Autumn – time for colds, vaccinations, and a longing for sunshine
Author
Alpha1 Germany eV.
- We cherish the increasingly rare sunny days when the leaves are beautifully colored. Go outside and enjoy the beauty of nature on a walk.
- Finally, it's soup season again – after a long walk in the fresh air, a hot soup is incredibly comforting! You'll find a recipe from traditional Chinese medicine, a natural remedy for colds, at the end of the newsletter.
- The first waves of colds are spreading. We wrote about what you can do to strengthen your immune system in our autumn newsletter 2/2017 (available at www.alpha1-deutschland.org/gesund-durch-den-winter-die-besten-tipps-fuer-eine-starke-abwehr).
- It is important to think about getting a flu shot now, if not before. This year's particularly severe flu season at the beginning of 2018 has led to much discussion.
Important information about the flu vaccination for the 2018/2019 season:
- A flu vaccination must be renewed every year, as the virus protection is adapted for each influenza season.
- Even though the flu vaccine has been approved by the Paul Ehrlich Institute since August and is available in pharmacies shortly thereafter, vaccination should not be administered too early, as the vaccine's effectiveness decreases over time. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) recommends October and November for the annual flu vaccination.
- It takes approximately 14 days after the single vaccination for the body to offer sufficient protection against the viral infection.
- However, there is no 100% protection. You can still get the flu despite vaccination, for example, if the flu vaccine is not an exact match to the viruses or if you were infected within the 14 days before protection takes effect. The flu vaccine is effective for approximately 6–12 months.
Vitamin D levels are also something that even the Alphas need to think about during the dark season.
As Ms. Takahashi wrote in Alpha1 aktuell, issue no. 1/2012: Towards the end of winter or in spring, almost all adults in our geographical latitudes have a vitamin D level below 20 µg/l, which only rises slowly even with sun exposure. Levels can be raised more quickly by taking cholecalciferol, an already "activated" form of vitamin D. Optimal vitamin D levels are between 30 and 50 µg/l. Vitamin D improves respiration and performance, is important for bone health, and is considered a key hormone of the immune system. Strictly speaking, vitamin D is not actually a vitamin, but the precursor of a hormone. The body does not need to obtain it from food, but produces most of it itself. For this, it needs sunlight – up to 90 percent of the vitamin is produced through UV radiation on the skin.
The more the better – this motto does not apply to vitamins or supplements. For example, an increased concentration of vitamin D in the body raises the risk of pancreatic cancer, calcium deposits can damage the kidneys, and heart rhythm disorders can occur. Therefore, self-medication without consulting your doctor is strongly discouraged.
To our knowledge, there is not much more information in German literature on vitamin D levels in connection with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. According to some members, even our doctors don't always seem to agree on this matter.
We received a comprehensive presentation on this topic from Dr. Gert Wurzinger, a specialist in pulmonary diseases, general medicine, allergy diagnostics, diving medicine, and Alpha1 expert from Austria. He clearly summarizes the literature he has found on the subject. The presentation is available for download:
Recipe for the restorative soup from Traditional Chinese Medicine
What makes this soup special is its very long cooking time of three to five hours. During this time, the amount of water is reduced by half. The solid ingredients no longer have a distinct flavor and are discarded – they have now released their Qi (pronounced "chee," meaning something like life energy, fragrance, strength, flavor, being, essence) into the soup. The remaining broth, after the fat has been skimmed off, is consumed in small portions over several days.
- 4L boiling water
- 1 chicken
- 2-3 bunches of soup greens
- 1 tsp. caraway seeds
- 5-6 bay leaves
- 20 juniper berries
- 4 cloves
- Black peppercorns, salt
If possible, add the following ingredients as well:
5-10 red Chinese dates and a little lovage
1 piece of fresh, peeled ginger (approx. 1-1.5 cm long)
Preparation:
Bring the chicken to a boil in 2-4 liters of cold water. Then discard the water, rinse the meat, and bring it back to a boil in another 4 liters of water (this intermediate step prevents foam from forming, which would then need to be skimmed off). Next, add the vegetables and spices and simmer for approximately 3-5 hours.
After cooking, strain the soup. All the ingredients are now in the broth essence, enhanced by the spices. Let it cool (uncovered) and refrigerate.
