| Call it what you will. Swine flu virus. H1N1 virus. Swine | | | | take a sample from you and send it to your state |
| flu epidemic. Swine flu pandemic. It's all the same. It's | | | | health department lab where they will do some |
| just the flu. Is there a swine flu vaccine? Not really. | | | | testing to see if it is the H1N1 virus. And if it is, your |
| And why not? Well, according to the WebMD, the | | | | physician can write you a prescription for a |
| reason we don't have a swine flu vaccine is that, | | | | pre-existing influenza medicine - one that pre-dates |
| supposedly, no one saw the new virus coming. | | | | this version of swine flu, by the way. One that |
| A little background might be helpful now. I'll bet you | | | | wasn't designed to treat this swine flu. Weird, huh? |
| didn't know that pigs can get the flu too. This is | | | | Wonder who benefits from that? |
| common knowledge in the pig industry. And yes, | | | | Doesn't sound like you will, does it? And, in fact, |
| people have gotten the flu from pigs in the past but | | | | most people recover quite nicely from the H1N1 viral |
| only when they had direct contact with the pigs. | | | | infection without the use of any pharmaceutical |
| And, if a pig worker did get the flu from a pig, it was | | | | remedy at all. Although anyone with a pre-existing |
| only that one worker who was affected. | | | | weakness might have more difficulty and need some |
| But this time it's different. This time, not only can pigs | | | | extra help from a physician. |
| pass their flu to humans but humans can pass it to | | | | Well, how is swine flu transmitted? The H1N1 virus |
| other humans. And they can pass it back to pigs. This | | | | spreads just like any other virus. You could pick it up |
| is a new development in the world of swine flu. And | | | | from someone who has it and sneezes on you; or |
| another thing that's new and different about this | | | | who sneezed on the handrail you just touched; or |
| strain of the H1N1 virus according to the Center for | | | | sneezed into their hand and then shook yours. You |
| Disease Control (CDC) is that its makeup contains | | | | know - the same way you get any other flu or cold |
| genes from North American pigs, genes from | | | | virus. |
| European pigs, genes from Asian pigs, avian genes | | | | And what about your morning eggs and bacon. No |
| and human genes. It almost sounds as if someone | | | | worries. Cooked pork is still perfectly safe just as it |
| stuck a bunch of genes together just to see what | | | | always has been. |
| would happen, doesn't it? Could the H1N1 virus be a | | | | What's the best way to avoid swine flu? Well, the |
| lab experiment gone wild? Who knows? But follow | | | | very best way is to keep your immune system |
| the money trail and you just might find out. | | | | healthy. There's at least one study published in |
| What are the swine flu symptoms? Well, just like any | | | | PubMed which suggests that EGCG from Green Tea |
| other flu, there's fever, cough, sore throat, body | | | | is a deterrent to the H1N1 virus. And there are many |
| aches, headache, chills and fatigue and maybe a little | | | | additional ways to keep your immune system healthy. |
| vomiting and diarrhea. Nothing that anyone who has | | | | You probably remember that old saying "the good |
| had any other kind of influenza in the past wouldn't | | | | lord helps those who help themselves." Well, if you |
| be familiar with. But those things can be symptoms | | | | help yourself by keeping your immune system strong |
| of other illnesses also. So, how do you know if you | | | | and healthy and resilient, you'll be just fine even if |
| actually have swine flu? Well, there's really only one | | | | you are exposed to H1N1 or any other virus. |
| way to tell. You have to go to the doctor. Let her | | | | |