Influenza (flu)
Home Remedies or Brand Names for the Common Cold…
Doctors have abbreviations for anything that causes coughing, sneezing, sore throat, congestion and/or runny nose: URTI (upper respiratory tract infection) or the shorter version URI (upper respirator…
Are There Dangerous Viruses in the Air You Breat…
I know that you have almost suppressed the memory of the pandemic. If COVID-19 taught us anything, though, it is that air quality matters! Most people would prefer not to catch a respiratory infection…
First Home Flu Vaccine Approved Is Not a Shot
When we mention vaccines, most people think of a shot at a clinic, pharmacy or doctor’s office. Next year, many Americans will be able to get their flu vaccines at home. It won’t be a shot though;…
Birds, Cows and People Suffer H5N1 Influenza
"Bird flu" continues to pose challenges for public health officials. They are increasingly concerned about the potential for person-to-person transmission of H5N1 influenza. This strain of influenza h…
Will Vitamin D Help You Avoid Infection?
Does vitamin D improve resistance against viruses such as influenza or the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19? Grandmothers across northern Europe have long relied upon cod liver oil, which is rich…
What Are the New Dangers of Bird Flu in Animals …
Bird flu is no longer limited to birds. The H5N1 strain of influenza was first detected in barnyard geese and chickens in the late 1990s. An outbreak in Hong Kong in 1997 made 18 people sick and six o…
The Flu Is Back! Why Hasn’t Influenza Disa…
Several weeks ago the CDC reported that influenza cases were dropping. But an “updated” report on March 15, 2024 suggested that trend had reversed, and the flu is back. Of course it never really w…
Show 1378: Rediscovering the Power of Medicinal …
This week, two guests describe their work with the healing power of medicinal herbs. They draw upon family histories of herbalism along with their own studies of how to use botanical medicines. You ma…
Is Phenylephrine a Worthless Decongestant? FDA&#…
What took the Food and Drug Administration so long to determine that a common cold and allergy drug does not work? Phenylephrine (PE) is almost 100 years old, having received a patent in 1927. Its eff…
Will You Make a Condiment to Fend Off Colds?
Every so often, a reader shares a remedy that gets a lot of attention. Last month, we heard from a person whose special sauce helps her family fend off colds. Wendi wrote: “I have been making a hot …
Will Elderberry Extract Help You Recover from Fl…
Natural approaches to healing are getting extra attention right now, as people try hard to stay out of doctors' offices if they can. After all, if you don't have COVID-19, you don't want to go anywher…
Can You Protect Yourself from the Flu?
It’s that time of year. Lots of people are miserable with colds, coughs or the flu. What will you do to protect yourself from the flu and keep from coming down with something nasty? Will Astragalus …
Show 1369: What to Do If You Catch the Flu
This week, we hear from pulmonologist Roger Seheult, MD, about ways we can strengthen our immune responses to respiratory infections. Seasonal influenza activity is high and still rising in most parts…
Will You Catch Flu, RSV, COVID or Strep this Win…
Many Americans are starting the new year in bed with a nasty respiratory infection. The CDC’s FLUVIEW report shows influenza cases and hospitalizations are up from the previous week, so we are well …
This Week’s Influenza Update: It’s Back with…
The Sick Season has arrived! We know we are starting to sound like a cracked record. We have been warning about flu for weeks and weeks and weeks! The influenza update from the CDC continues to show a…
Overdosing on Acetaminophen in Cold and Flu Reme…
Many over-the-counter medicines marketed for treating colds and flu contain acetaminophen (paracetamol in Europe, Australia and New Zealand). This non-aspirin pain reliever helps lower fever. Acetamin…
Should You Have a Home Flu Test on Hand?
In case you have not noticed, the flu is back! The swallows come back to Capistrano every spring and influenza viruses start circulating around the holidays. According to FLUVIEW the “Weekly U.S. In…
Is There Influenza in Your Town?
Flu season has just begun, but cases of influenza continue to rise. The southeast is being hit particularly hard. States reporting high levels of influenza-like illness include Alabama, Florida, Georg…
Should You Lower a Fever or Leave It Alone?
When should you treat a fever? Before people used aspirin or acetaminophen to lower a fever, healers around the world believed that raising body temperature would speed recovery from infection. A few …
Show 1357: Revisiting Ventilation to Avoid Airbo…
According to the CDC, cases of COVID-19 have been rising in several parts of the country. Cases of hospitalization for COVID are also up. One way to protect ourselves from airborne germs like the SARS…
If the COVID Pandemic Is Over, Can We Relax?
I am optimistic. For many months COVID cases have been steadily declining in the US. That’s at a time when most people have stopped being careful. Masks are mostly gone. People are traveling, dining…
Improve Indoor Air Quality to Fight COVID and Fl…
Masks are a thing of the past for most Americans. Even though a lot of people are still catching and spreading COVID these days, masking has pretty much faded away as a precautionary measure against c…
The Inside Story of Tamiflu Side Effects & …
One of the most familiar drugs for fighting influenza is Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Some people think it's great. They believe it helps prevent family members from catching the flu when one person is sick…
Will We Have a Bad Flu Season This Year?
The last thing most Americans and Europeans are thinking about at this time of year is influenza. This is not flu season! And most people have put worries about COVID-19 behind them. Over the last sev…
Will Chinese Herb Andrographis Ease Misery of Fl…
As we move into spring, flu season is receding. We will not hear public health announcements urging us to get our flu shots for another six months. But the question remains: what can you do if you cat…
Can Elderberry Juice Really Fight Flu Virus?
Elderberries and elderberry juice have long had a reputation for fighting the flu. Most physicians undoubtedly have considered this just another old wives’ tale. One reader remembers how her family …
Will Vitamin D Supplements Really Protect You fr…
Avoiding colds and flu is challenging. Physicians will tell you that vaccination is the only protection against influenza. Frequent hand washing is the other standard recommendation. Unfortunately, im…
Good News About This Year’s Flu Season!
Have You had the flu this year? I didn’t think so. Most people have avoided the H3N2 type-A influenza strain that has been circulating since October. By the way, that’s early! Normally the flu doe…
Does Injection Technique Lead to Bruising from I…
This season, nurses and pharmacists are giving flu shots and COVID boosters to help people stay out of the hospital. People who are afraid of needles have a lot of trouble with these immunizations. On…
Will You Get a Flu Shot? How Well Will It Work?
Every year, public health authorities urge Americans to roll up their sleeves and get a flu shot. The CDC sometimes suggests that people call ahead to make sure there is vaccine available. The reasons…
Surge in Viral Infections Linked to Shortage of …
The dreaded tripledemic seems to have arrived. Cases of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and COVID-19 are higher than usual. Perhaps because these infections affect young children disproportiona…
Is It Too Late for a Flu Vaccination This Year?
No one likes a know-it-all. When such a person utters the deadly phrase "I told you so," it sets everyones' teeth on edge. It is, therefore, with complete awareness that I am going to annoy you, dear …
Will We Have a Tripledemic This Year? Health Off…
With the flu season in full swing, some public health experts are concerned about the possibility of a tripledemic. In such a scenario, three different respiratory viruses circulate at the same time…
Will Increasing FLU Create A Twindemic This Wint…
Influenza is on the rise! In Australia the recent flu season hit early and hard. Now, early indications are that a similar pattern is evolving in North America. The Health Commissioner for the state o…
Show 1314: Better Air Quality Through Ventilatio…
This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we talk with one of the world’s leading experts on indoor air quality. If we had been paying more attention to air when the COVID-19 pandemic began…
Have You Had Lasting Pain from a Shot?
Every year, public health experts urge everyone who hasn't already been vaccinated to get a flu shot. People develop immunity within about two weeks of immunization. Most people expect to get the shot…
What Should You Know About Vaccine Effectiveness…
At one time, vaccines were not very controversial. In the 1950s, parents were overjoyed to vaccinate their children against polio. I should know. My parents feared I would die because I caught polio w…
The Great Influenza Fizzle…Again!
Every fall like clockwork we are told by the CDC that the flu is coming, THE FLU IS COMING! The message: Get vaccinated. Get vaccinated now! It will likely be bad. That was certainly the message durin…
Show 1253: The Lessons of COVID-19 on How to Avo…
Over the past year, the world has faced a global pandemic due to a previously unknown virus. People wanted and needed to know how the virus spread from person to person. At first, the focus was on fom…
A Silver Lining to COVID-19 – Fewer Flu Cases
If there were one good thing about COVID-19, it could be the impact on influenza. Public health authorities have noticed many fewer flu cases than they expected at this time of year. Why Are We Seeing…