With all this experience in treating the flu, hopefully we can help you to avoid it in the future. Or, if you do find yourself starting to get the flu, these tips will help you to heal yourself quickly. And if your flu persists, even though you're doing all the right things, look for a deeper cause within your being.

Prevention : We all know that, historically, even in the epidemics of the plague

and typhoid, some people remain healthy while others succumb to the illness. The best favor you can do for yourself is to keep yourself optimally healthy so you are more likely to be in the first category. As we always recommend, the biggest favor you can do for your body is to eat and drink live, healthy foods which are low in fat, salt, sugar, and caffeine and to engage in a regular exercise program which you enjoy. Getting as much restful sleep as you need, working at a job you really like,

expressing your creativity, experiencing satisfying sex, eliminating unnecesary stress, and practicing daily relaxation, deep breathing, and meditation will all en-hance your stamina and vitality. As practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine, we have learned that eating, exercising, and living according to your particular body type

and knowing how to vary your habits with the changing seasons will help you pre-vent illness. A high-quality multivitamin and mineral helps keep your body balanced and strengthens your immune system as do such herbs as Echinacea.

Another specific preventive measure against the flu is a homeopathic oral immu-

nization of Influenzinum. An widely-respected Argentinian homeopathic doctor who has taught us a great deal told a story of how he was called by a group of nuns living in a convent just outside Buenos Aires, his home. They lived in a cold, damp stone building and every winter they would all be struck by the flu. He administered

homeopathic Influenzinum to all of them except for the mother superior, who re- fused treatment. None of them came down with the flu the following year except for her. We used this program with a few of our patients this year (next year we'll remember to use it with more of them and with ourselves, too!) One 35 year-old man, diagnosed as HIV (AIDS antibody) positive, wanted to make sure he didn't get a flu which could weaken his vulnerable immune system. He told us that he feels great and has been flu-free despite the fact that he is a teacher and has been around lots of flu-stricken students. High-potency homeopathic immunizations such as those we use are generally available only through homeopathic physicians.

If your preventive measures do not succeed and you find yourself coming down with the flu, you don't have to resign yourself to a miserable and debilitating week in bed. We recommend Vitamin C and Beta carotene liberally during the flu along with simple, healthy eating or juice fasting and often recommend either an anti-viral / immune supportive herbal combination or, whenever the flu involves a lot of mucus production, an Ayurvedic heating herbal powder which generally works like magic to relieve mucus congestion.

Homeopathy is definitely our magic bullet to treat flus. Finding the correct homeo- pathic remedy which corresponds to the individual's flu symptoms can stop the flu in its tracks, whether it is an upper respiratory flu (sinus congestion, sore throat, ear pain, coughing), or a gastrointestinal flu (diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramping), as well as alleviating the general symptoms of exhaustion, aches and pains, fever, chills, and headaches. Oscillococcinum: This is a homoepathic remedy developed in Europe during the past few years and has been proven successful in double-blind studies for early stages of the flu.We recommend this remedy if someone calls us just as the flu is starting to hit them (which is, unfortunately, usually not the case). Gelsemium (Yellow jasmine): This is probably the most common flu remedy. It is for people who are feeling dizzy, drowsy, droopy, and dull. The individual often experi- ences a dull frontal or occipetal (back of head) headache, muscle aches all over the body, often complains of chills up and down the spine, may have a sore throat, and is generally thirstless. The main feature is the overwhelming tiredness, often with a heaviness of the eyelids, and sometimes accompanied by dizziness and nausea. We've seen this remedy knock out the flu in a matter of hours many times. Bryonia alba (Wild hops): This remedy is for people who are feeling very achey and find it painful to move even a little. They just want to stay in bed and remain perfectly still. The person often experiences a dry, hacking cough, dryness of the mucus membranes, and is terribly thirsty with a parched mouth and may have muscle and joint aches, a headache which is also made much worse from any movement, and they tend to be unusually crabby and irritable. Eupatorium perfoliatum (Boneset): This is the remedy for a flu with deep bone pain which makes the person feel like their bones are about to break. This bruised sensation is most pronounced in the back. They may have a dry, hacking cough, chills, sneezing, and red eyes and are also very thirsty. Rhus toxicodendron ( homeopathic Poison ivy): This is for a rusty-gate type flu where the joints are stiff,achey, and cracking and feel much better from a hot bath or after walking around and stretching them out. This type of flu may come on from exposure to cold, damp weather. Pulsatilla (Windflower): This is for a different type of flu, one whose main component is a "ripe cold". Those needing this remedy have a thick, yellowish-green nasal discharge, may have a similar discharge from the eyes, causing their eyes to be glued shut on waking in the morning. They tend to be weepier than their normal selves, want company and con-solation, and usually have no thirst. Being outside makes them feel better. Podophyllum (May apple): This remedy is specific for a gastrointestinal- type flu in which the person experiences, often suddenly, explosive diarrhea, abdominal cramping, rumbling, and gurgling and sometimes feels exhausted after the diarrhea.