Critical Alert: The Swine Flu Pandemic – Fact or Fiction?

[Guest guest]

Critical Alert: The Swine Flu Pandemic – Fact or Fiction?

_http://articles.mercola.

com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx)

By Dr. Mercola

American health officials declared a public health emergency as cases of

swine flu were confirmed in the U.S. Health officials across the world fear

this could be the leading edge of a global pandemic emerging from Mexico,

where seven people are confirmed dead as a result of the new virus.

On Monday April 27th, the _World Health Organization (WHO) raised its

pandemic alert level_

(http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/phase/en/index.html) to four on

its six-level threat scale,_1_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn1) which means

they've determined that the virus is capable of human-to-human

transmission. The initial outbreaks across North America reveal an infection

already

traveling at higher velocity than did the last official pandemic strain, the

1968 Hong Kong flu.

The number of fatalities, and suspected and confirmed cases across the

world change depending on the source, so your best bet -- if you want the

latest numbers -- is to use _Google Maps' Swine Flu Tracker_

(http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8 & hl=en & t=p & msa=0 & msid=1064847750902966852\

71.0004681a37b71

3f6b5950 & ll=32.639375,-110.390625 & spn=15.738151,25.488281 & z=5) .

_http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8 & hl=en & t=p & msa=0 & msid=106484775090296

685271.0004681a37b713f6b5950 & ll=32.639375,-110.390625 & spn=15.738151,25.48828

1 & z=5_

(http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8 & hl=en & t=p & msa=0 & msid=1064847750902966852\

71.0004681a37b713f6b5950 & ll=32.639375,-110.390625 & spn=15.738151,2

5.488281 & z=5)

 

Several nations have imposed travel bans, or made plans to quarantine air

travelers_2_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn2) that present symptoms of the swine flu, such as:

 

* Fever of more than 100

* Coughing

* Runny nose and/or sore throat

* Joint aches

* Severe headache

* Vomiting and/or diarrhea

* Lethargy

* Lack of appetite

 

Top global flu experts are trying to predict how dangerous the new swine

flu strain will be, as it became clear that they had little information

about Mexico's outbreak. It is as yet unclear how many cases occurred in the

month or so before the outbreak was detected. It's also unknown whether the

virus was mutating to be more lethal, or less.

Much Fear Mongering Being Promoted

I suspect you have likely been alarmed by the media's coverage of the

swine flu scare. It has a noticeable subplot - preparing you for draconian

measures to combat a future pandemic as well as forcing you to accept the idea

of mandatory vaccinations.

_On April 27, Time magazine published an article_

(http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1894129,00.html) which

discusses how dozens died and

hundreds were injured from vaccines as a result of the 1976 swine flu

fiasco, when the Ford administration attempted to use the infection of soldiers

at Fort Dix as a pretext for a mass vaccination of the entire country.

Despite acknowledging that the 1976 farce was an example of “how not to

handle a flu outbreakâ€, the article still introduces the notion that

officials “may soon have to consider whether to institute draconian measures

to

combat the diseaseâ€.

WHO and CDC Pandemic Preparedness Seriously Broken

The pandemic warning system has failed as it simply doesn't exist, even in

North America and Europe. To improve the system, massive new investments

in surveillance, scientific and regulatory infrastructure, basic public

health, and global access to common sense interventions like vitamin D

optimization are required.

According to the Washington Post, the CDC did not learn about the outbreak

until six days after Mexico had begun to impose emergency measures. There

should be no excuses. The paradox of this swine flu panic is that, while

totally unexpected, it was accurately predicted. Six years ago, Science

dedicated a major story to evidence that " after years of stability, the North

American swine flu virus has jumped onto an evolutionary fasttrack " .

However, maybe this is precisely what public health authorities desire.

This is NOT the First Swine Flu Panic

My guess is that you can expect to see a lot of panic over this issue in

the near future. But the key is to remain calm -- this isn't the first time

the public has been warned about swine flu. The last time was in 1976,

right before I entered medical school and I remember it very clearly. It

resulted in the massive swine flu vaccine campaign.

Do you happen to recall the result of this massive campaign?

Within a few months, claims totaling $1.3 billion had been filed by

victims who had suffered paralysis from the vaccine. The vaccine was also

blamed

for 25 deaths.

However, several hundred people developed crippling Guillain-Barré

Syndrome after they were injected with the swine flu vaccine. Even healthy

20-year-olds ended up as paraplegics.

And the swine flu pandemic itself? It never materialized.

More People Died From the Swine Flu Vaccine than Swine Flu!

It is very difficult to _forecast a pandemic_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/08/26/states-still-rese\

rving-vaccines-for-an-imag

inary-pandemic.aspx) , and a rash response can be extremely damaging.

As of Monday April 27, the worldwide total number of confirmed cases was

82, according to WHO, which included 40 cases in the U.S., confirmed by the

Centers for Disease Control. But does that truly warrant the feverish news

headlines?

To put things into perspective, malaria kills 3,000 people EVERY DAY, and

it's considered " a health problem " ... But of course, there are no fancy

vaccines for malaria that can rake in billions of dollars in a short amount

of time.

One Australian news source,_3_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn3) for example, states that even a

mild swine flu epidemic could lead to the deaths of 1.4 million people and

would reduce economic growth by nearly $5 trillion dollars.

Give me a break, if this doesn't sound like the outlandish cries of the

pandemic bird-flu I don't know what does. Do you remember when President Bush

said _two million Americans would die as a result of the bird flu_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/10/25/avian-flu-epidemi\

c-is

-a-hoax.aspx) ?

In _2005_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/11/15/finally-medical-j\

ournal-admits-the-truth-about-bird-flu.aspx) , in _2006_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/05/27/what-happened-to-\

t

hat-imaginary-avian-flu-epidemic.aspx) , _2007_

(http://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2007/03/26/More-Evidence-Bird\

-Flu-is-a-Hoax.aspx) ,

and again in _2008_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/02/14/i-was-right-about\

-the-bird-flu-hoax.aspx) , those fears were exposed

as little more than a cruel hoax, designed to instill fear, and _line the

pocketbooks of various individuals_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/09/12/rumsfeld-to-profi\

t-from-bird-flu-hoax.aspx) and

industry. I became so convinced by the evidence AGAINST the possibility of a

bird flu pandemic that I wrote a New York Times bestselling book, _The Bird

Flu Hoax_ (http://www.greatbirdfluhoax.com/) , all about the massive fraud

involved with the epidemic that never happened..

What is the Swine Flu?

Regular swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease, caused by a type-A

influenza virus that affects pigs. The current strain, A(H1N1), is a new

variation of an H1N1 virus -- which causes seasonal flu outbreaks in humans

-- that also contains genetic material of bird and pig versions of the flu.

Interestingly enough, this version has never before been seen in neither

human nor animal, which I will discuss a bit later.

This does sound bad. But not so fast. There are a few reasons to not rush

to conclusions that this is the deadly pandemic we've been told would occur

in the near future (as if anyone could predict it without having some sort

of inside knowledge).

Why a True Bird- or Swine Flu Pandemic is HIGHLY Unlikely

While in my opinion it is highly likely factory farming is responsible for

producing this viral strain, I believe there is still no cause for concern.

You may not know this, but all H1N1 flu's are descendants of the 1918

pandemic strain. The reason why the flu shot may or may not work, however, from

year to year, is due to mutations. Therefore, there's no vaccine available

for this current hybrid flu strain, and naturally, this is feeding the fear

that millions of people will die before a vaccine can be made.

However, let me remind you of one very important fact here.

Just a couple of months ago, scientists concluded that the 1918 flu

pandemic that killed between 50-100 million people worldwide in a matter of 18

months -- which all these worst case scenarios are built upon -- was _NOT due

to the flu itself_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/02/28/Flu-Was-Not-the-R\

eal-Killer-in-the-1918-Pandemic.aspx) !_4_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn4)

Instead, they discovered the real culprit was strep infections.

People with influenza often get what is known as a " superinfection " with a

bacterial agent. In 1918 it appears to have been Streptococcus pneumoniae.

 

Since strep is much easier to treat than the flu using modern medicine, a

new pandemic would likely be much less dire than it was in the early 20th

century, the researchers concluded.

Others, such as evolutionary biologist Paul Ewald,_5_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn5) claim that

a pandemic of this sort simply cannot happen, because in order for it to

occur, the world has to change. Not the virus itself, but the world.

In a previous interview for Esquire magazine, in which he discusses the

possibility of a bird flu pandemic, he states:

" They think that if a virus mutates, it's an evolutionary event. Well, the

virus is mutating because that is what viruses and other pathogens do. But

evolution is not just random mutation. It is random mutation coupled with

natural selection; it is a battle for competitive advantage among different

strains generated by random mutation.

For bird flu to evolve into a human pandemic, the strain that finds a home

in humanity has to be a strain that is both highly virulent and highly

transmissible. Deadliness has to translate somehow into popularity; H5N1 has

to find a way to kill or immobilize its human hosts, and still find other

hosts to infect. Usually that doesn't happen. "

Ewald goes on to explain that evolution in general is all about

trade-offs, and in the evolution of infections the trade-off is between

virulence and

transmissibility.

What this means is that in order for a " bird flu " or " swine flu " to turn

into a human pandemic, it has to find an environment that favors both deadly

virulence and ease of transmission.

People living in squalor on the Western Front at the end of World War I

generated such an environment, from which the epidemic of 1918 could arise.

Likewise, crowded chicken farms, slaughterhouses, and jam-packed markets

of eastern Asia provide another such environment, and that environment gave

rise to the bird flu -- a pathogen that both kills and spreads, in birds,

but not in humans.

Says Ewald:

" We know that H5N1 is well adapted to birds. We also know that it has a

hard time becoming a virus that can move from person to person. It has a hard

time without our doing anything. But we can make it harder. We can make

sure it has no human population in which to evolve transmissibility. There is

no need to rely on the mass extermination of chickens. There is no need to

stockpile vaccines for everyone.

By vaccinating just the people most at risk -- the people who work with

chickens and the caregivers -- we can prevent it from becoming transmissible

among humans. Then it doesn't matter what it does in chickens. "

Please remember that, despite the fantastic headlines and projections of

MILLIONS of deaths, the H5N1 bird flu virus killed a mere 257 people

worldwide since late 2003. As unfortunate as those deaths are, 257 deaths

worldwide from any disease, over the course of five years, simply does not

constitute an emergency worthy of much attention, let alone fear!

Honestly, your risk of being killed by a lightning strike in the last five

years was about 2,300 percent higher than your risk of contracting and

dying from the bird flu._6_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn6) I'm not kidding! In just one year (2004),

more than 1,170 people died from lighting strikes, worldwide._7_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn7)

 

So please, as the numbers of confirmed swine flu cases are released, keep

a level head and don't let fear run away with your brains.

So is the Swine Flu Getting More or Less Dangerous?

On Sunday, April 26, The Independent reported that more than 1,000 people

had contracted the swine flu virus in Mexico, _8_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn8) but by the

afternoon that same day, Mexican President Calderon declared that more than

two-thirds of the 1,300 thought to have contracted the disease had been given a

clean bill of health and sent home._9_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn9)

Additionally, the number of actual confirmed cases appears to be far lower

than reported in many media outlets, leading me to believe that many

reporters are interchanging the terms " suspected cases " and " confirmed cases. "

Interestingly Mexico is the ONLY country in the world where someone has

actually died from this disease.Mexico has reported 152 fatalities in flu-like

cases in recent days, seven of which have been confirmed as swine flu.

Another 19 patients have been confirmed as having swine flu but surviving.

About 2,000 people have been hospitalized with symptoms.

By contrast, the United States has had 64 confirmed cases, five

hospitalizations and no deaths from US Citizens. On _April 29th CNN reported the

first

swine fatality in the US,_

(http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html) however this was

actually a child from Mexico that died in

Texas.

According to the _World Health Organization's Epidemic and Pandemic Alert

and Response site_ (http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_04_27/en/index.html) ;

as of April 27, there are:

* 64 laboratory confirmed cases in U.S. -- 0 deaths _(reported by CDC

as of April 29)_ (http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/)

* 26 confirmed cases in Mexico -- 7 deaths

* 6 confirmed cases in Canada -- 0 deaths

* 1 confirmed case in Spain -- 0 deaths

Additionally, nearly all suspected new cases have been reported as mild.

Personally, I am highly skeptical. It simply doesn't add up to a real

pandemic.

But it does raise serious questions about where this brand new, never

before seen virus came from, especially since it cannot be contracted from

eating pork products, and has never before been seen in pigs, and contains

traits from the bird flu -- and which, so far, only seems to respond to

Tamiflu. Are we just that lucky, or... what?

Your Fear Will Make Some People VERY Rich in Today's Crumbling Economy

According to the Associated Press at least one financial analyst estimates

up to $388 million worth of Tamiflu sales in the near future_10_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn10)

-- and that's without a pandemic outbreak.

More than half a dozen pharmaceutical companies, including Gilead Sciences

Inc., Roche, GlaxoSmithKline and other companies with a stake in flu

treatments and detection, have seen a rise in their shares in a matter of days,

and will likely see revenue boosts if the swine flu outbreak continues to

spread.

As soon as Homeland Security declared a health emergency, 25 percent --

about 12 million doses -- of Tamiflu and Relenza treatment courses were

released from the nation's stockpile. However, beware that the declaration also

allows unapproved tests and drugs to be administered to children. Many

health- and government officials are more than willing to take that chance with

your life, and the life of your child. But are you?

Remember, Tamiflu went through some rough times not too long ago, as the

dangers of this drug came to light when, in 2007, the _FDA finally began

investigating some 1,800 adverse event reports related to the drug_ (http

://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/03/15/tamiflu-s-effects-on-y\

our

-brain.aspx) . Common side effects of Tamiflu include:

* Nausea

* Vomiting

* Diarrhea

* Headache

* Dizziness

* Fatigue

* Cough

All in all, the very symptoms you're trying to avoid.

More serious symptoms included convulsions, delirium or delusions, and 14

deaths in children and teens as a result of neuropsychiatric problems and

brain infections (which led Japan to ban Tamiflu for children in 2007). And

that's for a drug that, when used as directed, only reduces the duration of

influenza symptoms by 1 to 1 ½ days, according to the official data.

But making matters worse, some patients with influenza are at HIGHER risk

for secondary bacterial infections when on Tamiflu. And secondary bacterial

infections, as I mentioned earlier, was likely the REAL cause of the mass

fatalities during the 1918 pandemic!

Where did This Mysterious New Animal-Human Flu Strain Come From?

Alongside the fear-mongering headlines, I've also seen increasing numbers

of reports questioning the true nature of this virus. And rightfully so.

Could a mixed animal-human mutant like this occur naturally? And if not,

who made it, and how was it released?

Not one to dabble too deep in conspiracy theories, I don't have to strain

very hard to find actual facts to support the notion that this may not be a

natural mutation, and that those who stand to gain have the wherewithal to

pull off such a stunt.

Just last month I reported on the _story_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/26/Were-Tainted-Vacc\

ines-a-Conspiracy-to-Provoke-a

-Pandemic.aspx) that the American pharmaceutical company Baxter was under

investigation for distributing the deadly avian flu virus to 18 different

countries as part of a seasonal flu vaccine shipment. Czech reporters were

probing to see if it may have been part of a deliberate attempt to start a

pandemic; as such a " mistake " would be virtually impossible under the

security protocols of that virus.

The H5N1 virus on its own is not very airborne. However, when combined

with seasonal flu viruses, which are more easily spread, the effect could be a

potent, airborne, deadly, biological weapon. If this batch of live bird

flu and seasonal flu viruses had reached the public, it could have resulted

in dire consequences.

There is a name for this mixing of viruses; it's called " reassortment, "

and it is one of two ways pandemic viruses are created in the lab. Some

scientists say the most recent global outbreak -- the 1977 Russian flu -- was

started by a virus created and leaked from a laboratory.

Another example of the less sterling integrity of Big Pharma is the case

of Bayer, who sold millions of dollars worth of an injectable blood-clotting

medicine to Asian, Latin American, and some European countries in the

mid-1980s, even though they knew it was _tainted with the AIDS virus_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/08/05/bayer-sells-aids-\

infecte

d-drug-banned-in-us-in-europe-asia.aspx) .

So while it is morally unthinkable that a drug company would knowingly

contaminate flu vaccines with a deadly flu virus such as the bird- or swine

flu, it is certainly not impossible. It has already happened more than once.

But there seems to be no repercussions or hard feelings when industry

oversteps the boundaries of morality and integrity and enters the arena of

obscenity. Because, lo and behold, which company has been chosen to head up

efforts, along with WHO, to produce a vaccine against the Mexican swine flu?

Baxter!_11_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn11) Despite the fact that ink has barely dried on the

investigative reports from their should-be-criminal " mistake " against

humanity.

According to other sources,_12_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn12) a top scientist for the United

Nations, who has examined the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Africa,

as well as HIV/AIDS victims, has concluded that the current swine flu virus

possesses certain transmission " vectors " that suggest the new strain has

been genetically-manufactured as a military biological warfare weapon.

The UN expert believes that Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and the current A-H1N1 swine

flu virus are biological warfare agents.

In addition, Army criminal investigators are looking into the possibility

that disease samples are missing from biolabs at Fort Detrick -- the same

Army research lab from which the 2001 anthrax strain was released, according

to a recent article in the Fredrick News Post._13_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn13) In February,

the top biodefense lab halted all its research into Ebola, anthrax, plague,

and other diseases known as " select agents, " after they discovered virus

samples that weren't listed in its inventory and might have been switched

with something else.

Factory Farming Maybe Source of Swine Flu

Another theory as to the cause of Swine Flu might be factory farming. In

the United States, pigs travel coast to coast. They can be bred in North

Carolina, fattened in the corn belt of Iowa, and slaughtered in California.

While this may reduce short-term costs for the pork industry, the highly

contagious nature of diseases like influenza (perhaps made further

infectious by the stresses of transport) needs to be considered when calculating

the

true cost of long-distance live animal transport.

The majority of U.S. pig farms now confine more than 5,000 animals each.

With a group of 5,000 animals, if a novel virus shows up it will have more

opportunity to replicate and potentially spread than in a group of 100 pigs

on a small farm.

With massive concentrations of farm animals within which to mutate, these

new swine flu viruses in North America seem to be on an evolutionary fast

track, jumping and reassorting between species at an unprecedented rate.

Should You Accept a Flu Vaccine -- Just to be Safe?

As stated in the New York Times_14_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn14) and elsewhere, flu experts

have no idea whether the current seasonal flu vaccine would offer any

protection whatsoever against this exotic mutant, and it will take months to

create a new one.

But let me tell you, getting vaccinated now would not only offer no

protection and potentially cause great harm, it would most likely be loaded

with

toxic mercury which is used as a preservative in most flu vaccines..

I've written extensively about the _numerous dangers (and ineffectiveness)

of flu vaccines_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/11/18/do-flu-shots-work\

-ask-a-vaccine-manufacturer.aspx) , and why I do not

recommend them to anyone. So no matter what you hear -- even if it comes from

your doctor -- don't get a regular flu shot. They rarely work against

seasonal flu...and certainly can't offer protection against a never-before-

seen strain.

Currently, the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza are the only drugs that

appear effective against the (human flu) H1N1 virus, and I strongly

believe taking Tamiflu to protect yourself against this new virus could be a

serious mistake -- for all the reasons I already mentioned above.

But in addition to the dangerous side effects of Tamiflu, there is also

growing evidence of resistance against the drug. In February, the

pre-publication and preliminary findings journal called Nature Precedings

published a

paper on this concern, stating_15_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dn15) :

The dramatic rise of oseltamivir [Tamiflu] resistance in the H1N1 serotype

in the 2007/2008 season and the fixing of H274Y in the 2008/2009 season

has raised concerns regarding individuals at risk for seasonal influenza, as

well as development of similar resistance in the H5N1 serotype [bird flu].

Previously, oseltamivir resistance produced changes in H1N1 and H3N2 at

multiple positions in treated patients. In contrast, the recently reported

resistance involved patients who had not recently taken oseltamivir.

It's one more reason not to bother with this potentially dangerous drug.

And, once a specific swine flu drug is created, you can be sure that it

has not had the time to be tested in clinical trials to determine safety and

effectiveness, which puts us right back where I started this article -- with

a potential repeat of the last dangerous swine flu vaccine, which

destroyed the lives of hundreds of people.

Topping the whole mess off, of course, is the fact that if the new vaccine

turns out to be a killer, the _pharmaceutical companies responsible are

immune from lawsuits_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/01/03/vaccine-makers-ge\

tting-inoculated-from-lawsuits.aspx) -- something

I've also warned about before on numerous occasions.

Unfortunately, those prospects won't stop the governments of the world

from _mandating the vaccine_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/12/04/parents-told-to-g\

et-kids-vaccinated-or-go-to-jail.aspx) -- a

scenario I hope we can all avoid.

How to Protect Yourself Without Dangerous Drugs and Vaccinations

For now, my point is that there are always going to be threats of flu

pandemics, real or created, and there will always be potentially toxic vaccines

that are peddled as the solution. But you can break free of that whole

drug-solution trap by following some natural health principles.

I have not caught a flu in over two decades, and you can avoid it too,

without getting vaccinated, by following these simple guidelines, which will

keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you're far less

likely to acquire the infection to begin with.

* _Optimize your vitamin D levels_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/02/23/vitamin-d-deficie\

ncy-part-one.aspx) . As I've

previously reported, _optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the

absolute best strategies for avoiding infections_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/11/29/new-research-on-h\

ow-sunshine-decreases-infecti

ons.aspx) of ALL kinds, and _vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE

culprit behind the seasonality of the flu_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/10/21/avoid-flu-shots-v\

itamin-d-is-a-better-way.aspx)

-- not the flu virus itself.

 

This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you

can take. I would STRONGLY urge you to have your _vitamin D level monitored_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/02/23/vitamin-d-def

iciency-part-one.aspx)

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/02/23/vitamin-d-deficie\

ncy-part-one.aspx) to confirm your levels are

therapeutic at 50-70 ng.ml and done by a reliable vitamin D lab like Lab

Corp.

For those of you in the US we hope to launch a vitamin D testing service

through Lab Corp that allows you to have your vitamin D levels checked at

your local blood drawing facility, and relatively inexpensively. We hope to

offer this service by June 2009.

 

If you are coming down with flu like symptoms and have not been on vitamin

D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the

acute infection. Some researchers like Dr. Cannell, believe the dose could

even be as high as 1000 units per pound of body weight for three days.

 

* _Avoid Sugar_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/07/14/insulin-part-one.\

aspx) and Processed Foods. Sugar decreases the

function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know,

a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness. Be

aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and

fruit juice.

* _Get Enough Rest_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/03/08/sleep-diabetes.as\

px) . Just like it becomes harder for you to

get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued

it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Be sure to check out my article

_Guide to a Good Night's Sleep_ (http://www.mercola.com/article/sleep.htm)

for some great tips to help you get quality rest.

* _Have Effective Tools to Address Stress _

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/07/24/stress-immune-sys\

tem-part-two.aspx) .

We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then

your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.

 

If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using an

energy psychology tool such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT),

which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of

events, from work to family to trauma. You can check out _my free, 25-page

EFT manual_ (http://www.mercola.com/forms/eftcourse.htm) for some

guidelines on how to perform EFT.

* _Exercise_ (http://www.mercola.com/nutritionplan/exercise.htm) .

When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow

throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better

circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an

illness before it spreads. You can review my _exercise guidelines_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/11/20/exercise-part-six\

teen.aspx)

for some great tips on how to get started.

* _Take a good source of animal based omega-3 fats like Krill Oil_

(http://www.mercola.com/products/krill-oil.aspx) . Increase your intake of

healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is

crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged

omega-6 oils that are trans fats and in processed foods as it will seriously

damage your immune response.

* _Wash Your Hands_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/09/25/flu-hygiene.aspx)

.. Washing your hands will decrease your

likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure

you don't use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are

completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead,

identify

a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.

* _Eat Garlic Regularly_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/02/28/garlic-health.asp\

x) . Garlic works like a broad-spectrum

antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body. And unlike

with antibiotics, no resistance can be built up so it is an absolutely safe

product to use. However, if you are allergic or don't enjoy garlic it would

be best to avoid as it will likely cause more harm than good.

* Avoid Hospitals and Vaccines In this particular case, I'd also

recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you're having an emergency, as

hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could

be one of the likeliest places you could be exposed to this new bug.

Vaccines will not be available for six months at the minimum but when available

they will be ineffective and can lead to crippling paralysis like

Guillain-Barré Syndrome just as it did in the 70s.

 

REFERENCES

 

 

_1_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref1) World Health Organization, Epidemic and Pandemic Alert

Response, Current WHO Phase of Pandemic Alert,

_http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/phase/en/index.html_

(http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/phase/en/index.html)

 

_2_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref2) Welt Online, April 28, 2009,

_http://www.welt.de/english-news/article3625539/Asian-countries-take-measures-ag\

ainst-outbreak.html_

(http://www.welt.de/english-news/article3625539/Asian-countries-take-measures-ag\

a

inst-outbreak.html)

 

_3_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref3) News.com.au, April 27, 2009,

_http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,25392380-2,00.html_

(http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,25392380-2,00.html)

 

_4_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

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(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?orig_db=PubMed & db=pubmed & cmd=Search & te\

rm= " Emerging%20infectious%20diseases " [Jou

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_5_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref5) Esquire, April 26, 2009,

_http://www.esquire.com/features/best-n-brightest-2005/ESQ1205B & BEWALD_244?src=d\

igg_

(http://www.esquire.com/features/best-n-brightest-2005/ESQ1205B & BEWALD_244?src=d\

igg)

 

_6_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref6) CDC, Lightning-Associated Deaths 1980-1995,

_http://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/PrevGuid/m0052833/m0052833.asp_

(http://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/PrevGuid/m0052833/m0052833.asp)

 

_7_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref7) NationMaster.com, Mortality--Lighting,

_http://www.nationmaster.com/red/pie/mor_vic_of_lig-mortality-victim-of-lightnin\

g_

(http://www.nationmaster.com/red/pie/mor_vic_of_lig-mortality-victim-of-lightnin\

g)

 

_8_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref8) The Independent, April 26, 2009,

_http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/pandem\

ic-fears-as-flu-kills

-68-1674368.html_

(http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/pandem\

ic-fears-as-flu-kills-68-1674368.html)

 

_9_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref9) Reuters, April 26, 2009,

_http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE53P23920090426_

(http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE53P23920090426)

 

_10_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref10) Associated Press, April 27, 2009,

_http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hceWV2_Cu7yoSvw9iNYZ90-qnCyQD\

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(http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hceWV2_Cu7yoSvw9iNYZ90-qnCyQD\

97R2

FVG3)

 

_11_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref11) Infowars.net, April 27, 2009,

_http://www.infowars.net/articles/april2009/270409Baxter.htm_

(http://www.infowars.net/articles/april2009/270409Baxter.htm)

 

_12_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref12) Online Journal, April 27, 2009

_http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_4631.shtml_

(http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_4631.shtml)

 

_13_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref13) FredrickNewsPost.com, April 22, 2009,

_http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=89293_

(http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=89293)

 

_14_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref14) The New York Times, April 26, 2009,

_http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/world/27flu.html?_r=3 & pagewanted=1_

(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/world/27flu.html?_r=3 & pagewanted=1)

 

_15_

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx#_e\

dnref15) Nature Precedings, hdl:10101/npre.2009.2832.1,

Emergence and Fixing of Antiviral Resistance in Influenza A Via Recombination

and

Hitch Hiking, _Henry L. Niman_

(http://precedings.nature.com/users/3db4cfbe45d033a1b5ffeb29dc49a780) ,

_http://precedings.nature.com/documents/2832/version/1_

(http://precedings.nature.com/documents/2832/version/1)