Archive for April, 2009

SWINE FLU FAST BASIC FACTS

pig

SWINE FLU FAST BASIC FACTS

  1. What is swine flu?
    It is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of the pigs caused by the A/H1N1 strains of the influenza virus. It regularly causes high flu outbreaks in pigs but with low death rates.

  2. Where do outbreaks occur?
    Swine flu is considered endemic in the United States and outbreaks in pigs have also been reported elsewhere in North America, South America, Europe, Africa and parts of Eastern Asia.

  3. How does it spread?
    Swine flu viruses do not typically infect humans but through close proximity or contact with infected pigs or contaminated areas and through some cases of limited human-to-human transmission have been reported.

  4. What are the symptoms?
    It is very similar to a regular flu: fever, lethargy, runny nose, cough, sore throat and lack of appetite and for some – vomiting and diarrhoea.

  5. Is it safe to eat pork?
    No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. The World Health Organisation says properly handled and prepared pork products are safe to eat. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 70 degrees Celcius or higher kills the swine flu virus.

  6. Is the risk of a pandemic going to happen?
    Since the swine flu outbreaks in Mexico and the United States were identified, the risk of a pandemic has increased. Health officials worry the swine flu may develop into a form easly spread among humans. To do this, it could combine with a human flu virus or mutate on its own into a transmissible form. Experts also worry that the more the virus circulates, the risk of a pandemic strain will emerge. However, there is no way to predict when a pandemic strain will develop.

  7. Can swine flu be treated with antiviral drugs and flu vaccine?
    The swine flu is resistant to two common drugs – Amantadine and Rimantadine. The H1N1 swine flu viruses are very different from human H1N1 viruses. Health officials say there is no suggestion that the vaccine prepared for seasonal flu will protect against swine flu. While people who are given the seasonal flu vaccine will probably be not protected against swine flu, it may prevent them from getting the seasonal flu. If they are then infected with the swine flu, that reduces the possibility of the two flus mixing in that person to create a potential pandemic strain.
    However, a “seed vaccine” has been specifically tailored to this swine flu and will be manufactured if officials deem it necessary.

  8. What other treatment is available?
    The swine flu virus detected in Mexico and the United States appears to respond to treatment with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). In terms of prevention, mainaining good hygiene, regular hand-washing and staying a safe distance from those infected may help.

  9. Are there any travel restrictions in place?

    Not at the present moment, although there are precautions being exercised. In South-East-Asia, Malaysia and Japan’s international airports have stepped up health surveillance, while the Philippines may quarantine feverish passengers who have been to Mexico. Thailand and Hong Kong said they are closely monitoring the situation.

The above articles have been extracted from local newspapers dated 27 April 2009.

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The Truth about….. sinus infection home remedies

pe0059253The Truth about…. sinus infection home remedies

Whenever anyone suggested using sinus infection home remedies to heal your sinus infection, two thoughts will pop into your mind.

  • Oh!! not one of those cranky Sinus Infection Home Remedies again.

  • Omigosh! Sinus Infection Home Remedies – where in the world am I going to find the time. Please spare me!

Relax and listen!! Do you know that healing your sinus infection with sinus infection home remedies is as old as humankind. When you are down with a flu, your mother or grandmother would probably boil some delicious hot chicken soup for you. Or, when I have constipation, my mother would buy me a basket of lettuce!! Fiber, she said.

Okay, enough of grandmother recipes, let me share with you that throughout history, scientists have been using herbs to produce new products and medicines every day as they are finding that many of the old herbal remedies have less side effects than prescribed drugs and encourages our body to balance its system. Before the development of modern laboratory-manufactured drugs, almost all medicines were from natural herbal sources which explain why herbal sinus infection home remedies are so effective in healing your sinus infection.
As of today, it still is though most of us are unaware ……

  1. Do you know that the aspirin which you pop without giving a thought to relieve your headache was originally made from the bark of the white willow tree.

  2. Mint is an old favourite used extensively in gums, candies, toothpaste, mouthwashes, hair care and many others.

  3. Thyme – it is found in toothpastes, mouth gargles and mouthwash products such as Listerine

  4. Another well know example is the foxglove plant, the modern cardiac drug Digitalis uses the leaves of the purple foxglove plant to treat heart disorders and is the cardiac stimulant digitalis to millions of heart patients who are being kept alive worldwide.

  5. Ephedrine, the active ingredient from the herb Ephedra Sinica is used to treat asthma and other respiratory problems for years as it helps the patient to breathe easier.

  6. St. John’s Wort is widely used to treat mild depression without the need for Prozac as this herb does not have the side effects Prozac has.

  7. Licorice root is widely used in cough drops, syrups, tonics and laxatives.

Some statistics to whet your appetite :-

  1. According to a recent nationwide poll, about 42 % of adults in US turn to alternative medicines or therapies

  2. 74% of Americans who use alternative medicines say when they use them hand in hand with conventional medicine, they find that with the combination, they can heal faster.

Yes, there is a growing trend that many people are embracing alternative medicines and therapies to heal their illness, allergies and diseases as they found it to be holistic, without side effects and when used sensibly with modern medication, they can transform your life and health.

So the next time a good samaritan suggests trying some sinus infection home remedies, take a deep breath, stop , relax and smell the roses and see what your next two thoughts would be?

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