Natural remedies for the flu and boosting immunity

Kyle Nelson2 said:yeah... but...

when you lose weight, you aren't actually cutting down the number of cells... you're just shrinking their volume...

and I mean, they basically found out those things are "a bit leaky" when it comes to the fat they're holding onto—so that probably plays a huge role in the whole thing... it's not about the cell count...

So, regarding keeping a constant number of fat cells (once you're an adult)—you're spot on. Losing weight doesn't kill them off; it just shrinks them down, which helps lower insulin resistance and goes a long way in preventing Type 2 diabetes.

So look... I’d be willing to guess—and yeah, I’m definitely no expert here—that since we know the issue crops up when fat cells start leaking fat (because they're basically porous), maybe the whole thing isn't even about how much weight you carry. It might just be about how those fat cells actually function...

Again... (just my amateur theory)...
Since cortisol receptors (that stress hormone everyone talks about) are most concentrated right in the abdominal area—which is probably why people tend to pack on the gut whenever they get stressed out—we could assume that stress messes with the way those cells operate, making them leaky...

But hey, again, I'm just a layman

Kyle Nelson2 said:so... I'd be willing to take a wild guess here—and yeah, I'm totally just an amateur—but since we know the issue kicks in when fat cells start leaking grease (they're basically porous), maybe the whole mess isn't actually about being overweight, but more about how those fat cells are behaving...

again... (just my uneducated hunch though)...
since cortisol receptors (you know, that stress hormone) are most concentrated right in the belly area—which explains why people tend to pack on the gut when they're stressed out—we could probably assume that stress messes with the way those cells function, making them all leaky and weird...

look, I'm no expert

Ugh, it's way more complicated than that, and honestly, I don't know the specifics of Type 2 pathophysiology either. But anyway, it's not really about "leaking" fat—I mean, I'm not even sure what you mean by "leaking," really?

Bottom line—insulin resistance happens mostly, and I mean *mostly*, because of excess body fat.

The thing patients really need to grasp is this: if you weigh all the different meds used for Type 2 against actual weight loss... the one that's actually going to move the needle and stop the disease in its tracks is losing the weight.

rustymoose54 said:Go ahead and treat yourself however you like, but at least try to be consistent. When you finally face a REAL illness, don't go running to a Western doctor if you've already decided they're inferior to alternative practitioners.

I think you're exaggerating.

It isn't an either-or situation. One doesn't automatically cancel out the other, and neither approach is inherently superior or inferior; they simply offer different perspectives. Sometimes one works better, sometimes the other—but wouldn't it be best if they actually complemented each other?
Besides that, we see this constant pendulum swing—either an absolute, blind faith in traditional Western medicine or total contempt and mockery toward alternative approaches. Why must it be one or the other? Neither extreme is right.

My doctor—who was trained in the Western medical system—actually possesses a deep understanding of natural remedies and homeopathy. And frankly, that’s a good thing. Isn't it obvious that there are times when conventional medication just isn't an option? In those moments, alternative treatments work perfectly well, and more importantly, they don't cause harm.

Jessica Kim said:because there are definitely times when you just can't deal with standard meds—and an alternative route actually works wonders, which is the big thing—it doesn't cause any harm.

but for those of us who stick strictly to what's been scientifically proven by mainstream American medicine... well, we usually just call those cases one thing: a placebo effect...

Rachel Brooks63 said:For those of us who strictly follow scientifically proven methods championed by mainstream Western medicine, we have just one word for these cases: placebo...

I don’t know what mainstream medicine calls putting hot salt in a sock, but it worked for me; it eased my earache and brought my fever down incredibly fast.

Sure, you can call that procedure a "placebo" if you want—it sounds much fancier and takes less effort to say. 😁

And if anyone wants to go stuffing themselves with every random remedy under the sun while pregnant, be my guest. Personally, I’ll stick to tried-and-true home remedies.

Jessica Kim said:I don't know what Western medicine calls putting hot salt in a sock, but it actually worked for me—it eased my earache and knocked my fever down fast.

Yeah, you can call it the placebo effect if it makes you feel fancier and saves you some breath.😁

And hey, if you want to gorge on every random thing you find while pregnant, go right ahead. I'd rather stick to methods that actually work.

To break a fever, you use cool compresses, potatoes, or just take a lukewarm shower; honestly, it’d probably just break on its own eventually. If that fever is from pneumonia, you could soak yourself in salt all day instead of taking antibiotics and you'd still be in trouble—maybe end up face down in a field in rural Kansas for all it matters.

Folk remedies are fine. Nobody's going to call you crazy for sucking on a lemon and wrapping yourself in a damp sheet when you have a common cold instead of grabbing some Vitamin C and aspirin.
However, if you're dealing with a high-risk pregnancy—say, uterine contractions caused by a 12x12 cm tumor—and you demand half a cup of red wine mixed with cloves, cinnamon, and Indian spices instead of an IV, then yeah, you’ve clearly lost your mind.

Brenda Morales46 said:I mean, instead of asking for an IV drip, you’re basically requesting half a bottle of red wine mixed with cloves, cinnamon, and some nuts to take orally... honestly, you can't be playing serious...

And what if you want that mulled wine alongside the prep?

Rachel Brooks63 said:What if you want that mulled wine with the appetizer?

👍 Then you better demand a double dose of Ormidol just to keep your heart from exploding.😁

Brenda Morales46 said:👍 Then you’re gonna have to ask for a double dose of Ormidol just to get your heart rate under control😁

alright, here goes nothing:

prepar
mulled wine
ormidol...

wait, what was it you said again—are you actually a doctor or just some alternative medicine enthusiast?

Math nerd here😁

No jokes🙂

I guess that’s why I’m such a realist. You know how it goes—theorems, proofs, statistics...😉

Brenda Morales46 said:To bring down a fever, you could try cold compresses, potatoes, or lukewarm showers—honestly, it would probably just break on its own eventually. But if that fever is caused by pneumonia, you can soak in all the salt water you want instead of taking antibiotics, and you might as well go bury yourself in some field out in rural Kansas.

Folk remedies are fine. Nobody is going to call you crazy for sucking on a lemon and wrapping yourself in a damp sheet when you have a common cold instead of reaching for Vitamin C tablets and aspirin.
However, if you are facing a high-risk pregnancy—say, uterine contractions triggered by a 12x12 cm tumor—and you demand half a glass of red wine infused with cloves, cinnamon, and Indian spices instead of getting an IV of Prepara, then you clearly aren't in your right mind.

I won't be looking for any wine, red or white. Alcohol isn't recommended during pregnancy.😢

I guess I'll just have to settle for burying a cat hair combined with a toad's left leg under my doorstep. I heard that works too.🙂 👍

Rachel Brooks63 said:Oh boy, here comes one of those "weighty" arguments we see in every single debate...

Honestly, reading stuff like that makes my skin crawl.

Since when does anyone care about your skin crawling???😕
Look, why even take that stance? Take Type 1 diabetes, for example—the logic being that if doctors can't pinpoint the cause or find a way to prevent it right now, then a cause or prevention simply doesn't exist.
Maybe they'll figure out the root cause tomorrow?

But no... apparently, if they don't know it or won't admit it, then it just DOESN'T EXIST. 🙄

See, that's what gets me. That arogantan, dogmatic attitude is incredibly frustrating, and honestly, it just ends up hurting patients in the long run.

Modern medicine has had some incredible breakthroughs, sure, but it isn't omniscient—even if it acts like it is.

And yeah, it kind of behaves like a medieval Inquisition, clinging to its own dogma like it's the only truth. 👎

Jessica Kim said:I think you’re overreacting.

It’s not an either-or situation. One doesn't necessarily cancel out the other. I guess neither approach is inherently better or worse than the much-vaunted alternative; they just have different ways of getting there. Sometimes one works better, sometimes the other does. Honestly, the best result probably comes when they actually complement each other.
Besides that, you see this constant, absolute faith in conventional medicine, paired with nothing but contempt and mockery for anything alternative—or vice versa. I guess neither extreme is really right.

My doctor—who was trained in the standard Western medical system—actually has a solid grasp on herbalism and homeopathy. And honestly? It’s great. There are times when you just can't take conventional medication, and in those cases, alternative options work perfectly fine. Most importantly, they don't cause harm.

VF_9, this is exactly what you and I have been going over repeatedly. And yet, for some reason, you always manage to twist it into something else entirely.
😕

rustymoose54 said:🙄
I’ve said a thousand times that I’ve been sick since I was a kid. Did you really not catch what kind we're talking about from that?😉

Maybe I missed those thousand posts, or if I did read them, they went right out my head.

I had no clue you had diabetes. Let alone which type.

Sorry, didn't mean to offend anyone.

But I still think it's worth pointing out that lifestyle changes can lower the risk of Type 2.

rustymoose54 said:🙄

Regarding Type 2 prevention—which, frankly, is becoming more common lately among kids in developed nations—meaning, not just here in the States 😁—Western medicine is actually putting most of its focus right there on prevention.

Twenty years ago, when I was diagnosed, Type 2 wasn't even a thing for children, not even in the USA 😬—honestly, I’m surprised you aren't aware of that.

Isn't the real question why it's happening to kids now, when it didn't before?

Don't you think it has everything to do with what those kids are eating {if you haven't seen what kids in North America eat, well, I have, since I used to work as a nanny🙂}?

People here in America don't even realize what actual junk food looks like. I wouldn't feed that stuff to my worst enemy, yet American kids eat it every single day.😲

Anyway, I'd say my little "seed-munching" habit wasn't such a crazy idea after all. 😉
I suspect my own kids will be "munching seeds" too, instead of grabbing a Happy Meal at McDonald's.👋

rustymoose54 said:You definitely can't prevent type 1. It’s an autoimmune reaction triggered by God-knows-what. We still don't have a clear handle on the etiology.

Look, while the exact cause is still a mystery, there's plenty of solid evidence suggesting the whole mechanism is likely kicked off by a viral infection.

rustymoose54 said:When it comes to preventing type 2 diabetes, it’s all about what you put in your body. It really boils down to lifestyle choices. Lately. Things are starting to kick off, and the kids are right in the middle of it. In the developed world. So, it's not happening in America either. 😁 Western medicine is basically obsessed with playing defense—it’s all about prevention.

A lot of people in developing parts of the world still act like they're holding onto some superior, healthy lifestyle, when the reality is actually the exact opposite. In places like India and Pakistan, we’re seeing a massive spike in Type 2 diabetes cases, which is driving a huge surge in cardiovascular disease. It’s not the "natural" way of life they think it is; it's a health crisis in the making.

Obesity is spiking in those countries because people are basically importing a misunderstood version of the "glamorous" lifestyle. It’s a bad trade-off: everyone's moving less while leaning heavily on ultra-processed junk.

While Western and Northern European nations—places that actually seem to give a damn about this stuff—are successfully driving down mortality rates from cardiovascular disease.

rustymoose54 said:Twenty years ago, when I first got sick, Type 2 wasn't even a thing for kids, not even in the USA 😬

It’s the truth. Even American pediatricians have been blindsided by this. Now there's a massive scramble for funding and research just to try and get ahead of this epidemic.

violent_femmes9 said:hopefully I made myself clear enough 🙂

It’s pretty impressive how well-informed you are. 👍