With flu season rapidly approaching, the following sounds like good advise:


Swine Flu Precautions

> This message is from Dr. Vinay Goyal, He is an MBBS, DRM, DNB 
>(Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years.
>
>
> While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection,
> in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development
> of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in
> most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how
> to stock N95 or Tamiflu):
>
>
> 1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
>
> 2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part
> of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).
>
> 3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't
> trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/
> nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple
> gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the
> same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one.
> Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative
> method.
>
> 4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with
> warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti 
>(very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose 
>hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in 
>warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*
>
> 5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C 
>(Amla, oranges, grapefruit, lemons and other citrus fruits). If you have 
>to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to 
>boost absorption.
>
> 6. Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids 
>has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash 
>off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they 
>cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
>
>
> All these are simple ways to prevent, within means of most households, and certainly much less painful than to wait in long queues outside public hospitals.
>
>
> Happy breathing!