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VIRAL INFECTIONS
SYMPTOMS—fever, muscular aches, chills, and headaches.
CAUSES—Viruses can be especially serious. Viral infections include the common cold, measles, influenza, tonsillitis, croup, infectious hepatitis, mononucleosis, asthma, and certain bladder infections.
TREATMENT—
• The various chemical drugs (including antibiotics) fight bacterial invasion. But they are powerless against viral infections. Yet, in contrast, the body uses the same variety of powerful defenses to resist and overcome both bacterial and viral crises! So help your body win the battle. The Lord has placed strong defenses against sickness within each of us. We can claim them more fully if we are living according to the laws of health.
• Vitamins C, A, and B6 are especially helpful. Also see the rather complete list of helpful suggestions under Common Cold.
• Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant and free radical eliminator. Vitamin B complex and selenium (500-1,000 mcg/day) are other effective agents.
• Vitamin C (2,000-10,000 mg daily, in divided doses) works in the white blood cells to produce a powerful antiviral task force.
• Zinc (50-100 mg daily) is also important in adding the body's own immune functions.
• Helpful herbs include echinacea and goldenseal, Garlic is another powerful helper.
PREVENTION—When the invaders are strong and many, and the body is in a weakened condition, then trouble begins. Keep yourself in good health. Get enough rest, exercise in the open air, and maintain a balanced, nourishing diet.
ENCOURAGEMENT—God can help you, if you will daily seek Him for that help. Unless we continually cherish a close walk with God, we will be tempted to separate from Him, and walk alone.
INFLAMMATION
SYMPTOMS—Swelling, heat, pain, tenderness, fever, discharges, edema, and/or allergies.
CAUSES—Inflammation can result from injury, strain, arthritis, bacterial infection, and cancer. A part of the body is reacting to trauma or infection. Any organ or tissue can become inflamed. When internal, it is often associated with bacteria.
Inflammation is a reaction of the body to defend and heal itself after something occurs (a bruise or injury, etc.). Heat, redness and swelling are generally present. When severe, a fever may accompany it. If not cared for promptly, infection could develop.
TREATMENT—
The treatment is similar to that for the other conditions discussed in this section on Infections.
• Bromelin, taken on an empty stomach and with a small amount of magnesium and L-cysteine, has anti-inflammatory activity. Calcium, kelp, and alfalfa are also important. Primarily eat raw foods, and avoid all junk food.
• Charcoal poultices or clay packs are helpful.
• Drink a tea of hyssop, chickweed, vervain, mint, and sage. Read again the section on the Common cold.
Place a compress of fenugreek or chamomile on the area.
—Also see "Common Cold."
ENCOURAGEMENT—Christ is ever seeking to draw souls to Himself, but Satan is seeking to draw them away. We must resist the temptation to separate from our Lord and Saviour. He is the only One who can help us amid all our trials and needs.
INFLUENZA—1 (Flu, La Grippe)
SYMPTOMS—Prostration, fever, chills, high fever, sore throat, headache, aching behind the eyes with light sensitivity, abdominal pain, hoarseness, cough, enlarged lymph nodes, aching of the back and limbs, and frequent vomiting and diarrhea. The person feels cold and shaky, but is sweating. Serious complications, such as pneumonia, sinus infections, and ear infections, can develop.
The earliest signs are similar to those for the common cold: weakness, headache, and aching in the arms, legs, and back. He may feel feverish, and then chilly. The flu also generally brings on a dry throat and cough, and extreme weariness.
CAUSE—Also known as "the flu," influenza is a highly-contagious viral infection of the respiratory tract. It is easily spread by sneezing and coughing. Individual strains continually change, so vaccines are not very successful.
There are three main types of influenza: A, B, and C. Type A is the most common; all are air-born and most frequently spread by droplets (coughing, sneezing, kissing, and using drinking glasses and towels). Flu epidemics occur every 1-3 years, generally in the autumn or winter. A major epidemic occurs about every 10 years, because the virus type has changed.
Because it is a viral infection, influenza may appear suddenly after an incubation of only 1 to 3 days (most frequently 48 hours after exposure). So begin treating it as soon as you can. The quicker you start treating a physical problem, the easier and more quickly it can be solved. After 2-3 days the fever usually subsides and, if cared for properly, the other acute symptoms rapidly diminish. But the cough, weakness, and fatigue may persist for several days or weeks.
TREATMENT—
• Give fluids (fruit juices, vegetable soups) to replace fluid and electrolytes lost through sweating, diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Drink at least 10 glasses of water a day to keep lung secretions thin. Give vitamin C to bowel tolerance (3,000 mg or more, spaced through the day). Also vitamin A and zinc (50 mg thrice daily), and B complex. Vitamin A protects the lining of the throat.
• Eat lightly and carefully. When it is time to make the transition from liquids to food, emphasize bland, starchy foods. This would include dry toast (so it will be chewed better), bananas, applesauce, boiled rice, cooked cereal, and baked potatoes.
• Antibiotics have no effect on the flu virus, and should not be used. Do not smoke, drink liquor, use coffee, or eat junk food.
• Because influenza can lead to secondary bacterial pneumonia, it is also well to include echinacea and goldenseal.
• Take an enema at the first symptom. For fever, take catnip tea enemas, plus a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of lobelia tincture every 3-4 hours until the fever drops. This is also for children.
• The eucalyptus oil vapors are also good. (See "Common Cold.")
• Another worthwhile formula is slippery elm bark powder (1 tablespoon), mixed with boiling water (1 quart) and honey (half a cup). Put in a jar and give one teaspoon every 3-4 hours for cough and sore throat.
• Gargle with salt water to help relieve the sore throat (1 teaspoon salt in 1 pint warm water). Soak the feet in hot water to ease a headache or nasal congestion. Occasionally breath deeply in and out to refresh and strengthen the lungs, and remove wastes.
• Humidify the air in the room. Make sure the air is warm, but also has a current of air to keep it oxygenated. But it should not be drafty. (A draft on the patient is defined as occurring when the skin becomes cooler than the forehead, or the patient is not comfortable.) Keep warm. Wear warm, close-fitted bed clothes. Back rubs may be given to increase comfort.
• Helpful herbs include cinchona bark, ginger, eucalyptus, slippery elm, sea buckthorn, yarrow, white willow, and wormwood.
PREVENTION—Be careful, for influenza is sometimes fatal, especially for children and the elderly. Those who are not hardy and poorly nourished are especially susceptible. If you have a respiratory ailment (asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, etc.), solve it as soon as possible. One thing can lead to another till you are prostrated with sickness. The flu can often lead to ear infections, pneumonia, and sinus infection.
Children who frequently come down with the flu should be checked for hypothyroidism. Check his temperature under the arm with a thermometer.
A case of flu is becoming serious if the voice becomes hoarse, he develops pains in his chest, he has difficulty breathing, or he starts bringing up yellow- or green-colored phlegm. It may be best to see a physician, if this has not already been done.
—See "Common Cold" for how to differentiate between a heavy cold and the flu. Also see "Influenza—2."
ENCOURAGEMENT—We must have faith that will not be denied, faith that will take hold of the unseen, faith that is steadfast, immovable. Christ can help you, right where you are. Not only can He solve your physical problems; He can guide you all the way to the Holy City above.
INFLUENZA—2 (La Grippe) (J.H. Kellogg, M.D., Formulas)
INCREASE GENERAL VITAL RESISTANCE AND AID ELIMINATION OF POISONS—Sweating (Full) Baths, followed by vigorous cold applications (Cold Pail Pours, Showers, Frictions, etc.); Hot blanket Pack or Hot Full Bath; Hot Leg Bath with Fomentations to chest or spine, followed by Cold Mitten Friction, Cold Towel Rub or Wet Sheet Rub; Sweating Wet Sheet Pack. Copious water drinking; large Enema once or twice daily.
PAIN IN HEAD, BACK, AND LEGS—Very Hot Leg Pack till general perspiration begins, followed by Cold Mitten Friction, or Cold Towel Rub, keeping limbs very warm.
FEVER—Sweating Wet Sheet Pack and Neutral Bath; Cold Mitten Friction; Cold Towel Rub; copious water drinking; Cooling Enema.
HEADACHE—Hot and Cold Head Compress, Fomentation to face and especially over eyes (but be sure eyes are closed and covered with dry cloth).
NAUSEA—Ice Bag over stomach.
VOMITING—Hot and Cold Trunk Pack; withhold liquids.
ENEMA—Neutral Enema after each bowel movement. Cold Abdominal Compress, changing every 15 minutes.
COLIC—Hot Enema; hot Fomentation over abdomen.
INFLAMMATION OF EYE OR EAR—Fomentation over affected part; derivative treatment to legs; Hot Leg Bath; Hot Foot Bath; Prolonged Leg Pack.
RHEUMATOID INFLUENZA—Hot Blanket Pack 2-3 hours once or twice daily, followed by Cold Mitten Friction carefully given and wrapping in dry flannels. Repeat pack twice a day. Fomentation over especially painful parts, several times daily, followed by Heating Compress in interval between.
GENERAL METHOD—Combat lung and visceral congestion by maintaining warmth and activity of the whole cutaneous surface, giving special attention to the lower extremities so as to divert blood away from the cranial and pulmonary cavities. Sweating procedures may be employed with vigor and frequently repeated if followed by short Cold Frictions given in such a way as to avoid general chilling of the surface.
- If any of the following related problems exist, see under their respective headings: Bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, Pleurisy, Neuritis, Lobar pneumonia, Meningitis, Nephritis.
—Also see "Influenza—1."
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