What You Need to Know About Swine Flu

We are all concerned about the swine flu. Already leading health officials have been using the word pandemic. It has been estimated that roughly 90,000 people may die from the swine flu this year, which is more than twice the people during a normal flu season. Heath officials have been working almost non-stop in an effort to create a vaccine which should be ready by the middle of October.

It can be difficult to tell whether a person is suffering from the swine flu or an ordinary bout of influenza since the symptoms - coughing, fever, sore and aching muscles, fatigue, and headaches - are so very similar. And, just as with a less virulent flu or cold, the swine flu can be spread by airborne fluids sent out through coughing and sneezing, and even being in contact with someone already suffering.

You need to know who is most at risk for contracting the swine flu. They include the following:

* Children from ages 6 months to 19 years old (the younger the child, the greater the risk)
* Women who may be pregnant
* Individuals over the age of 50
* Individuals with heart or lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, COPD or diabetes
* Individuals with compromised immune systems

The swine flu is a new, virulent strain of the flu that we have not seen before, which means we have not built up an immunity against it and makes everyone at risk of catching it. That explains why people are so concerned about the swine flu this year.

Resources:

* Swine Flu Facts
* CDC H1N1 Facts
* Swine Flu Virus Vaccination Supply
* Free 45-Page Survive Pandemic Flu Report

There are also people who are feeling concerns about the swine flu vaccine. This article is not here to convince you if you have already made up your mind. However, there are methods that can be used to help avoid catching the swine flu and limit its severity if you are unfortunate enough to contract it. Sitting back and doing nothing will not help you get over this disease any faster. The body must be taken care of if it is to recover from the swine flu.

To begin with, look at the similar, common sense methods we use in battling and preventing all colds, flus, and similar diseases. These basic methods include:

* Limiting your intake of sugar and simple carbohydrates which can reduce your white blood cell count for 24 hours.
* Keeping hydrated by drinking plenty of water
* Getting enough rest
* Wash your hands often, particularly if you have been in contact with someone who may be ill
* Getting the most out of your nutrition

The last one can be a bit confusing, since if you're eating well and taking a multivitamin, aren't you getting the most out of your nutrition? The answer is, unfortunately, no. So much of what we eat today has been processed past the point of nutrition and lacks the necessary vitamins and minerals our bodies need. Multivitamins can help keep your body balanced and provide you with a good supply of the most essential vitamins, but your body needs more, especially when you are looking to protect yourself against the swine flu.

Vitamin D & Your Immune System

Vitamin D and vitamin D supplements are proving to be useful natural tools that help the body fight the swine flu. Vitamin D is not found in sufficient doses in food to help meet our bodies requirements. Some fish are known to be a good source of vitamin D. But the best source is the sun. For fair skinned individuals, fifteen minutes in the sun can give you almost 20,000 IUs of vitamin D, while a single cup of milk can give you only 100 IUs. It's recommended that you take at least a daily allowance of 200 IUs for an adult, and 400 IUs for a child, but this is to help with bone growth and to fight rickets and osteomalacia, not to increase your immune system.

Evidence has been gathered that links a lack of vitamin D with lower immunity. Many healthcare providers and scientists think the reason flus and colds hit most in winter is due to the limited exposure to sunlight (and therefore, the lack of necessary vitamin D) we have during these winter months, which may be why the swine flu is striking now.

It's time to get your vitamin D levels checked. Ideally, they should be above 50 ng/mL. If you are an adult with low levels of vitamin D, begin a supplementation of 5,000 IUs each day and recheck in three months. Or, if you can, try to get some sunshine for at least 15 minutes a day to help stave off the effects of the swine flu.