The not so bad Flu

So, what do you do when your kid has the flu? Well, our receptionist at work - her son has the "beginning stages" according to his doctor. So, now he is LOADED up on medication. Tamiflu among others. (the FDA just recently changed the Tamiflu label to warn against psychiatric side effects in minors) Am I wrong or isn't the flu a virus??? Don't viruses have to die off relying on one's immune system? I realize an anti-viral like tamiflu might shorten the lifespan of the illness. It just drives me nuts that some doctors (I won't generalize and say ALL, but MOST) pump our kids full of medications when its something that our immune system will fight off, and SHOULD fight off in order to strengthen our immunity. I won't even speak of the flu shot - which, btw, I'm sure this child probably had! Doctors are so eager to give the flu shot to "save your child" from getting the flu that season.....so what do they say to parents when their kids end up with the flu? Bet they aren't so gung-ho immunization at that point! I'm sure the CDC has a script for Doctors when this happens....probably something like "Well, there are over 100 strains of the flu....its impossible to know which strains....yadda yadda..." If I were a Doctor I would say "You can run the risk of your child contracting the flu and allow their immune system to do what it is created for or you can inject him/her with mercury, aluminum, and other toxins for a miniscule chance of preventing the flu this season" :)
(okay, so I talked about it a little but not as much as I could have!)

It just irks me now that we all want an instant cure to anything that ails us! I have had a sinus infection since last Sunday. I did contemplate getting a z-pack on the days that it really had me down. But, now, its been a week, and I'm better. I went through 3 boxes of kleenex, made a few hot toddies with whiskey and honey, and loaded up on vitamin C. God designed our bodies to fight off infection. In most cases, and in healthy individuals, the immune system will deliver! It may not be as soon as we'd like it to, but come on, give it a chance! Don't get me wrong, I believe there is a time for medication. If I come down with pneumonia....I'll be getting on an antibiotic! But the rush to find a quick cure-all is what bothers me. And the doctors who worship at the feet of pharmaceutical companies....don't get me started!

Some may read this blog and decide....oh, there goes granola-girl on her anti-modern medicine tangent again. I just think its past time we started questioning doctors and all these drugs! Thank God we have modern medicine because there are times when nothing else will work. But I wish we would also appreciate one of God's masterpieces - our bodies. Appreciate that God designed our bodies to defend against illness, to heal itself. He did not make us as vulnerable as all these Doctors and drug companies have conditioned us to assume.

And, just FYI - whiskey is much a much more fun "medicine" than any antibiotic I've ever taken! :) Click here for the Hot Toddy recipe I used