Wednesday, December 9, 2009

What to do about the flu?

Whether you choose to vaccinate or not this year against the flu, it is important to feel confident that you are making an informed decision. Public health recommendations for the flu vaccination are often based on promoting herd immunity, which by its very nature, does not incorporate individualized health-care decision-making. Dr. Heather Zwickey, Dean of Research at the National College of Natural Medicine, my alma mater, has created a wonderful document called "Balancing the H1N1 Risk with Vaccination" to help you weigh the risk of getting the disease versus the risk of getting the vaccination. (Dr. Zwickey's complete article is available at: www.ncnm.edu) I would like to share pertinent points to consider from her article:


Are you a healthy adult?
  • 5-10% of HEALTHY Americans between the ages of 18-50 experience the flu, while anadditional 30-50% are infected with the flu but don't experience symptoms
  • If you are infected with the flu virus, you can infect others 24 hours before symptoms develop (ie- fever, headaches, muscle aches, dry cough, sore throat, stomach symptoms) and up to 5-7 days after becoming sick
  • IF YOU HAVE A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIGHT OFF THE FLU WITHOUT GETTING A VACCINATION

If you are a HEALTHY adult, when should you CONSIDER getting the flu shot?
  • If you are caring for others who are in a high-risk category to suffer significant consequences associated with the flu (ie: infants, pregnant women, hospital or clinic patients, obese people, alcoholics, people with lung disease)
  • If you cannot afford to miss 7 days of work should you come down with flu-like symptoms. The vaccine can be 80-96% effective in preventing flu in healthy adults under 65 years old. (The Science Daily, September 13, 2009)
  • In contrast, in adults with certain illnesses like COPD, heart disease, liver or kidney problems, immune suppression, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases, or for those adults who live in a chronic-care facility, the flu shot may be safer than getting the flu.
Who should strongly consider avoiding the H1N1 flu shot?
  • History of severe reaction to past flu vaccine
  • Allergic to eggs
  • Currently ill with a fever
  • Under 6 months of age
  • History of asthma (the flu shot may aggravate breathing issues and current studies are evaluating more specifically the impact of the flu shot on people with asthma)
What about vaccinating children over 6 months old?
  • The October 5th, 2009 version of Science Daily reports the following degree ofprotection from the H1N1 vaccine in different age groups: a) 10-17 year olds: 76% protection from virus with a single dose of vaccine, b) less than 9 years old: 36% protection from a single dose of vaccine, and c) kids 6-35 months: 25% protection from the virus with a single dose of vaccine
  • The aforementioned statistics suggest that the H1N1 vaccine doesn't appear to be very effective for young kids
And if I do decide to get the H1N1 vaccination?
  • Be sure to request the mercury-free version of the flu vaccine. These are pre-filled syringes that do not contain mercury.
  • Avoid the nasal version of the H1N1 vaccine IF you are a child under 2 years old or if you have a compromised immune system. The nasal version contains a live, mutated version of the H1N1 virus that some people may not be able to tolerate.
Again, please visit www.ncnm.edu to read Dr. Zwickey's complete article.

As a Naturopathic Doctor, let me provide some insight to other questions you may have regarding the flu...

How do I best support my immune system to prevent getting the flu?
  • I suggest a high dose of what my colleague, Dr. Louise Edwards, N.D., refers to as Vitamin R! This means adequate Rest and Relaxation to allow you to Rebuild and Recover from any exposure to the flu virus. If you are not sleeping well at night for approximately 8 continuous hours and you are continually stressed out, you are more susceptible to getting sick.
  • Consider supplementing with Vitamin D and probiotics to support the immune response and to promote resistance to infections.
  • Work with a qualified natural medicine practitioner who can advise you on appropriate homeopathic and botanical remedies to take that address this year's flu.
  • Stay well hydrated (this usually means 2-3 liters of pure water for most people) and avoid sugary drinks. Reduce coffee (1-2 cups at most) and caffeine intake as this can create a "stress" response in the body.
  • Wash hands regularly, especially after being in a crowded place. Avoid touching your eyes and nose. If someone around you sneezes or coughs, try to move to a clean air environment.
And if you do get the flu, what can you do???
  • Contact a natural medicine practitioner who can offer the correct homeopathic remedy to assist your recovery.
  • Fevers are the body's way of stimulating an effective immune response. In healthy adults and children, safe fevers can go as high as 104 degrees F! If you or your child has a fever (>100 degrees F), stay in close communication with your health care provider so that they can help you navigate through the fever, and they can alert you to concerning signs. Tepid baths, homeopathic remedies, and botanical medicine can assist with the discomforts associated with fevers.
  • Maintain high doses of Vitamin R (rest and relaxation). Plan to stay home for 5-7 days.
  • Water therapy: Stay well hydrated, especially with a fever. Your pee should be copious and clear. Hydrotherapy! Home treatments can include warming socks and alternating hot and cold compresses to the chest and throat.
  • Continue probiotics and Vitamin D supplementation.
  • Eat chicken soup or a light menu with steamed vegetables, garlic, onions, and ginger. Avoid sugary foods.

I hope this information assists you in your health-care decision-making! Breathe easy and be well.