October 19, 2009
Concerned About the Flu?
Advice on how to care for ourselves and our loved ones.
Concerned About the Flu?
Advice on how to care for ourselves and our loved ones.
SUMMARY: Experts have lots of unanswered questions about this flu season,
but they believe it will be unlike any other, with multiple viruses circulating. "This
year we are in uncharted territory," says Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) director Thomas Frieden. "What will happen in the coming
weeks and months will only become clear in the weeks and months ahead."
Questions that have answers include...
What is Novel H1N1 (swine flu)? It is a flu virus never before seen in
humans, and it is spreading around the world. The World Health Organization
has labeled the disease a pandemic.
What are the symptoms? Fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose,
body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and possibly diarrhea. Most people
recover without hospitalization, but some people may need intensive care and
may not even survive.
How does it differ from seasonal flu? While seasonal flu is most dangerous
for the very young and the very old, H1N1 takes its greatest toll on people
younger than 25, pregnant women, and people with asthma, diabetes, immune
deficiencies and other chronic conditions.
How long can an infected person spread the virus to others? Nobody
knows, but a person becomes infectious about a day before symptoms begin.
The CDC recommends people stay home for 24 hours after the fever goes
down without treatment.
Can I protect myself from getting sick? A vaccine for H1N1 was due this
month with the groups most at risk urged to move to the head of the line.
Children and adults are advised to get vaccines for both H1N1 and seasonal
flu (seasonal flu itself kills 36,000 people a year). One expert also advises that
children get vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia, a major causes of
deaths in previous flu epidemics.
Who should get the vaccines? Swine flu: Pregnant women, people who care
for children younger than 6 months, health care workers, young people 6
months to 24 years, and older people with chronic medical conditions or
weakened immunity. Seasonal flu: Infants, young people 6 months to 19 years;
people who care for infants; pregnant women; people 50 and older; people with
chronic disease, health care workers, and others who want to reduce their risk
of getting sick.
Is vaccine the only option? Besides getting vaccinated, other good advice
includes covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or
sneezing (or cough into your elbow); cleaning hands often with soap and water
or sanitizer; keeping hands away from eyes, nose, and mouth; and, if sick,
keeping away from others.
What can I do to prepare? Pay attention to the news to see if it makes sense
to avoid public gatherings. Stock up on food, fluids, tissues, sanitizers, medicine
and other household items in case someone in the family gets sick.
What are some signs of a severe illness? Trouble breathing; gray or bluish
skin; not drinking enough fluids; vomiting; not waking up or interacting with
others; being irritable; not wanting to be held (children); pain or pressure in the
chest or abdomen (adults); improvement followed by a reoccurrence of fever
and cough.
Should I stay home or go to work? You may go to work if you're feeling okay
and aren't needed at home. If you are sick but otherwise healthy and not
suffering any respiratory symptoms, you should stay at home. But, in this case,
take fever-reducing medicine, get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids. More
serious symptoms may require seeking medical help.
To read the entire article click on this link to USA TODAY.
COMMENT: This is just another reminder of the original sin of Adam and Eve
and the reason we have illness in the world. God didn’t create the world with
health problems like influenza.
Yet, a far more serious problem for human beings than even the worst of
medical problems are the spiritual problems that unfortunately are afflicting a
majority of the world’s peoples. Worshippers of false gods including those who
have placed their faith in the doctrines of evolution theory have a serious
ailment that will bring eternal death unless they turn to Jesus Christ. Christ
offered His life as a full payment for our sins, a complete cure for the spiritual
problems that have sickened our souls. We can accept this free and full
remedy for sin, or we can reject it to our everlasting regret.
Jesus talked about spiritual sickness when we said in Matthew 9:12 , "It is not
the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” We can all be doctors and nurses
in the sense of trying to lead the spiritually sick to health through the spreading
of the Gospel. May God bless our efforts!
**************************************************************************************
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request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What food type can lower blood pressure by counteracting unhealthy
sodium?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
but they believe it will be unlike any other, with multiple viruses circulating. "This
year we are in uncharted territory," says Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) director Thomas Frieden. "What will happen in the coming
weeks and months will only become clear in the weeks and months ahead."
Questions that have answers include...
What is Novel H1N1 (swine flu)? It is a flu virus never before seen in
humans, and it is spreading around the world. The World Health Organization
has labeled the disease a pandemic.
What are the symptoms? Fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose,
body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and possibly diarrhea. Most people
recover without hospitalization, but some people may need intensive care and
may not even survive.
How does it differ from seasonal flu? While seasonal flu is most dangerous
for the very young and the very old, H1N1 takes its greatest toll on people
younger than 25, pregnant women, and people with asthma, diabetes, immune
deficiencies and other chronic conditions.
How long can an infected person spread the virus to others? Nobody
knows, but a person becomes infectious about a day before symptoms begin.
The CDC recommends people stay home for 24 hours after the fever goes
down without treatment.
Can I protect myself from getting sick? A vaccine for H1N1 was due this
month with the groups most at risk urged to move to the head of the line.
Children and adults are advised to get vaccines for both H1N1 and seasonal
flu (seasonal flu itself kills 36,000 people a year). One expert also advises that
children get vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia, a major causes of
deaths in previous flu epidemics.
Who should get the vaccines? Swine flu: Pregnant women, people who care
for children younger than 6 months, health care workers, young people 6
months to 24 years, and older people with chronic medical conditions or
weakened immunity. Seasonal flu: Infants, young people 6 months to 19 years;
people who care for infants; pregnant women; people 50 and older; people with
chronic disease, health care workers, and others who want to reduce their risk
of getting sick.
Is vaccine the only option? Besides getting vaccinated, other good advice
includes covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or
sneezing (or cough into your elbow); cleaning hands often with soap and water
or sanitizer; keeping hands away from eyes, nose, and mouth; and, if sick,
keeping away from others.
What can I do to prepare? Pay attention to the news to see if it makes sense
to avoid public gatherings. Stock up on food, fluids, tissues, sanitizers, medicine
and other household items in case someone in the family gets sick.
What are some signs of a severe illness? Trouble breathing; gray or bluish
skin; not drinking enough fluids; vomiting; not waking up or interacting with
others; being irritable; not wanting to be held (children); pain or pressure in the
chest or abdomen (adults); improvement followed by a reoccurrence of fever
and cough.
Should I stay home or go to work? You may go to work if you're feeling okay
and aren't needed at home. If you are sick but otherwise healthy and not
suffering any respiratory symptoms, you should stay at home. But, in this case,
take fever-reducing medicine, get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids. More
serious symptoms may require seeking medical help.
To read the entire article click on this link to USA TODAY.
COMMENT: This is just another reminder of the original sin of Adam and Eve
and the reason we have illness in the world. God didn’t create the world with
health problems like influenza.
Yet, a far more serious problem for human beings than even the worst of
medical problems are the spiritual problems that unfortunately are afflicting a
majority of the world’s peoples. Worshippers of false gods including those who
have placed their faith in the doctrines of evolution theory have a serious
ailment that will bring eternal death unless they turn to Jesus Christ. Christ
offered His life as a full payment for our sins, a complete cure for the spiritual
problems that have sickened our souls. We can accept this free and full
remedy for sin, or we can reject it to our everlasting regret.
Jesus talked about spiritual sickness when we said in Matthew 9:12 , "It is not
the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” We can all be doctors and nurses
in the sense of trying to lead the spiritually sick to health through the spreading
of the Gospel. May God bless our efforts!
**************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail your
request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What food type can lower blood pressure by counteracting unhealthy
sodium?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
1 Comment
anonymous said...My child came home from school saying that they learned
to cough and sneeze into their elbow with Germy Wormie, and I was totally
taken aback. I always covered with my hands. But I went to the website and
now I get it, hands touch, elbows don't!! Kids can touch 300 surfaces in 1/2
hour and they hate to wash their hands. This is a simple thing that can make
a huge difference.
anonymous said...My child came home from school saying that they learned
to cough and sneeze into their elbow with Germy Wormie, and I was totally
taken aback. I always covered with my hands. But I went to the website and
now I get it, hands touch, elbows don't!! Kids can touch 300 surfaces in 1/2
hour and they hate to wash their hands. This is a simple thing that can make
a huge difference.
| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |
Potassium. The American Dietetic
Association recommends getting 4,700 mg
of potassium a day. Some foods high in
potassium include: one baked potato (1,000
mg), one medium banana (420 mg),
cantaloupes, brown rice, apples, and lima
beans. (picture from Wikimedia Commons)
Source: Spry magazine (October, 2009)
Association recommends getting 4,700 mg
of potassium a day. Some foods high in
potassium include: one baked potato (1,000
mg), one medium banana (420 mg),
cantaloupes, brown rice, apples, and lima
beans. (picture from Wikimedia Commons)
Source: Spry magazine (October, 2009)