Articles

This are the most often words said by people who felt worse from one day to the next, suffering from a runny nose, cough, sore throat, and raised temperature.

A physician may diagnose upper respiratory tract infection. If you follow all doctor's orders, the symptoms should disappear in 5-7 days. During this time, you should not go to school or work. You should stay in bed! This way you will recover more quickly and you will not infect others.
What will happen if you ignore the first symptoms?

The cold will continue to develop.

After the first contact with a virus, your body turns on its protective mechanisms (which last for 3-5 days), i.e. an inflammation starts, which shows itself with reddening and swelling.

A person with an infection suffers from the following symptoms: high temperature, bad mental condition, “the whole body hurts”, cough, runny nose, and then blocked nose (congestion and swelling of nasal mucuous membrane).
Inflammation

It is a result of eicosanoids and cytokines, which are released by infected cells. Eicosanoids contain prostaglandin and leukotrienes:

prostaglandin – causes high temperature and vasodilatation of blood vessels (diastole of smooth muscles in blood vessels walls, widening of vascular lumen, and reduced blood pressure)
leukotrienes – “summon” white blood cells (leukocytes), which can destroy the enemy

After a few days, the nasal secretion and a cough can change (difficulties in coughing up) and the patient may feel week due to possible dehydration. Weakened body is an easy target for bacteria and, as a result, serious complications. The inflammatory process may expand beyond the nasal-oral cavity to sinuses, ears, bronchial tubes, and lungs.
What protects you from flu?

What protects you from flu and its consequences, is your immunological system. The protective (immunological) response consists of all changes happening in your body after a contact with a virus (antigen). Depending on the way of reacting, you may experience a humoral or cellular immune response.

Humoral immune response involve antibodies (proteins secreted by, among other things, stimulated B lymphocytes, which are able to identify antigens), located in cell-less fluid (in latin, humor = fluid), e.g. in plasma or tissue fluid.

The cellular response is defined as the opposite of the humoral response.

However, this is an artificial classification. The production of antibodies is one of many possible immune responses mediated by the same mechanisms as in the cellular response; however, the applied protection method is effective over a distance.
How does the immunological system work?

The immunological system is, in fact, a set of connected mechanisms with the aim to protect the human body from diseases.

During the first stage, antigens are identified; then, they are destroyed. The identification of pathogens is complicated because antigens are able to adapt and change their operating methods. Therefore, it is necessary to use “valid” vaccinations, which teach your immunological system how to identify a specific enemy (antigen).
You should take vaccinations, but how?

It is very important to use vaccinations manufactured with antigens from the right period and region.

In past years, there were some cases of very serious health complications after vaccinations. Opinions were voiced about a bad quality of vaccinations which, due to improper cleaning, were supposed to contain additional toxic ingredients.

This issue is still controversial today. Each of us would like to be sure that the recommended vaccination is of proper quality and that “someone” is responsible for this.
What are the favourable conditions for flu?

Reduced immunity
Bad mental and physical condition and sleep deprivation
Cooling of the body
Bad diet

Reduced immunity

This applies to all people with chronic diseases.

Special caution must be exercised by people with digestion system diseases because this system is responsible for most of our protective response.
Bad mental and physical condition and sleep deprivation

Bad mental and physical condition also deteriorates your immunity.

Sleep deprivation deteriorates your mental and physical condition as well.

American Journal of Hygiene published results of research concerning the influence of sleep on human immunity. It was proven that people who sleep less than 7 hours a day are three times more likely to develop an infection when exposed to a virus than people who sleep more than 8 hours a day.

It should also be emphasized that depression, which is common amoung the young as well as the old, may have an adverse effect not only on our immunity but also on the process of treatment.
Cooling of the body

Grandparents and parents convinced us that we may catch a cold by a prolonged exposure to low temperatures, e.g. rain or winter conditions.

That is where the name of this disease comes from. Most of warmth escapes through the head; unfortunately, we still see few heads covered with caps or hats in the streets.

Research has indicated that short exposure to cold and short cooling of the body increases immunity to infection, particularly after a visit to sauna. But you must not cool your body too much.
Bad diet

This notion is very wide and difficult to define. It is certain that “supermarket food” and fast food cannot be counted among the best dietary proposals.

In Biomol-Med, we think that the lack of proper vitamin and mineral supplementation is a way of ignoring fundamental needs of our bodies.
How not to come down with flu?

You must take a number of preventive actions which aim at maintaining your own individual dynamic homeostasis in the best possible balance.

Elemental Hair Analysis may be a good first step to preventive actions.

Its consequences may include an application of an individual programme of chronoselective vitamin and mineral supplementation as well as the diet which is best in the given moment.

The next step is the Nutrition Diagnostics recommended by NZOZ Biomol-Med.
Prevention for everybody

You can try to introduce changes in your diet and physical and mental activity in your life on your own. The recommendations are very general; however, it is worth considering them:

Eat your meals regularly; it would be best if they were warm and cooked.
Drink large quantities of water and tea between meals (raspberry tea, green tea with honey and lemon, wild rose tea etc.).
Put on warm clothes (but do not exaggerate); wear a hat.
Sleep well.
Wash your hands whenever you can.
Take physical activities (swimming, riding a bike, jogging, walking, team sports etc.).

What supplements can help you defend yourself from flu?

Vitamin C - assists in the cellular response (in doses adapted to the age and weight of the patient; larger doses are not recommended for patients with kidney diseases).

Zinc - assists in the humoral response (7 mg is a minimum dose for a few-weeks supplementation).

Fibre - protects you from constipation and inflammatory conditions of intestines.

Prebiotics and probiotics - acidophilic media and bacteria – protect you from constipation and inflammatory conditions of intestines.

Garlic - assists the immune system at each stage.

Medical carbon - in small doses, i.e. up to 100 mg for an adult, draws toxins from your digestive system; it is particularly effective in combination with fibre and garlic.

Omega 3 - a sensational substance stimulating the immunological system to work properly; people with blood coagulability problems should not take doses over 3-4 g daily.

Bioflavonoids (flavonoids) – assist the whole immunological system (recommended particularly for people in bad mental and physical condition).

Kulis - a beverage made of sour red beetroot, a delicacy from Kuyavia, supports the liver and strengthens the whole body.

Echinacea - a natural immuno-stimulant; reduces susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections.