Dr. Samir Chaukkar M.D.(Hom)
Q. What is the H1N1 (Swine Flu) Virus?
A. H1N1 (also referred to as “Swine Flu”) is a new, contagious, influenza virus.
Q. What are the symptoms of infection?
A. Fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people report diarrhoea and vomiting as well.
Q. How does the virus spread from person to person?
A. It is most likely spreading from person to person in the same way seasonal flu viruses spread: through infectious respiratory droplets. They are expelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. If these droplets get into a healthy person’s nose or mouth, they can get infected. Sometimes people get infected when they touch something with flu virus on it, and then touch their mouth or nose. Flu viruses can live on objects (doorknobs, keyboards, counters, etc.) for hours.
Q. How do I avoid getting infected?
A. Follow some simple precautions:
1. Wash your hands frequently
Use antibacterial soaps to cleanse your hands. Wash them often, at least 15 seconds and rinse with running water.
2. Get enough sleep
Try to get 8 hours of good sleep every night to keep your immune system in top flu-fighting shape.
3. Drink sufficient fluids
Drink 8 to10 glasses of water each day to flush toxins from your system and maintain good moisture and mucous production in your sinuses.
4. Boost your immune system
Keeping your body strong, nourished, and ready to fight infection is important in flu prevention. So stick with whole grains, colourful vegetables, and vitamin-rich fruits.
5. Keep informed
The government is taking necessary steps to prevent the pandemic and periodically release guidelines to keep the pandemic away. Please make sure to keep up to date on the information and act in a calm manner.
6. Avoid excessive alcohol
Apart from being a mood depressant, excessive hard liquor is an immune suppressant that can actually decrease your resistance to viral infections like swine flu. So stay away from excessive hard alcoholic drinks so that your immune system may be strong. Red wines are recommended, though, upto 100ml a day.
7. Be physically active
Moderate exercise can support the immune system by increasing circulation and oxygenating the body. For example brisk walking for 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week will significantly perk up your immunity.
8. Keep away from people with flu-like symptoms
Flu virus spreads when particles dispersed into the air through a cough or sneeze reach someone else nose. So if you have to be around someone who has flu-like symptoms, try to stay a few feet away from them and especially, avoid physical contact. Wear N95 approved nose/mouth masks.
9. Know when to get help
Consult your doctor if you have a cough and fever and follow their instructions, including taking medicine as prescribed.
10. Avoid crowded areas
Try to avoid unnecessary trips outside.
Q. Are there medicines to treat infection?
A. Oseltamvir and Zanamvir (also called “Tami-flu”) are recommended for treatment and/or prevention of infection.
Q. If I get flu-like symptoms, what do I do?
A. First, consult a doctor IMMEDIATELY. Get tested for the H1N1 virus. Follow precautions to prevent infecting others:
1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Throw the tissue in the trash after use.
2. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, as the germs spread this way.
3. Stay home for 7 days after your symptoms began, or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.
4. Seek emergency medical attention if you have any of the following symptoms:
For Children:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish or gray skin colour
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Irritability
- Improvement of symptoms, but later return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with a rash
For Adults:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness or confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
Homeopathy was successful in treating the flu epidemic of 1918 and can provide answers to questions about the 2009 Swine Flu. as homeopathy successful in treating the flu epidemic of 1918? : Yes.
While the mortality rate of people treated with traditional medicine and drugs was 30 percent, those treated by homeopathic physicians had mortality rate of 1.05 percent.
Of the fifteen hundred cases reported at the Homeopathic Medical Society of the District of Columbia there were only fifteen deaths. Recoveries in the National Homeopathic Hospital were 100%. In Ohio, of 1,000 cases of influenza, Dr. T. A. McCann, MD, Dayton, Ohio reported NO DEATHS.
What homeopathic remedies were used to successfully treat the Spanish flu in 1918?
Gelsemium and Bryonia
According the Dr. Frank Wieland, MD, in Chicago, “(With) 8,000 workers we had only one death. Gelsemium was practically the only remedy used. We used no aspirin and no vaccines.”
Homeopathy was 98% successful in treating the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918?
Yes.
Ohio reported that 24,000 cases of flu treated allopathically had a mortality rate of 28.2% while 26,000 cases of flu treated homeopathically had a mortality rate of 1.05% . In Connecticut, 6,602 cases were reported, with 55 deaths, less than 1%. Dr. Roberts, a physician on a troop ship during WWI, had 81 cases of flu on the way over to Europe. He reported, “All recovered and were landed. Every man received homeopathic treatment.
Lifestyle advice
1. Get Plenty of Sleep
To improve your resistance to any disease, the most important thing you can do is get enough rest. Your body knows how to heal, and it does this best when sleeping. Get adequate rest on a daily basis, and if you begin to feel fatigue during a time of increased stress to your immune system, take naps, get into bed earlier, relax and let your body do what it does best: restore and rebuild.
2. Hydrate
Our bodies are 80% water. Drink plenty of water each day to stay hydrated and to allow the body to flush toxins from the blood and the liver. Drink pure water, not soda or juice, for best results.
3. Exercise
Exercise increases your resistance to disease. It stimulates the cleansing blood flow and increases your natural stress reducing hormones. Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous to be beneficial. Science has shown that walking daily is good for your health and well being.
4. Spend time outdoors
The healing benefits of nature are yours and all you need to do is step outside. The fresh air cleanses your lungs and the vitamin D from sunshine is great for general health. Even on a rainy day or at night, the fresh air is beneficial.
5. Exercise
Exposure to nature and the great outdoors helps healthy emotions.
Use “Nilgiri Oil” drops on handkerchiefs and masks as one of the preventive measures against Swine Flu (NIV) National Institute of Virology. �
Scientific Prevention of Swine Flue using Household Products
1. Inhale Clove Oil (Lavang) For 1 Second.
2. Chew 1 Clove In a Day
3. Eat Raw Garlic (Lasun), Onion, Ginger (Aale) (1 to 5gm)
4. Drink Hot Milk With 2gm of Turmeric
5. Consume Plenty Of Vit C Fruits-Lemon/Avala
Mornning Kadha – Ingredients:
1 – Warm Water 1 Glass
2 – Honey 1 Spoon
3 – Lemon Juice 1/2 no.
• How to use it?
• Take one glass of this water every day early morning when your stomach is empty.
• Continue this for 7 days. Next week repeat the same but on alternate days.
Evenning Kadha – Ingredients:
1 – Tulsi Leaf 10-12 no.
2 – Kalimiri 7-8 no.
3 – Gud (made from sugercane) As per test required.
Method of Preparation : Put all the above ingredients in 2 cups of water. Boil it for 5 minutes or till 1 cup of water is remaining. Put off the fire. Allow it to cool down by itself. When it has become cold, filter out the seeds.
How to use it?
Take one small cup of this water every day evenning when your stomach is empty. Continue this for 7days. Next week repeat the same but on alternate days.
- One piece each of Sweet flag (Vekhand)
- Dry ginger (Sunth)
- Turmeric (Halkhund)
- Mix in 1 litre water…
- Boil till water becomes approx. 1/4th litre…
- Drink 1/4th tea cup before sleeping…for 3 days…
A) Carry two-three camphor tablets in your shirt pocket.
B) Ladies shall tie two-three tablets of camphor in a small hanky on their dress.
This home remedy is effective against conjuctivitis virus and even small children don’t get conjuctivitis due to this.
Here are some easy steps you can take to tackle a flu virus of any kind, including swine flu. It is not necessary to follow all the steps at once. You can pick and choose a combination of remedies that suit you best. However, if you are already suffering from flu, these measures can help only up to an extent. And, if you have been infected by H1N1, visiting a hospital and staying in solitary confinement is a must.
1. Have five duly washed leaves of Tulsi (known as Basil in English; medicinal name Ocimum sanctum) everyday in the morning. Tulsi has a large number of therapeutic properties. It keeps throat and lungs clear and helps in infections by way of strengthening your immunity.
2. Giloi (medicinal name Tinospora cordifolia) is a commonly available plant in many areas. Take a one-foot long branch of giloi, add five to six leaves of Tulsi and boil in water for 15-20 minutes or long enough to allow the water to extract its properties.
Add black pepper and sendha (salt used during religious fasts), rock or black salt, or Misri (crystalised sugar like lumps to make it sweet) according to taste. Let it cool a bit and drink this kadha (concoction) while still warm. It will work wonders for your immunity. If giloi plant is not available, get processed giloi powder from Hamdard or others, and concoct a similar drink once a day.
3. A small piece of camphor (kapoor) approximately the size of a tablet should be taken once or twice a month. It can be swallowed with water by adults while children can take it along with mashed potatoes or banana because they will find it difficult to have it without any aides. Please remember camphor is not to be taken everyday, but only once each season, or once a month.
4. Those who can take garlic, must have two pods of raw garlic first thing in the morning. To be swallowed daily with lukewarm water. Garlic too strengthens immunity like the earlier measures mentioned.
5. Those not allergic to milk, must take a glass of hot or lukewarm milk every night with a small measure of haldi (turmeric).
6. Aloe vera (gwarpatha) too is a commonly available plant. Its thick and long, cactus-like leaves have an odourless gel. A teaspoon gel taken with water daily can work wonders for not only your skin and joint pains, but also boost immunity.
7. Take homeopathic medicines — Pyrogenium 200 and Inflenzium 200 in particular — five tablets three times a day, or two-three drops three times a day. While these are not specifically targeted at H1N1 either, these work well as preventive against common flu virus.
8. Do Pranayam daily (preferably under guidance if you are already not initiated into it) and go for morning jog/walk regularly to keep your throat and lungs in good condition and body in fine fettle. Even in small measures, it will work wonders for your body’s resistance against all such diseases which attack the nose, throat and lungs, besides keeping you fit.
9. Have citrus fruits, particularly Vitamin C rich Amla (Indian gooseberry) juice. Since fresh Amla is not yet available in the market (not for another three to four months), it is not a bad idea to buy packaged Amla juice which is commonly available nowadays.
10. Last but not the least, wash your hands frequently every day with soap and warm water for 15-20 seconds; especially before meals, or each time after touching a surface that you suspect could be contaminated with flu virus such as a door handle or a knob/handle, especially if you have returned from a public place or used public transport. Alcohol-based hand cleaners should be kept handy at all times and used until you can get soap and warm water.
The acute stage
AGE – Arsenicum-iodatum/ Gelsemium/ Eupatorium 30- A combination remedy – this has historically been used as a prophylactic, although no trials have been carried out to date. It is used as soon as any symptoms develop or after contact – one 3 times a day until symptoms improve.
Aconite 30 – Sudden onset from cold winds or getting chilled. Fever and chill, restlessness and anxiety, good at the first stage of cold or flu.
Belladonna 30 – The No. 1 remedy for sudden fevers. Patient is burning, red and hot. Eyes may be glassy and the pupils dilated. Thirsty for refreshing drinks. Inflamed sore throat, throbbing headache, better lying down, worse touch, jarring or movement.
Bryonia 30 – Keynote: any movement causes pain – wants to be still. Painful dry cough. Headache and pains, better from pressure and worse movement. Irritable and thirsty for cold drinks.
Camphora 30- Icy coldness – yet doesn’t want covers on – but is sensitive to cold – wants cold drinks. A state of sudden collapse, wants carers present during the hot stage of fever. Anxious.
Eupatorium perfoliatum 30- intense aching in back, limbs and especially bones – which feel broken. Sore skin and muscles, shivering, chills. Thirst for cold water but may vomit food, drink and bile. Headache with nausea, sore chest with cough.
Nux Vomica 30 – Extreme chilliness – shivery, cannot get warm despite heat. May have fever but feels freezing inside. Aching limbs and gastric problems – nausea. Better from sleep, hot drinks, strong pressure and being left alone.
Gelsemium 30 – Aching, tiredness and weakness felt especially in muscles and limbs. Drowsy, dull, apathetic, dizzy and trembling. Heavy eyelids with bruising headache from the neck to head and forehead. Chill and heat. No thirst.
After influenza
Tuberculinum Aviare 200- Practitioners use this remedy for clearing up symptoms after flu, especially when the lungs have been affected, Coughs are irritating, incessant and tickling. There is great debility and weight loss and lack of appetite. This remedy braces up the whole organism, reduces coughs and brings back the appetite. 3 doses in 12 hours. One of the following may also be needed:
China- continued debility and chilliness – anaemic and weak with desire to stretch and move. Worse on alternate days.
Kali Phosphoricum – General weakness with spasm – the slightest labour seems like a heavy task.
Phosphoric Acid – Chronic fatigue after flu. Better from warmth, sleep. Feels apathetic, dull, settled despair, indifferent to everything. Low continued fevers. The above can be taken either in a 6C potency 3 times a day or a 30 potency twice a day.
- Gelsemium,Aconite and rhustox
- Influenzinum
- Pyrogenium and Baptisia
- Eupat. perf., Ars. alb, allium cepa, baptisia, rhustox, bryonia, sabadilla, sticta, phosphorus.
For the prophylactic uses of swine flu
When Swine flu appear in a family let all those who are unaffected take Ars.3c thrice daily and let the patients take influenzinum 30c every hour or two.This generally prevents the spread of the trouble and clears up the “Swine Flu” attack.
For the earliar stage of Swine Flu:One dose of Oscillococcinum 200c every 2 to 3 hours or repeat only if necessary.
Other remedies Which can help you:Cimic,Ars,Bell,Bry,Hep,Merc,Gels,Aconite,Rhustox and Eupat.perf
Influenzinum 200 + Bacillinium 200 + Diphtherinum 200 + Oscillococcinum 200
NB : These are the views of various doctors and should not be imitated by patients unless and until they talk with their own doctors.
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