H1N1 - SWINE FLU TIPS......

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions.While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced
1. Frequent hand-washing
2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face
3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation.
4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*
5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
6.* Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
Know the Difference between Cold and Swine Flu SymptomsSymptom Cold Swine FluFever Fever is rare with a cold. Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100° F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.Coughing A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold. A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to asdry cough).Aches Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold. Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.Stuffy Nose Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week. Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.Chills Chills are uncommon with a cold. 60% of people who have the flu experience chills.Tiredness Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold. Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.Sneezing Sneezing is commonly present with a cold. Sneezing is not common with the flu.Sudden Symptoms Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days. The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.Headache A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold. A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.Sore Throat Sore throat is commonly present with a cold. Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.Chest Discomfort Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold. Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

Skin Deep

Personal care product companies are not required to test their products for safety prior to selling them and can put in virtually anything they want. Not surprisingly, there are many ingredients that have been found to be harmful. To reduce your exposure to carcinogens, neurotoxicants, and reproductive toxicants, purchase products that do not contain:

*Parabens
*Formaldehyde
*Triethanolamine and cocamide DEA
*PEGs
*Isopropanol
*2-phenoxyethanol
*Benzethonium chloride
*Talc
*Phthalates
*Fragrance

The Skin Deep Safety Guide to cosmetics and personal care products (brought to you by researchers at the Environmental Working Group) is a great resource for what type of chemicals are in over 25,000 products - you can search by product type, by brand etc. To find out more, check out www.cosmeticsdatabase.com.

Household Cleaners

The EPA states that toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution and the Consumer Product Safety Commission has identified 150 chemicals common in homes linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities. Some of the most common culprits include household bleach, all-purpose cleaners, laundry detergent and dish detergent.

Make it a point to use non-toxic cleaners (i.e. Seventh Generation, Method, Ecover brands).

Did you know?

Bottled water is less regulated than tap water and can contain chemicals leached from the plastic. Bottle your own water and use a stainless steel or aluminum reusable water bottle.

What is the Issue with Exposure to Toxins in the Home?

Never before in human history have we seen such a dramatic rise in chronic childhood disease and illness as we do today in the US. Currently over 125 million children and adults suffer from disease and health conditions such as:

*cancer
*autism
*asthma
*birth defects
*ADD / ADHD
*learning and developmental disabilities

Scientific evidence increasingly points to environmental hazards and chemicals as causing and contributing to many of these childhood diseases. In the past 60 years, more than 85,000 new synthetic chemical compounds have been developed and released into the environment. Many products you'll find in your home, including cleaners, pesticides, carpets, paints, plastics, furniture, personal care, and others, contain these new ingredients. They have never been tested for potentially toxicity to adults, no less to children.

The health and well-being of children are uniquely vulnerable to potentially harmful environmental exposures. Children's bodies are still growing and developing. Pound for pound children breathe more air, drink more water, and eat more food than adults. Pollutants can disrupt development and cause far more harm to them than adults. Children's behavior also makes them more vulnerable to exposure. They put their hands in their mouths, spend 90% of time indoors, and play close to the ground, all of which increase their risk for being negatively affected by harmful exposures. Visit http://www.healthychild.org/ to learn more about how to reduce your family's exposure to these toxins.

What is HCHW?

Healthy Child Healthy World (HCHW) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public, specifically parents and caregivers, about environmental toxins that affect children's health. Their ultimate goal is to eliminate children's exposure to man-made toxic substances by ensuring everyone's right-to-know what is in their air, food, water and commercial products. They are working to achieve this goal through increased scientific research, government policies which are more protective of children, and educating and mobilizing individuals - like you - around the country. Visit the HCHW website for more information http://www.healthychild.org/

Luna is a proud partner with Healthy Child Healthy World in the "Change Agents" program - designed to build a strong community of women through social networking with the end goal of inspiring action and effecting positive change surrounding women's health.

Our playgroup, Mommies Lil Kisses will be hosing a Healthy Home Party on September 30th starting at 11:00 after our Stroller Strides class where we will learn how to reduce our household environmental toxins.

Check back here for daily updates and information.

Open a Window.....

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air quality is one of the top five environmental health concerns. Given that people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, its important to do what you can to reduce indoor air pollution.

One of the simplest things you can do is open a window. Even if its chilly outside, you should open a window for five minutes a day to significantly decrease the concentrations of air pollutants in your home. Most home heating and air cooling systems, including forced air heating systems, do not mechanically bring fresh air into the house. Open a window and start breathing cleaner air.