Experts in alternative health care are recommending that people consider using natural remedies to stay healthy this cold and flu season.

Robert Murdoch, an acupuncture physician at Natural Family Physicians in Cape Coral, said leading a healthy lifestyle coupled with alternative medicines can be just as effective as vaccines or other traditional treatments.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 38 percent of adults and 12 percent of children in the United States are using alternative treatments and spending a total of $34 billion each year on the burgeoning industry.

Natural Family Physicians is holding a lecture at their office on 4704 Vincennes Blvd. at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7, where Murdoch will discuss natural ways to prevent illnesses. The community is invited to attend but must R.S.V.P. first to ensure there is enough space.

Some of most important aspects of keeping a strong immune system are exhibiting a strong, positive outlook, as well as eating right, getting enough sleep and exercising on a regular basis. This is on top of common sense measures like washing one’s hands and not putting fingers in one’s own eyes.

“I think the immune system responds to our attitude,” said Murdoch. “With a strong, positive outlook we really create a more powerful immune system.”

Of course, there are some substances to avoid, he said, including sugar and caffeine because both slow down the functioning of white blood cells that fight viruses and bacteria. Murdoch said that substances such as refined sugar also cause increased fungus growth in the body, a phenomenon seen commonly after the holidays.

“Every Christmas or Easter, right afterwards, we get loads of kids coming in from the clinic,” he said.

Caffeine also slows down white blood cells and burdens the immune system.

Substances that improve the body’s natural defenses include the herbs Echinacea, commonly used in herbal tea, and Astragalus, a Chinese herbal medicine used to strengthen the immune system and fight the common cold.

Golden Seal is another immune stimulant, he said, which actively kills off bacteria and viruses. Many of these herbs are available locally.

“It is used in the West and is available in health food stores,” said Murdoch.

Even though many of these herbs kill off bacteria, Murdoch said that people should be careful not to destroy all of the body’s bacteria because there is “good” and “bad” bacteria.

An example of this is when a patient is prescribed antibiotics, which kills off both types of bacteria, and results in the person being highly susceptible to foreign viruses.

He said it is important for the body to have “good” bacteria in the digestive system, particularly the intestines and guts, not only because it helps digest food but also because it fights “bad” bacteria.

“The better your immune system is the less likely you are to catch anything including the flu,” he said.

Following many of these guidelines and using alternative therapies can prevent someone from catching the flu or common cold. Murdoch said he doesn’t recommend getting vaccines for influenza or H1N1 because even though the composition of vaccines have been changed, many of them still contain minute traces of mercury, he said.

“They still have 25 micrograms of mercury in them,” he said.

Mainstream health care professionals, including the Lee County Health Department, do recommend flu shots for at-risk individuals.

Although some health professionals are recommending alternative medicine, very few insurance carriers cover the costs and people should be prepared to cover most of the treatments “out-of-pocket.”

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, is also trying to introduce alternative therapies into health reform legislation so carriers can cover naturopathic medicine, vitamins, acupuncture or yoga.

For more information on the lecture at Natural Family Physicians or to R.S.V.P. call 540-1220.