H1N1 Hysteria

by Teri Jaklin ND

October 31, 2009 - After a long campaign to garner public interest for the H1N1 vaccination, public health and the media have succeeded in creating a panicked and fearful public.

People in general are completely confused about H1N1, and that some of the hysteria is directly media influenced:

Be the media frenzy as it may, try to remove yourself from it to have a clear picture of the facts. The fact is that H1N1 is a mild influenza.At the time of writing, there is also no evidence that any antigenic shift in the H1N1 virus.  This means that there has been no change in the status of the virus.  Unfortuneatly it has taken the lives of a few individuals and when you find out the facts behind those deaths there is always a set of extenuating circumstances. Most people, however will recover without medical intervention. Seasonal influenza remains as a much larger threat to the health of the Canadian public.If Canada follows the pattern of other countries, the infection should get milder as the season goes on.

The number of calls to the clinic from concerned and confused people has been overwhelming.Even within my own family there is much fear around “what to do.” And, to make matters worse, tonight the big news story is that there will not be enough vaccine to go around, which will surley augment that confusion and fear. Clearly, people need useful advice and an action plan for their families. So instead of worrying about whether or not there is a shot somewhere for you, start your prevention plan today. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Practice Prudent Avoidance if you’re sick, stay home – if someone else is sick, stay away, wash your hands, wipe doorknobs, counters, phones, light switches etc.
   
   
2. Sleep. Go to bed 1 hour earlier every night for the next two weeks. I call this my sleep challenge, and it can be a life changing experience. Not only will you feel like a new person,  but your immune system will respond favorably and quickly. If you have children, this rule also applies. Pre-teens and teens are the worst offenders in the sleep deprivation department, but they are also old enough to be concerned about this flu. Tell them why you want them to go to bed early, then tuck them in like you used to, and turn off their light.
   
   
3. Avoid sugar. This sounds unmanageable at the end of October with Hallowe’en looming. Historically, in the first week of November the number of sick children to the clinic skyrockets. Most likely due to the massive ingestion of sugar in the days leading up to and the week following Hallowe’en. In the past, research has shown that sugar lowers your white blood cell count, which impedes your ability to fight infection. Maybe this year, Harry the Hallowe’en Fairy should visit your house, with a toy to exchange for candy.  Or perhaps you could talk to your children, and explain why you’re going to put the candy away until after flu season. Don’t be a complete party pooper – do something fun on Hallowe’en (pumpkin toss, or Hallowe’en party) instead of gorging on sugar loaded treats.
   
   
4. Stop focusing on the bad news. Whatever you hold as your predominant thought can become your reality.
   
   
5. Eat at home. We all love to eat out at restaurants, but there has never been a better time to make the time for nutritious healthy meals at home. Good nutrition (5+ servings of vegetables per day) is the undisputed cornerstone of health, bar none, no exceptions. We have no reason to think that this wouldn’t provide superior protection this flu season.
   
   
6. Supplement your diet.
   Vitamin D has shown time and again to be an important immune regulator and a potent antiviral.  It’s no coincidence that influenza season coincides with the decreased amount of sunlight experienced in all hemispheres on the planet. The sun is our primary source of Vitamin D, and new research coming from the University of Colorado, Denver school of Pharmacy suggests Vitamin D boosts immunity against respiratory infections like the flu. The dose I recommend is 4000iu for adults, 2000iu for older children and adolescents and 1000iu for small children – and this until flu season is over.
   
   Vitamin C is still an effective way to ward off viral infections.  Because Vitamin C is very safe, and because it is water soluble, high doses are simply flushed from the body through urine. Children under 12 should take 500mg/day, while adults should consume 1000-3000mg/day.
   
   Multivitamins are your nutritional insurance. Certain vitamins that are critical to creating a strong immune response are found in higher quality multivitamins.  In particular, Vitamin A, C, E, Selenium and Zinc work to boost your immunity. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin and should not be taken in excess of 10000IU in women who are pregnant.
   
   Probiotics.  These are good bacteria that live in your digestive tract. Our modern diet results in “disbiosis”, which is an imbalance of good to bad bacteria.  A large portion of your immune system as an adult, and an even larger part as a child, resides in your digestive tract. There is excellent evidence to suggest that probiotics supports immunity. If you purchase probiotics at your local health food store, you should find them in their fridge.  You should store them at home in your fridge.
   
   
7. Rinse your nasal cavities and your throat. Saline solution washes the virus out of your throat and into your stomach, where stomach acid kills it. Many devices are available at pharmacies for doing a nasal rinse. This procedure is remarkably comfortable, and is an effective way to dislodge a virus from your mucus membranes.  And of course, don’t forget good old fashioned gargling with salt water.
   
   
8. Special concerns – if you have special concerns there has never been a better time to get in to see your naturopath.

It would be remiss of me not to address the fever response in flu season. It is important to understand that a fever is the body’s attempt to KILL THE VIRUS and yet we tend to surpress it as soon as it starts to creep up. Pediatric emergency department nurses’ perspectives on fever in children.as pubished in Pediatric Emergency Care[ 16(1):9-12] states the median temperature considered by pediatric emergency RNs to be dangerous to a child was 40.6 degrees C (105.0F)with some variation. And that a child’s fever must be reduced between 39.9 (103.8F)and 41.7 (107)degrees C.  An effective way  to do this is with hydrotherapy – pat the child’s body with a wet (tepid) wash cloth and fan it off. Use homeopathics, lots of fluids, and work with your ND, they are trained and comfortable with managing the the fever response.

Rather than buying into the panic, get busy, take care of yourself and your family. There’s never been a more important time to sleep well, eat well, and laugh.

None of this information is intended to substitute for the advice of your primary health care provider. If you have more questions, talk to your Naturopath or your family doctor.