clinical trials

ok, maybe not that official.

YesterdayI started coming down with the flu. How do I know its the flu? I've been sick enough times with it that I can see it coming from a mile away. The pain the the lower back, achy and sensitive skin, low grade fever, chills...general malaise. You get the picture. Anyway, I absolutely could not have picked a worse time to get sick. Tomorrow I go in for LASIK surgery. Given that the flu is a virus, you pretty much have to let your body do the fighting (not like a bacterial infection where you might actually need antibiotics). I have been rather hesitant to try home remedies or herbals I guess for no other reason other than I am a walking granola stereotype as is, and I just figured that would be the last straw. Granted I had tried echinacea in one case, as a preventative, though its hard to say if it was effective. I didn't get sick, but then again I might not have anyway.

But desperate as I was, I did a little research and found a combination that seemed to be recommended for flu. So after work I stopped by the local "hippie shop" as my wife calls it and picked up a bottle of echinacea extract and a bottle of elder extract. Took a dose of each as soon as I got home, and made myself a cup of chamomile tea (which I didn't realize until reading this morning was also medicinally relevant, I just like the taste). I've been taking additional doses at the recommended intervals and I have to admit, I feel about 70% better in less than 24 hours. Well enough in fact that despite going to bed thinking I was dying, I felt I could go to work today. For me that is unheard of. When I get the flu, I am out for days.

Sure this is entirely anecdotal, but it made a believer out of this guy