Swine Flu Update

2. What are the symptoms?

The symptoms are influenza-like and include a fever over 38ºC, respiratory tract illnesses, headaches and muscle aches. Vomiting and diarrhea have also been reported as symptoms.

Of course, anyone who had recently traveled to Mexico, Texas or California should be particularly vigilant.

3. What can be done to prevent infection?

Exercise, a healthy diet and living a stress-free life are sure ways to boost your immune system.

At the moment, we can only recommend maintaining a strong, healthy immune system so that if exposed, you are more likely to resist infection, and if infected you are more able to fight the disease. While the current flu jab will not prevent Swine Flu, it will help prevent the common influenza infection which would weaken your immune system and leave you vulnerable.

To strengthen your immune sytem, we recommend:

EATING WELL

Eat healthily and choose foods that help strengthen your immune system. However, it is not always easy to get all the vitamins and minerals needed so you might consider discussing supplements with a doctor or practitioner at Holistic Central. Some foods that are particularly beneficial are listed below:

• MULTIVITAMINS / MINERALS and extra Zinc 10-30mg daily (amino acid chelate best). Zinc is very protective for the respiratory system.
• Not ECHINACEA. This immune booster herb’s effectiveness wears off after one month so don’t start yet.
• Vitamin A: Works as an antioxidant; found as retinol in fatty fish, fish oils and dairy products; as carotene in red fruits and vegetables such as yellow and red capsicum, carrots, yams, mangoes and papaya.
• VITAMIN C: Daily dose 1000-2000mg, with food. Involved in many functions of the immune system; found in citrus fruit, red and green peppers, pineapple, strawberries, cabbage, parsley, rosehips.
• BIOFLAVENOIDS: Reduce viral activity; high amounts in the pith of citrus fruits.
• ZINC: Essential for normal functioning of the immune system; good sources include nuts and seeds.
• SELENIUM: Powerful antioxidant; found in alfalfa, Brazil nuts, cashews, eggs, fish and garlic.

• EXERCISING: Consistent, regular, moderate exercise has been linked to  a temporary boost in bacteria-attacking cells and a boost in immune cells circulating through the body. Because the change is only temporary, exercise must be taken regularly. Note that over exercising can have the opposite effect and weaken the immune system.

DEALING WITH STRESS + FEAR

• Don’t compromise your immune system by allowing yourself to be stressed as this has been proven to reduce immunity. We do have programmes for tackling stress.
• See also the article in the news section Molecules of Emotions. Dr Candace Pert, nominated for Nobel Prize for her work as a biophysicist, has done experiments which show our ‘happy hormones,’ such as serotonin, latch onto certain flu cells thereby blocking the ability of some flu viruses to attach and inject the cell! Because these serotonin type hormones circulate all over the body, not just the brain, this is a real defense!She also found that immune areas of the body such as spleen, thymus and bone marrow were the most receptive to the ‘happy hormones’.
• FEAR BUSTING:
  • Don’t assume everyone else’s reality is yours. If your work colleagues happen to catch flu, it doesn’t mean you have to. We’re all special. In any infectious world epidemic, the majority of people survive. Focus on being one of them.
  • Take adequate scientifically proven precautions then stop worrying. There’s no point in worrying and it will damage your immune system.
  • Don’t obsess about missing out on the latest, relevant piece of information, which you feel will undoubtedly be “responsible for saving your life”. In the news, these tend to be more of the same: repetitive and fearful. This obsession will encourage you to hang out with the groups most negative and anxious, who will disguise any truth in shrouds of rumour.
  • Don’t indulge in gloom and doom gossip. There’s little else to talk about as read however – this is hard. Remember that by constantly thinking and talking about negative events you will attract, not dissipate them. By obsessive thinking, your thoughts will become your reality. Remember that generally we tend to get whatever we work hard for in life.

And of course, don’t forget GOOD HYGIENE. A simple tip is to wash your hands twice as often as usual.

4. Is there a cure?

The virus appears to be sensitive to oseltamivir (branded as Tamiflu). While the infections in Mexico have been severe and caused a number of fatalities, infections outside Mexico have not been so severe. In the USA, all confirmed cases had mild Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), with only one requiring brief hospitalization. No deaths have been reported there.

This is reassuring and is often the case in populations where there is a lower incidence of a disease.

How we can help treat Influenza A infections?

Patients often say: “I thought there’s nothing you could do for a virus.” Not true! At Holistic Central a number of practitioners can help in different ways.

• Doctors Jamieson, Nandi and Wong can prescribe homeopathic solutions to boost immunity and give high doses of vitamins and minerals, etc intravenously. We import many products which are either not available in Hong Kong, or of higher quality than those products usually available.
• Naturopath, Jennifer Walker, has a new homeopathic mineral for the treatment of influenza infections as well as immune boosting regimes.
• Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners, Doctors Paine and He, treat using their methods.
• Kinesiologists, Brett Scott and Julie Bolduc, help treat energy flow “black spots”, optimising the body’s internal circuits and so strengthening the immunity in that way.

It is worth knowing that bacterial infections often “accompany” viral infections because of a weakened immune system and of course we can also treat this.