101B - Pan(dem)ic

Checked my work email (it's not dedication, it's because I sometimes get personal emails at that address), and saw this:

"As you may see reported in the media, the Administration has categorized the H1N1 pandemic outbreak as a national emergency. Such a declaration impacts the availability and release of medical resources and personnel and is considered to be a proactive measure."

...sigh... I don't know what to think about this whole swine flu thing. I feel like it's overblown, but maybe I'm being to lackadaisical about the whole thing. I tend not to get excited about things that I probably should get excited about, but (to quote Doris Day) que sera, sera... whatever will be, will be.

I did get an email that had some suggestions on how to avoid contracting it, and the suggestions seemed pretty reasonable, so I'll share them with you:

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. **This can be done by blowing the nose hard and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds 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 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.