Flu

[maverick]

Anyone catch the flu or have it right now? How long were you out of work? How many of you got the flu shot (even though it does not protect against the current strain)? I work at a school, a lot of students, teachers, and employees have been out sick. Have been lucky so far not to get sick.

[mrphil]

You're riding completely on luck, Mav. Schools are petri dishes. Everyone around me has been dropping like flies for two months, but even though I know the body can only absorb about 1000mg of it, I pound down about 4000mg Vitamin C a day and have been fine. I know it's supposed to be for colds, and I'm probably kidding myself, but it's the one thing that I've done differently this year when I've been sick every other before. I also wash my hands and surfaces with non-antibacterial soap incessantly.

With all these flu shots, while we might save a few along the way, just like any viruses, we're going to create a totally immune super-virus that wipes us all out. History demands it. Had a best friend growing up whose dad was a pharmacologist that eventually became head of the FDA under Carter. He used to absolutely rant about what we were doing to ourselves with vaccines and overprescription of antibiotics.

[maverick]

I have been taking an elderberry/zinc lozenge for the last several years during the winter season and it works, even if I start to get the first symptoms, I start taking them and it knocks it right out.

[mrphil]

I have been taking an elderberry/zinc lozenge for the last several years during the winter season and it works, even if I start to get the first symptoms, I start taking them and it knocks it right out.

You don't have any problems with the zinc ruining your sense of taste? I guess the lozenges keep the dosage low, but I've taken a few high dosage OTC products in the past, and while it did a good job with the preventing the symptoms, I had zero taste for days afterwards. I knew I had to eat because I was hungry, but I might as well have just been eating cardboard for all the pleasure I got out of it. It really scared me and turned me off to the whole idea of zinc anything.

[Tom_H]

I used to get sick continually when I taught school. I got sick one time shortly after retiring and have not been sick since. We try to keep things sanitized, but the nature of the patrons simply causes schools to be germ farms. I hear it's been bad all over the country.

[The Other Tom]

I have been taking an elderberry/zinc lozenge for the last several years during the winter season and it works, even if I start to get the first symptoms, I start taking them and it knocks it right out.

Can you share a brand? Or link ?

[Jimr]

I haven't had the flu in probably a decade. Rarely even get colds. Hadn't had a cold in several years until last Dec. but that one was light. Mostly minor symptoms and low energy. I've never had a flu shot and never will. BTW, flu shots use thimerosal to pack multi-dose viles. It's 50% ethyl mercury and equates to roughly 25 mcg of mercury per shot. Why accumulate the most toxic non-radioactive substance on Earth.

I don't do anything to "protect" myself against colds or flu. I don't even avoid people who are sick. I do suggest to my employees to stay home if they are sick because others in the office have a different experience than me.

I may be a whack job, but I do believe that half of one's susceptibility depends on how much you buy into the fear that is used every year to market flu shots and OTC symptom relief products and anti-bacterial soaps, etc. If you get sucked into the world mind that is pounding fear, it has to have some sort of physical effect on the body. Fear releases hormones that greatly affect the body. Give or take a quart.

BTW do you know the difference between a gene and a hormone?




You can't hear a gene.

[freestone]

I have managed to avoid the flu so far, even after spending the holidays with it all around me and no flu shot or mega doses of Vitamin C. Maybe I already had all those bugs and I'm now immune, who knows. I work for the Public Health Department which is also a Petri dish of disease and I attribute my avoidance of disease to hand washing with simple soap every time I go into a restroom, no matter what I do in the restroom and when I come home from errands. I don't just wet and wipe the hands, I lather up all the way to above the wrists, and work the soap all around the fingers and palms, a good rinse then thorough drying with a clean towel. I'm not a handwashing phobe, but hand to face is a major disease vector that is easily eliminated by handwashing.

[Rockyroad]

I had 1 1/2 days of flu-like symptoms right after Christmas but attribute that to exhaustion. I can’t remember the last time I had a cold, rarely get them. Also haven’t gotten a flu shot. I hate the practice of hand shaking and often look for the first opportunity to wash my hands afterwards.

[freestone]

I hate the practice of hand shaking and often look for the first opportunity to wash my hands afterwards.

That's why I like the handshake they call the "bump"...touching fists only.