flu H1N1 vs. cold/ preventative

[Token]

Hi All,


Some things to consider... (keep in mind I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV)

* If anyone has anything to add please do.

Take your vites,

C (with zinc if you have absorption issues)

Bcomplex

Vite D -- see link below


http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/oct09_pg32feat

As prophylactic, every day for one week each month and as soon as you feel symptomatic, and when you travel before and after flight for a few days.
Echinicea or, if you have auto immune
Astragalus (tinctures are best)

Osilloccinum, again can be used as prophylactic, AND as directed as soon as you feel symptoms

ColdFX is good stuff, unless you have tummy issues.

My understanding is that a Homeopathic H1N1 vaccine is on it's way...

Also, for your perusal re: Vaccine safety, etc...


http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/oct09_pg32feat

Be Well All

Now, for the difference between cold and flu


In case you haven't seen this info...

With all of the news about H1N1, it is important to know the difference between cold and flu symptoms.

Fever
Fever is rare with a cold.
Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases.
A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the H1N1 flu.

Coughing

A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.
A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the H1N1 flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).

Aches
Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.
Severe aches and pains are common with the H1N1 flu.

Stuffy Nose

Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.
Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.

Chills

Chills are uncommon with a cold.
60% of people who have the H1N1 flu experience chills.

Tiredness

Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.
Tiredness is moderate to severe with the H1N1 flu.

Sneezing
Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.
Sneezing is not common with the H1N1 flu.

Sudden Symptoms
Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.
The H1N1 flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.

Headache
A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.
A headache is very common with the H1N1 flu, present in 80% of flu cases.

Sore Throat
Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.
Sore throat is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.

Chest Discomfort
Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.
Chest discomfort is often severe with the H1N1 flu.

The only way to stop the spread of the epidemic is to spread the awareness .
Dr. Goyal, an Intensivist and Thyroid specialist tells that the only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.
He recommends that while you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced:

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face.

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt) (adults only). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at using a Neti pot, but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

[Super T]

I drink a lot, eat junk, hardly sleep, and only wash my hands after I use the bathroom. Wish me luck :-)

[Elmo]

I eat fast food/junk food, work on a 378 foot boat with 170 other people, on duty days sleep in the same rack 4 other people have slept in since I last slept in it, and I am currently in the process of replacing every single toilet on the entire boat.

Oh and we had a H1N1 case on board (had to change that toilet while the afflicted person was quarantined in that space).

If I've made it this long without getting it, I'm pretty sure I'm good

I survived SARS while living in Singapore during the outbreak and volunteering in a childrens hospital, then visiting Hanoi where it all started. My secret to surviving? Don't get all worked up about it. I honestly and truly believe that the phrase "worrying yourself sick" is real.

[Coopers_Dad]

Good post Dave!

[Paywithdeath]

I just got out of the hospital after two days. I do have h1n1 and i have gotten mrsa again at the same time which makes things way worse. To make it better my mrsa outbreak is on/inside my nose. Most painful boil thing ive ever had. The swine flu literally brought me from being at work with a headache tired and a slight cough to being in bed hallucinating, coughing like all hell frreeezzzzing cold all with a 103.4 fever in about 3 hours. I still feel like garbage but i think im getting a little better.

[formerice]

The flu is nothing to fool with. In 2000 my wife nearly died of the flu. She got pneumonia and ended up in ICU in a coma for 18 days. She was near death and the doctors were not very optimistic that she would survive. She even had to learn how to walk again. It can happen very fast (pneumonia). I took my wife to her doctor who listened to her chest and checked her temp, which was normal. Doctor said she was fine, by the time we got home, she was having difficulty breathing, I drove like a bat out of hell to the ER. Once they gave her a chest XRay they rushed her into the operating room. Scared the crap out of me.