Letter: Swine Flu Protection
Dear Editor,
Thank you so much for the fall issue, and especially for the articles on Homeopathy and the Horizon switch from organic to "natural." In particular, I appreciated the letter to President Obama about the potential for homeopathic options in addressing the H1N1 flu virus situation.
I have located much information about this, including a study that found a 1% death rate during the 1919 flu pandemic for those treated homeopathically versus 29% for allopathic means. Also, a doctor in Mexico has reportedly already treated the current swine flu with homeopathy. See: www.naturalnews.com/026839_homeopathy_homeopathic_doctors.html
My conclusions:
1. We need to be more open to multiple modalities in our health care palette, as suggested by WHO and done in other countries. (England has 5 homeopathic hospitals under its National Health, and spends $2,000 per capita versus our $8,000). Our position at #37 for health outcomes doesn't impress either.
2. As to Horizon, I believe we should stop buying ANY of their products. A company committed to deceiving the public into accepting an inferior, unhealthy substitute can't be trusted even with its organic line; why wouldn't they cut corners there, as well?
Blessings,
Liberty Goodwin, Providence, RI
Dear Liberty,
Thanks for your information. Here’s some additional flu protection information. —Editor
Protect Yourself From Swine Flu Naturally
Here's some simple, cost-free ways to protect yourself from becoming a host to swine flu. H1N1, like other influenza A viruses, only infects the upper respiratory tract and only proliferates there. The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. It's almost impossible not to come into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions, but you can minimize contact and prevent proliferation.
- Engage in frequent hand washing.
- Develop a "hands-off-the-face" approach. Avoid touching the face unnecessarily.
- Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (or alcohol-based mouthwash). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. Gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one.
- For additional protection, use a neti pot or nasal swabs to clean nasal passages daily.
- Drinking warm liquids throughout the day washes off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive due to stomach acid.
