Sunday, November 29, 2015

DIY Alternative cold/flu remedies? NONE PROVEN to decongest you, shorten duration/cure - ALL bogus marketing!


I will be adding to this post.


Quack "remedies" - 0 reputable evidence they work plus 0 cautions about them. The result can and has been harm/death - that's health terrorism!


"Cold remedies: What works, what doesn't, what can't hurt", 2018, color and bolding added by me, @MayoClinic
"Combat stuffiness. Over-the-counter saline nasal drops and sprays can help relieve stuffiness and congestion ... Antibiotics. These attack bacteria, but they're no help against cold viruses"

human "liver injury..garlic supplementation" 2017

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/jcpt.12558/abstract
"Limited data ... metabolism and safety of garlic supplements ... first description ... liver injury ... garlic supplementation" Related
rat study 2006
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16910057 "Information ... effect of garlic on the liver and optimal dose of garlic to avoid liver damage is not known"

0 natural DIY (do-it-yourself) remedies proven to cure a cold/flu/shorten duration. Staying hydrated makes sense - overdoing any additives can cause side effects, drug interactions!
"Garlic", 2016, bolding added by me, @medlineplus
Garlic used to medicate can be a serious problem! 
"garlic may increase the risk of bleeding. If you take an anticoagulant (blood thinner) such as warfarin (Coumadin) or if you need surgery, tell your health care provider if you’re taking or planning to take garlic dietary supplements. ... Garlic ... found to interfere with ...effectiveness of some drugs, including saquinavir ...used to treat HIV infection"

Quacks and natural cold/flu "remedies" they've "read" online? Quacks read and use other quacks as sources NOT reputable information! AVOID health terrorists!

Hot peppers/hot sauce for sinus congestion research is intranasal NOT ingestion! Quacks have turned the STILL PRELIMINARY research into shilling recipes, ingredients for drinking bogus remedies (e.g. "tomato tea") with hot sauce, or hot peppers added - pure bs, and FRAUD!
"Capsaicin for non-allergic rhinitis", 2015, color and bolding added by me 
"side effects of using capsaicin in the nose include irritation, burning, sneezing and coughing ... studies did not have sufficient information to allow us to draw a conclusion about side effects ... capsaicin ... option to try under physician supervision ... Well-conducted randomised controlled trials are required to further advance our understanding of the effectiveness of capsaicin " = UNPROVEN

"Flu and Colds: In Depth", 2016, color and bolding added by me, @NIH_NCCIH 
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/flu/indepth
"No complementary health approach has been shown to be helpful for the flu. ... Examples of approaches that have been studied for the flu include: Chinese herbal medicines ... Echinacea  Elderberry ... Vitamin C  Vitamin D" - All UNPROVEN  "The following complementary health approaches have been studied for colds: ... American Ginseng  Echinacea  Garlic  Honey ... Probiotics ... Vitamin C  Zinc ... In addition to the complementary approaches described ... several other approaches have been studied for colds. In all instances, there is insufficient evidence to show whether these approaches help to prevent colds or relieve cold symptoms. ... Chinese herbal medicines  Green tea ... Vitamin D  Vitamin E" - UNPROVEN

"2018-2019 Flu Season"@CDCgov

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/current.htm

"Frequently Asked Flu Questions 2018-2019 Influenza Season", 2015, color and some bolding added by me, @CDCgov

"What should I do if I get sick with the flu?
Antiviral drugs are prescription drugs that can be used to treat flu illness. People at high risk of serious flu complications (such as children younger than 2 years, adults 65 and older, pregnant women, and people with certain medical conditions) and people who are very sick with flu (such as those hospitalized because of flu) should get antiviral drugs. Some other people can be treated with antivirals at their health care professional’s discretion. Treating high risk people or people who are very sick with flu with antiviral drugs is very important. ... Prompt treatment can mean the difference between having a milder illness versus very serious illness that could result in a hospital stay. ... Treatment with antivirals works best when begun within 48 hours of getting sick, but can still be beneficial when given later in the course of illness. Antiviral dru gs are effective across all age-and risk groups. Studies show that antiviral drugs are under-prescribed for people who are at high risk of complications who get flu. Three FDA-approved antiviral medications are recommended for use during the 2018-2019 flu season: oseltamivir (available in generic versions and under the trade name Tamiflu®), zanamivir (Relenza®), and peramivir (Rapivab®)."

Flu complications some VERY serious, require PROMPT MEDICAL attention!

"What Are Flu Complications? What About Pneumonia? continued...", 2015, color and bolding added by me, @WebMD
"When you get a bacterial infection with the flu, your symptoms may get better at first. Then they get worse ... Call your doctor if you have a cough that won’t stop, a bad fever, or if you get shortness of breath or chest pains. The doctor can do tests to find out if you have pneumonia. Antibiotics can treat bacterial pneumonia, but these meds can't treat viral pneumonia.

"Norovirus | Treatment | CDC", 2015, text below is from the "About Norovirus" and "Treatment" pages, color and bolding added by me, @CDCgov  http://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/about/treatment.html
"Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. People of all ages can get infected and sick with norovirus. ...You can get norovirus from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces and then putting your unwashed hands in your mouth. … There is no specific medicine to treat people with norovirus illness. ... Oral rehydration fluids that you can get over the counter are most helpful for mild dehydration."

"Gastroenteritis: First aid", 2018, color and some bolding added by me, @MayoClinic  
"If you suspect gastroenteritis in yourself: Stop eating for a few hours to let your stomach settle. Drink plenty of liquids ... a sports drink or water, to prevent dehydration. ... Ease back into eating. Gradually begin to eat bland, easy-to-digest foods ... soda crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas, rice ... chicken. Stop eating if your nausea returns. Avoid milk and dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and fatty ... highly seasoned foods for a few days. ... If you suspect gastroenteritis in your child: ... When your child's vomiting stops, begin to offer small amounts of an oral rehydration solution (CeraLyte, Enfalyte, Pedialyte). Don't use only water or only apple juice."

"Oral Rehydration Solutions", Government of Canada, 2016, color and bolding added by me


"Oral rehydration solutions (ORS) are used to treat dehydration ... Unlike other fluids, the ratio of the ingredients in an ORS matches what the body needs to recover ... An ORS contains three ingredients: 1. Clean water that has been boiled or disinfected or from a commercially sealed bottle. 2. Electrolytes (also called “salts”), which are chemicals that your body needs to function properly. 3. Carbohydrates, usually in the form of sugar. ... Use commercially-available oral rehydration salts. Homemade versions of ORS are not recommended to treat dehydration. These should only be used to help prevent or delay the onset of dehydration on the way to seeking medical attention when commercial oral rehydration salts are not available. ... Packets of oral rehydration salts are available in pharmacies in most countries

"Hydration and chemical ingredients in sport drinks: food safety in the European context", 2015, color an bolding added by me 

"Currently in the European context, the legal framework for the development of products, substances and health claims concerning to sport products is incomplete and scarce. Under these conditions, there are many products with different ingredients out of European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) control where claims are wrong due to no robust scientific evidence and it can be dangerous for the health. Further scientific evidence should be constructed by new clinical trials in order to assist to the Experts Commitees at EFSA for obtaining robust scientific opinions concerning to the functional foods and the individual ingredients for sport population."

Some coconut waters on the market boast low sodium and sugar, and "misrepresented" (in link) health benefits yielded a class action law suit - settled for - millions of dollars! 

"Vita Coco coconut water settles class action lawsuit", 2012 

The potassium content of coconut water can be a very serious risk if the drink is overused for hydration! Quacks, manufacturers, marketers, most media leave out the most serious cautions. Reputable doctors however, present well documented information that could save lives, as they did here!
"Images and Case Reports in Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology
Death by Coconut
", 2013, color and bolding added by me

http://circep.ahajournals.org/content/7/1/180.full   
"consumed in excess, coconut water has been shown in case reports to cause severe hyperkalemia." (higher than normal potassium) "He was playing tennis outdoors all day in temperatures in excess of 90° Fahrenheit. He reported drinking a total of eight 11-ounce bottles of coconut water throughout the day. ... acute kidney injury and rhabdomyolysis, his potassium level was life-threatening. ... Our case demonstrates the potential dangers associated with excessive consumption of potassium-rich coconut water."

"Soft Cheese and Food Safety Risk During Pregnancy", 2014, color and some bolding added by me, @Healthyfamilybc
"Food borne illness can result from eating soft cheese, even when it's pasteurized ... because there's a possibility that soft cheese has been contaminated by Listeria after pasteurization. ... soft cheese's high moisture content makes it a good breeding ground for Listeria to multiply. Listeria is a bacterium that can lead to serious illness (listeriosis). When you're pregnant, this illness can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, or for your baby to be very sick when he/she is born. According to the BC Center for Disease Control, pregnant women are about ten times more likely to get listeriosis than the general population. ... there have been cases in BC where eating soft pasteurized cheese has led to illness for mother and baby. ... What's the recommendation? To avoid this risk, it's recommended that pregnant women avoid eating all uncooked soft cheese, even if it's pasteurized. ... includes products like brie, camembert, feta, Mexican-style soft cheeses and mould-ripened cheese like gorgonzola. Foods containing these cheeses need to be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 74C (measured with a food thermometer) before they're eaten. ... also the case for other foods that are at high risk for Listeria contamination. And of course, following safe food handling practices is also an important step in preventing food borne illness. ... What kinds of cheese are safe to eat during pregnancy? ... lots of delicious cheeses that are considered safe to eat during pregnancy. ... a few: Pasteurized hard or firm cheese such as cheddar, swiss, gouda, parmesan, brick, emmental, and provolone ... Most pasteurized semi-soft cheese like mozzarella, havarti and monterey jack (not mould-ripened cheese like blue cheese)"

Quack "Enzyme Deficiency" - 2003, bolding added by me, with FACTS! The SAME bs CLAIMS are on quack social media/websites in 2015.
"Fact ... "Food enzymes" are not needed by the body, either for digestion or for any other purpose."

Quacks say so - Hippocrates did NOT - “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” - more health terrorism, lies!

"Tomato extract's heart effects exaggerated" - Health News - NHS Choices, 2014, @NHSChoices
"larger studies are required to determine whether the effects shown here will have real health benefits" - UNPROVEN There are NO superfoods except in marketing!

"Controlling Cholesterol with Statins", 2017, @US_FDA
"Statins have a well-established track record for reducing the risk for heart attacks and strokes"

Quacks try to scare people off drugs onto their bogus remedies - more health terrorism - many natural "remedies" have side effects plus interactions. 

What do quacks try to use as "evidence"? Anecdotes, questionable to say the LEAST "testimonials" and the ravings of - other quacks - UNPROVEN!