[deMolay]

Here is a link to Reuters article. http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE53N22820090427

[deMolay]

Here is a pretty good history of Flu Pandemics.http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/ops/hsc-scen-3_pandemic-influenza.htm

[MarkM]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('alokin', 'T')here is something strange with this flu. It attacks mainly healthy adults. What happens if you strengthen your immune system are you then more likely to get it?
At the moment I don't buy or do anything, but it is good to know which herbs could be used in advance. For quick growing ones you could even get them in now.

[Jotapay]

Look up "cytokine response" to see why it is killing those with healthy immune systems.

I actually may have it right now and I'm suppressing my immune system. Right now I work for a very large manufacturing company in Austin in a huge, very enclosed building where 2,000+ people work. 200+ people probably walk by my cube every day. There are quite a few people coughing here this morning. I emailed the nursing staff to ask them what the procedures are if employees are confirmed to have H1N1, but no response yet.

On Saturday, I started getting a bad headache (I never get headaches) and obviously had something in my lungs. I was coughing up phlegm and had my breathing capacity reduced by 10-20%.

I never get the flu, so I'm not that worried about me developing a bad reaction to it, if I do have this H1N1 strain. This may sound nuts, but I'm actively trying to suppress my immune system a little bit right now by drinking a fair amount (not too much, not too little) of vodka and it seems to be working very well. I exhibited no symptoms yesterday and am coughing just a little bit this morning. Since you die from the cytokine response, I'm trying to make sure that doesn't happen if I do have this H1N1.

[chris-h]

if you search Google for cytokine response turmeric then you will find that it can be a life saver if this flu has a automimmune component like the 1918 flu.


4 grams turmeric plus 1 gram black pepper per day ( black pepper increases turmeric concentration on the blood by a factor of 10) will do nicely with no side effects.


disclaimer i am not a md do your own research.


http://pharmacyproduct2u.blogspot.com/2 ... t-and.html


$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')tudies show that when a small amount of piperine (patented Bioperine US Patent 5,972,382) which is extracted from black pepper, is combined with turmeric extract in a capsule, the absorption of curcuminoids into the bloodstream is dramatically increased(2000%). Besides enhancing absorption of curcuminoids into bloodstream, piperine also helps by inhibiting the enzymes that breakdown curcuminoids, which makes curcuminoids stay in the body longer and in higher quantities for maximum effectiveness.


New evidence suggests Turmeric, a bright yellow colour curry spice can prevent many diseases. A growing body of research indicates that curcuminoids, the active components in Turmeric could be used to prevent a wide range of illness from colorectal cancer to Alzheimer's disease to arthritis and skin disorders. Studies have shown that curcuminoids has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cholesterol lowering properties. And it is also a natural COX-2(anti-inflammatory agent) inhibitor for relieving pain and a promising anti-cancer agent. Scientists have also noted that curcuminoids support healthy blood sugar metabolism and offer a promise to fight diabetes.

[Ptarmigan]

http://www.the-health-gazette.com/healt ... antivirals

Gives a list of products to eat to avoid the cytokine storm, the list also has references to scientific publications for those who are interested.

Garlic
Tumeric
Cranberry
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Green tea

My plan is to attack this virus with anything and everything, pray to the garlic spirit and then eat a handful
To avoid the dehydration I need to drink so why not drink cranberry juice, even if it just raises my chance a little its always something.

Also check
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/51913.php

They write about why the influenza attacks us during winter....no sun...no Vitamin D produced in our bodies....hence eat more Vitamin D and expose bigger part of your body to the sun.

[Pops]

Looks like the Flu might be something to concern ourselves with.

If it is a new strain to which we have no resistance.
If it turns out to be really good at Human transmission,
If it affects young and healthy more than normal epidemics
If it is starting out now at the end of normal flu season --
And presumably hanging around till the real flu season starts in the fall.

---
This, of course, is a doing thread relating to preparing for a pandemic. We aren't concerned here which of your favorite Evil Doers cooked up this headache in their top secret dungeon, slush funded undisclosed location or dorm-room. So if you have a political or just a smart ass comment to make, funny picture to post or otherwise feel the need to be disruptive or off topic, do it somewhere else and save us the time of deleting it.
----

I'd suggest just as a start for any kind of emergency, everyone should download the FEMA list here

We don't get to town much and work at home so don't have lots of exposure any time. We could hold off going to town for a while. But there is the mailman and a neighbor that stops by here and there so if things became widespread we'd disinfect up more after contact and try to be ready to take care of someone sick without spreading it to everyone.

I went to town Saturday and I bought some fresh:
alcohol
bleach
Ibuprofen

And some things we didn't have:
Kleenex
Mucinex
Gatorade mix
alcohol towelettes

Some other things we have that might be handy and not a big waste:
N-95 masks (look in the paint isle at Lowes, etc)
latex gloves
Kaopectate or similar, (or mix jello or gelatin with Gatoraide - same thing)


Any specific actions you are taking or supplies you are buying?

[wisconsin_cur]

The bride and I just reviewed the plan that we had made in years past. I am doing some small things in case I go to work one night and find out that I am there for a month or longer (health care). Reviewed some important flu facts with her and figured out how the daily requirements of living and the farm would work.

The house already has everything she needs for an extended period of time. I went to town today to pick up some not quite necessary things and top off things long dog food, store bought diapers, grain for the animals.

[Ludi]

We're going to limit our trips to town.

[davep]

A friend of mine was ready to buy some preparation that boosts your immune response. This is the last thing you want, as this virus appears similar to the avian flu virus that actually kills those with the best immune system (by causing an over-reaction).

[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Shannymara', 'I') really doubt we will be able to avoid becoming infected, though.

[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('davep', 'a')s this virus appears similar to the avian flu virus that actually kills those with the best immune system (by causing an over-reaction).

[Aaron]

Purchased enough food today to sustain the family for a couple months if needed.

I travel for a living, so that's a problem.

Proper hygiene and more remote classes (which have become more popular recently anyway) should help.

Plenty of disinfectant chemicals and such of course.

Worse case scenario... lots of canned/dried food... and isolation.

oh yeah... and those full CBW suits and Canadian military gas-masks with multiple replacement cannisters I bought some time back are looking less & less crazy huh?

Who could have predicted the need for such things a few years ago?

Oh right...me.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Shannymara', 'G')oggles.

[oowolf]

"Proinflammatory cytokine responses" induced by influenza A occur mostly in healthy "young-mature" age 20 to 40 demographic (from respiratory research website).

This virus seems to be very much like the 1918 flu in it's early stages (1916-17). It appears to be reassorting very rapidly into numerous clades, some capable of causing grave pneumonia as in 1918.

This thing is already loose in the world. Stage 6 coming fast. Young adults need to stock-up on natural viricides such as:
Lomatium dissectum (or any available species of Lomatium)
Resveratrol (Polygonatum spp) (Fo Ti, Hu Zhang, etc) (Extract: use in diffuser or atomizer for inhalation, avoiding gut) Resveratrol is also common in the skin of the berries of many fruiting plants such as Juneberies, Grapes, Blueberries, Raspberries, Mulberries, etc. Most potent if consumed raw.


Elderberry extract
Tea Tree, Lemon Balm or Thyme essential oil (again, for inhalation)
Stinging nettle stings (or various stinging insects) Formic acid (HCOOH) inhibits prostaglandin thereby reducing the probability of "cytokine storm".

Those with seriously impared immune systems and the elderly should use adaptogenic herbs such as Ginseng, Ashwaganda, Maca, Rhodiola, Rhaponticum, Schisandra, Reishi, Larch aribinogalactan, etc (see adaptogens.org)

Stock-up now, as there may be a panic. You don't have to wait for a pandemic as these work for all types of flu bugs.
Good luck.

[Nefarious]

I'm going to make a point about everyone buying these dust mask for protection.

They are made for dust and have a protection rating of about N95. That means they will filter out about 95% of the particulates in the air of about 0.3 microns. That doesn't sound so bad does it. Draw back is they do not make an air tight seal against the face. You will usually have gaps around the nose area where air will pass freely with no filtration.
Lets examine the size of a virus. They are about 100 times smaller than a bacteria. Let's put that into perspective. If I had a block that was 100ft x100ft x100ft (that's a bacteria) in comparison a virus block would be a 1ft x1ft x1ft block. They range in size from 0.005 to 0.3 microns.There is no filter that I am aware of that can filter out particles as small as a virus, but we can filter out the aerosols like the mucus and saliva and such that carry the viruses.
Now dealing with something so small would you really want to have a dust mask that doesn't preform an air tight seal and allows particulates to pass through gaps(even small ones) and can only block 95% of particulates?
I personally would like the best protection possible. Either a full face or half face respirator with hepa cartridges that filter out 99.97% of particulates of 0.3 microns, it has a protection rating of n100. That when you put it on you can actually test to make sure you have an air tight seal around your face. You must have an air tight seal for any kind of filter to work properly.

I have worn SCBAs,Air fed respirators, Full face respirators, and half face respirators almost everyday for about 15 years in hazardous environments so I might know a little bit about them but I'm no doctor and don't know much about viruses.

[Madpaddy]

With kids in school, I don't see any practical way of avoiding this apart from battening down the hatches if things start to deteriorate which will probably be already too late.

Thinking of installing a UV light in the mailbox to kill any pathogens (anyone know if this will work with the flu virus)?

[davep]

I heard the masks were primarily to stop you spreading the virus to others, which isn't really the best defence mechanism...

[davep]

How long can this sort of virus survive attached to the likes of mail? SPG?

[oowolf]

see my list over on PFTF section. Also, I'm not a doctor but I am a SHAMAN. I'll take Lomatium over Tamiflu anyday.