[LM_NET] Ways to lessen the severity of swine flu

[Catherine Balkin <ABadWife@AOL.COM>]

I saw this message below elsewhere and am passing it along, as it seems  
especially relevant to educators and teachers who work with children. Before  
passing it on, I consulted my husband, who is a nurse, and he agrees with 
Dr.  Goyal.  Please see below.        

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an  MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) 
having clinical experience of  over 20 years. He has worked in institutions 
like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay  Hospital, Saifee Hospital, Tata Memorial etc. 
Presently, he is heading our  Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic 
at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and  Critical Centre, Malad (W). 

The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is  
important for all to know.
 
PREVENTING OR AT LEAST LESSENING THE SEVERITY OF SWINE  FLU

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 (unless you want to  eat or bathe). 

3.  Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't 
trust salt).  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 Q-tips  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  
(citrus fruits, for example). 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.

I suggest you pass  this on to others.  You never know how many might pay 
attention and stay  alive because of it.
 
Catherine Balkin
Balkin Buddies
Brooklyn, NY
_BalkinBuddies@aol.com_ (mailto:BalkinBuddies@aol.com)  

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