What is H1N1?
H1N1/09 Influenza A Virus (credit U.S. Centers for Disease Control)
The H1N1/09 (pandemic) virus, commonly (and mistakenly) known as “The Swine Flu,” is a swine-origin Influenza Type A virus that contains genetic information from five other influenza strains. The virus cannot be passed from pigs to humans, and eating pork or pork products cannot transmit the virus. Studies at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found in May 2009 that most children had no existing immunity to this novel strain, but some adults aged 60 and over have some degree of natural immunity due to exposure to other, similar strains. H1N1/09 virus is contagious, and current science indicates that it is more contagious than other, more common strains of Influenza virus. Curiously, H1N1/09 either produces extremely severe symptoms in the patient, or it merely mimics a mild, common seasonal flu. Dr. Anand Kumar, an intensive-care expert at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, explains: “This pandemic is like two diseases. Either you’re off work a few days, or you go to hospital, often to the intensive-care unit. There’s no middle ground.”
How dangerous is H1N1/09?
The CDC estimates that 36,000 Americans die each year from seasonal flu strains. The most likely persons to die from the seasonal flu are the very young and the very old. Denis Coulombier, who heads the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control‘s preparedness and response unit, explained that H1N1 “killed a very small proportion of those who caught it, at about 0.2-0.3 deaths per thousand — a lower rate than seasonal flu, which kills around one patient per thousand.” However, he warned that a second wave of swine flu infections could be expected within weeks, which could be more severe. Scientists also fear that evolutionary processes could morph H1N1/09 into more pathogenic strains.
Those most at risk for H1N1:
While normal seasonal flu is generally most dangerous to newborn children and the elderly, H1N1/09 is far less likely to kill the elderly or newborns. In contrast, the four groups of people most at risk are: (1) children aged six months to nineteen years (however, the younger the child, the more at risk) (2) pregnant women, (3) people aged fifty years and older, (4) people of any age with chronic medical conditions, especially heart and lung disease, emphysema, auto-immune deficiencies, and diabetes.
Natural Ways to Prevent Catching and Spreading H1N1/09 (and also the seasonal flu):
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then immediately discard the tissue. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow. Do not cough or sneeze openly or into your hands.
- Wash your hands with soap often during the day, especially in public places. Proper hand-washing involves using soap and warm water and lathering for at least twenty seconds. If you can’t wash your hands, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
- Do not touch your face, mouth, eyes, or nose, especially after you’ve been in a public place. Influenza virus is most often transmitted when another person sneezes or coughs into their hands and touches something in public like a doorknob, leaving some virus on the public object. You obtain the virus by touching the same public object before the virus dies and then transmit the virus into your body by touching a part of your face such as your mouth or eyes.
- Stay home if you get sick. Don’t go to work or allow children to attend school.
- Follow and listen to public health advisories by local, state, and federal government concerning school closures, closures of public places, etc.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Take special precautions when caring for another sick person, or when a person in your household is sick.
- Take actions to boost your immune system like eating healthful food, exercising regularly, and implementing natural ways to deal with stress and anxiety.
Some common misconceptions about H1N1:
- Wearing a mask: Viruses are among the smallest living things on earth. Nearly all masks available to the layperson are designed to prevent the inhalation of particulate matter, such as sawdust, PM-2 matter in the air due to pollution, and volatile organic compounds emitted by things like deck stain and paint. They are not designed to prevent the transfer of things as small as viruses. Regardless, it is very uncommon for a virus to be passed directly from one human to another via a cough or sneeze in one’s face. As stated above, the most common vector of virus transfer is by your own hands onto your face and into your upper respiratory system. The only group of people who would benefit from a face mask might be adults treating children who might inadvertently cough or sneeze in the adult’s face.
- Swimming Pools: Viruses like influenza enter the human body via the upper respiratory tract. There has never been a documented case of virus transfer via skin contact in water. (However, one may still contract H1N1 outside the water at a public pool in the same manner as you might catch it in any public place).
- Eating pork: You simply cannot catch a flu virus from eating pork, or any other food product for that matter.
- Drinking Water: Public sources of drinking water are carefully regulated. Chlorination of public drinking water has been found scientifically to neutralize other highly pathogenic strains of influenza. To date, there has never been a documented case of flu virus transfer via a public drinking water source.
Natural Mountain Health Products for Flu and Cold Prevention and Treatment:
Heel Engystol® Tablets: Part of our Heel Allergy Relief Kit, these tablets provide natural treatment for symptoms of viral infections, feverish conditions, and skin disorders through stimulation of your defense system. Engystol® is safe for people of all ages from infants to adults.
Heel BHI Sinus Tablets provide all-natural relief from most sinus conditions, such as sinusitis, rhinitis, nasal congestion, sinus pressure, and headache. Heel BHI is fast-acting (tablets are dissolved in mouth) for quick relief from incapacitating symptoms, and is safe for people of all ages, from children to seniors.
Heel Euphorbium Sinus Nasal Spray (aka SinusinTM) provides temporary relief from most sinus issues, such as nasal congestion, rhinitis, phinitus, sinusitis, dry nasal membranes, and cold/flu nasal symptoms. The all-natural and fast-acting ingredients are safe to use on people of all ages, from infants to seniors. Euphorbium is the #1 selling homeopathic nasal spray in the US and can be used in conjunction with Heel BHI Sinus Tablets.
