Monday, October 12, 2009

Practicality--how to avoid catching the flu, including H1N1


My mama works in a doctor's office, and just sent out this info:


Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist), having clinical experience of over 20 years, and he put together the following reminders. The only portals of entry for these viruses are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to not come 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, bathe or slap).

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 using a Neti pot, but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs 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. 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.


Everybody stay healthy out there.

5 comments:

  1. ooooh, thank you i needed this! my immune system sucks and i catch everything that goes around.

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  2. Take your vitamins, Erin. There, didn't I sound like your mom for just a sec?

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  3. Right on, I am a huge advocate of the salt water method, I call it the "snot rocket" since I use an eyedropper to squirt and inhale instead of the neti pot, same diff. It is a magical thing, I use it if I get a cold or my kid does, cleans it right out!

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  4. I can't do stuff up my nose, but I might try a swab. . . No up the nose for me.

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  5. I'm feeling proud of myself because I take all of these precautions and then some! Great post : )

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