Beat the bug: five natural ways to fend off the flu.(Wellness: supplements and functional foods)

The flu bug is commonly believed to be a mere pest that can cause fever, nausea, and aches and pains--although it has had periods of pandemic proportions. The Spanish Influenza of 1918-1919, for example, has been called the worst infectious pandemic in history, with estimates ranging between 20 million and 40 million deaths worldwide.

Aside from this highly publicized outbreak, the common flu bugs (influenza A and B) wreak havoc on an annual basis. The respiratory infections hospitalize an estimated 114,000 Americans annually, and they cause about 36,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Influenza vaccination is the most common means of preventing the flu, and the CDC recommends it for at-risk age groups--such as children and the elderly--before seasonal increases in infection. (The flu season lasts from December through March.) However, there are also natural means to possibly bypass infection and boost immunity.

Black Elderberry Extract

The black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is known for its antioxidant and healing properties, and it has been used traditionally for maladies ranging from skin conditions to coughs. More recently, in a 1995 issue of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Israeli researchers reported a significant improvement in flu symptoms, including fever, in 93.3 percent of patients treated with a standardized black elderberry extract (as Sambucol, the exclusive US distributor of which is Springville, Utah-based Nature's Way). Researchers also reported that a complete cure was achieved within 2-3 days of treatment as compared to 6 days in the placebo group.

One mason for black elderberry's positive effects is its ability to enhance immune function, as holed in the November 2002 issue of The Israeli Medical Association Journal. Researchers found that three formulations of Sambucol activated healthy immune function by stimulating cytokine production.

Echinacea