Healthy and Wealthy

What is swine flu?

Like people, pigs can get influenza (flu), but swine flu viruses aren't the same as human flu viruses. Swine flu doesn't often infect people, and the rare human cases that have occurred in the past have mainly affected people who had direct contact with pigs. But the current "swine flu" outbreak is different. It's caused by a new swine flu virus that has changed in ways that allow it to spread from person to person -- and it's happening among people who haven't had any contact with pigs.

That makes it a human flu virus. To distinguish it both from flu viruses that infect mainly pigs and from the seasonal

influenza A H1N1 viruses that have been in circulation for many years, the CDC calls the virus "novel influenza A (H1N1) virus" and the World Health Organization calls it "pandemic (H1N1) 2009." The CDC calls swine flu illness "H1N1 flu" and the World Health Organization calls it "pandemic influenza A (H1N1)."

Transmission of Swine Flu (How is Swine Flu spread?)

As with other flu like illnesses, Swine flu is spread as follows:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Kissing
• Touching infected objects
• Touching nose, mouth and or eyes with infected hands

Swine Flu Symptoms

Symptoms of Swine flu may including all or some of the following:

• Fever
• Muscle aches
• Lethargy
• Coughing
• Headache
• Sore Throat
• Runny Nose
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Lack of appetite

Complications Of Swine Flu And Higher Risk Individuals

Those at higher risk include those with the following:

• Age of 65 years or older
• Chronic health problems (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease)
• Pregnant Women
• Young children

Complications (for all patients but especially for those at higher risk) can include:

• Pneumonia
• Bronchitis
• Sinus infections
• Ear infections
• Death

Diagnosis And Treatment Of Swine Flu

• A respiratory sample collected within the first five days of illness will be collected.
• The sample is sent to the CDC for laboratory analysis and confirmation. At this time the CDC is recommending the use of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) for treatment and/or prevention of Swine flu.

Prevention of Swine Flu

• Covering nose and mouth with a tissue upon coughing and sneezing followed by proper disposal of the tissue
• Avoiding contact with ill persons.
• Avoiding the urge to touch nose, mouth and eyes in general.
• Staying home form work and/or school upon onset and for the duration of symptoms
• Assuring adequate and thorough handwashing and use of alcohol based hand cleansers (in the absence of proper handwashing facilities).
• Providing tissues in common areas of homes, common and public areas.
• Encouraging pursuit of medical evaluation at earliest onset of symptoms.
• Use of masks to those who are exhibiting symptoms or who are ill.
• Maintenance of a 3 to 6 foot perimeter around a coughing patient. Calm analysis coupled with accurate and proper public education is the key to identifying, treating and minimizing a worldwide outbreak.

Natural remedy for H1N1

Ayurveda, the traditional 'science of life', has a remedy for diseases when every other stream of medicine fails. Now, at a time when swine flu is spreading like wildfire across the world, Ayurveda has the remedy in the form of the miraculous herb, the basil leaves commonly known as Tulsi.

• The anti-flu property of Tulsi has been discovered by medical experts across the world quite recently.
• Tulsi improves the body's overall defence mechanism including its ability to fight viral diseases.
• It was successfully used in combating Japanese Encephalitis and the same theory applies to swine flu," Dr U K Tiwari, a herbal medicine practitioner says.
• Apart from acting as a preventive medicine in case of swine flu, Tulsi can help the patient recover faster.
• Even when a person has already contracted swine flu, Tulsi can help in speeding up the recovery process and also help in strengthening the immune system of the body
• Tulsi can control swine flu and it should be taken in fresh form. Juice or paste of at least 20-25 medium sized leaves should be consumed twice a day on an empty stomach.