Swine flu as it is commonly called is caused by the H1N1 virus which is a very contagious and acute respiratory disease in pigs. It has now jumped over to humans and after first being diagnosed in Mexico has now spread around the world. The H1N1 virus has not been around long enough for extensive data to accumulate but it is pretty safe to assume that it spreads in the same way as any other flu virus.

There are two ways in which a flu virus can be acquired by humans. The airborne virus is the result of coughing and sneezing by infected persons. It is most likely to be encountered in enclosed spaces where large numbers of people are present. You can avoid it by staying away from large gatherings of people and carefully keeping away from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. If an epidemic is taking place in your area it may help to wear a surgical type mask when outside the home. In the workplace anyone who shows flu symptoms or is coughing should be sent home immediately to avoid infecting others. Some people take immense pride in a perfect work attendance record but safety of others must take precedence and the suspected flu case must stay away from work till fully recovered.

The second means by which the swine flu virus may be acquired is by handling any object which has been handled by an infected person. The virus is present in the nose and mouth and will spread to the hands then to anything which is handled. It is necessary to be very thoughtful and vigilant in protecting against this type of infection. You can wash you hands frequently and disinfect them with hand sanitiser and this will keep your hands free of the virus. However as soon as you touch any door handle or other item which hundreds of others may have touched you may be reinfected. Not only door handles but counters in stores and fast food outlets are commonly used as hand rests. Public transit system doors, seat backs and support rails are handled by thousands daily. Even coins and bills which you may receive in change should be suspect. If you should pick up the virus from any such surface and then put your hand to your face you could become infected.

Should you be seriously concerned if there is a swine flu outbreak in your area? Yes you definitely should and you should take all possible precautions to keep you and your family members as safe as possible from infection. Should you panic if there is an outbreak of H1N1? No definitely not. Most cases are quite mild and recovery at home is fast. The infection is no worse than ordinary seasonal flu in nearly all instances. Remember that hundreds of people die every year from the normal seasonal flu and we have no great concern over this. Nor should we be more concerned about swine flu.

Simple and Healthy Ways to Beat the Swine Flu

Swine flu, influenza A, h1n1 flu, whatever it’s called, this latest flu pandemic sure is scaring a lot of people out of their wits.

But should you be afraid of the big bad swine flu?

The swine flu scare has spawned different reactions from different countries, some expected, some extreme. In Mexico, swine flu masks have become part of the usual fashion. Even if it didn’t have a single case of swine flu, Egypt slaughtered some 300,000 pigs.

In the U.S., President Barack Obama has mobilized substantial federal resources to fight swine flu, saying that since little is known about the latest flu strain, the government should take all necessary precautions in the event that the virus turns into something worse.

Among the measures taken included asking schools with confirmed cases of the flu virus to close for up to two weeks and to distribute 25 percent of the country’s 50 million courses of antiviral treatment to all states.

Obama also asked Congress for $1.5 billion if additional measures need to be taken to prevent the spread of swine flu.

Though the Centers for Disease Control described the status of swine flu in the U.S. as being in the “prepandemic period,” acting CDC director Dr. Richard Besser said he expects more deaths as the disease moves forward.

So far, ONLY three persons have died in the U.S., the latest being a Texas man with an underlying heart condition.

The Great Bird Flu Hoax author Dr. Joseph Mercola believes that this is not the first time that the U.S. is overreacting on a flu outbreak. Do you remember the 1976 swine flu outbreak at Fort Dix, New Jersey? Hundreds were infected and a soldier died but was it enough to justify then President Ford’s mass vaccination response? Thirty ended up dead after taking flu shots while many others were paralyzed due to Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Maybe 1976 is too far off. How about the Bush government’s warning that bird flu will kill two million Americans? So far, less than 300 people have died worldwide from avian influenza.

Dr. Mercola isn’t trying to say that these deaths were meaningless; every doctor’s goal is to save lives and help people become as healthy as possible. What he is saying is that oftentimes, the response in situations like this is almost always motivated by fear.

The fear that will result in massive flu shot and flu drug sales for big pharmaceutical companies.

Despite its ineffectiveness as an antiviral, the CDC recommends the use of popular flu drug Tamiflu, which is banned in Japan after being linked in the deaths of 14 children.

Studies show that Tamiflu can only reduce flu symptoms by 24 to 36 hours, and even increases the risk of secondary bacterial infections for some patients on it.

Tamiflu ingredients include saccharin sodium, a chemical sweetener linked to cancer; sodium benzoate, which, when combined with vitamin C, forms the carcinogen benzene; and propylene glycol, a food grade antifreeze.

By the way, Tamiflu costs over $100 and its reported side effects include convulsions, cough, delirium, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.

On the other hand, if you were to use the regular flu shot, it also contains dangerous substances, including mercury, formaldehyde and phenol.

But there’s no need to put your health at risk. Dr. Mercola has never used any anti-flu medication in his life yet he has never gone down with the flu in over 20 years. Here are his simple ways to avoid all types of flu:

* Optimize your vitamin D levels – Mercola believes that vitamin D deficiency is likely the real culprit behind the seasonal nature of the flu. If you experience flu-like symptoms, you can take 50,000 units of vitamin D3 per day for three days to help treat the infection.

* Optimize your intake of Omega-3 fats – The omega-3 fats DHA and EPA help enhance your immune system and are crucial in maintaining good health.

* Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods – Sugar is a natural enemy of your immune system. It may be present in foods you may not suspect, like processed fruit juices, so it would be wise to avoid processed foods of all kinds.

* Beat Stress – Manage your stress levels because stress wears out your body physically and emotionally, leaving you susceptible to disease.

* Rest – Don’t take your body for granted. It will be harder for you to beat the flu if you’re always tired or fatigued.

* Wash your hands regularly – Proper washing of hands will help reduce your risk of getting sick from communicable diseases like the flu. Avoid touching your eyes and nose when your hands are dirty or if you’ve come in contact with a sick person.

* Exercise – Your circulation and blood flow increases when you exercise and allows the components of your immune system to spread out better, increasing its chances of detecting and fighting an infection before it spreads.

* Eat garlic – Garlic has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.