Also known as “avian influenza,” bird flu is a very common viral flu that primarily affects poultry like chickens, ducks, turkeys, quails, and pigeons, etc. Bird flu spreads to other birds, animals, and even humans due to direct contact with the infected birds. Humans usually get the symptoms of bird flu after unknowingly consuming the infected poultry. Symptoms may take up to a week to appear and may become mild to severe depending on the amount of consumed poultry, stage of infection in the specific bird, and the consumer’s immunity.
The mild symptoms may include runny nose, fever, chills, headache, and sore throat, while some severe symptoms are diarrhea, bloody stool, shortness of breath, sleeping disturbances, and bleeding from the gums, etc. Doctors may prescribe a combination of anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics to ease the symptoms. However, home remedies to fight the bird flu virus are preferred, especially for mild symptoms.
Herbal remedies are safe for your body and can be very effective in improving the symptoms within a few days. Moreover, they can also improve your immunity to help you fight better with bird flu. Check out some very affordable yet surprisingly effective home remedies to fight the bird flu virus. Also, don’t forget to talk to a doctor if you get persistent symptoms, even if they are mild.
1. Turmeric
Curcumin is the active component of our very own turmeric. Curcumin is very well-known for its inflammatory and anti-infective properties. Regular use of turmeric, even with the recipes, may reduce the risk of avian flu inflammation by stimulating the immunoprotected agents in your body. Also, thanks to its antiviral properties, turmeric can be very effective in improving the mild symptoms of bird flu.
What to do: Adding half tbsp turmeric to your favorite cuisines is usually effective to keep bird flu symptoms at bay. You can add a bit of it to a glass of warm milk or water for even better results. Adding it to one tbsp honey is not a bad idea either.
2. Ginger
Various studies back the anti-influenza potential of ginger. Regular consumption of this spicy root is a sure shot solution for mild problems like cough, cold, and sore throat, etc. And, the active compounds of ginger, like gingerols and zingerone, may also prevent the growth of influenza in your body. Also, taking a few slices of ginger daily can also improve your immunity against common pathogens.
What to do: Find some interesting way of introducing ginger to your guts. It can be preparing healthy ginger tea, taking thin slices of ginger with lukewarm water, or adding it to your favorite dishes. Adding a few drops of lemon juce and honey will give you some added benefits and will also improve the taste.
3. Astragalus
Surprisingly, astragalus is still not commonly used as an edible root. This immune-boosting herb can be among the most effective home remedies to fight bird flu. Some studies (not concluded yet) also back astragalus’s ability to support the bone marrow by improving the interferon production. According to a study, astragalus can improve the overall immune response to bird flu by significantly reducing influenza replication.
What to do: Adding astragalus roots to soups or boiling them for tea: both are very effective ways of dealing with bird flu symptoms.
Caution: Don’t start consuming astragalus roots without consulting your doctor. And, we strongly suggest that pregnant and breastfeeding women must avoid this root completely.
4. Echinacea
Echinacea is popular for its ability to purify the blood and also boost overall immunity. With these two powerful properties, echinacea can singlehandedly deal with a wide range of bird flu symptoms. According to a study, the ethanol extracts of echinacea can have great effects against the avian types of influenza.
What to do: Make a cup of tea by boiling fresh or dried echinacea flowers. Try consuming it twice or thrice a day regularly for very good effects. If you have discomforts like high blood pressure, low blood pressure, diabetes, or any other heart problem, we suggest you ask your healthcare provider before consuming echinacea.
5. Garlic
Haven’t we always the admirer of the antibiotic and antiviral properties of garlic? Garlic can effectively protect your immune system against a wide range of infections. Also, it can be one of the most effective home remedies to fight the bird flu virus.
What to do: Try consuming one or two cloves of garlic with one glass of water too early in the morning to bolster your immunity. You can add half tbsp honey as a taste enhancer. Adding crushed garlic to your meals is another very effective way of improving your overall immunity.
6. Green Tea
We can’t keep green tea out of our list when we talk about anti-inflammatory and anti-influenza beverages. Can we? In case you don’t know, green tea is not only about reducing your belly fat! Thanks to its active compound catechins, green tea is among the most powerful home remedies to fight the bird flu virus. The compound can effectively reduce the complications associated with bird flu.
What to do: Consume two to three cups of green tea every day to see the difference in your immunity.
7. Forsythia
Forsythia contains a phenolic compound known as “forsythiaside,” which is known for anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, particularly against the avian strains of influenza. It may also enhance your immunity and help to fight the symptoms of bird flu.
What to do: Various types of health supplements are prepared with the dried fruit for the forsythia flower. However, we don’t have enough information related to the oral consumption of the forsythia herb. And, don’t start consuming forsythia supplements before asking your doctor.
8. Add Vitamin C to Your Diet
Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant and can help eradicate many influenza symptoms, including those of the bird flu virus. Enough intake of vitamin C through natural sources can improve your immunity and the ability to fight against bird flu. A study even backs the ability of vitamin C to contain avian influenza.
What to do: Add vitamin C rich foods like lemon, spinach, broccoli, tomato, and other leafy green veggies to your diet
9. Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper works to dilate the skin pores and induces sweating. This improves the release of toxins from the body and also eases bird flu symptoms. In addition, cayenne pepper is known for strengthening the immune system and can also be helpful in preventing bird flu.
What to do: Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper daily in your diet to fight bird flu.
10. Olive Leaf Extracts
Olive leaf extracts are packed with both anti-bacterial and antiviral properties. And, they can improve your immune system. In addition, olive leaf extracts can also power the blood and lymphatic system to increase your ability to deal with the mild complications of bird flu. Although not available easily, fresh olive leaf extracts are among the best-known home remedies to fight the bird flu virus.
What to do: If you can somehow get olive leaf extracts from the market, you can ask your doctor for the instructions to use. Otherwise, you can also boil some dried olive leaves to prepare your won olive tea. Add honey or peppermint to enhance the taste, as olive leaves taste a little bitter.
11. Steam
You can also try stream if you have symptoms of bird flu, like nasal congestion or other respiratory troubles. Steam is very helpful to open up the respiratory passage and ease out the related symptoms.
What to do: Boil two to three cups of water, keep a good-sized boil in front of you and cover your head with a towel. Try inhaling the steam for a couple of minutes, and increase the duration according to your comfort. Repeat these steps daily for a few days to see the difference.
12. Oregano Oil
Oregano contains carvacrol as a primary component, which is popular for its antiviral activities. Regular use of oregano oil can help to deal with mild symptoms of bird flu. Studies suggest that oregano oil can effectively improve the symptoms but may not be good enough to kill the bacteria causing avian flu. Hence, you may have to complement it with other, more effective home remedies like turmeric or ginger.
How to Use Oregano Oil: Add a few drops of oregano oil to one cup of warm water. Add one tbsp turmeric and try inhaling for a few minutes. Avoid direct application of oral consumption of oregano oil to prevent possible irritation.
Blue-Green Dragon
Blue-green dragon is one of the most underestimated Chinese herbal formulas. But if used correctly, it can be an effective home remedy to fight the bird flu virus. The blue-green dragon is prepared by combining eight traditional herbs, and all of them have their own abilities to improve the immune system. Ephedra is one of the main herbs that may improve sweating by dilating the skin pores – and hence, it can help release the toxins out of the body. Unfortunately, Ephedra is banned in the USA by FDA due to insufficient records of its effectiveness or health benefits.
However, other ingredients of blue-green dragon-like Bai Guo, Gypsum Fibrosum, Rhizoma Zingiberis Officinalis, Semen Pruni Armeniacae, Ramulus Cinnamomi Cassiae, Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralenis, and Fructus Jujubae can have great effects on bird flu symptoms.
What to do: You can find the blue-green dragon supplement easily online. Combine the formula with cayenne pepper to improve the taste as well as efficacy.
Prevention of Bird Flu
We still don’t have a vaccine to prevent bird flu, and hence prevention measures become very important. Here are some preventive steps to control the spread of the flu virus.
- Destroying suspected or infected birds: Once the flu is detected in birds, the priority must be to destroy them as soon as possible. It may sound a little cruel, but it’s better to destroy a bunch of infected birds instead of allowing the spread of infection to other birds, animals, or humans. Heating the birds at 56°C for 3 hours or at 60°C for 30 minutes.
- Disinfecting the whole farm: Disinfecting the farm equipment, including clothes, gloves, boots, containers, nets, and even the vehicles used for transporting birds, is very important to control the possible outbreak. Disinfectants like iodine compounds and formaline are commonly used for disinfecting purposes.
- Banning or Limiting the Transfer of Live Birds: Shipment of live birds for any purpose should be limited until the outbreak of bird flu is controlled completely. The bird flu virus transmits very easily, even from the droplets of birds. Hence, live birds’ transfer should be limited or even banned, especially in highly affected areas. Quarantine of bird farms also becomes a must to control the spread effectively.
- Try to Get a Flu Shot: A flu shot won’t necessarily prevent the bird flu. However, it has shown some promise to prevent the human strains of influenza.
- Avoid going too small or large farms where birds are grown in groups.
- Avoid roaming around markets or crowded places, especially without any purpose.
Home remedies for the bird flu virus are effective only when there are mild symptoms. You can’t rely solely on home remedies if you develop some moderate to serious symptoms like throbbing headache, constant nausea, and vomiting, fever, especially with chills, body pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, eye pain, etc.
You must get prompt medical attention if you feel any of these symptoms for more than a few hours. Isolation of the affected person becomes critical to stopping the spread of infection to others. Hopefully, you now have a decent list of home remedies to fight the bird flu virus. Take appropriate care of yourself and your family, eat healthily, have a simple lifestyle, and don’t be ignorant. Bird flu is not a massive problem until people take it very lightly. If you don’t become careless, you won’t find it very difficult to deal with bird flu.