In the last few months our natural health practice has been inundated with fears of the flu questions.  This is our response:

The Little WHO that cried Flu recently created a world of panic and mania around what seems at this point to be little more than a regular old garden-variety influenza.  As I write this less than 200 people globally have died from the H1N1 virus (or swine flu), yet it is estimated that nearly 100 people die every day in the United States alone  just from seasonal flu.  This 100 people/day figure is up for question because it is outdated by about eight years, but startling nonetheless. 

So the question I pose is: do we choose to panic or can we just be prepared and move on with our lives.  The choice for me is simple be prepared.  What the media did not explain during their world wide pandemic coverage was the rules of the road for avoiding the flu.  Wearing a mask will not stop you from getting the flu.  Wearing a mask while you have the flu can help you to not spread it around, but even then the mask can get saturated with germs and become useless. 

The best advice is age old:  wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer regularly, and like your mother undoubtedly told you, “Keep your hands out of your mouth.”  “Don’t pick your nose.” Finally, “Stop rubbing your eyes.”  Eat healthy, keep your immune system happy, and take your multi-vitamins and some probiotics.  Get plenty of rest, exercise and steer clear of people who are sick.  If you care for someone who is ill limit your contact, always clean your hands after being with them or touching them.  Be sure to sterilize their dishes and have them sleep in a separate room if possible.  And if you or a loved one is sick STAY HOME (the CDC recommends a full seven days from the start of symptoms).  Respect other people and their health by not spreading it around.

Instead of panicking be prepared…do right by your health and take care of yourself.  Will there be a pandemic?  Probably.  Will it hit the world like previous pandemics?  Not necessarily. 

Notice that the very word PANDEMIC when the d-e-m are removed spells PANIC.

For further information on H1N1 go to: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

Joli A. Campbell