The facts behind the H1N1 fear and tips to avoid it
-Dr. Lissa Rankin, Betty's OB/GYN on CallIt's been almost three months since the media blasted swine flu all over every newscast. They hype has died down some, but swine flu now (now called H1N1) is still out there. Just yesterday the federal Advisory
There are still many questions out there about the flu and what people can do to protect themselves. Here are a few of the most frequent questions I've been getting:
What's the scoop with the H1N1 virus today?
On June 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) uttered the scary words in capital letters "Global Pandemic" and raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6 (yikes!) Why did they do this? It reflects the spread of the novel H1N1 virus, not the severity of the disease. It reflects ongoing community outbreaks in more than 70 countries, but it's not a signal that the virus has suddenly mutated into a flu that makes you bleed out of your eyeballs.
Where is the epidemic concentrated?
The United States continues to report the largest number of novel H1N1 cases worldwide, but most people who have come down with the virus have recovered without medical treatment. It's a scary-sounding flu, but it's still just the flu - body aches, fever, headaches, chills, fatigue, sore throat, cough, runny nose and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.
As of July 24, the CDC reported 43,771 cases of novel H1N1flu, with 302 deaths and 55 states/territories affected in the United States, with the highest counts in Wisconsin, Texas, California, Illinois, New York and Florida.
I heard a rumor that this flu has become resistant to Tamiflu (Oseltamivir). Is this true?
Yes. Recently, the WHO reported three cases of novel H1N1 virus resistant to Tamiflu (oseltamivir). All three were still sensitive to zanamivir, and all three patients recovered. More than 1,000 other viruses from infected individuals have been tested and all were sensitive to both drugs. So don't panic.
Is it true that swine flu hits pregnancy harder?
Yes. Pregnant women who get swine flu are at higher risk of more serious complications. Because pregnancy is a time of relative immunosuppression (it keeps you from fighting off your baby as foreign), pregnant women are more susceptible to contracting infections and suffering more serious effects. Swine flu is no exception. If pregnant women contract swine flu, they are more likely to be hospitalized, develop pneumonia, have pregnancy complications such as preterm labor or premature birth, and undergo C-section. Sounds scary, right? But remember -most pregnant women who get swine flu do just fine, as do their babies. These facts are based on statistics, which can often make the situation sound more grave than it is. But, if you are pregnant and develop flu-like symptoms, contact your OB/GYN right away.
Read more about pregnancy and swine flu
Is there a swine flu (H1N1) vaccine yet?
No, not yet. But rest assured. They're working their butts off to create one. Stay tuned.
Remember, your chances of being infected by H1N1 are low, and your chance of dying is almost zilch. You take a greater risk every time you get in your car.
What can I do to avoid getting the swine flu?
Here are five tips for staying healthy in the face of a pandemic:
1. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. (Say it three times over. This is your new mantra, and it's the number one way to avoid getting swine flu). Also, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, which can introduce the virus into your receptive passageways. If you cough or sneeze, use a tissue and throw the tissue away afterwards. This will help protect you and everyone else out there who is trying to avoid swine flu.
2. Eat immune boosting foods and steer clear of sugar. Here are five that can help you:
Citrus Loaded with Vitamin C, citrus fruits are a yummy, easy way to support your immune system. Grab a glass of OJ or make some lemonade. Even better, mix lots of lemons into clean water with stevia (a natural sweetener) and cayenne pepper. Not only is it a zingy, tasty treat filled with Vitamin C, it also alkalinizes your body, which helps it fight infection.
Red chili peppers (cayenne) Cayenne pepper has long been appreciated for its medicinal properties and can help your body during states of emergency. So chili it up for good health!
Garlic Filled with immune-boosting mojo, garlic has been used to treat everything from the common cold to the Plague. So load up on garlic and give your body a fighting chance.
Carrots Bursting with beta-carotene, carrots give your body a leg up when you're fighting infection. Drink a few carrot juices to get enough in your body. Sweet potatoes and spinach also contain lots of beta carotene, so eat up.
Fish Fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna are filled with omega-3 fats, which support white blood cells in fighting infection. Sushi anyone?
3. Snooze, baby, snooze! Sleep is underrated. When you're well rested, your body fights infection more effectively. Check out these tips from naturopath Dr. Nicole Sundene.
4. Hydrate. Drink, drink, drink pure, clean water. It keeps your mucous thin and helps your mucous membranes resist infection. Guzzle green juice. If you have a juicer stashed under your counter, now is the time to pull it out and load it with kale, celery, cucumber, swiss chard, lemon, spinach, ginger, garlic - whatever you've got around that can support your good health.
5. Don't panic about swine flu. Stress weakens your immune system and makes you less capable of mounting an immune response. Pandemics are understandably stressful. Manage your stress in healthy ways, by meditating, listening to guided imagery CD's, walking, deep breathing, yoga, and other healthy stress-relieving activities. You might even tap into the Zen of swine flu.
For more tips for how to avoid swine flu, click here.
Lissa Rankin is a gynecologist and author. She blogs at owningpink.com, and you can follow her on Twitter at @lissarankin.
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