s pharmacy? Name it, they probably herb it!

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