Positive Health Online

When I was first asked to review this book by Jayney Goddard, I knew I was in for a good read. Goddard is the President of the Complementary Medical Association and an authority on several aspects of Complementary Medicine.

The book opens by giving a general history of viruses and their effect upon the body, which progresses to bird flu specifically. The use of the terms ‘epidemic’ and ‘pandemic’ are clearly defined, and the current world situation with regard to Bird Flu and its routes of transmission are elucidated.

The advice given throughout the book is mostly prophylactic, i.e. what you can do to support the body and strengthen the immune system in order to ensure that if the H5N1 virus (the virus leading to ‘bird flu’) ever makes it into our communities, your body is in the best state to either stave off infection in the first place, or deal with it more effectively if you are unlucky enough to get infected. Goddard primarily concentrates on Herbal, Nutritional and Homeopathic help, but also overlaps into general advice about the basics; hand washing and sanitation, developing the survivor’s mind set, and information on how to survive in a general emergency situation which may occur at a community level. Profiles of key ‘anti-flu’ homeopathic remedies such as Arsenicum album, Bryonia, Gelsemium and many more are clearly explained.

Of course, one of the keys to dealing with any infectious disease is to concentrate on the health and strength of the immune system, and a lot of Goddard’s book is dedicated to a description of what the immune system is and how it functions. She then goes on to cover how the immune system can be supported, but also, just as importantly, what sorts of things (especially foods) can harm or impair immune system function. This often tricky area is described in an easy style and is clear to follow.

The book draws on a lot of factual information and is on the whole well referenced. However, if I were to aim a criticism, it would be to challenge the level of referencing in the chapters dealing with Homeopathy. As a Homeopath and Academic, I am very keen that published works are well referenced and their facts sourced. I am very aware of the literature surrounding this area, and I was disappointed to see Goddard quoting past famous Homeopaths (especially when discussing remedy use in historical ‘flu pandemics), but not giving sources. A short paragraph appears at the end of the references for Chapter 21 which reads “Much historical data has been collated by the late Homeopath and Historian Julian Winston” and then quotes his website. I assume the sources for this information are found somewhere in the website; but I shouldn’t have to assume.

Goddard also covers the use of essential oils for protecting against viral infection and creating a ‘virus-proof’ environment. I found this section very interesting and learnt a lot, not only for its practical application, but also from a historical perspective. For example, did you know that during the Bubonic Plague outbreak in the Middle Ages, workers in lavender oil distilleries rarely succumbed due to the protective effect of the lavender essential oils in the work environment (a fact also sadly not referenced)?

The book is written as a guide for Bird Flu specifically, but in actual fact a lot of the information here, especially the Nutritional and Homeopathic information, would be good for anybody trying to stave off ‘normal’ ‘flu. The information is given in a very easy-to-read and follow format, but I do feel that at times it is a little disjointed; this is a minor flaw though. There is a lot of continuous text in the book which may, perhaps, have benefited from the use of more tables and figures in order to break it up, but this is purely a personal thought.

All in all, the book is a very good source of vital information that goes beyond ‘Bird Flu’, and I would recommend it for anyone who deals largely with the immune system as a specific area, and diseases that primarily affect it.

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