Natural remedies for the flu and boosting immunity

But isn't the whole point that brown sugar is unrefined? 😕
I don't know, I'll just go start a new thread so we don't clog up this one...

steelstag4 said:But isn't the whole point that brown sugar is unrefined? 😕

Wait, didn't I already mention that (as far as I know, white sugar is basically just highly processed brown sugar)? 😕

Or are you just hung up on that word "unrefined"... like it magically makes something healthy or nutritious overnight? Refining is just a fancy word for processing...

I honestly just want to see if it’s unrefined, mostly because I have a soft spot for foreign terms that make everything sound a bit more sophisticated. 🥳
Look, I’m neither a nutritionist nor a biologist, which is exactly why I’m asking here. There’s no need to start lecturing me right out of the gate—I can't stand being patronized.

If you’re just looking for a synonym, "refining" is basically "purifying." But when we talk about sugar or other food components, refining involves blasting them with high heat and putting them through a series of industrial processes that I can't quite recall right now—and frankly, I don't feel like Googling it. So, the process isn't "purification" in the sense that you strip away the junk and leave the good stuff behind. That would be a dream, but unfortunately, that's not how the world works. It's why I'm skeptical; I always operated under the assumption that if brown sugar was unrefined, it would actually retain more minerals and beneficial nutrients.

I started a whole thread about this, so there you go...

Here are some thoughts on that healthy eating piece from today's Free Dalmatia:

advice from a nutritionist
WAKE UP YOUR METABOLISM!
Foods that boost your body's defenses include carrots, endive, dandelion, chicory, strawberries, eggplant, plums, radishes, red bell peppers, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, mustard, rosemary, plus tea and coffee—which, thanks to caffeine and tannins, help break down stored reserves and fat.

Written by Dr. Donatella Verbanac

I’m sure you’ve wondered a million times how some people can eat massive amounts of food and never gain an ounce. The answer is their metabolism. Those people just have a faster metabolism, meaning they burn through calories way quicker. For everyone else—whether it's genetics or something else—metabolism can be a bit sluggish. There are foods that can help even those slow metabolisms speed things up, not just by kicking certain biochemical cycles into gear, but by directly mobilizing fat tissue. They basically help with breaking down, absorbing, and efficiently getting rid of fat.
In your small intestine, bile helps emulsify fat droplets into tiny particles after the food passes through the stomach, where it was hit by gastric or hydrochloric acid. Once those fats are broken into tiny droplets in the small intestine, the lipase enzyme—secreted by the pancreas—can work much more effectively. The efficiency of lipase, the enzyme that breaks down fats (triglycerides) into their components to aid metabolism, depends heavily on how well the bile manages to scatter those big fat globs into tiny, accessible droplets.

A dysfunctional liver
When the liver isn't performing well—maybe due to some hereditary issue or something acquired in the liver-bile system—you won't get enough bile synthesis or secretion. If that happens, the fat can't be "prepared" or "scattered" properly, which kills the effectiveness of the lipase enzyme. This usually shows up in two ways:
1. The fat from food can't be utilized (this is what happens to extremely skinny people);
2. Fat builds up in the subcutaneous tissue (which is way more common).
So, what's the fix? To have good fat metabolism, you need a healthy liver to go along with your hormonal balance. The liver is the organ that can turn certain food substances (proteins and carbs) into fat, but it can also use fat directly for energy. To keep the liver in "peak shape," you need to eat foods with hepatoprotective effects—basically stuff that protects the liver and clears out toxins. To "wake up" our metabolism, we need ingredients containing iodine to stimulate adrenaline production, as well as things that tone the nervous system and help maintain neuroendocrine balance. Doing this directly impacts how well the immune system works, boosting the body's ability to fight off foreign invaders and unwanted mutated cells.

Losing the weight
Finally, here are some foods recommended for this purpose: carrots (fresh or as juice), endive, dandelion, and chicory (these contain bioflavonoids—bitter substances that kickstart excretion and detox systems), strawberries (which cleanse the body by working on the liver and kidneys, great for skin health too), eggplant (stimulates bile production), plums (use fresh, ripe ones, not dried), radishes (fresh or juiced), spices—red bell pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, mustard, and rosemary—plus tea and coffee (two cups a day), which, because of the caffeine and tannins (in tea), help break down reserves and stimulate lipolysis (fat breakdown).
When using these foods, we have to follow these basic rules:
— look, you can't just toss these things into your current diet and call it a day; you actually have to swap them out for the junk you're eating now;
— and don't go overboard. You really need to use them in moderation, because honestly, even a tiny amount is usually enough to get the job done;
— if you actually commit to making them a permanent part of a balanced meal plan, they'll definitely help you finally torch that stubborn fat and lose the weight.

You guys are losing it...

Honestly, I think 80% of being healthy just comes down to stressing out less and actually moving your body more...
My grandma passed away recently at 82, and it was a long process because, honestly, most of her organs were still in great shape...
She never really obsessed over health stuff or anything... she just stayed busy and worked hard.

As far as liver function goes, I'm pretty sure it can still work just fine even if something like 80% of the tissue is messed up by cirrhosis...

When you look at companies like Herbalife and the big pharmaceutical giants, they actually have one thing in common:
THEY ALL MAKE THEIR MONEY OFF PEOPLE BEING SICK OR TRYING TO BE HEALTHY!!

Kyle Nelson2 said:I'd say about 80% of being healthy just comes down to stressing less and staying active...
My grandmother passed away recently at 82, and it was a slow process because most of her organs were actually in great shape...
She never really went out of her way to focus on "health" or anything like that; she just stayed busy working all the time.

I guess your grandmother just didn't deal with nearly as much stress as people do nowadays.
Back when she was growing up, there weren't things like PlayStations, computers, or TVs constantly distracting everyone from being physically active.
Plus, she probably ate much better than most Americans do today—especially during those formative years when her body was still developing.

Anyway, that's just my two cents on the comparison. 😉

My grandma used to raise us on tea instead of milk, I guess...
Bananas and oranges were basically a once-a-year luxury, maybe if we were lucky.
Meat usually just meant some scraps floating in a bean stew. We didn't have those modern pigs that they just fatten up in a year or two; back then, you had these wilder ones you’d feed for six years just to end up with two sausages. So, meat mostly meant blood sausages or pork cracklings—and they'd throw everything into those sausages, hooves, offal, stuff like that. Tongue was actually considered a delicacy...
And yeah, nobody was running trichinella tests back then...

Any other info?

The way we eat now is nothing like how it used to be...
Nowadays, what used to be considered "poor man's food" is actually the most expensive stuff on the menu.
For instance, getting even a small portion of basic staples costs me about $17... back in the day, folks along the Mediterranean Coast lived on this stuff every single day.
On top of that, people used to stay active naturally through daily physical labor... honestly, this third option I'm looking at isn't some kind of substitute for that level of movement.
My kid has never even set foot on a farm, let alone run through open pastures or pick vegetables straight from a garden.
Kids today don't even walk to school anymore; we just drop them off in the car and pick them up later.
And if you ask me, things are only going to get worse from here.😢

I mean, there was a time when things like bananas or oranges were basically just pictures in a book, and apples were pretty much the only fruit you could actually get your hands on...
Back then, people were dropping dead from trichinosis, the flu, or all these weird diseases they didn't even have names for yet...

rustymoose54 said:You clearly haven't a clue, despite all your Googling, dear. 😁

I assume you meant fibromyalgia.

CHRONICALLY ILL patients—including those whose conditions stem from autoimmune processes—really should get their flu shots. Their primary condition can take a massive hit if they catch the virus (that same 😉).

An autoimmune disease would be something like lupus, certain kidney diseases, or Type 1 diabetes (which has absolutely zero connection to weight or diet), etc.

There are also chronic patients whose primary diagnosis isn't linked to autoimmune issues, but the recommendation for vaccination still applies to them.

Regarding that "cytokine storm" metaphor... maybe you could start by explaining what cytokines actually are, since you're such an expert in alternative and general immunology. 🙂 😁

Sorry, VF, but I don't see the logic. How can you be so against alternative medicine yet so pro-conventional medicine when conventional medicine hasn't even been able to fully cure you? 😕

Have you ever even tried alternative medicine?
If not, I guess you have less ground to stand on than those of us who have tried both conventional and alternative routes and are speaking from actual EXPERIENCE, whereas you seem to be speaking purely from PREJUDICE (against alternative medicine).

For me, chiropractic work, acupuncture, and a clean diet were what actually helped when conventional medicine failed me.

I don't quite get why you're so skeptical about alternative medicine.
Maybe just some professional bias from being a scientist? 😉
People are more than just a pile of bones and meat, after all.

Rachel Brooks63 said:Look, someone would actually have to study that turnip. You’d need to pinpoint the exact molecule in the vegetable that prevents pore clogging and comedones from forming. To pull that off, you need a lab, high-end equipment, specialists... basically, massive research funding. Once they figure out what stops the acne, they publish the paper. But you can't patent a turnip. There's no way to monetize it or recoup those R&D costs. So, I guess nobody is going to hand over that kind of cash.

That's just my theory on why "home remedies" never get vetted. 😁 Personally, I'll take herbal teas over pills any day, but this ancient botanical wisdom is just slipping away. Everyone just wants a quick fix—grab a pill so the pain goes away, right?
With all due respect to my fellow chemists 😉 (I can already see rustymoose54 and Rachel Brooks63 gearing up for an attack). 🙂

I'm with them. 🙏

Sandra Hayes88 said:Look, rustymoose54, I just don't get it... how can you be so incredibly anti-alternative medicine while being such a huge fan of traditional medicine, especially when the "classic" stuff isn't actually fixing you completely?😕

Have you ever walked up to someone who’s missing a limb and been like, "Hey, why don't you try some holistic remedies? Maybe your arm or leg will just sprout back on..."?

Because honestly, that’s exactly how your post comes across to me—totally out of line and, frankly, pretty pointless...

The thing is, you can't see what's "amputated" from me through a screen, but take my word for it—I'm missing part of an internal organ. And since nobody has ever magically regrown one of those before, I'm not about to start expecting it now. 😁 🙂

rustymoose54 said:Have you ever walked up to someone with an amputated limb and asked, "Why don't you try alternative medicine? Maybe your leg or arm will just grow back"?

That’s how your post reads to me. Honestly, it's misplaced and completely irrelevant.

Look, you can't see what I'm missing through a forum, but believe me when I say I'm missing part of an internal organ. I've never seen anyone regrow one, and I doubt I'll be next. 😁 🙂

rustymoose54, I really don't appreciate how you twisted my words into something they weren't. 😠

I never once suggested anyone try alternative medicine. I couldn't care less whether someone chooses to use it or not. 🙄

It seems pretty foolish to me how you persistently—and quite arogantan way, I might add—dismiss alternative medicine. You're also being incredibly dismissive toward people sharing their actual experiences with it, even though they've tried it and you haven't.

It’s like telling someone coconut tastes disgusting when you've never even had a coconut.

On the flip side, you blindly praise conventional medicine, despite the fact that you, like the rest of us, have dealt with its limitations. 👋
You're being arrogant and dogmatic. 😢

Sandra Hayes88 said:You're just being arogantan and way too stuck in your ways... 😢

🤣 honestly, whatever, I don't even care anymore.

you're about as exciting as a bout of food poisoning—seriously. and my old man could take your 🙂 🙂 🙂
any day of the week...

Sandra Hayes88 said:On the flip side, you’re being way too uncritical about mainstream medicine—even though, just like the rest of us, you've definitely felt its limits before.

Honestly, I see things totally differently than you do.
I actually think people battling severe conditions like VF_9 are living proof that modern medicine is doing its job and working exactly how it should.

If we were looking at this even 50 years ago, they almost certainly wouldn't have made it to where they are today, let alone have any shot at becoming:

Quote:>

You're being so arrogant and dogmatic.

And all I can say to that is... man, if you actually knew her in real life...🤣

rustymoose54 said:🤣 fine, whatever.

And you're about as exciting as a bout of food poisoning. My dad could probably outdo your 🙂 🙂 🙂

I'm the boring one?
Heh, look who's talking.🙄
Honestly, you show up to every single thread on alternative medicine just to lecture everyone with your "expertise." It’s getting old.😲
Maybe go find a chemistry forum to bore instead. Go bother them.🙂 👋

Sandra Hayes88 said:Oh, so I'm the boring one?
Heh... funny coming from you...🙄
Seriously, you barge into every single thread about holistic health just to lecture everyone with your "expertise"—honestly, it's getting old fast.😲
Maybe go find some chemistry nerd forum to bore instead... they might actually appreciate the lecture.🙂 👋

There you go again, picking fights... why don't you go count how many grains of rice you're gonna shove down your throat for lunch today? You better make sure it's an odd number... wouldn't want to mess up your precious chi or whatever.🤣

Rachel Brooks63 said:I’d actually argue the exact opposite of what you're saying.
I think people living with severe conditions like VF_9 are actually proof that modern medicine works.

Fifty years ago, she almost certainly wouldn't have even made it to this age, let alone have a chance at being:

all I can say to that is... well, if you actually knew her in real life, you'd know.🤣

Actually, if we're talking about the success of modern medicine, maybe we should focus more on preventative care instead.
And what does that have to do with her take on alternative medicine?
The point remains: she’s never even tried it, so she's just talking out of turn.🙄

rustymoose54 said:Another crackpot at work. Just tell me how many grains you’re planning to swallow for lunch today. You know you can't pick an even number, right? Wouldn't want to mess up your chi. 🤣

Heh... I guess modern medicine really is a miracle worker. It might even turn back the clock.😉
One day you're hitting puberty, the next you'll be back in preschool.👋

Sandra Hayes88 said:Look, honestly, if modern medicine actually wanted to succeed, they'd focus way more on prevention instead of just reacting.
And what does that have anything to do with her take on alternative medicine? It doesn't.
She still hasn't even tried any of it—she's just talking out of her ass...🙄

Sandra Hayes88, Rachel Brooks63 was trying to explain that back in the day, people died from the exact same thing I'm dealing with because the *only* way to treat it was through alternative methods. My condition CANNOT BE TREATED WITH ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE... seriously, I'd be dead.

So, hey, feel free to treat yourself however you want, but at least be consistent—if you ever catch a REAL disease, don't go running to some Western doctor if you're convinced they're inherently worse than the "alternative" crowd.