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No entrepreneur ever wants to admit failure.
But there is a worse fate: running a startup that's become a zombie.
Referly cofounder and CEO Danielle Morrill writes on her blog that she decided to change the course of her company after realizing it had become an undead startup.
Referly was designed to help anyone earn money for driving product purchases. People would get paid to write articles and include product links in the content. But Referly's most important metric, revenue, wasn't growing at a promising rate, Morrill says. It effectively started to fall into the zombie trap.
She compares the idea of a zombie startup to the movie "The Sixth Sense."
"Kind of like in the 6th Sense when Bruce Willis doesn't realize he is dead and tries to have a nice dinner with his wife, there are startups out there who are still "operating" but might as well not be," Morrill writes.
It's only been six months since Referly debuted at Y Combinator's spring 2012 demo day, but Morrill is willing to admit that it died.
"It's not the kind of dead where the website goes dark and everyone gets jobs elsewhere," Morrill writes. "But the idea that we started with turned out to be the wrong one, so we killed it and yesterday I acknowledged publicly to ourselves and everyone else that we have to change our course."
After going through this experience herself, Morrill left some tips for entrepreneurs to help them determine if their startup is turning into a zombie.
Here are few hints, in Morrill's words:
- You don't want to get out of bed in the morning.
- You haven't hit 10% week-over-week growth on any meaningful metric (revenue, active users, etc).
- You're working on the same idea after 12+ months and still haven't launched.
- You've hired consultants to figure out revenue, culture, or product in a company of less than 10 people.
- You've launched a consumer service and have less than 2% week-over-week growth in signups


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The DC Trans Coalition (DCTCT) submitted testimony to the D.C. Council's Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety Wednesday alleging that an external review by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) analyzing how the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responds to hate crimes has demonstrated bias in favor of MPD, thereby compromising its independence.
In its testimony, DCTC referenced more than 1,500 pages of MPD Chief Cathy Lanier's emails – obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request last year – that pertained to the ADL task force reviewing MPD's response to hate crimes.
Lanier announced the implementation of the task force last year after months of ongoing public arguments between MPD and DCTC and other LGBT-affiliated community groups regarding police response to crimes apparently motivated by anti-LGBT sentiment. The task force served as an alternative to action preferred by LGBT community activists, who had requested that MPD enter into mediation talks with them. Under the activists' proposal, the Community Relations Service of the U.S. Department of Justice would serve as the mediator.
The relationship between MPD and some LGBT groups has long been rocky. Aside from complaints about the department's response to hate crimes, including its willingness to classify crimes as bias-motivated before handing such cases to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, the community groups have raised other issues that some claim MPD has not taken seriously.
One such issue involves possession of condoms allegedly being used as evidence when MPD officers are arresting people suspected of attempting to engage in sex work – something MPD and Councilmember David Catania (I-At Large) have denied occurs in the District. Others have raised questions about the status of a Harvard University grant given to MPD in 2006 to expand the work of MPD's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU); the implementation of MPD's general order on police interactions with transgender individuals; and the designation of "prostitution-free zones," which critics say have resulted in police harassing or profiling transgender individuals.
After obtaining Lanier's task force-related emails, DCTC in its testimony highlighted exchanges between Lanier and David Friedman, director of the ADL's Washington, D.C., regional office and head of the task force. The testimony points to Friedman and Lanier discussing her high approval rating, as measured by a Clarus poll. In one exchange, Friedman told Lanier, "Wouldn't worry. The only people who don't like you have outstanding warrants."
DCTC said in its testimony that other emails show Lanier was asked to approve potential members of the ADL-led review team, compromising the task force's independence.
"In short, the ADL hate crimes review task force has proven itself to be both insufficient to address community concerns, and blatantly biased against us," DCTC concluded. "We do not relish conflict between our communities and MPD. Yet, due to a persistent failure to listen openly to our concerns, conflict persists, and the day-to-day lives of trans people in D.C. are endangered as a result. Our concern is that the ADL-led task force is a publicity stunt rather than a good faith effort at making progress."
MPD and ADL both objected to DCTC's characterization of the email exchanges between Friedman and Lanier, and insisted that the task force's impartiality has not been compromised.
"We are confident that members of the team are conducting an independent review," Gwendolyn Crump, director of MPD's Office of Communications told Metro Weekly in an emailed statement. "It is a shame that the DC Trans Coalition is attacking the work of this group before they even issue their report and recommendations."
In an interview with Metro Weekly, Friedman said he had read DCTC's testimony and objected to the allegations of bias on the part of the ADL.
"There is nothing in that testimony that should create doubt in anyone's mind about the integrity of the task force," Friedman said.
He added that although he and Lanier knew one another prior to the formation of the task force, he never attempted to hide that fact. Furthermore, he said, in his job, he needs to maintain relationships with various police chiefs in departments around the country.
"There is no doubt in my mind that [Lanier] would not have asked me to do this if she thought I could be compromised," Friedman said. "The work of the task force will speak for itself. Anyone who thinks the task force will not be fair needs to wait until they see our results."


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PGA Life Member Ken Tucker of Seattle, Wash., whose 74-year golf career made him the longest serving Pacific Northwest PGA Section member and the second longest among current PGA Professionals, passed away March 20, following a short illness. He was 99.
Tucker's devotion to golf encompassed the praise of those who witnessed his talent on the course, his skill in mentoring of juniors and his natural ability to make the members of Everett Golf Country Club in Everett, Wash., feel as if they were part of his family.
Born in the Seattle suburb of Ballard, Tucker picked up golf by caddying at Everett Golf Country Club and became a member of the Everett High School golf team.
"He was a people's person, exceptionally warm, and truly enjoyed working with juniors," said Tucker's wife of 36 years, Mary. "He taught young and old, juniors, men, and women over the years and said that his joy was getting to enjoy people. He often talked about beginning as a caddie, and making 50 cents a day, and then the rates moved up to 75 cents and then 90!" Tucker turned professional in 1933, working at the former Mountain View Golf Course in Lacey, Wash. In 1936, he began a 42-year tenure as the fifth PGA head professional in the history of the Everett Golf Country Club. His starting salary was $50 per month.
During the winters of 1937-39, Tucker competed on the PGA Tour. With the outbreak of World War II, Tucker enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and served from 1941-45, attaining the rank of chief petty officer. While spending much of the war in the China Sea and the Philippines, Tucker added to his duties as athletic trainer.
Tucker was one recipient of legendary entertainer Bing Crosby's affection for PGA Professionals, and their role in growing the game. When Tucker and Bud Ward paired up to compete in the first "Crosby Clambake" in 1937, (now the ATT Pebble Beach National Pro-Am), Crosby's uncle, whom Ken had worked with in Olympia, insisted that he and Ward stay at Bing's home during the tournament.
What followed was years of friendship, with numerous golf games involving Crosby and other Hollywood celebrities. With the exception of World War II, Tucker played in the Crosby Pro-Am every year through 1963.
Tucker was one of the finest players in the Pacific Northwest PGA Section, and was one of its most active leaders. He served as Section president from 1952-53. On the course, Tucker displayed how a PGA Professional can be as solid a player as a reputed instructor. He posted a 60 at Hillcrest Country Club, a predecessor to Cedarcrest Country Club, and had a 63 at Everett Golf Country Club. Tucker won the 1939 Pacific Northwest PGA Championship at Tacoma Country Club; later won in 1947 and 1950.
His lone experience in a major championship came in the 1939 PGA Championship at Pomonok Country Club in Flushing, N.Y., where he was defeated in the second round by Al Watrous.
Tucker also registered the Tucson Open's first hole-in-one in 1947, and shared first in the 1952 Tacoma Open.
He competed in the 1950 Hudson Cup, a Ryder Cup-style competition named in honor of Ryder Cup benefactor Robert Hudson of Portland. Tucker also served as Hudson Cup captain in 1952 and '53. In 1956, Tucker was named co-recipient of the Everett Herald Man of the Year in Sports.
"I used to play about four Tour events a year – just for the experience and the vacation," Tucker told the Everett Herald in 1976. "The members come first."
"The members loved him, and I felt honored to have known him when I joined Everett Golf Country Club," said Everett PGA head professional Brent Webber. "Ken would help guide member trips to Hawaii and Alaska. I was a 20-year-old professional when I met Ken in 1984, and he helped me out right away. He was a mentor to me and to many others over the years. He was very proud to be a PGA Professional.
"I just keep paying my dues every year," Tucker once said once to Webber, at the time well into his 90s.
The Pacific Northwest PGA Section named Tucker its 1960 PGA Golf Professional of the Year, and the honors continued to flow over the years. The Everett Golf Country Club membership honored him during his 40th anniversary in 1976, by hosting a golf event in his honor, bestowing honorary lifetime membership, and giving him the keys to a new Oldsmobile.
In 1982, Tucker was inducted into the Pacific Northwest PGA Hall of Fame. In 1984, he was honored for his 48 years of dedication to junior golf with a special award that preceded the national PGA Junior Golf Leader award by four years.
"Ken's joy and commitment to teaching juniors will be one of the great parts of his legacy," said Webber. "And, it was his joy of serving his club members that left a lasting impression for young and old. He was not just a pro that left the club after work and called it a day. I remember him last playing golf at the club about two years ago. Every Thursday, he would gather with a threesome and play about three to four holes."
Tucker is survived by his wife, Mary, of Seattle; and daughters Mary Helbach of Seattle and Kathleen Brooks of Evanston, Ill. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Rita, in 1971; and by a daughter, Barbara, who died in 2010.
The Tucker family planned a private funeral and graveside service on March 28, followed by a public reception on March 30, at Everett Golf Country Club. The family requested that donations be made to the Pacific Northwest PGA Junior Golf Fund.


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When a Teacher Is 2 Feet Tall
School Experiments Use Robots as Learning Tools; a Dragon for Lifestyle Tips
Scientists raised on "The Jetsons" and "Astro Boy" have theorized for decades that robots would make the perfect helper and companion. Now a handful of public schools in the U.S. are putting that idea to the test.
This year, robots will be teaching everything from math to vocabulary to nutrition inside classrooms in California and New York, a move the researchers call a first in American education.


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In most BDSM assault cases, the testimony of a complaining witness (the injured person) is central to the case, and often there is conflict on the issue of consent between the defendant and the complaining witness. However, even where both participants agree that the acts in question were consensual, the courts have held that consent cannot be a defense. Thus, in Commonwealth v. Appleby, a 1980 Massachusetts case, the court said:
"Grimm's consent to assault and battery upon him by Appleby by means of a dangerous weapon cannot absolve Appleby of the crime…"Commonwealth v. Appleby, 380 Mass.296, 311, 402N.E.2d 1051,1061 (Mass. 1980).
Click to open Massachusetts v Appleby PDF


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Oops! They Did It Again
Will you guys ever get tired of seeing wedding missed marks? 'Cuz I'm thinking, "no."
Let's test that theory, shall we?
What the bride wanted:
What the bride got:
That'll buff out.
A lovely leaf motif:
And a lovely...oh good grief:
Actually, that leaf design is so popular I have two wedding wrecks based on it:
Whoah. This baker needs to make like a tree, and get out of tree decorations.
(Hm. I feel like that line didn't go quite right. Maybe I should follow it up with something clever.)
(Theeere we go.)
This next one's in reverse order; here's what Anthony L's bakery replaced another bakery's initial wreck with, and with only an hour and a half to do so before the wedding started:
Not bad for less than two hours' work, right?
Especially when you compare what the original cake (again, from another bakery) looked like:
Am I the only one who thinks this looks like Play-Doh? I keep expecting it to spring to life, claymation style. And then maybe turn into a giant demon dog and terrorize a nerdy New York accountant.
Just me?
Here's a fun, modern pattern:
Aaaaand the fun stops HERE:
It's never a good sign when your cake is crying.
Goodness gracious, great balls on wires!
Seriously. They're like shiny little bubbles of joy - totally cute.
These, on the other hand, are just...
Thanks to Krista V., Emily B., Allison I., Anthony L., Tempest J., & Sarah B. for feeding our horrible wedding wreck obsession.
Thank you for using our Amazon links to shop! USA, UK, Canada.


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Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat who is making her second run for Congress, lost both her legs when her Black Hawk helicopter was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade in 2004. Duckworth first ran for Congress in 2006, but lost to Republican Peter Roskam. Now, the EMILY's List candidate looks poised to win her primary in the Illinois 8th, and the seat in November. A 48-year-old Iraq War veteran, Duckworth has based much of her platform on veterans' advocacy—a cause that was sparked by her first-hand experience recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
I talked to Duckworth about a range of issues, but it was Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum's comment about women in combat that sparked the greatest reaction. Duckworth, the daughter of a veteran, joined ROTC over 20 years ago, as a graduate student, and chose to fly helicopters because it was one of the few combat positions open to women at the time. She went on to become one of the first women to fly combat missions in Iraq, and if she wins in November, she will be the first woman in the House of Representatives to have combat experience. Based on her own experiences of combat and recovery, Duckworth has stressed the importance of taking care of America's armed forces in all possible senses, from making sure that military spending on the ground is as efficient and effective as possible to ensuring that veterans come home to jobs and adequate mental health care. Awarded the Purple Heart for her service, Duckworth says that Santorum's stance on women in the military is "completely out of touch."
Chloe Angyal: If you win this race, you'll be the first woman in Congress to have combat experience. What's unique about your perspective as a woman who's also been in combat?
Tammy Duckworth: I think that I have a very unique voice. I think that I can talk to how things are in combat, and I can identify issues that perhaps people would normally not talk about. For example, I think there was not enough discussion about whether or not we should invade Iraq, and I think that I can question any future decisions. Now, if you listen to the Republican presidential primaries, you're hearing the drumbeats that we should invade Iran. Like anyone who's served in combat—and there are fewer and fewer of us in Washington—I'll be able to stand up with my peers to say, "Hey, we've got some questions, and you're not going to question my patriotism."
I think [my military experience] gives me a legitimacy as a woman that sometimes other women candidates don't get. I think Hillary really had to earn her stripes: she served on the Armed Services Committee, but she really had to earn her stripes and get the respect and be recognized as being very knowledgeable on defense. I think that, as a woman, and especially as a combat veteran, I start from a place that many other female candidates don't get to have, which is a position of strength, and I'm listened to far sooner than others.
CA: It's interesting that even if a male candidate doesn't have combat experience, he's likely to be automatically granted that legitimacy simply by virtue of being a man.
TD: I think that has been the case traditionally. And I think that has been one of the challenges for female candidates: They're told they shouldn't use the word "fight," and they're seen as being aggressive when they're not; they're just being firm, and it's viewed as a negative thing. But I can stand there and be firm and be seen as being firm and having the experience under my belt.
CA: The Pentagon recently reported that there's been a 64 percent increase in the number of reported incidents of sexual violence in the military. A woman deployed in the US military is now more likely to be raped by a fellow American soldier than to be killed by the enemy. What do you think is the best way to respond to this crisis?
TD: Well, first of all, sexual assault is not acceptable in any arena, whether it's in the military or the civilian world. I applaud the Pentagon for spreading the word, and as more women hear that others are having this experience, they are more likely to speak up instead of remaining silent and suffering. So I think that's great. I think it's great that women are reporting it more, whereas maybe 20 years ago they would not have been able to report it.
We need to care for these women, and on the Department of Defense side, we need to prevent military sexual trauma. So I think the more dialogue about it, the more we realize that it's happening, the less stigma individual female and male service members have speaking up about their experiences. Because it's not just happening to women; it's happening to men as well.
CA: What would you say to a young woman who wants to serve her country in the Armed Forces but is aware of the statistical likelihood of being sexually assaulted while she's serving?
TD: I think that the military is an incredible opportunity for anyone. It is a part of the American experience where a woman gets equal pay for equal work. I made exactly a hundred pennies to the dollar of my male counterparts—I didn't make 80 cents on the dollar; I made exactly the same amount of money. I made equal rank. I was given tremendous opportunities. I became the first female commander of a Black Hawk unit in the Illinois National Guard. I was one of the first women to fly combat missions for the Army in Iraq. Those opportunities are there, and it makes military service one of the most rewarding because you get to serve your country.
But I would tell both men and women recruits that [sexual harassment and assault] is not acceptable behavior, and if it happens, you must use your chain of command to report it, and if your chain of command is dysfunctional, then you find someone else you can talk to, because there's always someone you can report it to. And I did have instances where someone would come to me from outside of my unit and say, "Hey, I'm having this problem," not always a sexual harassment issue, but they would come to me. So I would say that the opportunities are there for you to make your way, but you also have to be firm and trust in your own voice, and if sexual harassment happens, it is not acceptable, it is never acceptable, and you need to stand up to it.
CA: Rick Santorum made some controversial comments recently about women in the military. He said that women should be restricted from certain front-line combat positions because men will feel the biological urge to protect them, thereby threatening unit cohesion and endangering the mission. What's your response?
TD: He's wrong. He's absolutely, 100 percent wrong. I think he's playing to the basest, most inflammatory argument because he's playing a political game. He's trying to appeal to prejudice and basing it on false statements. If anything, women have shown in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that they are not only fully capable; they have excelled. They have saved many men's lives. And it did not damage unit cohesion. And if Rick Santorum doesn't believe that, then he can volunteer, enlist, put on a uniform, and put his butt on the line and try it himself. He's playing politics. He is saying something inflammatory because he thinks he's going to get a certain population to give him money, and it's a shame because America's daughters are just as capable of doing their jobs as America's sons, whether that's at home as doctors and attorneys or in combat as convoy commanders. This is the 21st century. Get over yourself.
CA: But like you said, people tend to get uncomfortable when women are combative.
TD: I have to tell you, the men I served with were not uncomfortable or nervous about me being aggressive. For most of my military career, 99 percent of my mentors were men, because there were not often women of higher rank than me in the units I was in. And my male mentors did everything they could to help me make my way in my career just as they did for other soldiers. So Rick Santorum is in the minority, and he's completely out of touch. The men that I served with would go through anything to take care of their buddies, whether they were men or women. It has nothing to do with your gender and it has everything to do with camaraderie, the mission, and serving your country.
CA: Presumably a woman would feel the same emotional urge to protect whoever was in her unit regardless of their gender.
TD: Absolutely. Talk to Lee Ann Hester. She's a National Guard Sergeant who was awarded the Silver Star, who led her squad, which had been ambushed. They repelled enemy attack; she led her squad, and they followed her, and they were able to repel the enemy. She's just one of many examples.
CA: There's been a push lately to get businesses to hire veterans. What would you do in the Illinois 8th district to make it easier for veterans to find work?
TD: I've been working for the last six years to put veterans back to work. We started way back in 2007 when we became the first state in the nation to provide a tax credit to employers who hired veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan, or Desert Storm. It's not very much; it was a $600 tax credit in the first year that you hire one of those vets, but we put hundreds of veterans back to work with that program. It rewards employers for hiring these vets, and that program has been expanded now. The tax credit is now at $1,200, and the Governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn, whom I first worked with back in 2007 to get that tax credit put into place, is proposing to increase it even more.
We also need to work with businesses so that they understand the value of military men and women. These are people who, every day, guarantee the quality of their work with their lives. When I went out to my helicopter and my mechanic gave me the keys to my helicopter, he said, "Yes ma'am, I checked every oil level, I twisted every safety wire, that aircraft is ready to go." He guaranteed the quality of his work as a mechanic with his life because he climbed into the back of that helicopter, where he had no access to the flight controls, and flew into combat with me. And I knew every time I took a helicopter up that it was in the best shape it could possibly be in, because he put his butt in that aircraft with me. And I don't think that other than firefighters and police officers, there's another profession where that's done on a routine, daily basis. So I'd like to take my experience working at Veteran's Affairs to get more veterans back to work, but also other people who are out of work as well.


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Prevention is the Best Treatment During Flu Season
Ryan Bradley, ND, MPH November, 2008
This is the time of year when I look nervously at all the people who sneeze on airplanes! Cold and flu season is upon us again, and taking steps to protect yourself from getting the flu are more important than you might think, especially if you have diabetes. Making a decision regarding the flu vaccine can be difficult; opinions are strong over the safety of vaccinations in general, and opinions can be very persuasive but not necessarily based on facts. Even protective strategies, like the flu vaccine, are not 100% effective every year, and so taking reasonable steps to protect yourself from viral illness is prudent if you are frequently out in the public - like going to the post office, grocery store or nearly any public place! In this article, I hope to provide some information useful in your decision-making process around the flu vaccine, remind you the basics for flu prevention and then highlight select nutrients with a probable role in supporting viral immunity.
What is the "Flu"?
The "flu" is short for influenza, a type of highly contagious virus that, upon infection, leads to symptoms including debilitating fatigue, high fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose and can lead to nausea and vomiting. The virus is spread through droplets of saliva that are spread during sneezing and coughing - and with contact with runny noses! The flu can be very serious in vulnerable populations, including the elderly, small children, pregnant women and individuals with chronic diseases like diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. Very serious outcomes from the flu include death from dehydration and bacterial pneumonia (having the flu makes one more susceptible to bacteria infection, even though the flu is a virus), and hospitalization due to worsening chronic diseases.[1]
One of the challenges in controlling the spread of the flu is that the virus is contagious for a day before the infected person, or host, has symptoms. Yes, before you even know you have the flu you could be spreading the flu. This is why taking steps to prevent the flu is critical to not only avoiding it yourself, but also helping to protect others from catching the virus. In addition to common-sense protective measures - washing your hands frequently, avoiding touching your eyes and mouth, staying home if you feel sick, and avoiding people you know to be sick - several interventions, including the flu vaccine, may offer protection against catching the flu.
Should I Get the Flu Vaccine?
Should you get the flu vaccine? If you have diabetes, the answer is a definite yes. The flu vaccine, although imperfect, clearly reduces the rates of transmission of the virus, reduces hospitalization related to severe respiratory disease (like pneumonia and asthma) and heart failure, and reduces the rate of death from all causes during the flu season [2,3]. All people may benefit from the flu vaccine, however groups that are strongly encouraged to get the flu vaccine include children (aged 6 months-19 years), health care workers including nursing home workers, adults over the age of 50, pregnant women, and those people with serious chronic diseases like asthma, diabetes and heart disease, especially those people with congestive heart failure [1].
I Have Heard They Don't "Get It Right"- and that the Vaccine Contains Mercury?
The development of the flu vaccine is complex, and takes the work of lots of trained epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists to do the best they can to predict which strains of the influenza virus pose the greatest risk in the United States. Strains have to be chosen for the vaccination, and then the vaccine itself goes into production, so there is a limited period of time during which the spread of various flu strains can be monitored before decisions need to be made on which strains make it into the vaccine for a given year. Because this is a time limited process, and because flu surveillance is not 100% accurate, mistakes do happen. However, banking on the odds of the experts based on probabilities of spread after months of surveillance sure seems like a preferred approach to just "winging it" and hoping for the best!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) most flu vaccine still contains thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative[4]. Although the mercury in the flu vaccine is a very small amount, and the benefits of the vaccine appear to outweigh the risks in most populations, thimerosal-free preparations are available, although in limited supply. For most individuals, I would not be concerned about the small amount of mercury present in the vaccine, however I would be more careful if you are pregnant, or if you are considering the vaccination in children under age 4, despite the reassurances on the safety of thimerosal provided by the CDC [4]. In my opinion, if you have a choice in the vaccine preparation, there is too little known about the long-term, cumulative health risks of mercury exposure to take chances with a vaccination containing thimerosal; although if you do not have a choice, I reluctantly agree with the CDC's recommendation for a thimerosal-containing vaccination, because the protective benefits are more fully established for vaccination than they are against thimerosal.
In order to provide health care consumers with accurate information on which vaccine preparations do, and do not, contain thimerosal, the organization Safe Minds has developed an advisory brochure, which can be accessed on their website: www.safeminds.org/flubrochure.pdf.
Are there Nutrients that Help with Viral Immunity?
First of all, the disclaimer: Nutrients and natural agents have not been evaluated in nearly as many people, nor with the same degree of scrutiny, as have influenza vaccinations, and therefore vaccination remains the most proven means of prevention. However, there are data suggesting select nutrients can be helpful in improving viral immunity and immune response to viral infection; these nutrients will be discussed here.
Antioxidants: Vitamin E, Selenium and N-Acetylcysteine
Although we typically think of antioxidants in relation to cancer and cardiovascular disease (although the role of these nutrients as supplements in these conditions remains controversial), the antioxidant status of the potential "host" appears to influence both the susceptibility to viral infection, as well as, the amount of tissue damage that results from infection, and thus the severity of symptoms.
How does this work? Your body's immune system is quite limited in the number of ways it can respond to infection, and one response is to mount an inflammatory reaction. Inflammation helps by bringing more immune cells to an area, and also by increasing blood flow in a particular site. However, inflammation can also lead to tissue damage, and if the host has inadequate antioxidant reserves, this local inflammatory reaction may increase the susceptibility of the tissues to increased spread, and thus worsening, of the viral infection, including influenza [5].
Drs. Melinda Beck and Orville Levander are the two researchers best published in the area of antioxidants and viral susceptibility. Selenium is a necessary co-factor in an enzyme system called glutathione peroxidase, a potent oxidant fighter. According to Beck, based on animal models of viral infection, reduced selenium status leads to dramatic increases in oxidative stress, an altered host immune response, and to changes in the virus, or mutations. These mutations may allow the virus to escape detection by our immune system by changing it's surface markers [6]. Selenium deficiency also led to greater infectivity (or "virulence") of the virus and deficient animals had a much greater occurrence of viral infection in their hearts! In their models of viral infectivity, vitamin E deficiency had the same results [5, 7].
In addition to vitamin E and selenium, research suggests the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may also assist in the protection of lung tissue against the inflammation caused by viral infection. NAC is an established precursor to the potent antioxidant glutathione in humans [8]. Glutathione depletion in the mucosal lining of our airways (e.g., mouth, nose, and throat) secondary to oxidative stress, appears to enhance susceptibility to influenza infection. In their animal experiment, Chai et al. provided mice with glutathione in their drinking water- and then tried to infect them with the flu virus; those animals that were fed glutathione showed dose-dependent protection against infection![9]
Although these results are not definitive proof that these nutrients help prevent flu infection, there are considerable data supporting the importance of optimal antioxidant status in reducing infection and reducing lung damage, if infection occurs. Since individuals with diabetes are known to be under significant oxidative stress (due to elevated blood sugar), and are known to have lower glutathione concentrations than those without diabetes[10], supplementation seems reasonable during the flu season.
Bioflavonoids: Quercetin and Pycnogenol
In addition to the antioxidant nutrients mentioned above, quercetin also appears to protect the lungs against damage caused by the influenza virus. Quercetin is an antioxidant polyphenol found naturally in fruits and vegetables, including apples, onions and grapefruit. According to Kumar et al. (as reviewed in Friel et al.[11]), quercetin helps preserve antioxidant defenses in lung tissue, including glutathione, and directly protects against tissue damage in the lungs when exposed to the influenza virus [12, 13].
In addition to quercetin, Pycnogenol®, a polyphenol antioxidant supplement derived from the bark of the French Maritime Pine tree, also appears to protect against virally-induced oxidative damage, may reduce viral replication, and protect against viral heart infection [14, 15]. Although these effects have no been demonstrated in influenza virus, two separate viral research models suggest Pycnogenol® is protective, including one in HIV.
Clinical trials support additional benefits of Pycnogenol® in diabetes, including as a blood pressure lowering agent, a blood sugar lowered agent, and it may protect the eyes from diabetic changes; See Complementary Corner July 2007 for more information on Pycnogenol® in diabetes.
Probiotics: Lactobacillus
Although not a nutrient per se, probiotic bacteria are critical to healthy immune function. Because the cellular linings of our body are where we are susceptible to viral infection - places like our mouth, nose, and digestive tract - it is important to keep them healthy. These linings are literally alive with bacteria - some good, some infectious - and the good ones help regulate our immune defenses against infection.
Lactic acid bacteria, like Lactobacillus species, appear to help regulate mucosal immunity by increasing antibody production against viruses, including the influenza virus, improving natural resistance to infection [16]. In addition, animal experiments have shown giving mice Lactobacillus reduced viral levels, and prevented infection [17]. Some Lactobacillus species appear to increase the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine [18].
In diabetes, maintaining normal mucosal health is challenged in other ways. As described in Complementary Corner September 2006, high blood glucose increases the chances of mucosal and bowel overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria! The effect of these probiotics on flu prevention in diabetes deserves research attention because diabetes is a risk factor for death and hospitalization from the flu, is associated with altered mucosal immunity, and because Lactobacillus species appear to impact viral transmission.
Viral infection in diabetes, especially the flu, is very serious and all steps should be taken to prevent both infection and spread. The flu vaccine is effective and has proven benefit in reducing hospitalization, and even death, in people with diabetes. Washing your hands regularly, avoiding sick people, and staying home if feeling ill are all common sense ways of preventing infection and spread of the flu virus. In addition, select nutrients, including the antioxidants selenium and N-acetylcysteine, the bioflavonoids quercetin and pycnogenol, and probiotics like Lactobacillus appear to improve viral immunity and reduce the chance of viral infection. Increases in oxidative stress, and abnormal changes in bowel bacteria, may make people with diabetes more susceptible to severe influenza infection! So, until we are through another flu season, bundle up, eat well, and please, cover your mouth.
In health- Ryan Bradley, ND, MPH
1. (CDC) CfDCaP. Key Facts about Seasonal Flu. 2008.
2. Nichol KL, Margolis KL, Wuorenma J, Von Sternberg T. The efficacy and cost effectiveness of vaccination against influenza among elderly persons living in the community. N Engl J Med. Sep 22 1994;331(12):778-784.
3. Nichol KL, Wuorenma J, von Sternberg T. Benefits of influenza vaccination for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk senior citizens. Arch Intern Med. Sep 14 1998;158(16):1769-1776.
4. (CDC) CfDCaP. Thimerosal in Seasonale Influenza Vaccine. 2008.
5. Beck MAaL, O.A. Dietary Oxidative Stress and the Potentiation of Viral Infection. Annual Reviews in Nutrition. 1998;18:93-116.
6. Beck MA. Antioxidants and viral infections: host immune response and viral pathogenicity. J Am Coll Nutr. Oct 2001;20(5 Suppl):384S-388S; discussion 396S-397S.
7. Beck MA, Handy J, Levander OA. Host nutritional status: the neglected virulence factor. Trends Microbiol. Sep 2004;12(9):417-423.
8. De Rosa SC, Zaretsky MD, Dubs JG, et al. N-acetylcysteine replenishes glutathione in HIV infection. Eur J Clin Invest. Oct 2000;30(10):915-929.
9. Chai J CY, Seth S, Furukawa S, Compans RW, Jones DP. Inhibition of influenza by glutathione. Free Radical Biology & Medicine. 2003;34:928-936.
10. Ozdemir G, Ozden M, Maral H, Kuskay S, Cetinalp P, Tarkun I. Malondialdehyde, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and homocysteine levels in type 2 diabetic patients with and without microalbuminuria. Ann Clin Biochem. Mar 2005;42(Pt 2):99-104.
11. Friel H, Lederman H. A nutritional supplement formula for influenza A (H5N1) infection in humans. Med Hypotheses. 2006;67(3):578-587.
12. Kumar P, Khanna M, Srivastava V, Tyagi YK, Raj HG, Ravi K. Effect of quercetin supplementation on lung antioxidants after experimental influenza virus infection. Exp Lung Res. Jun 2005;31(5):449-459.
13. Kumar P, Sharma S, Khanna M, Raj HG. Effect of Quercetin on lipid peroxidation and changes in lung morphology in experimental influenza virus infection. Int J Exp Pathol. Jun 2003;84(3):127-133.
14. Matsumori A, Higuchi H, Shimada M. French maritime pine bark extract inhibits viral replication and prevents development of viral myocarditis. J Card Fail. Nov 2007;13(9):785-791.
15. Feng WY, Tanaka R, Inagaki Y, et al. Pycnogenol, a procyanidin-rich extract from French maritime pine, inhibits intracellular replication of HIV-1 as well as its binding to host cells. Jpn J Infect Dis. Jul 2008;61(4):279-285.
16. de Vrese M, Schrezenmeir J. Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. Adv Biochem Eng Biotechnol. 2008;111:1-66.
17. Yasui H, Kiyoshima J, Hori T. Reduction of influenza virus titer and protection against influenza virus infection in infant mice fed Lactobacillus casei Shirota. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. Jul 2004;11(4):675-679.
18. Olivares M, Diaz-Ropero MP, Sierra S, et al. Oral intake of Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 enhances the effects of influenza vaccination. Nutrition. Mar 2007;23(3):254-260.


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How many are still steralizing water and warming bottles?
My first baby was born 9/25, and I still use boiled water for his bottles and still warm them up before he drinks them. Yesterday when I was making him a bottle a friend of a...
Started by Jodi on 03/30/2010 in September 2009 Munchkins
Last update on 04/30/2010 by Tracy


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What makes good cops go bad?
Issued on: Modified:
In today's French papers, just how did one of the country's most respected "supercops" cross the line and get involved in drug trafficking? Also, the psychology of running a country in crisis, and the Sorbonne under fire - over its subsidiary in Abu Dhabi.
La Croix looks at the psychology of running a country in financial crisis - just how are George Papandreou, Jose Luis Zapatero and Nicolas Sarkozy holding it together?
Liberation looks at what made Lyon supercop Michel Neyret cross the line and turn to drug trafficking - do top policemen come to believe they are above the law?
And Rue 89 doesn't make the Sorbonne look good - saying they've covered up human rights abuses suffered by professors at their subsidiary in Abu Dhabi.


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Police rewards result in arrests, and some frustration
The idea of offering "rewards" for information leading to the arrest of a criminal fugitive didn't really take off in Japan until the Lindsay Hawker murder case. In 2009, two years after the young English teacher was killed, the police offered a ¥10 million bounty for any leads, and five months later her killer was apprehended thanks to several tips. According to media reports the reward was divided among four persons. Previously, the prevailing wisdom was that offering monetary incentives to the public for helping police catch suspects was mercenary and thus unacceptable, but results are results, and the system now seems firmly in place after the recent series of arrests of suspects in the Aum Shinrikyo sarin gas attack of 1995.
The three remaining Aum fugitives have all been captured in the last six months, two of them since the National Police Agency increased the reward for useful information from ¥3 million to ¥10 million in February. There has been speculation that the increase was actually occasioned by the arrest of the first Aum suspect, Makoto Hirata, in December. The police subsequently intensified their search for the other two fugitives, which the public had every right to believe had previously been lax given the almost comical circumstances surrounding Hirata's surrender. However, old attitudes die hard, and the reward system is still in a state of evolution. For one thing, two terms are being used interchangeably, hoshokin and kenshokin, both of which also mean "prize." Perhaps the authorities can't decide because they feel the two words send the wrong message.
The Metropolitan Police Agency won't release the names of the informants who may receive the rewards, though the media has been busy trying to describe them. Information about the whereabouts of Naoko Kikuchi was received by the police the morning of June 3, and they arrested her later that day, though others have said they offered tips about Kikuchi much earlier. Apparently, someone, reportedly a neighbor, brought the tip to the police, though it's not clear if that person will receive a reward.