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Dear Dr. Stovall, I heard there were a couple of Swine Flu cases confirmed in my area, and I'm a little scared, should I just stay holed up here in the house until the threat is over? What about my kids, with school starting soon? WPE
Dear WPE, You're right to be concerned, but no, you do not have to avoid going out entirely. The most important things you can do, in my opinion, are to keep your immune system strong and wash, wash, wash your hands as frequently as possible. Also, avoid contact with persons with known illnesses, whenever possible, and sterilize items used by the public, such as grocery cart handles, door knobs, and telephones before use. I use colloidal silver in a tiny spray bottle, or hydrogen peroxide, or lavender essential oil for this purpose. It is flu season, and H1N1, the new name for Swine Flu in humans, is not the only flu strain that's going around. According to the CDC (see http://www.cdc.gov/flu/ for more details) the following measures to contain respiratory secretions are recommended for all individuals with signs and symptoms of a respiratory infection: - Cover the nose/mouth when coughing and sneezing;
- Use tissues to contain respiratory secretions and dispose of them in the nearest waste receptacle after use;
- Perform hand hygiene (e.g., hand washing with non antimicrobial soap and water, alcohol based hand rub, or antiseptic handwash) after having contact with respiratory secretions and contaminated objects/materials.
Now that's pretty much common sense, and there are a few things I would add...although I must say that I am writing this from home, and I am in bed with the flu, so I should work a little harder to practice what I preach...no one is perfect, but for the health and safety of ourselves and others, we should do our best to stay healthy, and to avoid spreading the flu or other viruses to others by staying home when we are infected...that being said, I'll continue... Keep your immune system strong by keeping your stress levels under control and taking B Complex vitamins during times of stress, by taking sufficient amounts of Vitamin C, and Probiotics, and by getting plenty of rest. If you feel you have been exposed, some of the natural anti-viral herbs and supplements that have been shown to be beneficial are Elderberry, Colloidal Silver, Olive Leaf extract, Probiotics and Glyconutrients, and/or Mushroom extracts and ALJ for respiratory issues. Currently at my bedside are ALJ (to keep my secretions thin and flowing out of my body, the last thing I want is to dry up the secretions and allow the invading virus to remain dormant in my body), Colloidal Silver, Probiotic capsules and lozenges, Elderberry capsules and lozenges, Olive Leaf extract, and mushroom extracts, a natural pain reliever, and perhaps most important of all, plenty of alkaline water (I drink Evamor) to keep my pH out of the acidic range. During my bout, I have been able to avoid a trip to the doctor and antibiotics and antiviral drugs. I have fasted for a couple of days, so as to not burden my digestive system so that my body could do as it was intended, and heal itself, and I am very proud to say that with the help of nature's herbal foods, it is doing just that. Feed your children healthy nutritious meals, give them a children's multivitamin and mineral supplement if necessary, along with probiotics, vitamin C, elderberry and zinc. These and other health protecting supplements are available in children's formulas at your local health food store. Teach your kids to wash their hands for an entire minute (sing the ABC's), using soap, and how to properly cover their mouths and noses when they sneeze, and I'm sure they will enjoy a happy and healthy school year. To your health, Terri Stovall |
