Preventative Care tips during Flu Season

I don't know about you guys but all this Swine Flu media coverage has me scared to death. These are good tips to help prevent getting sick.

Preventative Care tips during Flu Season

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global
epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact
with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a
problem as proliferation is.


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 (instead of focusing on how
to stock N95 or Tamiflu):


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 prefer).
*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 Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very
good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a
day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds 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 (Amla
and other citrus fruits). *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.

 

Great tips, thank you for posting them I am going to print them out and ask my collegue to put them up in the staff room at work

 

I can't believe that this has actually become a "National Emergency". Even though I'm hospital ridden until these 2 monsters get here, I'm so cautious about everyone who I come into contact with. I even keep my anti-bacterial hand santizer on my night stand. I didnt realize that there were other preventative measures that can be taken as well. Thanks for the tips :hug:

 

:thanks: I actually got all those tips in an email, so something is going around about it. Hopefully it's all legitimate advice.

 

My OB actually told me the Listerine tip today and said that I could try it to increase my chances of staying healthy.

 

I already got Swine flu vaccine a day before during my regular OB visit. As there are less stock of H1N1 vaccines, they r giving it only for pregnant women and people with chronic conditions. Check with ur provider.