Dear Subscriber,

Welcome to American Country Doctor! Today I want to discuss swine flu and what all the great noise made by the mass media and public health authorities really means.  I’ll also give you some common sense advice on how to prevent and treat any flu illness, not just the swine flu.

The H1N1 Swine Influenza A (swine flu) has been declared a public health emergency in this country.  The World Health Organization (WHO)  has just declared swine flu a level 6 on the threat scale, the highest possible. 

A WHO level 6 – the highest possible — indicates a pandemic is underway,  which means that it can be expected to spread across borders and even around the world.  The level 6 rating does not apply to severity of disease, simply how far it might spread.

This brings us to the subject of the reported deaths from the swine flu – 104 in Mexico and now one in the USA.  There is no question that death from any disease is a tragedy. 

There was no information about who died from the swine flu.  Where they frail and elderly?  Where they young children under 5 years of age.  Both of these groups are naturally more vulnerable to any easily transmitted viral illness, not just swine flu.  The one American was a 23 month old infant in Texas, near the Mexican border.

It is also important to note that any disease is more dangerous to people living in impoverished circumstances.  Squalor, unsanitary living conditions, the stresses of poverty and poor nutrition all increase the risk of disease and death.  

Also, most cases of the swine flu reported thus far have been mild.

By the way, here are the symptoms to watch out for:

Fever (> 100 degrees F), runny nose, sore throat, body aches, headache, extreme fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite.

No fun, to be sure.  But these symptoms define any flu illness, not just swine flu.

So what’s behind all the fuss? Public health officials are of course playing it safe.  The last thing they want to have happen is to be accused of underestimating – rather than overestimating – the swine flu threat.

The tools at hand are drugs and vaccines, measures that ironically may have the potential to cause more death and serious illness than the swine flu itself. Back in 1976 there were hundreds of cases of a paralyzing disease affecting the nervous system called Guillain-Barre.   These were thought to be caused by widespread vaccination in response to the flu threat at that time.

Are public health authorities and the drug companies deliberately conspiring to pull the wool over the public’s eyes?  I doubt it.  But the fact remains that there are major incentives for both entities to push this story as hard as they can. 

These incentives are simply built into the system.

As for the mass media, the swine flu presents them with the chance to drive a major story while appearing to act responsibly in the public interest.

Let’s discuss what you can do to lower your chances of getting not only the swine flu, but any infectious disease.

MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF VIRUS YOU’RE EXPOSED TO

Practice regular and washing, covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, avoid touching your eyes nose or mouth and staying home from work or school if you are sick. I recommend that when you wash your hands, take a good

30 seconds – count out loud, it’s longer than you think making your sure wash thoroughly under your nails.  Avoid antibacterial soaps. Regular soap, which simply washes away dirt and germs, is fine.

It’s also best to avoid contact with sick persons and avoid unnecessary shaking of hands.  Always wash your hands if when you do.

The flu virus is carried on droplets that travel through the air when a person coughs or sneezes.  These can alight on objects such as computers, telephones and other surfaces and stick around for hours to days.  This is another reason to wash your hands regularly . . . and make sure you don’t touch your hands to your mouth, nose or face.

As for the flu vaccine, there’s no vaccine available that’s specific for the current H1N1 swine flu strain.  Flu viruses mutate so quickly, it’s virtually impossible to keep up with new versions of the virus with a new vaccine.

SUPORT YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Here are two tips to help prevent catching the flu you can apply now that can make a difference. 

• Get enough sleep.  Sleep deprivation depresses the immune system and makes you more likely to succumb to any infectious agent.
• Keep the sugar out of your diet.  The sugar in sweet foods depresses your immune system.  So make a point of minimizing it generally, but especially if your concerned about coming down with the flu.

Your immune systems works best when your muscles are strong and toned and you are physically active.  Exercise keeps immune system lymphatic fluids flowing smoothly, which help you mount a strong response to any infectious agent.

Chronic physical and emotional stress depresses your immune system, so managing stress is key for helping prevent any disease.

TREATMENTS FOR SWINE FLU OR ANY OTHER FLU

For the both the prevention and treatment of swine flu, a great deal of noise has been made about the anti-viral drugs Tamiflu.  On average, Tamiflu reduces the duration of a flu episode by 1+ days, a modest benefit at best.  What is frankly bizarre is the list of common side effects, which actually sounds like flu itself: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, eye redness or discomfort, cough or other respiratory symptoms.  It can also cause delirium, confusion, hallucinations and so called “unusual behavior.”

 It also seems there’s a great deal of stockpiled Tamiflu that will soon expire.  So it’s in someone’s interest to see that as much Tamiflu is sold and used up before this happens.

 The decision to use Tamiflu or not is up to you and your doctor. Instead of or in addition to Tamiflu, consider using black elderberry syrup, which has a long history of safe and effective use.  Sambucol, a tasty formulation from Nature’s Way, actually a few small but tightly designed clinical studies showing impressive benefits superior to Tamiflu and, of course, without the long list of harmful side effects.

One study in from Oslo, Norway, showed a reduction in duration from just over 6 days to 3 days.  Another showed most people who use Sambucol are symptom free after 3 days. 

The key to getting maximum benefit from Sambucol is to start taking it at the first signs of illness.

 Good luck.  I believe we’ll look back at the swine flu pandemic of 2009 and find the whole matter was blown out proportion.  With hundreds of Americans dying prematurely every day from heart disease, which is caused primarily by stress,  poor nutrition and lack of exercise, I’d say we need to reset our national disease prevention priorities.

Alan Inglis MD
American Country Doctor
May 6, 2009