Posts Tagged ‘Flu Shots’

Author: Sandor Cruz

Simple and Healthy Ways to Beat the Swine Flu

Swine flu, influenza A, h1n1 flu, whatever it’s called, this latest flu pandemic sure is scaring a lot of people out of their wits.

But should you be afraid of the big bad swine flu?

The swine flu scare has spawned different reactions from different countries, some expected, some extreme. In Mexico, swine flu masks have become part of the usual fashion. Even if it didn’t have a single case of swine flu, Egypt slaughtered some 300,000 pigs.

In the U.S., President Barack Obama has mobilized substantial federal resources to fight swine flu, saying that since little is known about the latest flu strain, the government should take all necessary precautions in the event that the virus turns into something worse.

Among the measures taken included asking schools with confirmed cases of the flu virus to close for up to two weeks and to distribute 25 percent of the country’s 50 million courses of antiviral treatment to all states.

Obama also asked Congress for $1.5 billion if additional measures need to be taken to prevent the spread of swine flu.

Though the Centers for Disease Control described the status of swine flu in the U.S. as being in the “prepandemic period,” acting CDC director Dr. Richard Besser said he expects more deaths as the disease moves forward.

So far, ONLY three persons have died in the U.S., the latest being a Texas man with an underlying heart condition.

The Great Bird Flu Hoax author Dr. Joseph Mercola believes that this is not the first time that the U.S. is overreacting on a flu outbreak. Do you remember the 1976 swine flu outbreak at Fort Dix, New Jersey? Hundreds were infected and a soldier died but was it enough to justify then President Ford’s mass vaccination response? Thirty ended up dead after taking flu shots while many others were paralyzed due to Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Maybe 1976 is too far off. How about the Bush government’s warning that bird flu will kill two million Americans? So far, less than 300 people have died worldwide from avian influenza.

Dr. Mercola isn’t trying to say that these deaths were meaningless; every doctor’s goal is to save lives and help people become as healthy as possible. What he is saying is that oftentimes, the response in situations like this is almost always motivated by fear.

The fear that will result in massive flu shot and flu drug sales for big pharmaceutical companies.

Despite its ineffectiveness as an antiviral, the CDC recommends the use of popular flu drug Tamiflu, which is banned in Japan after being linked in the deaths of 14 children.

Studies show that Tamiflu can only reduce flu symptoms by 24 to 36 hours, and even increases the risk of secondary bacterial infections for some patients on it.

Tamiflu ingredients include saccharin sodium, a chemical sweetener linked to cancer; sodium benzoate, which, when combined with vitamin C, forms the carcinogen benzene; and propylene glycol, a food grade antifreeze.

By the way, Tamiflu costs over $100 and its reported side effects include convulsions, cough, delirium, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.

On the other hand, if you were to use the regular flu shot, it also contains dangerous substances, including mercury, formaldehyde and phenol.

But there’s no need to put your health at risk. Dr. Mercola has never used any anti-flu medication in his life yet he has never gone down with the flu in over 20 years. Here are his simple ways to avoid all types of flu:

* Optimize your vitamin D levels – Mercola believes that vitamin D deficiency is likely the real culprit behind the seasonal nature of the flu. If you experience flu-like symptoms, you can take 50,000 units of vitamin D3 per day for three days to help treat the infection.

* Optimize your intake of Omega-3 fats – The omega-3 fats DHA and EPA help enhance your immune system and are crucial in maintaining good health.

* Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods – Sugar is a natural enemy of your immune system. It may be present in foods you may not suspect, like processed fruit juices, so it would be wise to avoid processed foods of all kinds.

* Beat Stress – Manage your stress levels because stress wears out your body physically and emotionally, leaving you susceptible to disease.

* Rest – Don’t take your body for granted. It will be harder for you to beat the flu if you’re always tired or fatigued.

* Wash your hands regularly – Proper washing of hands will help reduce your risk of getting sick from communicable diseases like the flu. Avoid touching your eyes and nose when your hands are dirty or if you’ve come in contact with a sick person.

* Exercise – Your circulation and blood flow increases when you exercise and allows the components of your immune system to spread out better, increasing its chances of detecting and fighting an infection before it spreads.

* Eat garlic – Garlic has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.

About the Author:

Sandor Cruz is a runner, swimmer and active sports enthusiast. He keeps fit and healthy by following a natural and organic lifestyle. He is a big fan of the works of New York Times Best-Selling Author Dr. Joseph Mercola.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Simple and Healthy Ways to Beat the Swine Flu

Author: Sandor Cruz

Simple and Healthy Ways to Beat the Swine Flu

Swine flu, influenza A, h1n1 flu, whatever it’s called, this latest flu pandemic sure is scaring a lot of people out of their wits.

But should you be afraid of the big bad swine flu?

The swine flu scare has spawned different reactions from different countries, some expected, some extreme. In Mexico, swine flu masks have become part of the usual fashion. Even if it didn’t have a single case of swine flu, Egypt slaughtered some 300,000 pigs.

In the U.S., President Barack Obama has mobilized substantial federal resources to fight swine flu, saying that since little is known about the latest flu strain, the government should take all necessary precautions in the event that the virus turns into something worse.

Among the measures taken included asking schools with confirmed cases of the flu virus to close for up to two weeks and to distribute 25 percent of the country’s 50 million courses of antiviral treatment to all states.

Obama also asked Congress for $1.5 billion if additional measures need to be taken to prevent the spread of swine flu.

Though the Centers for Disease Control described the status of swine flu in the U.S. as being in the “prepandemic period,” acting CDC director Dr. Richard Besser said he expects more deaths as the disease moves forward.

So far, ONLY three persons have died in the U.S., the latest being a Texas man with an underlying heart condition.

The Great Bird Flu Hoax author Dr. Joseph Mercola believes that this is not the first time that the U.S. is overreacting on a flu outbreak. Do you remember the 1976 swine flu outbreak at Fort Dix, New Jersey? Hundreds were infected and a soldier died but was it enough to justify then President Ford’s mass vaccination response? Thirty ended up dead after taking flu shots while many others were paralyzed due to Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Maybe 1976 is too far off. How about the Bush government’s warning that bird flu will kill two million Americans? So far, less than 300 people have died worldwide from avian influenza.

Dr. Mercola isn’t trying to say that these deaths were meaningless; every doctor’s goal is to save lives and help people become as healthy as possible. What he is saying is that oftentimes, the response in situations like this is almost always motivated by fear.

The fear that will result in massive flu shot and flu drug sales for big pharmaceutical companies.

Despite its ineffectiveness as an antiviral, the CDC recommends the use of popular flu drug Tamiflu, which is banned in Japan after being linked in the deaths of 14 children.

Studies show that Tamiflu can only reduce flu symptoms by 24 to 36 hours, and even increases the risk of secondary bacterial infections for some patients on it.

Tamiflu ingredients include saccharin sodium, a chemical sweetener linked to cancer; sodium benzoate, which, when combined with vitamin C, forms the carcinogen benzene; and propylene glycol, a food grade antifreeze.

By the way, Tamiflu costs over $100 and its reported side effects include convulsions, cough, delirium, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.

On the other hand, if you were to use the regular flu shot, it also contains dangerous substances, including mercury, formaldehyde and phenol.

But there’s no need to put your health at risk. Dr. Mercola has never used any anti-flu medication in his life yet he has never gone down with the flu in over 20 years. Here are his simple ways to avoid all types of flu:

* Optimize your vitamin D levels – Mercola believes that vitamin D deficiency is likely the real culprit behind the seasonal nature of the flu. If you experience flu-like symptoms, you can take 50,000 units of vitamin D3 per day for three days to help treat the infection.

* Optimize your intake of Omega-3 fats – The omega-3 fats DHA and EPA help enhance your immune system and are crucial in maintaining good health.

* Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods – Sugar is a natural enemy of your immune system. It may be present in foods you may not suspect, like processed fruit juices, so it would be wise to avoid processed foods of all kinds.

* Beat Stress – Manage your stress levels because stress wears out your body physically and emotionally, leaving you susceptible to disease.

* Rest – Don’t take your body for granted. It will be harder for you to beat the flu if you’re always tired or fatigued.

* Wash your hands regularly – Proper washing of hands will help reduce your risk of getting sick from communicable diseases like the flu. Avoid touching your eyes and nose when your hands are dirty or if you’ve come in contact with a sick person.

* Exercise – Your circulation and blood flow increases when you exercise and allows the components of your immune system to spread out better, increasing its chances of detecting and fighting an infection before it spreads.

* Eat garlic – Garlic has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.

About the Author:

Sandor Cruz is a runner, swimmer and active sports enthusiast. He keeps fit and healthy by following a natural and organic lifestyle. He is a big fan of the works of New York Times Best-Selling Author Dr. Joseph Mercola.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Simple and Healthy Ways to Beat the Swine Flu

Author: Sandor Cruz

Simple and Healthy Ways to Beat the Swine Flu

Swine flu, influenza A, h1n1 flu, whatever it’s called, this latest flu pandemic sure is scaring a lot of people out of their wits.

But should you be afraid of the big bad swine flu?

The swine flu scare has spawned different reactions from different countries, some expected, some extreme. In Mexico, swine flu masks have become part of the usual fashion. Even if it didn’t have a single case of swine flu, Egypt slaughtered some 300,000 pigs.

In the U.S., President Barack Obama has mobilized substantial federal resources to fight swine flu, saying that since little is known about the latest flu strain, the government should take all necessary precautions in the event that the virus turns into something worse.

Among the measures taken included asking schools with confirmed cases of the flu virus to close for up to two weeks and to distribute 25 percent of the country’s 50 million courses of antiviral treatment to all states.

Obama also asked Congress for $1.5 billion if additional measures need to be taken to prevent the spread of swine flu.

Though the Centers for Disease Control described the status of swine flu in the U.S. as being in the “prepandemic period,” acting CDC director Dr. Richard Besser said he expects more deaths as the disease moves forward.

So far, ONLY three persons have died in the U.S., the latest being a Texas man with an underlying heart condition.

The Great Bird Flu Hoax author Dr. Joseph Mercola believes that this is not the first time that the U.S. is overreacting on a flu outbreak. Do you remember the 1976 swine flu outbreak at Fort Dix, New Jersey? Hundreds were infected and a soldier died but was it enough to justify then President Ford’s mass vaccination response? Thirty ended up dead after taking flu shots while many others were paralyzed due to Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Maybe 1976 is too far off. How about the Bush government’s warning that bird flu will kill two million Americans? So far, less than 300 people have died worldwide from avian influenza.

Dr. Mercola isn’t trying to say that these deaths were meaningless; every doctor’s goal is to save lives and help people become as healthy as possible. What he is saying is that oftentimes, the response in situations like this is almost always motivated by fear.

The fear that will result in massive flu shot and flu drug sales for big pharmaceutical companies.

Despite its ineffectiveness as an antiviral, the CDC recommends the use of popular flu drug Tamiflu, which is banned in Japan after being linked in the deaths of 14 children.

Studies show that Tamiflu can only reduce flu symptoms by 24 to 36 hours, and even increases the risk of secondary bacterial infections for some patients on it.

Tamiflu ingredients include saccharin sodium, a chemical sweetener linked to cancer; sodium benzoate, which, when combined with vitamin C, forms the carcinogen benzene; and propylene glycol, a food grade antifreeze.

By the way, Tamiflu costs over $100 and its reported side effects include convulsions, cough, delirium, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.

On the other hand, if you were to use the regular flu shot, it also contains dangerous substances, including mercury, formaldehyde and phenol.

But there’s no need to put your health at risk. Dr. Mercola has never used any anti-flu medication in his life yet he has never gone down with the flu in over 20 years. Here are his simple ways to avoid all types of flu:

* Optimize your vitamin D levels – Mercola believes that vitamin D deficiency is likely the real culprit behind the seasonal nature of the flu. If you experience flu-like symptoms, you can take 50,000 units of vitamin D3 per day for three days to help treat the infection.

* Optimize your intake of Omega-3 fats – The omega-3 fats DHA and EPA help enhance your immune system and are crucial in maintaining good health.

* Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods – Sugar is a natural enemy of your immune system. It may be present in foods you may not suspect, like processed fruit juices, so it would be wise to avoid processed foods of all kinds.

* Beat Stress – Manage your stress levels because stress wears out your body physically and emotionally, leaving you susceptible to disease.

* Rest – Don’t take your body for granted. It will be harder for you to beat the flu if you’re always tired or fatigued.

* Wash your hands regularly – Proper washing of hands will help reduce your risk of getting sick from communicable diseases like the flu. Avoid touching your eyes and nose when your hands are dirty or if you’ve come in contact with a sick person.

* Exercise – Your circulation and blood flow increases when you exercise and allows the components of your immune system to spread out better, increasing its chances of detecting and fighting an infection before it spreads.

* Eat garlic – Garlic has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.

About the Author:

Sandor Cruz is a runner, swimmer and active sports enthusiast. He keeps fit and healthy by following a natural and organic lifestyle. He is a big fan of the works of New York Times Best-Selling Author Dr. Joseph Mercola.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Simple and Healthy Ways to Beat the Swine Flu

Author: Boon Kiat Chua

A prominent expert on global flu outbreaks, with the University of Minnesota, Michael Osterholm said, “What makes this so difficult is we may be somewhere between an important but yet still uneventful public health occurrence here — with something that could literally die out over the next couple of weeks and never show up again — or this could be the opening act of a full-fledged influenza pandemic.”

Yesterday, I was talking to a friend and the first thing she asked me is, “Have you read about the swine flu?” She is concerned and worried about how the swine flu can potentially kill a lot of people. Hopefully this will not go on to kill millions around the world, as pandemics did in 1918, 1957 and 1968.

Besides being concerned and worried about this, it is more important to take proactive measures to secure yourself and your family. Everyone has an important part to play to prevent the swine flu pandemic from happening.

Although flu shots have been offered in different nations, new types of flu viruses have remained a threat. So what can we do? The best bet will be to work on your immune system. With a stronger immune system, you body has a higher chance of winning battles against viruses.

How do we boost our immune systems? (These are not the only things you can do to boost your immune system. I am sure you can add more to this list. The important thing we should focus on is boosting our immune systems)

1. In a previous article, ‘C is the Alphabet to Healthy Life,’ which I posted, increasing your intake of Vitamin C could be a good start to boosting your immune system.

The good thing is Vitamin C is easily available in fruits and vegetables. The foods that are very rich in Vitamin C include green peppers, citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, turnip greens and other leafy greens, sweet and white potatoes, and cantaloupe. I believe there are more foods which you can add to the list.

2. Drink plenty of water. How many times have you heard about the important of drinking water? And how many of us are doing it? The usual guideline is about 6-8 glasses of water everyday. My body has a way to let me know that it needs water – it protests by giving me headaches. Headaches and thirst are both signs of dehydration.

3. Get a full night’s sleep. Depending on individual, your body may need anywhere from 6 to 10 hours of sleep each night. According to an article on Vibe Health dated 27 February 2009, “Medical researchers are discovering that sleep may be the body’s way of recharging your immune system, explaining why poor sleepers are prone to infections and heart disease.”

4. Exercising. Exercise can make a noticeable difference to your health and happiness by releasing Endorphins. Moderate and consistent exercise help one to boost immune system and to sleep better. If you overdo it, it may do harm to your immune system instead.

5. Drinking Tea. Immunologists at Harvard University discovered that people who drank five cups of black tea a day for 2 weeks transformed their immune system T cells into “Hulk cells” that pumped out 10 times more cold and flu virus – fighting interferon — proteins that defend against infection — than did the immune systems of those who didn’t drink black tea. Green tea should work just as well.

While five cups a day may seem like a lot, Dr. Jack Bukowski of the Harvard Medical School thinks fewer cups may still offer some valuable protection. Moderation is important.

Besides following these points to boost immune system, we must also adopt good hygiene practices and be socially responsible:

1. Washing hands thoroughly and often especially if you have been out in the public.
2. People should avoid touching their mouth, nose or eyes with their hands unless they’ve washed their hands.
3. Using a serving spoon when sharing food.
4. Not spitting on the floor, covering nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and to throw it into garbage immediately.
5. Wearing masks when unwell.

Those who have flu-like symptoms are advised to seek medical help promptly, and inform the doctors of their travel history.

Although there is no way to control 100 percent on how the swine flu pandemic may evolve, we can do our parts to prevent it from affecting ourselves, our immediate families and friends. I hope these few points can inspire you to take proactive measures to boost your immune system. Wishing everyone great health!

About the Author:

The author, Boon Kiat Chua is the founder and owner of Symphony of Love, a website about Love and Inspiration in life. Symphony of Love

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Swine Flu Proactive and Preventive Measures

Author: Sandy Powers

Can You Protect Yourself From The Swine Flu?

By Sandy Powers

Every day our bodies are attacked by viruses and bacteria that weaken our immune system and make us more vulnerable to diseases like the Swine Flu.

Swine Flu is a serious disease. All flues are serious. Even with the flu shots so many people get, around 36,000 people die in the United States yearly from the flu. The concern is that a pandemic may occur. If it does, many more people will die. A pandemic is a disease that affects people worldwide. An epidemic is more contained.

The Swine Flu is a respiratory illness that is spread from pigs to humans to other humans. We spread it to each other much like we do colds—coughing, sneezing, and touching things with the virus on it. Wearing masks offer little protection unless you are also wearing disposable gloves and wash your hands well after disposing of both, then disinfecting the sink and handles. Unrealistic.

Symptoms are regular flu symptoms—fever, running nose, sore throat, and you can develop vomiting and diarrhea.

Treatment: Antibiotics don’t work against viruses. The antivirals may work but problems are developing that viruses are becoming immune to them. Plus to work, you must take them within 48 hours of contact. Often, with the flu, you don’t recognize the symptoms until it is too late for the antivirals to work.

So, how can we protect ourselves?

We keep our immune system in top shape so that if we do contact the Swine Flu, our bodies will fight serious complications. We boost our immune system with certain foods.

Double the orange juice. Don’t forget the kids. Have them trade some of that apple juice for orange juice.

Eat carrots, sweet potatoes, and sweet bell peppers.

Beans, whole grains, nuts, especially walnuts, shrimp, and red meat.

Garlic and onions are great for boosting the immune system.

Get your Vitamin D from the sun 15 minutes a day. Make sure your kids go outside after school for 15 minutes without sunscreen.

Drink plenty of liquids throughout the day to prevent dehydration even if you have no symptoms.

A meal that is loaded with immune boosters is Chili. Make with ground beef, red, green, and yellow sweet peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and lots of beans.

About the Author:

A breast cancer survivor with liver problems, Sandy Powers turned to organic foods to heal her liver and fight cancer recurrence. Her research, amazing results, and recipes packed with antioxidants and immune boosters are in her book, “Organic for Health.” Visit Sandy and view her book video at www.organicforhealthsite.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Can You Protect Yourself Against The Swine Flu?