What therapies does Dr. Weil recommend for chickenpox?
Daily doses of vitamin C, garlic, echinacea, and astragalus can help boost immunity. So can immune-stimulating mushrooms such as cordyceps, reishi, shiitake and maitake. Extracts are available in capsule or liquid form and can be taken as directed, halving the dose for smaller children. Probably the single best measure to avoid getting any viral illness is washing your hands often and keeping them away from your eyes and nose. Also, try to avoid contact with people who are coughing or sneezing since airborne droplets can also spread the virus. A highly effective chickenpox vaccine has been available in the U.S. since 1995. It can protect against infection more than 80-90 percent of the time, as well as decreasing severity and shortening the course of the illness if you do get an infection. Parents often express concern that the immunity provided by the vaccine might not last – chickenpox is the only live vaccine currently not requiring a booster. However, twenty-five years of surveilla
