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September/October 2009
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Volume 2, Issue 4
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 How is the swine flu spread? It is thought to spread the same way that seasonal flus spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with this flu. People can also become infected by touching something like a surface or object that has flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes. People with the swine flu may be able to infect others from one day before getting sick to 5-7 days after. This can be longer in some people, especially children and people with weakened immune systems.What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people? The most common symptoms of this flu virus include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A large number of people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting. The majority of people who have been sick have recovered without needing medical treatment. There have been some hospitalizations and deaths from this infection, but it has not been found to be any worse than recent seasonal flu outbreaks. Seasonal flu-related deaths in the U.S. average 36,000 with approximately 200,000 people hospitalized for flu-related complications. Over 90% of deaths and about 60% of hospitalizations occur in people older than 65. So far between mid-April and August 30, 2009, a total of 9,079 hospitalizations and 593 deaths associated with the swine flu have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The 2009-10 flu season officially begins October 4, 2009. What preventive measures can I implement to protect myself? Just use common sense! For example, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth because germs spread this way. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick with flu-like symptoms, the CDC recommends that you stay home until at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or other necessities. Increase your daily intake of supplements that support your immune system including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3 (3,000 IU per day), fish oil, zinc, and flu homeopathic remedies like Oscillococcinum. Reduce dairy (milk and ice cream) and sugar intake which slow down the immune system. What do I do if I suspect that I have the swine flu? Stay home and avoid contact with others until at least 24 hours after your fever is gone. You do not have to take fever-reducing medication. Instead, try increasing your calcium intake. According to Dr. Richard P. Murray in his book Basic Guide to UNDERSTANDING CLINICAL LABORATORY TESTS the reason that you have a fever in the first place is that your muscles are warming up your bones to release calcium which is needed to trigger your white blood cells to fight the infection! In children, emergency warning signs that require immediate medical attention include fast breathing or trouble breathing, bluish or gray skin color, not drinking enough fluids, severe or persistent vomiting, not waking up or interacting, being so irritable that the child refuses to be held, and flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and a worse cough. In adults, watch for difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, severe or persistent vomiting, and flu-like symptoms improve but return with fever and worse cough. Should I get the swine flu vaccine? There is a huge push to make the experimental swine flu vaccine available by the end of September 2009 with test groups reportedly only having 3 weeks of follow-up for side effects. Federal officials are recommending that Americans get 3 flu shots this fall; one regular flu shot and 2 doses of the swine flu vaccine. Regular flu shots have been found to be notoriously ineffective and many more people died from the swine flu vaccine in 1976 than from the actual virus. The best thing for you to do is to become more informed on this subject so that you can make the best decision for yourself and your family. In addition to the CDC website (www.cdc.gov/flu) other helpful sites include www.NVIC.org (National Vaccine Information Center), www.DrTenpenny.com and www.PandemicFluOnline.com. Open House Wellness Day We are having an Open House Wellness Day on Saturday October 17th. Between 10 am - 2 pm we will be offering you (our patients), your family and friends, and the community free chair massages, blood pressure stress tests, and body fat analysis. 
We will also have healthy refreshments and a free raffle for door prizes including a $50 gift certificate to Nature’s Food Patch, a 1 hour therapeutic massage, and gift certificates to various local restaurants.This fun event will have everything to offer for the entire family including your kids since there will also be balloons and a dog-petting station with Dr. Nedd’s Yorkies - Happy & Bobby!  Back to Newsletter Library
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