Cold and Flu Rules Revisited

November 30, 2024 Featured News, Latest News

November 30, 2024

As winter comes around again, here’s a refresher of some general guidelines on how to manage common colds, flu, and other mild acute respiratory illnesses.

(Spoiler Alert: This information may differ substantially from what’s being published in mainstream media outlets.)

Colds, flu, and other mild acute respiratory illnesses, tend to be viral in origin, and are more common in the winter months due to several factors including weaker sunlight as one gets farther north or south of the equator, and a lower abundance of fresh local produce, which is naturally high in probiotics and antioxidants.  In cold winter months people tend to spend much more time indoors in manmade environments, in closed buildings, under artificial lighting, and in recirculated (rather than fresh) air, tending to rely more on vitamin supplements and vitamin fortified foods which don’t provide the same benefits to the body or the microbiome as fresh whole vegetables and fruits.1

Unacknowledged by mass media, colds, flu, and other mild acute respiratory illnesses offer a unique opportunity for the immune system to become stronger, while helping prevent long-term chronic illness.  These acute illnesses are fundamentally important in diversifying the microbiome, maturing the immune system, and improving long-term health, even though they can be uncomfortable or unpleasant when they strike.2

One of the best things to do when a cold, flu or other mild respiratory illness comes along is to stop work, get rest, and let the immune system do what it is meant to do: develop an acute inflammatory response, resolve the infection, develop immunity, and finally resolve inflammation.  These mild acute illnesses are signs from the body that you may have overdone things, not eaten or rested well enough, or simply stretched things a little too far.  They are gentle reminders that, when properly attended to, result in a stronger, more robust immune system and lower risk of developing chronic inflammatory illness.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), the more acute lower respiratory-tract infections children have, the lower their risk of developing asthma or allergies. Day care attendance early in life, which is associated with greater risk of developing acute infections, lowers the risk of developing allergies and asthma. On the other extreme, a childhood marked by the absence of acute infections early in life is associated with an increased risk of developing both allergic and autoimmune disease.3

The paradoxical role that acute infections play in lowering the risk of chronic illness disappears if antibiotics and other conventional (symptom suppressing) medications are used in treatment.4

Children who received three or more courses of antibiotics in early life are more than twice as likely to develop neurodevelopmental disorders of speech (odds ratio (OR) = 3.89), ADHD (OR = 3.27), or decreased intellectual ability (OR = 2.44).5

If one or two courses of antibiotics are administered during the first year of life, there is a 20% increased risk of developing asthma by age 7.  If 3-4 courses are administered, the risk rises to 30%, and if more than 4 courses are used then the risk rises to greater than 50% that a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways will develop in these children.6

Eschewing the use of nonessential prescription and over the counter medicines, which damage the microbiome and suppress the immune inflammatory response, is better for long-term health.  One should consider using more effective natural homeopathic medicines, which don’t damage the microbiome, suppress symptoms, or interfere with the immune system.

Antibiotics that indiscriminately kill bacteria in the microbiome breed antibiotic resistant organisms while damaging the ecology of the microbiome. They also damage mitochondria within human cells.7  Mitochondrial destruction occurs because these powerful energy-generating intracellular organelles, which originated from ancient endosymbiotic bacteria, share the same protein building apparatus with bacteria. Bactericidal antibiotics that target the protein synthesis machinery of bacteria have the same effect in mitochondria and “contribute to tumorigenesis and neurodegeneration and aggravate existing mitochondria-associated diseases.”8 The antibiotic mediated destruction of human mitochondria is linked to lactic acidosis, lipodystrophy, myelosuppression, peripheral neuropathy, ototoxicity, optic neuropathy,9 chronic fatigue syndrome,10 lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes.11

Every class of conventional pharmaceutical drug, not just antibiotics, disrupts the ecological balance of the microbiome12 in a way reminiscent of the effects of pesticides in the macroscopic environment.13  Polypharmacy (using more than one medication at a time), which is extremely common is particularly destructive.14

Acute ecological disruptions of the microbiome, known as dysbiosis, are marked by chaos and inefficiency (when severe, they are known as infections) that initiates an immune inflammatory reaction gauged to restore order and balance. When the immune system resolves the acute dysbiosis, ecological efficiency is restored.  If the immune system cannot (or it is not allowed to) resolve the imbalance, or if medical treatment further worsens the dysbiosis, then the immune inflammatory response persists and becomes chronic. Chronic dysbiosis and the accompanying inflammation are the hallmarks and “common denominators” of every chronic medical condition.15

Insight from the use of homeopathic medicines over the last 230 years, not only foreshadowed the discovery of the human microbiome16 but delivered an extensive pharmacopeia of safe and effective medicines that have proven to be useful in resolving dysbiosis and reversing acute and chronic inflammatory illness17 without damaging the microbiome18 or harming the immune system.19

One of the most common misconceptions about colds, flu, and other mild acute respiratory illnesses is that they are fundamentally “bad” things that should be avoided or treated with symptom suppressing medicines, but these acute infections (when treated naturally and homeopathically) help prevent the development of many chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.20

The NEJM21 reported that the eradication of many of these common acute infections using conventional antibiotics and vaccines precisely correlates with the emerging epidemic of chronic inflammatory illnesses over the last 50 years,22 and is most prevalent and severe in those areas where loss of biological diversity of the microbiome is most profound.23

The belief that germs are “bad” is an antiquated philosophy that grew from the “germ theory” of medicine and has led to the futile and harmful war against the microbiome and nature that has driven this epidemic of chronic illness and created the problem of antibiotic resistant organisms. Direct evidence from ecology, microbiome science, and homeopathy all contests this theory.

While it is true that all infectious disease requires a pathogenic microbe (a bacteria, virus, fungus, or other organism capable of causing a disease), it is equally true that every organism is a “pathobiont” (a microorganism that normally lives in the body as a harmless commensal, but under certain conditions, like a disrupted microbiome or weakened immune system, can become pathogenic and contribute to disease development). The determining factor of most infectious illness turns out not to be a germ, but the state of the immune system and the microbiome.  All organisms are pathobionts: “opportunistic microbes that emerge as a result of perturbations in the healthy microbiome due to complex interactions of various genetic, exposomal, microbial, and host factors that lead to their selection and expansion.”24

The cause of most acute infectious illness is not a “germ” per se, but the susceptibility of the microbiome and the immune system which aren’t diverse or mature enough to accommodate the organism into a healthy, functional ecosystem. This is one reason why perfectly healthy people tend to have richer more diverse microbiomes,25 germ-free animals become sick and die when they are introduced into “normal” communities,26 and those most susceptible to Covid-19 already had damaged microbiomes and suffered from chronic immune system dysfunction27 otherwise known as a “comorbidity.”

When the microbiome and immune system encounter a new organism for the first time and dynamically adjust to ecologically integrate it into a balanced state of health (aka an infection), successful recovery is marked by durable “natural immunity” and immune tolerance. Natural immunity plays a crucial role in the resolution of inflammation by initiating an active, coordinated process where the body naturally produces specialized molecules called “pro-resolving mediators” that actively dampen the inflammatory response and restore tissue homeostasis once the initial threat has been neutralized.28 This results in resolution of infection and systemic inflammation that reduces the risk of developing chronic inflammation in the form of allergies, asthma, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, cancer, and autoimmunity.

This is one reason why colds, flu, and other mild respiratory infections, treated without microbiome damaging or immune suppressing medications, help promote long-term health.  In most healthy individuals, these conditions should not be avoided, immunized against, or treated with conventional pharmaceutical drugs.  Instead, these minor ailments should be welcomed as opportunities to rest, take care of oneself (or a family member) and to bolster immunity. Exposure to these infections, particularly when managed homeopathically, is associated with reduced need for conventional drugs,29 lower risk of hospitalization, lower risk of developing chronic inflammatory conditions, and greater longevity.30

These illnesses should be considered opportunities to improve health and prevent long-term inflammatory illnesses like allergies, asthma, diabetes, and obesity.  In much the same way that going to the gym or exercising on a regular basis strengthens the cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, endocrine, and nervous systems.  Exercising the immune system through direct exposure and experience of mild acute respiratory illnesses strengthens the immune system and reduces the risk of developing chronic inflammatory illness.

 

Simple Guidelines:

Antibiotics provide no benefit against viral infections and should be avoided whenever possible.  Their routine use contributes to long-term problems since they compromise the microbiome31 and suppress inflammation and antibody formation.32  Not only can antibiotic resistant “super-bugs” emerge from overuse, but latent viral infections can be reactivated,33 and severe fungal infections triggered,34 in addition to their effects on mitochondria.

Antiviral medications should also be avoided whenever possible. They cause significant chemical side effects35 while suppressing the activity of the many “friendly” viruses in the virome, or viral microbiome integral to the regulation of bacterial.36  Antiviral medicines are also irreversibly toxic to mitochondria.37

Antihistamines should be avoided whenever possible because they interfere with cellular communication and impair the innate immune system, reducing effectiveness, worsening infections, and prolonging illness.38

Anti-inflammatory medications should be avoided whenever possible. Even though they reduce many of the symptoms of inflammation (fever, redness, pain, body aches, etc.), they do this by suppressing the immune inflammatory response, which is how the body protects itself from infections, heals injuries, and develops immunity.39 These drugs work against the immune system, prolong illness and impair healing.40  These medicines damage the microbiome,41 cause dysbiosis,42 and promote chronic inflammation.43

Antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory, and many other medications damage the microbiome, generate dysbiosis, and suppress the immune system, reducing the likelihood of developing natural immunity, and ultimately triggering unmitigated immune mediated chronic inflammation.  These drugs are part of a “perfect storm” created by conventional pharmaceutical treatment that works against both the microbiome and the immune system to turn acute into chronic dysbiosis.

Perhaps the best defenses against recurrent winter colds, flu and other mild respiratory infections is not to fight them with immune suppressing, microbiome damaging treatments, or to try to avoid them, but to approach them as opportunities to strengthen immune defenses, develop immunity, and improve lifelong health.  Only through direct experience can the immune system develop mature and learn to control inflammation and stay in balance with the microbiome.

The following recommendations are meant as simple guidelines:

  • Stop work and take a break.  Take sufficient time off to rest and de-stress your body, allowing it to recover and recuperate.  Consider staying home from work or school. Forego a “night out” and opt for rest and limited exposure to other others.
  • Get adequate rest.  Give your body the opportunity to get a full night of sleep. Nap during the day if you are tired.  Sleep helps the body heal more efficiently from illness.  Naps should be short (a 15- 20 minute “power nap” works well) to avoid resetting your internal clock (diurnal rhythm) or disrupting your night-time sleep pattern.
  • Relax and do something (low key) that gives you pleasure.  The immune system is augmented and reinforced by positive emotions. Read an enjoyable book, watch a funny or a meaningful movie, sit by the fire and meditate, knit, or do light yoga.  Do not attempt to perform strenuous mental or physical work, or to fulfill demanding or stressful work obligations. Take a break from your routine and focus on what brings you back to your center.  Illnesses are an ideal time to re-evaluate the stresses and priorities of your life, and to look at the habits that may have contributed to your illness.
  • Only eat lightly, if at all.  Consider fasting for a short period of time.    Food in the digestive tract (where more than 60% of the immune system resides) distracts the immune system away from the task of resolving inflammation.  Digestive activity diverts blood flow into the gastrointestinal tract and away from areas of inflammation that need it more.
  • If you do eat, make sure you don’t overeat. Stick with foods that are easy to digest. Limit meats and proteins and increase fresh fruits and vegetables.  Utilize fresh raw garlic, onions, or mushrooms.  These foods have been shown to augment the activity of the immune system in a non-specific, generic manner.
  • Eat some naturally fermented foods (pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi) to restore balance to the mouth, throat and stomach microbiomes.  Sipping (or gargling) small amounts of the brine from these products can help prevent sore throats or resolve them faster.
  • Avoid refined sugars and highly processed foods. These foods may be rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract but can lead to transient surges in blood sugar, providing a “free lunch” for infectious organisms, damaging mitochondria,44 and slowing the immune system.  Elevated blood sugar impairs white blood cell activity and antibody production. Avoid foods with a high “glycemic index” like refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, breads, pastas, ice cream, soda’s, pastries, and desserts. Limit quantities of more acceptable sweets like raw unfiltered honey, fresh vegetables, and fruits.   Avoid all synthetic and artificial sweeteners, since they negatively impact the microbiome.45
  • Stay well hydrated, but don’t over-hydrate.  Too much fluid (aka water intoxication) dilutes electrolytes and antibodies, causing arrhythmias, weakening the humoral immune response, and stresses the kidneys. Too little fluid (dehydration) makes drugs more toxic to the kidneys and makes it harder to perspire and regulate body temperature. Drink enough water, tea, broth, or natural juices to keep the urination frequent, clear, and light in color.  If you are not urinating every few hours, you may be dehydrated.
  • Stop all iron-containing vitamins and supplements. During most infectious conditions the body actively sequesters iron, pulling it out of circulation, to make it unavailable to infectious organisms.
  • Avoid antioxidants, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbs.  Oxidation is part of the immune mediated inflammatory process that helps the body resolve infections.  Oxidation is the process by which peroxidases, released by white blood cells, denature microbes turning mucous discharges yellow and green. When these color changes appear, it is a good indication that the immune system is actively engaged and working.
  • Understand that mild to moderate fevers help the immune system work better.46  Fevers are an integral part of the immune inflammatory response helping the body respond to infections and triggering the recruitment of more sophisticated levels of immunity.  Fevers are essential components of the innate immune system, easing the cascade that activates adaptive permanent immunity.
  • Avoid antipyretic medications whenever possible since these drugs interfere with the body’s ability to self-regulate its own temperature.
  • Use homeopathic medicines prescribed on an individual basis to help resolve an acute infection safely and rapidly.  Stay in contact with your primary care physician and homeopath during these times.  Get prompt medical attention if symptoms fall outside the range of experience.
  • Stay warm and avoid becoming chilled.  Do not try to cool the body down.  Strive for a level of comfort that is neither overly cold nor hot but when in doubt err on the warm side.
  • Avoid showers and baths due to the risk of becoming chilled when actively sick.  Let the body regulate its own temperature and do not try to cool it down.  This often results in a higher rebound compensation fever or a higher core body temperature.
  • Limit or avoid over the counter (OTC) medicines.  These drugs tend to be oriented toward symptom relief, and they can delay recovery, damage the microbiome, suppress immunity, and lead to more serious conditions.  They carry significant side-effect profiles including drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, upset stomach, nausea, nervousness, constipation, dry mouth/nose/throat, increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure, and death.
  • While Zinc is an essential nutrient that supports immune functioning it can also impair immune activated inflammation, and slow recovery. Excessive zinc supplementation can significantly alter the microbiome, disrupting the balance of gut bacteria leading to dysbiosis, worsening some infections including Clostridium difficile.  Zinc containing foods (pumpkin and sunflower seeds, cashews, mushrooms and lentils) should be considered advantageous in lieu of taking large quantities of supplemental zinc during an acute infection.47
  • If possible, get some direct sunlight on your skin up to about 20 minutes daily. Avoid becoming overly chilled, overheated, or burned in the process. Both glass and sunscreen filter out the important ultraviolet light and eliminate many of sunlight’s benefits. Moderate sun exposure stimulates the immune system directly through its effects on T-lymphocytes48 and indirectly through the catalyzed conversion of cholesterol into Vitamin D, which takes place in sunlight exposed skin.49
  • Stay in touch with your primary health care provider and homeopath throughout your illness.  Do not repeat homeopathic medicines unless directed.  If you are not seeing consistent improvement in your symptoms, let your someone know.  Seek an appointment for an in-person evaluation if you are not improving.

Ronald D. Whitmont, MD
6250 Route 9
Rhinebeck, NY 12572

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with experts or direct care with medical professionals.  It is provided for Dr. Whitmont’s patients and is not intended to replace direct communication or individualized care during illness.  Always seek medical attention if acute symptoms do not resolve quickly or without complication.

Dr. Whitmont has been in the practice of medicine for the past 36 years.  He completed a residency program in Internal Medicine and was board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.  He practices Classical Homeopathic Medicine in Rhinebeck, New York.  He may be reached through his website at www.homeopathicmd.com, or email homeopathicmd@gmail.com.

 

References

  1. van der Merwe M. Gut microbiome changes induced by a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2021 Aug;72(5):665-669.
  2. Torrazza RM, Neu J. The developing intestinal microbiome and its relationship to health and disease in the neonate. J Perinatology 2011; 31, S29–S34;
  3. Ball TM, Castro-Rodriguez JA, Griffith KA, et al. Siblings, day-care attendance, and the risk of asthma and wheezing during childhood. N Engl J Med 2000;343(8):538-43.
  4. Knoop KA, McDonald KG, Kulkarni DH, Newberry RD. Antibiotics promote inflammation through the translocation of native commensal colonic bacteria. Gut. 2016 Jul;65(7):1100-9.
  5. Ahrens AP. et al. Infant microbes and metabolites point to childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. Cell 2024; 187(8):1853 – 1873.e15
  6. Kozyrskyj AL, Ernst P, Becker AB. Increased risk of childhood asthma from antibiotic use in early life. Chest 2007;131(6):  1753-1759.
  7. Lawrence JW, Claire DC, Weissig V, et al. Delayed cytotoxicity and cleavage of mitochondrial DNA in ciprofloxacin-treated mammalian cells. Mol Pharmacol 1996;50:1178–1188.
  8. Jiang X, Baucom C, Elliott RL. Mitochondrial Toxicity of Azithromycin Results in Aerobic Glycolysis and DNA Damage of Human Mammary Epithelia and Fibroblasts. Antibiotics (Basel). 2019 Aug 3;8(3):110.
  9. Wallace, KB : Mitochondrial off targets of drug therapy. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2008;29:361-366.
  10. Myhill S, Booth NE, McLaren-Howard J. Chronic fatigue syndrome and mitochondrial dysfunction. Int J Clin Exp Med. 2009;2(1):1-16.
  11. Prasun P. Mitochondrial dysfunction in metabolic syndrome. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Molecular Basis of Disease 2020; 1866(10), 1 October 2020, 165838.
  12. Maier L, Pruteanu M, Kuhn M, et al. Extensive impact of non-antibiotic drugs on human gut bacteria. Nature 2018;555: 623–628.
  13. Carson R. Silent Spring
  14. Gemikonakli G, Mach J, Zhang F, Bullock M, Tran T, El-Omar E, Hilmer SN. Polypharmacy With High Drug Burden Index (DBI) Alters the Gut Microbiome Overriding Aging Effects and Is Reversible With Deprescribing. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2023 Feb 24;78(2):213-222.
  15. Hunter P. The inflammation theory of disease. The growing realization that chronic inflammation is crucial in many diseases opens new avenues for treatment. EMBO Rep 2012;13(11):968-970.
  16. Whitmont RD. The Human Microbiome, Conventional Medicine, and Homeopathy. Homeopathy. 2020 Nov;109(4):248-255.
  17. Mahesh S, Mallappa M, Vacaras V, Shah V, Serzhantova E, Kubasheva N, Chabanov D, Tsintzas D, Jaggi L, Jaggi A, Vithoulkas G. Association between Acute and Chronic Inflammatory States: A Case-Control Study. Homeopathy. 2024 Nov;113(4):239-244.
  18. Paterson J. The Potentised Drug and its Action on the Bowel Flora; Br. Hom. J., 1936, Vol 26:163-188.
  19. Bellavite P, Conforti A, Pontarollo F, Ortolani R. Immunology and homeopathy. 2. Cells of the immune system and inflammation. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2006 Mar;3(1):13-24.
  20. Cooke A. Infection and autoimmunity. Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2009 Mar-Apr;42(2):105-7.
  21. Bach JF. The effect of infections on susceptibility to autoimmune and allergic diseases. N Engl J Med. 2002 Sep 19;347(12):911-20.
  22. Milani, RV, Lavie CJ. Health Care 2020: Reengineering Health Care Delivery to Combat Chronic Disease. Am J Med 2015; 128(4):337-343.
  23. Belkaid Y, Hand T. Role of the Microbiota in Immunity and inflammation. Cell 2014;157(1):121-141.
  24. Chandra H, Sharma KK, Tuovinen OH, Sun X, Shukla P. Pathobionts: mechanisms of survival, expansion, and interaction with host with a focus on Clostridioides difficile. Gut Microbes. 2021 Jan-Dec;13(1):1979882.
  25. Manor, O., Dai, C.L., Kornilov, S.A. et al. Health and disease markers correlate with gut microbiome composition across thousands of people. Nat Commun 11, 5206 (2020).
  26. Shanahan F. The host-microbe interface within the gut. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 2002;16(6):915-31.
  27. Ferreira C, Viana SD, Reis F. Is Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis a Predictor of Increased Susceptibility to Poor Outcome of COVID-19 Patients? An Update. Microorganisms 2021; 9(1):53.
  28. Freire MO, Van Dyke TE. Natural resolution of inflammation. Periodontol 2000. 2013 Oct;63(1):149-64.
  29. Grimaldi-Bensouda L, Bégaud B, Rossignol M, Avouac B, Lert F, Rouillon F, Bénichou J, Massol J, Duru G, Magnier AM, Abenhaim L, Guillemot D. Management of upper respiratory tract infections by different medical practices, including homeopathy, and consumption of antibiotics in primary care: the EPI3 cohort study in France 2007-2008. PLoS One. 2014 Mar 19;9(3):e89990.
  30. Frass M, Linkesch M, Banyai S, Resch G, Dielacher C, Löbl T, Endler C, Haidvogl M, Muchitsch I, Schuster E. Adjunctive homeopathic treatment in patients with severe sepsis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in an intensive care unit. Homeopathy. 2005 Apr;94(2):75-80.
  31. Patangia DV, Anthony Ryan C, Dempsey E, Paul Ross R, Stanton C. Impact of antibiotics on the human microbiome and consequences for host health. Microbiologyopen. 2022 Feb;11(1):e1260.
  32. Shekhar S, Petersen FC. The Dark Side of Antibiotics: Adverse Effects on the Infant Immune Defense Against Infection. Front Pediatr. 2020 Oct 15;8:544460.
  33. Traylen CM, Patel HR, Fondaw W, Mahatme S, Williams JF, Walker LR, Dyson OF, Arce S, Akula SM. Virus reactivation: a panoramic view in human infections. Future Virol. 2011 Apr;6(4):451-463.
  34. Seelig MS. Mechanisms by Which Antibiotics Increase the Incidence and Severity of Candidiasis and Alter the Immunological Defenses. Bacteriological Review 1966;30(20:442-459.
  35. Whitmont RD. Antivirals and the Immune System.  Guest Ed. Am J Homeop Med 2021;114:98-99.
  36. Lecuit M, Eloit M. The Viruses of the Gut Microbiota. The Microbiota in Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology. 2017:179–83.
  37. Lewis W, Dalakas MC. Mitochondrial toxicity of antiviral drugs. Nat Med. 1995 May;1(5):417-22.
  38. Metz M, Doyle E, Bindslev-Jensen C, Watanabe T, Zuberbier T, Maurer M. Effects of antihistamines on innate immune responses to severe bacterial infection in mice. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2011;155(4):355-60.
  39. Soliman AM, Barreda DR. Acute Inflammation in Tissue Healing. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Dec 30;24(1):641.
  40. Schug SA. Do NSAIDs Really Interfere with Healing after Surgery? J Clin Med. 2021 May 27;10(11):2359.
  41. Maseda D, Zackular JP, Trindade B, et al. Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Alter the Microbiota and Exacerbate Clostridium difficile Colitis While Dysregulating the Inflammatory Response. mBio 2019;10(1):e02282-18.
  42. Maseda D, Ricciotti E. NSAID-Gut Microbiota Interactions. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Aug 7;11:1153.
  43. Doux JD, Bazar KA, Lee PY, Yun AJ. Can chronic use of anti-inflammatory agents paradoxically promote chronic inflammation through compensatory host response? Med Hypotheses. 2005;65(2):389-91.
  44. Dassanayaka S, Readnower RD, Salabei JK, Long BW, Aird AL, Zheng YT, Muthusamy S, Facundo HT, Hill BG, Jones SP. High glucose induces mitochondrial dysfunction independently of protein O-GlcNAcylation. Biochem J. 2015 Apr 1;467(1):115-26.
  45. Conz A, Salmona M, Diomede L. Effect of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiota. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 13;15(8):1869.
  46. Wrotek S, LeGrand EK, Dzialuk A, Alcock J. Let fever do its job: The meaning of fever in the pandemic era. Evol Med Public Health. 2020 Nov 23;9(1):26-35.
  47. Gammoh NZ, Rink L. Zinc in Infection and Inflammation. Nutrients. 2017 Jun 17;9(6):624.
  48. Sunlight Offers Surprise Benefit – It Energizes Infection Fighting T Cells. Georgetown University Medical Center. December 20, 2016.
  49. Wacker M, Holick MF. Sunlight and Vitamin D: A global perspective for health. Dermatoendocrinol. 2013 Jan 1;5(1):51-108.
Cold and Flu Rules Revisited