*The* Swine Flu (Cat 6 Pandemic) Thread

[rocketgirl]

I wish it were real but logic tells me if onions could suck bacteria from a sick persons lungs there'd be unions in hospitals and hanging on every street corner. But hey, I've never tried it so I think we should all agree that the next person on this thread to get sick should try the union test and lets see.

[LuaHasFreedom]

It strikes me as one of those urban myths started by someone who thinks it would be really funny to see people spreading onions around their homes - just in case. I remember a story years ago (I think learned in school) about people in the Middle Ages who thought hanging an onion around their necks would protect them from illness. Perhaps this person heard the same tale. On the other hand, the tale might have had some merit.

[Hope@ZeroKelvin]

I think that the onion and garlic thing works by keeping people away from close contact from each other as these are rather odiferous plants to hang around your neck. 

BTW:  You cannot see virus under a standard microscope, you need either special stains or an electron microscope, neither of which were available in 1918.

[Echo]

@Hope do you believe the validity of the Vitamin D thing? I've seen some compelling reports and have been taking it for a while but would like to know your opinion

[cozdiver]

Wet hemorrhagic lungs with lots of blood in them in Iowa

http://www.kcci.com/news/21670309/detail.html

http://ukraineplague.blogspot.com/2009/11/autopsies-wet-hemorrhagic-lungs-with.html

[Candy*Land]

Shaleoh -- thanks so much for that. I got to use it today with H's head cold. Echo -- I have a D deficiency -- and took extra yesterday and today and the cold going around our house has barely hit me. So, I choose to believe it helped in some way. That and I said to myself: I am not going to get fricken sick again this month.  

[Echo]

Shaleoh -- thanks so much for that. I got to use it today with H's head cold. Echo -- I have a D deficiency -- and took extra yesterday and today and the cold going around our house has barely hit me. So, I choose to believe it helped in some way. That and I said to myself: I am not going to get fricken sick again this month.  

Glad it helped. I'm taking 3000 units a day and so far have avoided all the icky virii going about this year. No idea if its just a coincidence but i'll keep taking it.

[Hope@ZeroKelvin]

@Hope do you believe the validity of the Vitamin D thing? I've seen some compelling reports and have been taking it for a while but would like to know your opinion

Am not sure about its relationship to flu but there is a lot of emerging data on its relationship to cancer, certainly breast cancer.

Be careful with any fat soluble vitamin like A, D, E, K.  You can actually overdose and get into trouble.

See your doc and see if your are actually low in Vit D.  Especially if you are of caucasian ancestry.  Those are the folks that tend to be low.

Otherwise the RDA of 800 U Daily is probably safe.

As to swine flu, like any virus - avoid large crowds, wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands.

Get plenty of sleep, eat a balanced good diet, try not to stress out and make a burnt offering to whatever God you think is appropriate.

[Candy*Land]

It can build up, Echo, if not already -- maybe get a level done sometime?  

eta: Oh, yes, listen to the good doc. I'm getting my burnt offering all ready as we speak...

[Broil]

I give my burnt offerings to the stray cats, but sometimes they won't eat them either.

I'm sure someone's posted the drawing of the swine virus, but here it is again to help visualize what's going on:

[Zac]

Be careful with any fat soluble vitamin like A, D, E, K.  You can actually overdose and get into trouble.

See your doc and see if your are actually low in Vit D.  Especially if you are of caucasian ancestry.  Those are the folks that tend to be low.

Otherwise the RDA of 800 U Daily is probably safe.

For those people with a history of kidney stones, a lot of Vitamin D could make those stones grow faster.  But, I think the benefit of vitamin D greatly outweighs the risks for most people.  One well cited study concluded that dosages of below 50000 IU daily should be safe. 

There's a lot of good information in this thread:

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114594

I've been taking a low dosage (100% US RDA or less) multivitamin for the last decade.  I did start taking more Vitamin D (800-1200 IU daily) starting in April because of the swine flu pandemic.  It could be just a coincidence, but my overall mood seems to have improved shortly after I started taking it. 

[Echo]

Be careful with any fat soluble vitamin like A, D, E, K.  You can actually overdose and get into trouble.

See your doc and see if your are actually low in Vit D.  Especially if you are of caucasian ancestry.  Those are the folks that tend to be low.

Otherwise the RDA of 800 U Daily is probably safe.

For those people with a history of kidney stones, a lot of Vitamin D could make those stones grow faster.  But, I think the benefit of vitamin D greatly outweighs the risks for most people.  One well cited study concluded that dosages of below 50000 IU daily should be safe. 

There's a lot of good information in this thread:

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114594

I've been taking a low dosage (100% US RDA or less) multivitamin for the last decade.  I did start taking more Vitamin D (800-1200 IU daily) starting in April because of the swine flu pandemic.  It could be just a coincidence, but my overall mood seems to have improved shortly after I started taking it. 

if i may Zac: I believe it was safe under 5000 units rather than 50000? I was taking 2000 but decided to hedge my bets and take 3000 If it wasnt a typo please forgive me attempting to correct you

[BlueOwl]

Especially if you are of caucasian ancestry.  Those are the folks that tend to be low.

I think you have that exactly backwards.

....[the women in the study showing low vitamin-d levels] had significant risk factors for vitamin D deficiency, including increased age and black race.

Source: http://news.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-2/Age-and-race-are-significant-risk-factors-for-vitamin-D-deficiency-and-disability-among-elderly-women-10721-1/

The more pale you are the faster your own skin makes vitamin-D in sunlight. 

It is thought that skin color is a balancing act between allowing your skin to produce enough vitamin-D while protecting it from the damage the sun can do (e.g. skin cancer).  Although the theory isn't perfect, it does jive, with a few exceptions, that those that live in hotter and more equatorial climates (more skin exposed or more powerful sun) have darker skin than those living in colder or more polar regions.

[seawitchllc]

I've been taking a low dosage (100% US RDA or less) multivitamin for the last decade.  I did start taking more Vitamin D (800-1200 IU daily) starting in April because of the swine flu pandemic.  It could be just a coincidence, but my overall mood seems to have improved shortly after I started taking it. 

Vitamin D ( outside play... 'green' time) is a recommendation of 9 out of 10 child psychiatrists if the patient has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.  Increased time outside (green time) is almost always included in the 'recommendations' para of a psychological evaluation.  If a child has a defiant/aggressive behavior disorder, 60 minutes of sunshine every day or every other day, greatly improves their temperament as well as mood ( and is thought to help regulate their sleep cycle if the child is prone to nightmares and sleep disorders).  It is a great alternative to medication that otherwise might be prescribed as a means to modify behavior... 

[Zac]

if i may Zac: I believe it was safe under 5000 units rather than 50000? I was taking 2000 but decided to hedge my bets and take 3000 If it wasnt a typo please forgive me attempting to correct you

I would not recommend 50000 IU a day or even anywhere close to that.  But, as I recall, the study I read concluded that there was little risk of toxicity below 50000 IU per day.