Between 2018 and 2019, more than 35,000 people were hospitalised in Spain due to influenza. This epidemic is also claiming thousands of lives, especially among at-risk groups, but there are some factors we can act on to prepare our bodies for the virus.

Two people are infected with the influenza virus The answer seems simple: the previous state of the organism, more or less healthy. O what in biological medicine we call the internal environment.

But let's start at the beginning. An epidemic is an infectious disease that affects many people in a short period of time. For example, in Spain, in the 2018-2019 season, 490,000 cases of mild flu were registered in primary care centres, more than 35,000 people were hospitalised and more than 6,000 died. These are the figures of the flu epidemic in our country. Could they be avoided? We do not really know the behaviour of this virus, of which new strains appear every year, but we do know theo what we can do as individuals and the care we need to take to prevent among at risk groups - children, the elderly and the immunocompromised - .

The flu is the virus most alerted about There is a growing concern among public health authorities globally that there may be a new pandemic (a large epidemic, less local and less rapid, but affecting more people and over greater distances). However, the most serious viral infection today is probably the HIV epidemic that has had devastating consequences in the poorest countries of Africa, with millions of victims.

Another lesser known endemic disease is hepatitis C, a viral disease that is progressively increasing in incidence in all countries, as is the Epstein-Barr virus that is spreading in Western countries and leading to various neurodegenerative diseases.

In addition to these viral infections, what we can see at present is:

• The viral diseases are on the rise and virtually all pandemics of our time are viral.
• The bacterial epidemicsThe incidence of diseases such as scarlet fever, syphilis and tuberculosis are declining in intensity and are hardly present in the Western world.
• Pandemics and epidemics (bacterial or viral) occur every time the population is severely weakened by wars or climate crises.
• The HIVe in the poorest countries and where malnutrition is prevalent.
• The severity of the disease depends to a large extent on the immune resistance of the individual infected.
• Endemic diseases are related to the region in which they spread and the characteristics of their population. As a result, there are viruses that do not spread outside the regions in which they develop.
• People with a weakened immune systems are more likely to get sick. This weakening of the immune system, in turn, is more often due to changes in the microbiota and the weakening of the integrity of the intestinal mucous membrane (eighty percent of the lymphocytes or immune cells are located in the intestinal wall).

The fact that not everyone infected with a virus gets the disease is an important message; it is not just the virus that makes us sick, but the conditions in our body that make us sick. At biological medicine, these co-existing conditions are referred to as a person's 'internal environment'. and are determined by:

• Diet and lifestyle (including exposure to harmful factors such as electromagnetic stress)
• Acid-base balance of the body (hyperacidity of the tissue decreases the body's defence mechanisms)
• State of vitamins, minerals and trace elements of the body.
• Heavy metal toxicity in the body (enhances the spread of viral and fungal diseases and damages the intestinal flora)
• Mental and emotional well-being.

Reports on the potential danger of influenza often lack one crucial piece of information that from a holistic medical point of view would be contemplated, and that is what each person can do for themselves.

In general, we could say that a virus cannot affect if the person has a healthy "internal environment". However, it is important to heed the prevention and treatment recommendations of health authorities, especially for covid19 , a virus that attacks even people who are not considered to be at risk and with very different profiles.

What should we do to protect our immune system?

The immune system is the real protective barrier against disease. It is important to protect it:

• Maintain the integrity of the intestinal flora. The gut microbiome or gut flora is like a layer of sod over the intestinal mucous membrane and protects the gastrointestinal tract from being contaminated with bad bacteria, viruses or parasites. A healthy gut flora can be specifically maintained or restored with proper nutrition and by avoiding intestinal irritants such as allergens or food preservatives.
• White blood cells. The activity of these cells determines whether viruses or bacteria can reach the body through the intestinal wall and begin to multiply. The activity of white blood cells can be blocked by toxic substances such as heavy metals.
• The liver. A healthy liver, unburdened with fatty deposits and toxins, can strengthen the immune system and the intestinal tract.

If we are able to understand the physiology and functioning of the organism, we can look at viral and bacterial infections in a different way; prevention starts at the level of white blood cells, the internal environment, nutrition and gut flora.

Prevention and treatment of influenza with biological medicine

Maintaining a healthy microbiota and internal environmentThe main way to maintain a healthy diet, away from refined sugars, dairy products and toxins such as tobacco and alcohol. The consumption of antibiotics and stress are also harmful to our microbiota.

The analysis of the present state of the organism, the presence of heavy metals in the blood, the pH... are factors that can indicate a predisposition to disease. A global check-up from the perspective of biological medicine is an ideal way to fine-tune the body and prevent illness. Among the most effective biological medicine therapies available to us at Biosalud Day Hospital, is the great automeotherapya therapy that makes use of the great therapeutic value of ozone..

As for the treatment of influenzaIf we focus on the symptoms, the first symptom that appears is fever. Conventional medicine tries to reduce it in the case of flu, but fever is our body's natural mechanism for "defending" itself against viruses. Generally speaking, we can say that fever should be left to act and antipyretics should be avoided. Vitamin C and rest are also good allies against the flu. In any case, specialists should always be consulted in the event of illness or if you simply want to follow a preventive treatment.