Is the swine flu epidemic something you need to worry about? What are symptoms and what do you do if you have these symptoms? How can you avoid getting it? There is a lot of information (and misinformation) out there. Here are the facts.
How dangerous is swine flu?
If you are a regular viewer or reader of the daily news, by now you’ve heard that this particular flu could be “one of the worst pandemics we’ve seen in decades”, “a mild form of the more deadly seasonal flu that occurs every year” or anything in between. What should you believe? It turns out that we’re not absolutely sure what it will mean for us. What we do know is that it’s a virus that first began in pigs that slightly mutated or changed earlier this year enabling it to “jump” from pigs to humans. You cannot get it by consuming pork products or ingesting pig-derived thyroid medications (armour thyroid and naturethroid).
What makes swine flu different than other forms of flu is that it is relatively easily transmitted from human to human. In fact, a recent study in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, found that once infected, a person puts at risk 1.5 other people for three days before typical flu symptoms emerge. The regular seasonal flu that occurs every year put 1.3 other people at risk.
The Centers for Disease Control readily admits that at this time, the current form of swine flu is not particularly dangerous for the majority of the population. And most people (90-95%) infected with it will recover on their own. In other words, most people will not die from this disease.
Are My Symptoms a Sign of Swine Flu?
With the cold and flu season soon to arrive, there will be plenty of folks with the typical cough and sniffles. When should you be concerned that those regular cold/flu symptoms could be more serious? Particularly worrisome symptoms include:
In children:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Severe or persistent vomiting
Not waking up or not interacting
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and a worse cough
In adults:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and a worse cough
Are There Ways to Prevent Catching Swine Flu?
Yes! It is thought that swine flu is transmitted person to person through sneezing and coughing. Therefore, some simple steps to prevent the spread of it include:
1. Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze! Ideally, cough or sneeze into a tissue and discard it into the trash. Because most of us don’t have a tissue ready when we sneeze or spontaneously cough, use the inner bend of your elbow to “catch” your sneeze or cough.
2. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially after coughing and sneezing. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective.
3. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. It turns out that many people end up infecting themselves by coming into contact with an infected person and creating contact with their own eyes, nose or mouth.
4. Some recent studies have shown that higher levels of vitamin D in the blood can make it more difficult for the virus to “set up shop” within the body. Daily consumption of foods higher in vitamin D like fish and Shiitake mushrooms and at least 20 minutes of sunlight a day can be great places to start. You might also consider a supplement of vitamin D3.
5. Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep and eating healthy foods. When you are overworked and under rested, the body quickly becomes overtaxed and the immune system functions sub-optimally. In addition, poor diet contributes to this problem. In fact, studies have shown the blunting effect sugar has on the immune system. The most recent report suggests that sugar consumption neutralizes natural killer white blood cells for nearly 45 minutes.
Is the Swine Flu Vaccine a Good Idea for Me?
A recent report suggested that the swine flu vaccine “appears safe.” However, it is currently unknown if the vaccine is truly effective in preventing swine flu infection. In addition, the preservatives that are slated to go into this vaccine are quite dangerous, including ethylene glycol (antifreeze) and squalene. With very little data to support the effectiveness and safety of the new vaccine, I do not recommend it at this time.
Cold and flu season happens every year and there are certainly many people who are affected by it. With the addition of a newer and seemingly more virulent swine flu virus floating around, it is easy to get caught up in the fear-driven information that is commonly presented. By taking simple steps to protect yourself and your family, you should be able to cruise through another cold and flu season unscathed.
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Phil Wazny, NMD is a naturopathic physician at Integrative Health Care, a “Results Based Natural Medicine” Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ. He created several dynamic programs designed to help patients gain strength while reducing their rate of debilitating conditions like cancer and heart disease. His areas of specialty are permanent weight loss, natural pediatrics, allergy solutions, hormone balancing and pain relief with prolotherapy and PRP therapy. He can be reached at http://www.integrativehealthcare.com and 480-657-0003.
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