Keeping Your Family Healthy During Cold and Flu Season : By Jasmine Jafferali, MPH
Program Coordinator for Educational Fitness Solutions, Inc Keeping Your Family Healthy During Cold and Flu Season
Cold vs. Flu, What is the difference? : Cold Flu congestion
watery eyes
itching in nose, throat or eyes
productive cough
mild fatigue
sore throat
sneezing
occasional low fever fever (of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius); found in some 98% of cases)
unproductive, 'dry' cough
sore throat
runny or stuffy nose
body aches
headache
chills
fatigue
Less common, but still frequent (about 35-40 percent of patients) are vomiting and/or diarrhea Cold vs. Flu, What is the difference?
Ways to Keep Healthy : Ways to Keep Healthy Immunity Boosting Supplements
Vitamin D
Probiotics
Balanced diet high in fruits, veggies and low sugar
Use Proper Hygiene
Get Enough Sleep
Stay Hydrated
The Importance of Vitamin D3 : The Importance of Vitamin D3 Essential for the proper function of the immune system
Nov. 2009 Harvard study found that 20% of kids under the age of 11 are deficient, which estimates to about six million kids
AAP suggests expecting mothers to take 5000-6000iu per day
Vitamin D Dose Recommendations : Vitamin D Dose Recommendations WARNING:There is no way to know if the above recommendations are correct. The ONLY way to know is to test your blood. You might need 4-5 times the amount recommended above. Ideally your blood level of 25 OH D should be 60ng/ml
Proper Hygiene : Proper Hygiene Nearly 2/3 women do not wash their hands after they use the bathroom (less do after a diaper change) and 1/3 of men do not either
Anti-bacterial soaps do kill bacteria and microbes -- but so do plain soap and water (if you are washing for 20 seconds).
If you are in a bind and cannot wash your hands, the next best thing is to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Each cough releases billions of newly made viruses from the body at an ejection velocity exceeding 75 miles an hour. Sneezes can exceed 100 miles per hour and hurl germs as far away as 40 feet.
When to Wash Your Hands : When to Wash Your Hands Before preparing or eating food
After going to the bathroom
After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has gone to the bathroom
Before and after tending to someone who is sick
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After handling an animal or animal waste (even petting your pet)
After handling garbage
Before and after treating a cut or wound
Power Up on Probiotics : Power Up on Probiotics 70-80% of our immunity lies in our "gut" meaning our small and large intestines
When given preventatively over the winter months, probiotics reduce fever, cough, and runny noses in children (2009 Journal of AAP)
Must take after a round of antibiotics
Sleep and Immune Function : Sleep and Immune Function regulates normal functioning
Stage 3 begins the deep sleep period when the immune system gets refreshed the most
Body has to work harder when sleep deprived
Our bodies release potent immune-enhancing substances that strengthen immune function
Even one night of loss sleep increases tissue-damaging inflammation
Sleep Recommendations for Kids : Sleep Recommendations for Kids
Quick Note on Hydration : Quick Note on Hydration Keeping fluids levels optimal helps rid of viruses and bacteria faster when sick
Aim for half of your body weight in ounces
Almost clear to clear urine by 3pm is a good indicator of hydration
Add 2c for each cup of caffiene
Signs of hydration is fatigue, increased risk for illness, cramping, headaches
Keep Your Diet Low in Sugar : Keep Your Diet Low in Sugar Excess sugar depresses immunity and depletes the body of vital minerals that help keeping our immune system running top notch
Excess sugar depresses immunity and depletes the body of vital minerals
A 75g-100g portion of sugar can significantly reduce the capacity of white blood cells to defend against bacterial infection
Maximum immune suppression occurs one to two hours after ingestion and remains suppressed for up to five hours after feeding
Eat Immune Boosting Foods : Eat Immune Boosting Foods Garlic, Onions, Leeks
Steamed broccoli
Spinach/Mustard Greens/Kale
Carrots/Parsnips
Citrus fruits
Red/Blue berries
Raw Nuts (Brazil)
Flax seeds
Should I Get Vaccinated? : Should I Get Vaccinated? A vaccine formulated for one year may be ineffective in the following year
Flu strains are mutating all of the time
There are at least over 200 flu strains
Each seasonal flu vaccine contains 3 strains, does not include “stomach” flu
The New York Times : The New York Times “The disease centers estimate that every year 5 percent to 20 percent of the United States population [15 million – 60 million people] gets the flu and that more than 200,000 people are hospitalized because of complications and about 36,000 die.”
April 18, 2008
Understanding the Flu : Understanding the Flu The Nature of the Flu
Transmission
Classification of Flu Viruses
How Commercial Vaccines are Developed
Development of the Flu Vaccine
Manufacturing the Vaccine by Dr. Tenpenny
Are Flu Shots Effective?
The H1N1 Vaccine Effective? : The H1N1 Vaccine Effective? Fastest vaccine to go to market without any long term studies
Too soon to tell if there will be any long term effects
Many are still getting sick even after vaccination
Women have reported miscarriages and stillborn births 48 hours after vaccination, but all have been told there is no correlation
On a Side Note : On a Side Note Getting vaccinated is a personal decision, each person must do their own research to decide if the vaccine is a solution for their families.
Vaccines are NOT 100% protective or effective. People must still take precautionary measures in protecting their immunity and overall health (proper hygiene, good nutrition, etc)
In order to verify if one has H1N1, they have to do a nasal swab…many doctors are “assuming” skewing true numbers
Resources : Resources www.mercola.com
www.drtenpenny.com
www.cdc.gov
New York Times
Wall Street Journal
http://refusingvaccines.homestead.com
National Vaccine Information Center www.nvic.org