Pregnant Women and Swine Flu

The health department has advised more than once that pregnant women should avoid crowds and unnecessary travel to reduce the risk of catching swine flu disease. As the health department reissued its advice to pregnant women, the public health minister stressed that while they are at increased risk from any type of flu, swine flu to date has been a generally mild condition. But, keep in mind, it has been noted that of pregnant women who contract the swine flu, they have a much higher rate of hospitalization - about four times more than the general population. In fact, the first US death attributed to the swine flu epidemic was a 33-year-old pregnant woman from Texas. It has been recently advised for a woman having any preexisting medical condition to consult her GP before seeking to conceive.

Does this mean pregnant women are more susceptible to the pandemic swine flu that is sweeping the world? The health department said plans to make a priority of certain groups when a swine flu vaccine becomes available are still being drawn up. Pregnant women were among the prime categories being considered. So far, swine flu has not proven to be much more dangerous than the seasonal influenza, and it’s not clear whether or not pregnant women are more vulnerable to catch swine flu than other people, though vigorous testing and research continues. But in general, flu poses added risks for pregnant women according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Why does pregnancy put women at special flu risk? It is well documented that pregnancy causes changes to women’s respiratory and immune systems, which in turn, may make it more difficult for them to fight off an influenza infection. Because of this, the WHO recently stated that pregnant women may be at increased risk for severe disease especially during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Some European countries have suggested that women should reconsider pregnancy until after what is now being called the swine flu pandemic fright is over. Others disagree taking things that far, but all agree that the health risks to pregnant women are definitely significant, and they should be put at the top of the list when deciding who should get the first vaccines when they become available. Owing to the well-known fact that pregnancy weakens a woman’s immune system, we believe that she becomes more likely to suffer pneumonia when she catches the flu. In earlier flu pandemics, infection also added to the risk of premature births.

With all of this information at hand, it is safe to say that pregnant women definitely seem to be at more risk of contacting swine flu. Women, who are pregnant or are thinking of becoming one, should be aware of the facts and ensure that once the swine flu vaccine is available, they must consult their physician and consider getting the vaccine. With 6% of all recorded US deaths attributed to the swine flu epidemic being associated with pregnant women, it is something to be taken seriously. The fact that many of these women were previously in good health suggests that the swine flu epidemic could certainly be held accountable.

How about the suggestion that any fermented cabbage dish will cure just about anything, along with some good strong whiskey? Then there are naysayers - people who still ride the buses, still shop at the mall, and visit their favorite Chinese take-out on a weekly basis. They are hanging out with the family and friends, and still biting their nails without a thought to the pandemic swine flu that is sweeping the nation. They eat their cabbage and drink their whiskey out of choice, not for prevention. There are, as in most things in this world, those who walk the middle ground and listen to the reports taking heed of the warnings but not going overboard. I think that I fall into that category. I carry a small hand sanitizer in my purse, along with a small tissue pack. I do not, however, wear a necklace of garlic, or drink an overabundance of whiskey. And I think I look much better without the surgical mask. I want my children attending school; it is the only quiet time I have all day.

I really enjoy the treat of take-out on a Saturday evening, along with a rented video. It is in our history as human beings that whenever something momentous occurs, there will be an assortment of snake oil salesman and doomsayers all rallying around Armageddon. But we continually emerge as a rational people - resilient and practical. There doesn’t seem too much that keeps us down, and we manage to pull together during times of crisis, many times emerging bruised but victorious. The swine flu pandemic has all the qualities of something that will pull our nation together. We will battle on as we always do, learning along the way. We will suffer some casualties, but I believe that we will emerge victorious. We will learn some valuable lessons for future generations to use. And, we will have cleaner hands and fashionable scarves to show it!

There is great concern among experts that with the oncoming autumn and the new school season the swine flu epidemic will soar to new heights, and could possibly upgrade to a pandemic. Many pharmaceutical companies are already stepping up production of vaccines, hopefully effective against this particular strain of the virus. If the spread of the disease increases significantly in the autumn, as many are predicting, it seems very unlikely that supplies of the new vaccine will be sufficient to vaccinate the entire population. Many are hoping that vaccination programs that target children could possibly help control a potential swine flu pandemic. Some researchers argue that targeting children for vaccination would not only help protect those at the greatest risk of exposure to the virus, but would also offer protection to adults, naming this process the “herd immunity” effect. This could mean that significantly less vaccine might be necessary to help control the spread of the virus in the long run, rather than if it were offered to everyone randomly.

As it is, the swine flu’s preference for infecting youths is already the behavior of a flu pandemic rather than seasonal flu. Of the thousands of confirmed and probable cases of swine flu, the average age of H1N1-infected people is 15, and two thirds are younger than 18. Of the worldwide deaths thus far that are attributed to swine flu, over half have been healthy people with no previous medical conditions. Of the hospitalized patients with swine flu in the US, more than half have been between the ages of 5 and 24. Youths may be particularly at risk because they lack immunity to any H1N1 virus strains, many of which have been around for years. Medical personnel wonder if past exposure to the various H1N1 flu strains has shielded older groups a bit from this virus. After extensive studies, the WHO was able to differentiate between two major groups of people at risk for the swine flu: One, as is the case with regular seasonal flu, was the at-risk people with underlying chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. The other group, disturbingly, was of previously healthy young people. One theory is that most young people seek treatment later in the course of the disease. The lesson to be learned here is simple - Don’t think that just because you have the symptoms of stomach flu you don’t have swine flu, or H1N1 influenza.

The first thing the average person can do about swine flu disease is to take precaution.  Depending upon your level of concern, there are numerous measures you can take, from basic common sense ideas to the extremely outrageous. The extreme recommendations would include pulling the kids from school, quitting your job, locking your doors, and avoiding contact with people at all times  until the scare is over. As this isn’t reasonable for the most of us, let’s talk about some of the easier things we can do.

The first thing that you have to remember about the swine flu epidemic is that it became an epidemic in the first place because it is contagious. Contrary to popular belief, swine flu cannot be spread by pork products, since the virus is not transmitted through food. The flu virus has always been passed from one person to another by various means. Coughing and sneezing without covering your mouth, touching something without cleaning your hands, the usual stuff.

While surgical masks seem like a good idea, they will not completely stop the minute particles from being passed from one person to another. The fabric is simply not dense enough to stop those stubborn germs from getting to you.

Use tissue. Nothing beats that old standby. Tissue will hold those pesky germs from escaping and they are disposable. Use them and throw them away.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Swine flu like other viruses can be contracted by touching objects contaminated by the virus. Everyone is still unsure of how long this virus can survive on surrounding surfaces so better safe than sorry. If you can’t always have access to soap and water, use hand sanitizer. Although not as effective as good old soap and water, alcohol based hand sanitizers will at least offer some limited protection from viruses.

If you do start to feel ill with flu like symptoms, stay at home. Contact your doctor and do what you would normally do for a cold or the flu. If it is available in your area, consider getting a vaccine. Aantiviral drugs can make the illness milder and make the patient feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications.

Finally, you might want to consider making up the survival kit to prevent the outbreak. This can be as basic or as high end as you want to make it. The basics would include:

•    A thick novel
•    A medical-aid kit
•    Swine flu masks and alcohol based hand wash
•    Medicines for fever such as naproxen, ibuprofen, and Tylenol
•    Food for at least three days
•    Liquids like water and other energy drinks like Gatorade to prevent dehydration.

The H1N2 flu virus originated in an animal. This is called a “zoonotic” disease.

While your immune system might not immediately stop a new human influenza infection, it will recognize the new mutant and begin building a defense system. Avian and swine peplomers are not so easily recognized by the human system. As humans come in close contact with the animals that carry these viruses, the animal influenza mutates enough to cross the species bridge and infect humans as well.

Everyone thinks that Swine Flu started in late March of 2009. This new strain of virus was tracked back to a child from a small village in Mexico. The close proximity to hog farms led to an investigation that narrowed down to one particular farm. It was commonly thought at the time that this farm was the home for the first case of the flu among pigs.  Further investigation by the Mexican government proved this false and the virus was actually traced back to a farm in Texas. In end of March and early April of 2009, US cases had been recorded in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas.

Before 2009 and the existence of swine flu as we know it, we can go back to the fall of 1988 where a previously healthy 32 year old woman visited her county fair swine exhibition. There was widespread influenza-like sickness among the swine at the exhibit. The pregnant woman was hospitalized with pneumonia, dying 8 days later. The H1N1 flu virus was positively detected.

Go back to 1976 and the story of four soldiers stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Four soldiers in previously good health suddenly developed pneumonia. The virus was suspected of circulating in the close confines of the barracks during basic training and disappearing after claiming the life of one of the soldiers. The virus never travelled outside the initial group of soldiers.

The first swine flu virus in pigs was actually traced back to 1930 in the United States. Although the virus may have actually started at a pig farm, it mutated to a strain that humans caught and passed to other humans. Once a human catches the virus it is highly contagious and can be passed from person to person.

Although initially called the swine flu epidemic, it’s eerily comparable to the Spanish Influenza of 1918. The Spanish Flu began mildly, similar to the swine flu, but the second wave was deadly killing over 20 million people worldwide. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization declared the swine flu pandemic, and in doing so hoped to spur the government spending and swine flu vaccine production to combat the first global flu epidemic in 41 years. The WHO was quoted as stating the “spread of the H1N1 virus is considered unstoppable.”

Help Your Friend by Stopping Smoking With Them

Heart disease…a phrase that can causes fear not only to the one diagnosed with it but also to the loved ones of that person. The heart is not an organ to be messed with. Quite simply, its health or lack thereof has great impact on your whole body and quality of life.
Whether the diagnosis is high blood pressure or something more serious such as a heart attack or stroke, you cannot ignore it, and constantly hope that it goes away. Your loved one is no doubt shaken and stressed by the diagnosis. Most immediately, they need support as they face sudden changes in their lifestyle.
Support can come in many ways. Some will need more than others; so it is important to be sensitive to the needs and emotions of your loved one.

Here are some ways to help:
• If they allow you, attend doctor’s appointments with them. Sometimes, two sets of ears are better than one. Often in the stress of an appointment, your loved one might not always remember everything that is said.
• Gather information and look for resources available for them. Do not bombard or overwhelm them with what you find out, but as they are willing to listen, share what you have found.
• Support the lifestyle changes they may be faced with.
o If you are a smoker and they are asked to quit, the best thing you can do for them and for yourself too, is to quit. If quitting is not something you are prepared to do at this time, make sure you keep cigarettes out of sight, and do not smoke around them.
o Volunteer to take walks with them or join them in an activity like dancing. Exercise is more fun when it is done together.
o Eating healthy will benefit everyone, not just the one diagnosed with heart disease. Together you can try out new foods and recipes. Maybe go to a heart-smart cooking class with them.

Showing your loved one that you support them not just with words but with your actions can go a long way to helping them accept the changes. Nagging or constantly reminding them of what they are doing wrong will most likely lead to failure in their attempts to manage their condition.
A person is never too young to start taking care of his/her heart. If the person diagnosed with heart disease is your spouse, get your whole family involved. Educating your children or even grandchildren about healthy living at a young age will help them continue those healthy habits into their adult lives. Learning when young to avoid the habits of smoking, inactivity, and bad food choices can mean they have a much bigger chance of avoiding the risks and complications of heart disease.
Love the people in your life enough to do what you can to protect their hearts. Heart disease claims too many lives; do not let one of them be your loved one.

Avoid Smoking, Especially if You Have Heart Disease

The leading cause of death, heart disease, is something you can prevent and deal with. It is not just one issue, but it is a group of conditions that affect the functioning of the heart. The term “heart disease” covers many different conditions. Among them, the prominent ones are dealt with below:

• Angina: This occurs when an artery or arteries is blocked, and the heart cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs. The pain from this is often described as a burning or squeezing sensation in the heart area.
• Arrhythmia: This is when your heart beats at an abnormal rhythm, either too fast or too slow.
• Congestive Heart Failure: If your heart does not pump strongly enough, the rest of your body does not receive adequate blood and oxygen to function properly. This can lead to fluid backup in other parts of your body which can be particularly dangerous if that fluid backs up in the lungs.
• Coronary Artery Disease: This most common form of heart disease occurs when arteries are blocked and can lead to angina or a heart attack.

These are just a few of the conditions that are part of this disease. There are some conditions that are hereditary and others that come about due to other issues like rheumatic fever. No matter what the cause of these conditions, all of these must be looked into to keep the condition of your heart from getting worse.
Heart disease can be prevented through careful choices with regards to lifestyle habits. For this, the following steps can be taken:

• Avoid smoking, or if you do smoke, quit immediately.
• Watch your diet with regards to fat and salt intake. Avoiding high blood pressure and high cholesterol can help to keep your heart healthy.
• Get enough exercise. Getting your blood pumping will keep your heart active and strong.
• Attain or maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, losing even one-tenth of your body weight can help improve your health. But in the effort to lose weight, do not turn to crash or fad diets. Make sure your weight loss is slow and steady through healthy eating and exercise. Losing the weight through a crash diet will most likely result in weight regain sooner or later and the yo-yo effect can also be hard on your heart.
• Seek out ways to manage stress in your life so that you can keep your blood pressure within the normal range.
• Avoid consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. It is recommended that men limit their alcohol intake to no more than 2 drinks a day and women to one.
Making these lifestyle changes is especially important if you have a family history of heart disease. Taking these preventative measures now will help to have a healthy heart and body for years to come.

With so many of the conditions of heart disease being preventable, being pro-active about your heart health will only benefit you in the long run. Do not wait until the worst has already happened to make these changes in your life.

More Exercise Helps With Heart Disease

Being diagnosed with a heart problem does not mean that your life is over. You will most likely need to make changes to your life and that may be difficult to accept at first.
If you have been diagnosed with a heart problem like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, your main focus of change may be your diet. Accepting that these changes are necessary for improved health may take time, but once in place, they will help lower your chances of more serious heart disease.

Some changes you may have to make include:
• Lower salt intake
• Stop smoking
• Lower fat intake
• More exercise
• Better stress management
• Focus on losing weight - even losing ten percent of your body weight lowers your risk.

For someone who has led a fairly sedentary lifestyle with bad eating habits, these changes can be a stress all on their own. Fortunately, there are many resources available through the internet and health providers that can help with this transition to a more active, healthy lifestyle.
If the worst has happened and you have already experienced a heart attack or stroke, the changes in your life may be more drastic, at least at first. After a heart attack or stroke, you may find that you get tired very easily. The recovery will take time and it is important to not overexert yourself yet still get the exercise needed to help get your heart back into shape.
Avoid unnecessary stress and be sure to take time for yourself. Do things that help you relax and ease tension. Make sure other members of your household know that they need to help out as you will not be able to shoulder all of the same responsibilities as before your heart attack or stroke. There will be things you will be limited in doing for a while afterwards like driving or going back to work.
Emotionally it may be difficult to cope with what has happened. Your emotions are real and it is important to let them out. Finding a support group with others who have gone through what you have experienced can be very important. Take advantage of any help or resources offered to you by your doctor or health care provider.

Changes that you may have been reluctant to make before your heart attack or stroke are even more important now. If you had continued to smoke beforehand, stopping will be crucial. Regular exercise must become a part of your life to help your body and heart regain strength. You must watch your diet carefully, eating only those things that will promote healing and strength in your body.
The heart problem that lead to your diagnosis of heart disease does not have to progress to more serious complications. But without a change in lifestyle and attitude, it is almost a given that you will not just have to deal with that initial heart problem but also with ones that are much more life-threatening.

Got High Blood Pressure? Go and Consult Your Doctor

If it runs in your family and you have risk factors that could cause it, you definitely need to know the signs of heart disease. If you have already developed some of the early indications of heart disease such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, you need to take more care to ensure that those conditions are treated.
Once you have been diagnosed with any of these, your doctor will work with you to determine the best course of treatment. If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, the first step may be in trying to see if it can be treated through diet and exercise—eating healthy and losing weight if necessary.

• For high blood pressure, you may be directed to lower your salt intake. Stress can also be an issue, so finding ways to manage excessive stress can also help to lower blood pressure.

• For high cholesterol, watching your fat intake and making sure that you concentrate on adding good fats to your diet and removing the bad ones will be key to lowering bad cholesterol and raising the good.

• Diabetes requires watching blood sugar levels. Making sure you eat a diet low in simple carbohydrates like sugar can help to manage those blood sugar levels. Eat complex carbohydrates from fresh fruit and vegetables. Eat small regular meals throughout the day so your blood sugar does not drop too low.
While it would be ideal to be able to treat all your symptoms through diet alone, often it is not enough, and your doctor may have you try medications to bring those conditions under control. It is essential to get treatment for these signs of heart disease as they can lead to serious complications like heart attacks and strokes.
Once you have been diagnosed with heart disease, it is very important to know the more serious signs of heart disease.

Heart attack symptoms:
• Often you may feel a discomfort or pain in your chest.
• You may experience some pain in your arms, jaw, back or neck.
• Upset stomach may be present which may cause nausea or vomiting.
• Your skin may be cool and clammy and you may experience sweating along with it or by itself.
• Difficulty in breathing may also be present.

Upon initial onset of these symptoms, you may not think of them as heart attack symptoms and might try resting to see if they will go away. If they do not subside, it can indicate an attack. If there is a burning sensation, heaviness or tightness present, it is important at this point to not delay getting treatment. Time is of the essence and the more quickly you receive treatment, the better your chances are for survival and a full recovery.
Being aware of your body and knowing the signs of heart disease can save your life in the long run. Educate yourself and use all the resources available to you—your life is at stake.

Say NO to Smoking!

One of the best cures for heart disease is prevention. Making lifestyle choices to help prevent the onset of this issue can seem boring or like a drag, but it does not have to be that way. The truth is that you will be opening new doors to other alternatives by avoiding things that will contribute to poor health in your later years.

• Say NO to smoking!
o This does not mean just smoke one or two a day … it means no smoking at all. Any amount of smoking increases your risk. Choosing never to take up the habit will go a long way toward avoiding a heart problem. Stop this habit before it even starts!

• Move!
o Get up out of the chair. Get up off the couch and get your blood pumping. Thirty minutes to an hour’s worth of exercise a day is recommended, but even 30 minutes broken up into ten-minute segments throughout the day will benefit you. Find something you enjoy. You will be more likely to stick with it if you like what you are doing. Take dance lessons! Start going for bike rides! Add exercise into your life in small ways. Park as far from the store as you can in the parking lot. Take the stairs instead of elevators or escalators. Little things will add up to a healthy lifestyle.

• Eat right!
o Exercise and eating right will benefit you overall and also greatly increase your chances of avoiding heart disease. Watch the types of fat that are in the food you eat. Make a habit of adding fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. Try to limit alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day. Try a variety of different healthy foods. Find ones you like and do not get stuck in a rut.

• Keep it healthy!
o Chances are that if you are exercising daily and eating right, this one will naturally fall into place. Try to keep a good weight for your height and body type. If weight is already an issue but heart disease has not set in yet, try to get the weight off before high blood pressure and high cholesterol become an issue. Even losing just ten percent of your body weight will lower your chances of developing a heart problem.

• Get to know your doctor!
o Regular check-ups help catch problems in their early stages making them easier to treat. Make regular appointments to have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked. The frequency of those check-ups will most likely depend on your current health and family’s history of heart disease.
Heart disease is a highly preventable health issue if you are willing to make the necessary choices in your life. Educate yourself and those around you in your family to get everyone involved in making healthy life choices. Keeping things fun and enjoyable will make you more likely to stick with healthy habits. And healthy habits will lead to a healthy heart.