Health Articles

If you live in the north, then you are no doubt aware that fall and winter bring the flu season.Most recently, the Swine flu has gotten the spotlight. It is so famous that the vaccine is sold out as soon as it arrives in the medical centers. Health officials claim that 5 to 20% of the US get the flu and 200,000 of them are hospitalized; 36,000, they say, will die from it this year.

But when the hype dies down, the medical community has to admit that the Swine flu is no worse than other flus. Even the above statistics may not be fully honest. For example, many of the 36,000 who die from the flu were already weakened by other health issues. No doubt the possibility of catching the flu is a much greater fear to these.
Common cold virus
Recently I was sent a link giving 9 reasons why not to give your children to flu vaccine. These included, a) prior flu vaccination programs have proved to be worthless; b) Swine flu is just another flu, not something unusually lethal; c) the consequences may be more dangerous than getting the flu itself; d) The vaccine has not been proved that it works; e) over-vaccinating children is a common problem. But in spite of misleading statements about Swine flu, no one wants to get sick.

Let’s consider some common sense measures anyone can take to greatly reduce their chances of getting the flu. Wash your hands thoroughly using liquid soap and running water. (Antibacterial soap does not work better than regular liquid soap.) A dishwasher is good because it washes the dishes in water too hot for hands to handle and this kills more germs. If someone does get the flu, isolate them and keep your family away from others who show flu-like symptoms.

Drinking water is a common way for bacteria and viruses to spread. No doubt your source of drinking water has been tested for purity. City water has a minimum standard and is tested often, and well water should also be tested. However, especially during this season, additional filtering is highly recommended. It is surprising how viruses can spread, even in drinking water and a little contamination goes a long way. By filtering your drinking water, you can be sure pathogens are not present.

For example, the Black Berkey water filters were tested by adding more than 10,000 times the concentration of pathogens per liter than would be used in standard testing. Normally the result would include 100,000 or more pathogens per liter present. The report is here quoted verbatim: “Incredibly the purification elements removed 100% of the pathogens. Absolutely no pathogens were cultured from the effluent or were able to be detected, even under an electron microscope, setting a new standard in water purification.” This amazing result might nudge many into taking the step of filtering their drinking water to be safe.

These activated charcoal filter rods have been tested to remove Klebsiella, E. Coli, Pseudomonas, Giardia, Aeriginousis, and Cryptosporitium resulting in non-detectable levels. That list may not mean anything to you, but suffice it to say that any have the ability to cause serious illness if found in drinking water. The promise of removing them to non-detectable levels is certainly reassuring.

The flu season won’t go away. Many options face us as to how we can avoid getting sick. Hopefully these simple suggestions will keep you and your family healthier as you follow them carefully.

Prevention, protection and treatment of the Common Cold

Common cold and regular flu are the most commonly occurring illnesses in the entire world, with more than 1 billion colds per year reported in the United States alone. The common cold is a self-limited illness caused by any 1 of more than 200 viruses. You usually do not need to call your doctor if you catch a cold. For more severe symptoms or a prolonged duration of symptoms, you should visit your doctor. An office visit will usually be fine.

I. How to protect yourself from cold and flu

1. Stop stress – Pushing yourself too hard depresses the immune system. When your defenses are down, you are vulnerable to a cold or flu virus.

2. Healthy diet – A healthy diet is important to keep your immune system strong. Avoid junk food and consume more fruits, vegetables and plenty of non-caffeinated liquids.

3. Taking vitamin C daily – During cold season, taking extra vitamin C helps to strengthen your defenses against cold viruses. This helps to reduce the severity of cold symptoms. Be sure to wash your hand after using any office equipment, especially when one of your co-workers have colds.
Vitamin C Information
II. If you have a cold

1. Drink a lot of hot fluids. Traditionally, a family member who has cold or flu is only allowed to take hot chicken soup and chicken congee, avoiding all the hard to digest and cold foods. No one knows why but it works more effectively. Hot tea also keep the nasal passages open.

2. Take an antihistamine to relieve stuffy nose.

3. Treat coughs with the right cough medicine Coughs that produce phlegm can be treated by the ingredient guaifenesin which loosens the mucus that causes you to cough. If you have a dry and irritating cough, dextromethorphan might be used to suppress it during the night so you can sleep. Unless absolutely necessary do not use antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics do more harm than good to your body.

Prevention and Treatment with Foods
A.Here are some foods that can be eaten regularly so you can strengthen up your immune system and kill the bugs before they can attack.

1. Chicken soup
No one knows how, but it works. It was nothing compared to the improvement after intake of chicken soup, our body might need to negate the effects of steam from hot water and hot chicken soup. If you look closer to any chicken soup recipe, you can see there are a lot of garlic, onions, peppers, etc which are natural remedies helping to improve immune system.

2. Contessa
Mix regular tea with 1 teaspoon of honey, congac, butter each and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and drink them while it is hot before bed time. You will see the difference when you wake up in the morning.

3. Honey and apple cider vinegar
Mix 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and an equal amount of honey. It is particularly effective for a cold with a sore throat.

4. Tea, cinnamon, sage and bay leaves
Prepare tea by steeping equal parts of cinnamon, sage, and bay leaves in hot water. Strain and before drinking the tea add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and honey.

5. Sunflower seeds
Boil 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds in 5 cups of water until there is about 2 cups of water left in the pot. Then add 2 cups of honey and 1/2 cup of gin. Take 2 teaspoons three times a day just before mealtime.

6. Drink a lot of non dairy liquid, so you can keep flushing out your system.

B. Prevention and Treatment with Nutritional Supplements:
Here are some nutrients that have proven record of preventing cold and flu. Keep these nutrients in mind when the cold and flu season comes.

1. Vitamin C
This nutrient strengthens the immune system, accelerating its ability to combat harmful substances. Bowel tolerance doses can be taken orally and more can be taken with out this effect when administered intravenously.

2. Bioflavonoids
Working together with vitamin C, Bioflavonoids assists in the management of cold and flu by reducing the severity and duration of symptoms, helping to maintain and strengthen capillary and connective tissues. It also has an effectiveness of relieving varicose and surface veins.

3.DHEA
This adrenal hormone offers immune enhancing qualities and helps fight viruses.

4.Zinc
Zinc plays an important role in preventing and treating cold and flu. It is required by the thymus gland that is a major link in the immune system, helping to produce highly differentiated and educated cells that can fight off the onslaught of new bacteria and viruses.

5. Shark liver oil
Seagate shark liver oil has one of the highest natural levels of Omega 3 fatty acids in the world. Deficiencies in these fatty acids have been noticed in studies involving people having nervous disorders. Shark liver oil also helps in boosting the production of virus fighting cytokines and alkylglycerols make shark liver oil the natural fighter of antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal forces.

6.Melatonin
Melatonin has the ability to trigger T-helper-cell production. T-helper-cells are necessary for the immune system in recognizing cancer cells, viruses, bacteria and fungi.

There are many more nutrients which have a power in strengthening your immune system, helping to fend of cold and flu such as medical mushroom, gamma- Linoleic acid, and etc.

C. Prevention and Treatment with With Herbs:
Here are some herbs that might help to prevent cold virus and flu:

1.Echinacea
Echinacea boosts the immune system to help prevent cold, flu, allergies and minor upper respiratory infections therefore it has an effectiveness of treating cold, flu & sinus relief.

3.Greentea
Green tea contains antioxidants that can help to boost immune function, therefore with immune system strengthening substances green tea protects your body from getting cold or flu. A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that subjects taking a special preparation of green tea as a capsule experienced 23% less of getting cold and flu overall and 36% fewer sick days.

4.Goldenseal
Goldensea provides nutrients that enhance the immune system and help fight the cold and flu, shortening the duration of colds and flu. It also is one of the most popular herbal combinations for respiratory issues, used by Native Americans for centuries.

5.Astragalus
Astralagus has been used in Asia to prevent cold and flu for more than 2,000 years. This herb stimulates the body’s production of interferon, which is a potent immune protein that boosts your ability to fight infections and diseases.

6.Peppermint
Peppermint is an expectorant and a decongestant. It may offer some relief for mild asthma attacks, lessening bronchial constriction and making it easier to breathe. Peppermint promotes sweating, which could possibly help regulate body temperature during a fever, which is good news during cold and flu season.

D. Treatment with Homeopathy
Homeopathy have been proven to help relieve cold or flu. The homeopathy physician analyzes many factors, including the speed of onset of symptom, sensation, how the patient looks and his or her mental state.

1.Early stages of common cold and flu:

a) Aconite
This remedy is often prescribed for robust people, as well as those who eat meat often. Only 30c pellets under the tongue is needed to get a cold to disappear.

b) Belladonna
Belladonna is a remedy for serious symptoms of cold, flu, infection and sore throat.

c) Ferrum phosphoricum
This remedy is for people with a weak immune system. Cold and flu symptoms are not vague but uncomfortable. There might be a slight earache, running nose and a mild sore throat.

2. Mid-stage of cold and flu:
Cures For Common Cold
a) Allium Cepa
People with mid stage of cold are given allium cepa when their eyes are watery and clear but nose is red and irritated. Other symptoms include multiple sneezes and burning nasal discharge.

b)Natrum Muriaticum
Person has a thick, clear fluid discharge that resembles raw egg white. Lips are dry and cracked with cold sores on the side or outside of the mouth.

3. For advanced stages of cold and flu:

a) Arsenicum Album
People with symptoms of burning eyes, sinus, irritation in the nose, sneezing, extreme chill, restlessness and fever. This person feels worse at night and better in the morning.

b) Mercurius vivus
The cold is already in the advanced stage and the immune system is weakened. People have soar throats that feel with swallowing, as well as sneezing, bad cough, and night sweats.

c) Hepar Sulph
This remedy helps deep colds and flu when this turns into infection and sinusitis. The person is very chilly and there is often mucus in the lung with thick and yellow discharge. Antibiotics may be used.
I hope this information will help.
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Are you, like so many, wondering what’s the difference between regular flu and swine flu? This article will give you some simple answers. What is the Difference between Regular Flu Virus and the H1N1 Swine Flu Virus?

Regular flu is also referred to as seasonal flu. Generally it refers to influenza type A, B, or C, which is endemic to humans.

Unlike regular flu, swine flu actually originated inside the intestines of a pig and were somehow transmitted to a human, who spread it to other humans. Animal strains of flu originate in birds (H5N1 – bird flu) or pigs (H1N1 – swine flu). We believe the current swine flu strain originated on a pig farm in Mexico, near Vera Cruz.

Why is swine flu more dangerous than regular flu?

Because no one in the world had been exposed to this new strain of H1N1 (Swine flu) flu before the first cases appeared in Mexico in April 2009. Therefore, most of the population has no protection against this new virus. That’s why it is so important to get vaccinated when the vaccine becomes available.

Won’t your regular yearly flu shot protect you against swine flu?

It appears that it will not.

Can you explain the difference between regular and swine flu vaccines?

The regular flu vaccine is usually made up of a combination of the three most common human flu viruses. On the other hand, the new swine flu vaccine is made up of the H1N1 virus exclusively.

Remember, vaccines are designed to build up your immunity.

What is the difference in symptoms between regular flu and swine flu?

The initial symptoms appear to be the same: Coughing, sneezing, fever, aches and pains and general fatigue. Some people also develop vomiting and diarrhea.
However, with H1N1 (Swine Flu), within five days it is possible to have the onset of severe respiratory symptoms that progress to pneumonia or other life-threatening complications.

Are the folks with the highest risk factors identical for both types of flu?

No. The groups with the highest risk factors differ between the two types of flu.

Seasonal Flu is particularly dangerous for anyone with a weakened immune system, which generally includes the elderly. Younger people who are healthy normally are not bothered seriously by the side effects of seasonal flu.
Swine Flu Immunity
This is not the case with swine flu.

The CDC reports state that the H1N1 flu is more dangerous to people younger than 25 years of age.
People over 65 actually have less of a chance to contract it. It is believed they may have some immunity from exposure to similar (though not identical) strains in the 1950s and 60s.

How I know for sure if a family member has swine flu?

They will need to see a doctor or health care professional. A simple swab test will be performed and submitted for lab analysis. It should take just a day or two to know the results.

What’s the difference in the treatment between regular flu and H1N1 flu?

First off, always follow the advice of your doctor. Seek his or her advice to insure you are getting the best, most up to date treatment. It now appears that treatment for most people will be the same. This includes avoiding dehydration by taking in plenty of fluids, use of over-the-counter medications to help relieve coughing and congestion, and getting plenty of rest.

Your doctor may also suggest you take antiviral drugs. It appears the drugs Relenza and Tamiflu are somewhat effective against the swine flu virus, especially if taken within 48 hours from the development of your first symptoms. These antiviral drugs may reduce the severity of the flu which should help prevent serious complications.
If you have a sick child you need to watch him/her very closely. Keep the hydrated. If they seem overly lethargic, or have developed any breathing difficulty, call your pediatrician immediately.

Why is H1N1 pig flu more dangerous than seasonal flu?

It is possible that the swine flu could cause serious respiratory problems which could result in life threatening complications. These will generally develop around the fifth or sixth day, when regular flu symptoms should be disappearing.

Governments around the world have been put on alert by the World Health Organization to prepare for a global pandemic. In April, 2009, the WHO raised the warning level from level 4 to level 5.
Using history as our teacher, pandemic influenza in years past has almost disappeared in summer months, only to reappear with greater strength and deadliness in the fall and winter months. That is why every family should institute an action plan.
Governments are now preparing for disruptions to transportation and commerce. Families need to prepare for the same things.
Remedies that can help you prevent swine flu
The difference between regular flu and swine flu may mean serious consequences for the entire world. Learn what these consequences may include, and how you can get your family ready to face them now.