Bird flu concerns are rising. Ode Magazine (a great magazine, by the way) has some helpful information on bird flu prevention and treatment that I have not seen elsewhere:

…The threat of bird flu deserves a calm response that starts with strengthening our immune systems. What Doctors Don’t Tell You advises daily doses of 8,000 to 12,000 IU (international units) of vitamin A, 200 to 400 IU of vitamin E and 1,000 mg of vitamin C. Zinc supplements also have strong antiviral properties. And the very best defense is undoubtedly Sambucol, a supplement made of elderberries. This remedy was developed 10 years ago by the French virologist Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu and, in laboratory studies conducted by the prominent British Retroscreen Virology, which is affiliated with the University of London, it was found to be 99 percent effective in combating various types of flu, including bird flu. Sambucol can be purchased in 17 countries, including the U.S.

During a recent flu epidemic in Norway, Sambucol, made by the Israel-based company Razei Bar Industries, was double-blind tested against a placebo. Half the patients were given four tablespoons of the remedy per day. After 24 to 48 hours, 95 percent of the patients were doing better, and after 48 to 72 hours, 90 percent of the group had completely recovered. In the placebo group, only eight percent of the cases showed improvement after 24 hours, and 48 to 72 hours later only 24 percent were doing better.

The question is: Why don’t we hear anything about these remedies from our health authorities?