How To Survive A Flu Pandemic

The possibility of a modern flu pandemic has gone from being an academic question to being discussed on the front page of major newspapers. Many people around the world are becoming increasingly frightened by all of this ominous news and they are searching for information for how they can successfully fight the flu without using chemicals or pharmaceutical drugs.

Do you know how to survive a flu pandemic?

The truth is that you can survive a flu pandemic. There are some really basic, common sense steps that you can take to help protect you and your family when a pandemic breaks out. Below we have compiled a list of health tips that will help you surive a flu pandemic.....

-- Wash Your Hands

This sounds like a very obvious tip, but you would be surprised by how many people simply will not do this. Washing your hands is the number one tip that health experts typically offer when asked to give tips on how to prevent the spread of disease.

The truth is that disease is spread by the hands almost more than by any other means. It is always a very good idea to wash your hands several times a day - especially whenever you have returned from being in a public place.

One key thing to remember is that disease can be passed by touching doorknobs and handles. After touching a doorknob or handle you will want to definitely wash your hands. Also, if you have just washed your hands in a restroom and then you turn a doorknob or handle on the way out you may have put the disease right back on your hands.

So be mindful of everything that you touch during a pandemic.

If you keep your hands clean that will go a long way in helping you to avoid catching the flu.

-- Avoid Public Places

If you do not have the swine flu already, how are you going to catch it?

From some other person, of course.

So while a flu pandemic is raging, it is advisable to avoid public places as much as you can.

Depending on your work situation that may or may not be possible, but you will want to do whatever is possible.

You will especially want to avoid places that thousands of people go through daily such as subways and other forms of public transportation. Stores and restaurants are also places where disease can spread very quickly.

If you typically take public transportation to work you may want to consider driving to work until a flu pandemic subsides.

-- Cover Your Mouth

The mouth is one of the key entry points for the flu. Covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze is always advisable - but especially when the flu is spreading.

In addition, if someone coughs or sneezes in your vicinity, you will want to turn away and leave that area as quickly as possible. Washing your face and hands after encountering someone you think may have the virus is also a very good idea.

-- Wear A Mask

A mask can help you avoid catching the flu, but it is far from the perfect solution.

For one thing, the less expensive masks do not filter out everything. Some are recommending that you get an M95 mask, but those are not 100 percent effective either.

Secondly, if you do wear a mask you will want to change them often. Whatever gets caught in your mask can end up drying out and once it does you can end up breathing the virus right in through your mask.

So do wear a mask during a flu pandemic if you can, but realize that a mask is not going to always protect you from getting the flu.

-- Fight The Virus Naturally

If you got a flu shot that is not going to cover you against most forms of the flu. The reality is that flu shots have some significant side effects and they typically only cover one strain of the flu anyway.

So what should you do?

Some people are suggesting Tamiflu, but the truth about Tamiflu is that most flu viruses quickly develop resistance to the drug, and it is being reported by many health experts that Tamiflu has some rather disturbing side effects.

Fortunately there are some natural ways that you can fight the flu that are not commonly known.

First of all, you will want to strengthen your immune system as much as you can. During a flu pandemic, take plenty of vitamin C and vitamin D every day even if you are not feeling sick. By building up your defenses this will help your immune system to be as strong as possible if you ever do come down with the disease.

There have also been reports of healthy patients developing an auto-immune response known as a cytokine storm in response to some forms of the flu. For those who are concerned about an auto-immune response to the flu, many health experts are saying that taking plenty of vitamin A can help avoid that.

If you do develop the flu, the following are some products that many health experts are recommending for battling the flu.....

*Oil Of Oregano

*Elderberry

*Fish Oil

*Sambucol

*Olive Leaf Extract

The truth is that there are things that you can do to prevent and fight the flu. Rather than being paralyzed by worry and fear when a pandemic comes, the better response is to gather information and to prepare.

Even if this current swine flu threat does not become a pandemic, the threat is far from over. Many of the top virologists in the world are now openly concerned about what will happen when the H1N1 flu virus encounters the H5N1 virus.