Bourbon Virus – New Quick Killing Virus Spread by Ticks

In the spring of 2014, a Bourbon County, Kansas farmer sought hospital treatment. Eleven days later, he died. His symptoms included fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and a rash. Blood work showed thrombocytopenia (reduced platelet count, which inhibits clotting making the patient more susceptible to bleeding) and leukopenia (reduced white blood cell count, inhibiting immune response to the pathogen). The patient said he had been bitten by ticks.

The CDC determined the man suffered from a never before encountered RNA virus of the genus Thogotovirus, viruses that are found around the world. There is no cure for Bourbon virus. There has not yet been another identified case of this virus. Scientists do not know if this virus affects other animals.

Naturally, there is concern about whether there is a new virus spreading from tick to tick and across the animal kingdom that we have little to no treatment for, but we can remain vigilant and take care of ourselves and our pets to lessen the likelihood of exposure.

How to Avoid Tick Bites

The first step to avoid tick bites is vibrant health. Parasitic creatures are more drawn to unhealthy humans (and pets) than truly healthy ones. Part of the attraction is our smell, which is affected by our health, the products we put on our skin, and the foods we eat. Onions and garlic repel pests – both mosquitoes and ticks. And both are very good for you.

Tick Repellent Spray

There are a number of essential oils that repel ticks and mosquitoes as well. Nan Martin of Experience Essential Oils recommends this recipe for dogs and humans:

Tick Spritz Recipe

  • 1 cup of Distilled water
  • 2 Drops Geranium Essential Oil
  • 2 Drops Palo Santo Essential Oil
  • 1 Drop Myrrh Essential Oil
  • 4 Drops Grapefruit Essential Oil
  • 1 Drop Peppermint Essential Oil
  • 1 Drop of Thieves Hand Soap or Castile Soap (emollient)

Place in a spray bottle and shake. Spritz when needed

(No cats! Don’t use essential oils on cats!)

Wear long sleeves and long pants in the woods to avoid tick bites. Always check for ticks when you have been in the woods or in bushy areas. If you find an embedded tick, cover it with an undiluted essential oil. This will probably cause the tick to back out.

Anti-Virus Protocol

If you have been bitten by a tick, this is the time to follow the healthiest and cleanest diet. Remember that sugar feeds viruses and bacteria. There are several natural means to boost your immune system. Check out How Viruses Work and How to Prevent Them Naturally and Make Your Immune System Bulletproof With These Natural Remedies.

Sources:


Yes, Cold Weather Can Make You Sick – Scientists Finally Confirm What We All Knew

We’ve all been told, “Get a coat on or you’ll catch a cold!” Many of us have ignored this advice. We’ve been told by educators and those “in the know” that cold weather doesn’t make us sick, viruses do. New research shows Mom was right, and the so-called “experts” didn’t know what they were talking about.

Research has now shown that viruses spread more effectively in guinea pigs kept in cooler conditions than those kept in warmer conditions. Epithelial mice cells kept in cooler conditions were more prone to viral infection than those cells kept four degrees (Celsius) warmer. Yale researchers found that in epithelial mice cells, colder conditions helped viruses to thrive. In a human study, the participants who soaked their feet in ice water developed cold symptoms in greater numbers than the control group of participants whose feet were kept warm.

Beyond the Cold Conditions Lie the Answer

Typically, there is more than one cause for anything and “catching a cold” is no exception. It is true that without some exposure to pathogens (like a virus) cold weather alone will not make us sick. For years, researchers forced cold conditions upon research participants in a sterile environment, and sometimes they even exposed them to viruses. Afterward, they declared that cold weather has nothing to do with infection rates and cold can’t give you a cold. In reality, it is far more complicated than that.

Several studies are showing new evidence as to how cold weather effects the cold and flu season. A variety of factors are at play here, including our exposure to pathogens like viruses, temperature’s effect on a virus, the temperature’s effect on our immune system, stress and its effect on our immune system, and our tendency for greater exposure to infected people in the fall and winter.

Without a doubt, cold weather alone will not give someone the cold or the flu. No matter how cold you get, getting cold in and of itself will not cause a viral infection. If you get cold enough, it is possible, even probable, that you can get hypothermia, and that can kill you. You must be exposed to a virus or another pathogen in order to get sick. (Exposure is frequent; some experts say fairly constant.) Cold weather does play an important role in the annual flu season during which 5-20% of Americans catch a cold or flu.

Cold Weather Makes Viruses More Durable

In cold weather, viruses enjoy extra protection from the elements. The outer membrane of many viruses (including the influenza virus) is primarily made up of fatty-like substances known as lipids. At temperatures around freezing and below, this outer membrane hardens and solidifies into a robust gel. This gives viruses extra protection during cold weather. As the temperature rises above freezing, the outer membrane of a virus becomes less solid – more of a gelatinous liquid. At temperatures of 105 degrees and higher, the viruses’ outer covering is liquid with no real solid form. This diminished protection can leave the virus damaged or destroyed by the elements.

Lowered Immune Response Due To Cold Weather

When human beings become cold, one of the unfortunate side effects is constriction of the blood vessels. Our white T-cells are transported via our blood vessels, so getting cold can inhibit your immune response. Also, the stress associated with being really chilled causes the body to release the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol does facilitate some necessary functions, but too much is a bad thing. Too much cortisol also inhibits the immune system.

A Tendency To Go Kamikaze (Apoptosis)

Cells have the ability to self-destruct. It is not something commonly done, except in the most dire circumstances. If the cell’s survival is impeding the survival of the larger organism, cells have been known to off themselves as a form of altruistic sacrifice. (The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one). Cells infected with a virus are sometimes able to do this in order to slow the viruses’ spread. Warm cells are more eager to self-destruct than cold cells, which…well… sometimes get cold feet.

Every year as winter approaches, the earth receives less direct sunlight for either the northern or the southern hemisphere. (When it’s summer in the northern hemisphere, it’s winter in the southern hemisphere, and vice-versa). Obviously, this is a gradual process. During the winter, there are fewer hours of daylight in the day and less direct sunlight. Most of us also spend more time indoors. This has a tendency to depress some people. That general feeling of malaise is not caused by our preference for warm weather, alone. The more likely culprit for that blah feeling is a lack of vitamin D. Our bodies require sunlight to synthesize vitamin D. Vitamin D plays an important role in our immune defense and in maintaining our mood. In the winter months, we are likely to be running low on this crucial vitamin.

Conclusion

As previously mentioned, when it comes to catching a cold or the flu, exposure is key. Even before the weather gets cold in early fall, many people come back from vacation, students start college or school, kids are brought back to daycare, and people tend be around each other in enclosed areas more than in the summer months. This combined with other factors tends to make for good conditions for viruses and bad conditions for us.

Does this mean you or your kids should always bundle up before venturing out into cold weather? Nah. A little virus battle is good for us. Try making your immune system strong enough that viruses don’t stand a chance and take some risks. Check out Bullet Proof Your Immune System.

Recommended Products:
Further Reading:
Sources:


How Viruses Work and How to Prevent and Eliminate Them Naturally

Nature’s Zombies

We have identified more than 2,000 viruses, though only 10% infect humans. Scientists used to think human viruses do not affect animals and animal viruses do not affect humans, but we now know that viruses not only jump species, sometimes they combine to create new strains. New strains can present a clear threat to human survival.

In 1918 the Spanish flu pandemic was a global killer. Estimates of the dead range from 20-100 million, up to 5% of the population–all within one year. Unlike previous flu pandemics and epidemics, this flu strain killed healthy adults, whereas most flu strains targeted children, the elderly, and the infirmed. More people died in this one-year pandemic than the four years of the bubonic plague.

We often hear that many dangerous strains of influenza begin in China. This belief is based on the dense population of humans living in close proximity to high populations of animals. Many dangerous viral strains have been found to originate in China jumping from birds or pigs to the human population. Birds alone have been found to carry as many as 15 viral strains.

Contents

What is a Virus?

A virus is a pathogenic, parasitic organism that isn’t classified as being alive, since a cell is an essential to our definition of life. A virus has no cell membrane, no metabolism, no respiration and cannot replicate outside of a living cell. A virus is a creepy half-live, single strand or double strand of DNA or RNA or both, looking for a cell to invade. Once inside, it reprograms the cell with its DNA or RNA and multiplies on mass, bursting through the cell with a thousand or more new virus strands seeking new cells to invade. RNA viruses mutate more easily than DNA viruses. (SARS, bird flu, West Nile virus, swine flu, hepatitis, measles, polio, yellow fever, and Ebola are among the many RNA viruses).

If two viruses invade the same cell (a bird virus and a human virus, for instance) their DNA can combine to form a new virus, a potentially virulent one. The same is true if two animal viruses combine and jump species to humans.

Viruses have two life cycles: the lytic cycle and the lysogenic cycle.

Lytic Cycle

In the lytic cycle, the virus focuses on reproduction. It invades a cell, inserts its DNA and creates thousands of copies of itself, bursts through the cell membrane, killing the cell, and each new viral strand invades new cells replicating the process.

Lysogenic Cycle

In the lysogenic cycle, viruses remain dormant within its host cells. The virus may remain dormant for years. Herpes and chickenpox are good examples. (Chicken pox can cause shingles in later life when the dormant virus reactivates.)

How Does the Body Fight a Virus?

Our bodies fight off invading organisms, including viruses, all the time. Our first line of defense is the skin, mucous, and stomach acid. If we inhale a virus, mucous traps it and tries to expel it. If it is swallowed, stomach acid may kill it. If the virus gets past the first line of defense, the innate immune system comes into play. The phagocytes wage war and release interferon to protect surrounding cells. If they cannot destroy the invading force, the phagocytes call the lymphocytes into play.

Our lymphocytes, T cells and B cells, retain a memory of any previous infection that was serious enough to bring them into the battle. Antibodies were formed and the body knows how to fight any infection it recognizes. (This is how vaccinations work. The body has fought a similar infection). But viruses can mutate, sometimes so much that they body cannot recognize them as a similar infection they fought in the past. They can also be so fast acting, they can kill before the lymphocytes are brought into play.

How Does Conventional Medicine Treat a Virus?

Antiviral medications do not directly kill the virus; they trap it within the cell, keeping it from reproducing. The only catch is that the anti-viral has to be taken with 48 hours of symptom onset or it doesn’t work.

Antibiotics don’t kill viruses. They kill bacteria, not viruses. And they kill good bacteria that we need to keep our gut in balance. Taking antibiotics when you have a viral infection can cause an immediate overgrowth of Candida, giving the immune system an additional system-wide infection to deal with when it needs all of its resources to fight a viral infection.

Conventional treatment is supportive treatment–fluids, medications for symptoms (such as asthma medication), but no medications have ever been developed to kill the virus itself.

How Can You Treat a Virus Naturally?

Trillions Upon Trillions of Viruses Fall From the Sky Each Day” – NY Times

Don’t panic. Most viruses don’t affect us. But still, it brings up a point. Viral infections are a symptom of a weak immune system. Your immune system is wholly dependant on your gut health. A sick gut has an abundance of fungi and other pathogens, and a healthy gut has a wide variety of beneficial bacteria. The supplements listed below are a half measure. A healthy nutrient dense diet, a healthy lifestyle, and a body void of as many toxins as possible is the first and foremost defense. If you want to skip the shortcuts and truly fortify your immune system, read the following articles:

A healthy immune system begins in the gut with a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria. For far too many Americans, Candida overgrowth compromises the immune system, as it is constantly fighting the battle to keep Candida in control.

If you do become ill, DO NOT feed the virus or the Candida with sugar. Yes, you need to drink a lot of fluids, but don’t drink sodas and sugary juices at this time. Cranberry lemonade sweetened with stevia is a good choice. Try it warm or cold.

Gargle. Gargle. Gargle. Gargling lowers the viral load, leaving your body with fewer invaders to replicate. Gargle with organic apple cider vinegar. Even better, sip on this Mother Earth Organic Root Cider. Cold’s and flu often start in the throat or the nasal cavities. At the first sign of a sore throat or sinus infection, sip on the root cider! If you don’t have it, use apple cider vinegar.

Also, remember that a fever is one of nature’s means to fight infection. Of course, you don’t want it to get too high (higher than 102) and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.

Herbs, Vitamins, and Natural Anti-virals

Vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin C are all vital nutrients for the immune system. If you take high doses of vitamin C to fight a virus, remember that you should not abruptly stop taking vitamin C. You should titrate down. Vitamin C is needed by the immune system to make interferon, which the immune system produces to protect healthy cells from viral invasion.

Zinc and Selenium

Zinc has been proven to be effective against the common cold and to be effective as a topical treatment for herpes sores. It is believed to be effective due to preventing replication of the virus. The immune system needs selenium to work properly and to build up the white blood cell count.

Berberine

Berberine is an alkaloid compound found in several different plants, including European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, Phellodendron, and Coptis chinensis. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-parasitic, and immune-enhancing properties. It’s been proven effective against a vast array of bacteria, protozoa, and fungi. It can be used topically on cuts and other wounds, and it’s perhaps most commonly used to treat gastrointestinal issues.

Probiotics

Probiotics are always helpful in maintaining gut health, especially when the body is under a viral attack that involves the digestive system. Probiotic foods and drinks without added sugar can help maintain a healthy balance of bacteria.

Garlic

Garlic is anti-viral, anti-fungal, and antibacterial. You can take garlic in a tonic or if you can handle it, chew raw garlic. It not only will help fight the virus, it will help kill any secondary infections trying to take root.

Echinacea

Echinacea not only supports the immune system, it also has been proven to reduce the severity and duration of viral infections.

Colloidal Silver

Colloidal silver is believed to interfere with the enzymes that allow viruses (bacteria and fungi as well) to utilize oxygen.

Elderberry

A double-blind trail showed elderberry extract’s ability to reduce symptoms of influenza and speed recovery. It also showed elderberry’s ability to enhance immune response with higher levels of antibodies in the blood. It is believed to inhibit a virus’s ability to penetrate healthy cells and protect cells with powerful antioxidant S. Elderberry has also been shown to inhibit replication in four strains of herpes viruses and reduce infectivity of HIV strains.

Green Tea

The flavonoids in green tea are believed to fight viral infections by preventing the virus from entering host cells and by inhibiting replication.

Olive Leaf Extract

Though double-blind clinical trials are needed, olive leaf extract has been shown to inhibit replication of viruses. In one study, 115 of 119 patients had a full and rapid recovery from respiratory tract infections while 120 of 172 had a full and rapid recovery from viral skin infections such as herpes.

Pau d’Arco

Pau d’arco has been used in indigenous medicine for generations. One of its compounds, lapachol, has proven effective against various viruses, including influenza, herpes simplex types I and II and poliovirus. It is believed to inhibit replication.

Licorice Root

Studies have shown that glycyrrhizin, a compound found in licorice root was more effective in fighting samples of coronavirus from SARS patients than four antiviral drugs. It reduces viral replication, cell absorption, and the virus’s ability to penetrate cells. It is also being used to treat HIV.

St. John’s Wort

St. John’s Wort has been proven effective against influenza, herpes simplex, and HIV.

Protocol For Not Getting Sick

If you’re prone to viral infections or are dealing with a chronic infection like HIV, as mentioned above, the first step is to get your gut in shape. This is absolutely imperative. The best article to do that with is Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections & Gut Health. Everyone who is chronically ill has an abundance of Candida. Yes, everyone.

Provided your gut is healthy, or if you just feel the need to skip that part, here are the supplements to take in order to make sure your immune system is able to fight off viruses:

While there are most supplements listed above, the combination of these listed here is more than enough to balance out the body and ward off viral infection.

Further Reading:
Sources:


How Echinacea Boosts the Immune System

Echinacea is a coneflower that is found most commonly in eastern and central North America.  It is typically found in early-to-late summer in the open wooded areas and prairies.  Echinacea was used by the North American Indians and the early settlers as an anti-microbial for relief of infections, pain, and to reduce symptoms of snake bite and anthrax.  Others have used Echinacea for relief of scarlet fever, syphilis, malaria, blood poisoning, and diphtheria.

The advent of antibiotics, and the massive marketing and prestige that went behind this new medical technology, reduced the usage and understanding of herbal medicine.  The Germans picked up Echinacea in the 20th century and began to study it, performing numerous studies that have demonstrated Echinacea’s effectiveness at enhancing immunity. For more on the history of Echinacea, check out Wikipedia.

Echinacea Reduces Inflammation

Echinacea has been used to reduce inflammation associated with skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.  It has also been shown effective against bronchitis, candida, herpes, and other major infections.  Many individuals today use it as an immune aid to prevent or overcome colds and flu.

Echinacea stimulates the body’s immune response to resist bacterial and viral invaders.  One of the mechanisms is by increasing the levels of the chemical properdin that increases cellular resistance to infection.  This unique herb also activates T cells and stimulates macrophages that engulf and destroy problematic invaders.  This activity also helps reduce the formation of tumors.

Echinacea Blocks Pathogenic Invasion

Humans and animals utilize hyaluronic acid to form healthy stable cells.  Most pathogenic organisms utilize the hyaluronidase enzyme to destroy hyaluronic acid and allow easy access into the cells and tissues of the body.  Echinacea has a constituent by the name of echinacin B which has been shown to inhibit the enzyme hyluronidase, thus blocking the pathogens ability to enter the cell and cause damage.

Echinacea has three unique nutrients that synergize to enhance immune activity.  These nutrients include polysaccharides, alkylamides and cichoric acid which together provide a strong activating force on white blood cells that destroy pathogenic organisms and tumor growth.

The Most Common Uses of Echinacea

Most herbalists recommend Echinacea to treat ear infections, athlete’s food, hay fever, sinusitis, urinary tract infections, vaginal yeast infections, and slow healing wounds.  It is also very good at speeding up recovery time from common colds and flu.  Many individuals use it in a proactive manner to keep their immune system bolstered in an effort to prevent illness.

Some of the best ways to consume Echinacea are in an organic herbal tea format, as a dried or fresh flower, or in a fermented organic acid base.  The fermentation of Echinacea in an organic acid base unlocks the full nutritional potential of the plant.  The organic acids also help to feed the gut flora and form an alkaline ash that restores a healthy pH balance to the body.

From the Editor

Not all echinacea is created equal. Most on the market are diluted, weak, and ineffective. If you’re looking for a very high quality echinacea tincture check out Echinacea Plus at Green lifestyle Market.

Proper Immune Coordination

echinaceaWe have two major parts to our immune response. These two major parts of the immune system are the TH-1 pathway, which produces an immediate response, and the TH-2 pathway, which produces a delayed response. The TH-1 response is marked by T cells while the TH-2 pathway is built on antibody formation and identification.

The key to a strong immune system is balance and coordination. The TH -1 system is classified by Killer T cells, T helper cells, and T suppressor cells. When we have too many T suppressor cells our immune system is too weak and we get colds/fevers/flu. When the Killers are too many or the helpers and suppressors are too few, we end up with a poorly coordinated immune response that damages our own tissue. This is commonly seen in autoimmune disorders.

When the TH-2 system is dominant the body tends to rely on it when it is threatened in any way. A common example is allergies. When we are exposed to the allergen, the TH-2 system goes into overdrive causing a massive inflammatory response. This is due to poor balance between the TH-1/TH-2 system and then a poorly coordinated TH-2 response that creates a systemic inflammatory reaction in response to a very minor threat.

Echinacea is a TH-1 Pathway Enhancing Herb

TH-1 pathway enhancing herbs include Astragalus, Echinacea, Licorice root, Lemon balm, & pomegranate among others. The TH-2 boosting herbs include pine bark, green tea, grape seed, and resveratrol.  Immune modulating herbs, such as turmeric, boswellia, and ginger, help to enhance immune coordination through the entire body.

To put this information into action, you can access how you feel and what you notice after an immune pathway challenge. To do this, try taking a large dose of a TH-1 boosting herb. If you feel wonderful and your immunity improves, there is likelihood that you may have a pre-existing TH-2 dominance. If you feel terrible and are massively inflamed, there is a likelihood you are TH-1 dominant and that you over-stimulated this pathway. Try balancing with TH-2 boosting herbs and immune modulators.

Keep a journal and see what imbalances you may have. This will give you an advanced level of knowledge of your own individual tendencies and will allow you to stay healthy and balanced throughout your life.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:

Sources: