How to Avoid the Swine Flu

Since hearing of the H1N1 or Swine Flu outbreak this summer I have been concerned that what we have seen, so far, has been just a preview and that the pandemic will return with a vengeance when the normal flu season returns this year. I believe the key to avoid being infected and to limit the spread of this pandemic is to know and take all possible precautions. Knowing what those precautions are is the first step.

Deborah Castelli, a dear friend and a 40 year RN, BSN, who has vast education and experience dealing with flu pandemics, sent me the perfect e-mail that lists the precautions we can take to prevent being infected with and spreading the Swine Flu this season. I have posted it, below, in its entirety, for your review. I urge you to follow the procedures it outlines and forward it to others. The more people that take these precautions, the less this pandemic will spread. You may well save your own life or the life of someone someone you love.

Hello Everyone -

As you know, I have spent over 40 years in the nursing profession. In the LAST SWINE FLU epidemic (in the mid '70's), I headed up an Swine Flu Immunization Team and personally immunized over 3,000 people at Maine East High School in Park Ridge, Illinois.

In the intervening years I have kept my "ear to the ground" listening, studying and trying to learn as much as I could about staying healthy in our ever increasingly crowded, polluted, unhealthy world. With a dangerous and potentially deadly flu season approaching I have decided to send everyone that I care about an email containing my best recommendations for staying healthy in an epidemic.

To begin:

A little background information.
FLU is a viral illness. While it is possible to have what experts call a bacterial overlay infection, this is not why you get the flu. You get the flu because a VIRUS has invaded your system and overpowered your immune system.

THIS MEANS THAT TAKING ANTIBIOTICS WILL NOT HELP YOU RECOVER FROM THE FLU and - pay attention here : Antibiotics may actually SLOW or PREVENT your recovery, especially in the early stages of your flu infection. This is because your body uses many "helpful" bacteria - many of which are involved in fighting foreign viruses and bacteria. Taking an antibiotic often (probably ALWAYS) kills as many helpful bacteria as bad bacteria.

On to prevention:

In a word: GET YOUR FLU SHOTS!
AND this year it is going to be at least 2 flu shots (one for the usual fall flu strains, and at least one - and possibly 2 - specifically for the Swine Flu).
No arguments. GET THE SHOTS. Even if you THINK that when you get the shot you always seem to get the flu - take the shot anyway. It is nearly impossible for you to get the flu FROM the shot - but even if you DO (please, not likely) it will be WAY WAY less severe than the potentially lethal flu that we could face this fall.

NEXT: WASH YOUR HANDS!! AND DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE, EYES, NOSE, LIPS EVER.

Viruses are hardy, tough to kill and survive for hours, days or even weeks on surfaces you may touch.
This includes but is not limited to:
sinks, toilets, doorknobs, steering wheels, pens, pencils, shopping carts, computers, bed linens, hands! ..... the list is endless and the lesson is clear:
Since you cannot go thru life with your hands in your pockets: YOU MUST KEEP YOUR HANDS CLEAN.

A little story here:
When Charlie - the friendly pilot who stands at the door of the United jet and shakes your hand - first got hired, he started - for the first time in his life - to get frequent colds and upper respiratory infections.
I told him: "Wash your hands 5 times a day - or every chance you get - and keep your hands off your face" - his colds and URI's stopped immediately.

WHEN YOU WASH YOUR HANDS USE SOAP AND WARM WATER AND SING "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME" IN YOUR HEAD
- or out loud.... your choice! It takes at least that long to get the job done right.

There will be plenty of times when you cannot wash your hands. Hospitals and clinics have been using "instant hand sanitizers" for years. There are several that come in large pump bottles plus a small pocket sized refillable container. Buy it at WalMart, KMart, Target etc.
Ladies: for your purse: "Wet Ones" hand wipes come in purse sized packages.
These hand sanitizers & wipes are good in a pinch - but are not even CLOSE to as good as a good old hand wash. The instant hand sanitizers are most effective on bacteria and will remove some but not all viruses. With the wipes, you have a better chance to "wipe" them off.

Beyond Hand Washing:

Get ADEQUATE REST:
This may sound sort of stupid - but it is absolutely TRUE. Lack of sleep DAMAGES your immune system. If you are well rested your chance of not getting the flu or surviving it if you DO get the flu - are much, much improved.

Get MODERATE EXERCISE:
Same thing. Couch potatoes have weaker immune response when challenged by a virus.

EAT YOUR VEGGIES:
This is almost too big to cover here. But everything Mom used to tell you is good for you ACTUALLY IS! Especially during FLU season - reach for all the brightly colored veggies: tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, green peppers, red peppers, kale, spinach....

EAT FRESH FRUIT: same thing - bright colors contain the most antioxidant and protective immune building nutrients.

Okay, you say: I do ALL of THAT ALREADY!
Right, ME TOO

COVER YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU COUGH
IF YOU ARE SICK - STAY HOME!

HERE IS WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO:

WEAR A MASK WHEN OUT IN PUBLIC. This sounds odd right now, but if people don't stay home when they are sick and are sitting on buses, trains and in other public places COUGHING - a mask does offer a bit of protection, Not perfect, but better than nothing.
Here are 2 sites with mask info:
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/28/f-flumasks.html
http://www.flupharmacy.com/nanomask.html

TAKE A PROBIOTIC:
Start NOW. Do not wait until September 20th and expect it to help protect you!
There are plenty of choices out there. Look for one containing L. casei immunitas. DanActiv Immunity is one that we use and like. These are 3 ounce probiotic dairy drinks. Any good grocery or health food store will have it, but I buy it at Sam's Club by the case and save a bunch of $$. Drink one daily.

If you don't like the drink, are traveling, or just want something more convenient: try Probiotic Pearls. These are tiny "pearl" shaped packets of active cultures packaged in convenient blister packs that you can tuck in your purse or briefcase. They are available in formulas designed to improve "irregularity", and other problems, but get one that contains cultures to improve your IMMUNE SYSTEM. The package will tell you which one it contains right on the label. While a grocery like Whole Foods is more likely to carry Probiotic Pearls, your local grocery is not. Look for these in your health food store.

Eat ACTIVE CULTURE YOGURT,
Read the label. Get one with Active Cultures. To get any benefit you have to eat yogurt daily. During flu season it becomes either our breakfast or desert after dinner. Our favorite is StoneyField Farms yogurt. (http://www.stonyfield.com/Wellness/Faqs.cfm)
It is a tiny bit more expensive but does not contain preservatives, is packaged in safe containers and is generally available. See http://www.stonyfield.com/Wellness/Faqs.cfm for all kinds of information! Because it has no preservative this one is the one I like to use to make my own yogurt, and it also makes great yogurt cheese by staining it.

SOOOooooo ....
You have done ALL of the above, and on your way home from work on the train, in the car, on the jet .... what ever: YOU GET THAT ACHEY-FEVERISH-SORE THROAT-COMING ON-FEELING that says : "OMG I am getting the FLU!!!

Don't panic! Reach into your __________(purse, briefcase, carry-on bag) and pull out your __________(bottle or blister pack) of
ECHINACEA. (pronounced: eck - in- ay' - see - a). This totally safe herbal has been used for CENTURIES all over the world. Charlie and I both carry a blister pack of Echinacea with us EVERYWHERE. Keep this ON YOUR PERSON Because: You need to take this at the VERY FIRST SIGN of the virus grabbing you.

That's right: you feel the achy or feverish sore throaty thing and IMMEDIATELY take your echinacea. Various studies have been done (the best were done in Germany over 10 years ago) and they found that as a daily "tonic" echinacea did not seem to much improve your chances of staying well during flu season.

BUT.....if you take 2 to 4 capsules at the VERY FIRST SIGN of your flu - most people feel the symptoms go away within just a few minutes (like 10 to 20 minutes). The effect seems to last for several hours - sometimes up to 24 hours and then the symptoms return. At that time - take another 2 - 4 capsules. Continue doing this - taking another dose when your symptoms return.... until you find that your symptoms DO NOT RETURN. Be ready tho: sometimes, within a week or so of the symptoms disappearing if I am tired or stressed in some way - I go thru the whole process all over again. It is almost as if the virus goes into hiding and reappears when my defenses are down. So if you DO have a "near miss" with the Flu - try to get extra rest and keep your echinacea handy!

Just in general: If you take the capsules IMMEDIATELY and do not wait until: the meeting is finished, I get home from work, the kids settle down for their nap, the laundry is folded...... Echinacea will stop your flu, cold, URI in it's tracks. This has worked VERY VERY well for Charlie and I .... and working in the ER I used to get the flu and colds CONSTANTLY!

And now, in closing this little missive:

The experts, and so far our experience has shown them to be right, are predicting that this fall the flu will attack and kill young people. A young healthy 20 year old man died today here in Florida. This is just exactly the pattern of the great Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 - 1920. That Pandemic was ALSO a H1N1 virus, attacked young healthy people, spread worldwide and killed between 80 & 100 MILLION PEOPLE.

I am sending this to you because I LOVE you and want you to stay safe. I know that some will say "Oh, it probably won't be as bad as all that" and do nothing.

This list is not complete, I have done the best that I can and I want you to know:

WHAT IF THEY ARE RIGHT
ARE THESE FEW RECOMMENDATIONS REALLY TOO MUCH TO DO TO SAVE YOUR LIFE?
WOULD YOU PLEASE DO IT JUST FOR ME??

Stay safe!
Deborah