F L U.....................S E A S O N

                                          Flu Season

Just like I hate statistics and find them flawed, I hate the absence of clean data.

I absolutely HATE the hype (exaggerated claims and ensuing commotion) that comes out about flu each year as the guru's try to get you to buy and use this year's vaccine especially formulated just for this flu season.

A few years later you find that all the You May Die or Your Children May Die scream was based on fear.......or projections... .or misinformation .........or misunderstanding, and the year in question was not a screamer after all (when you look back at the final data).  What data we get in real time is guesstimates, estimates, extrapolations and even anecdotal.  This data will be "cleaned up" later and will look different in retrospect and will be more nearly accurate.

Yes, it is possible to die from the flu. 
But highly unlikely (unless it is a rare flu like the 1917-1918 Spanish flu)
....or unless you are already flirting with death at death's door.

It is also possible to get flu or even bad bad side effects from the flu immunization. 
But highly unlikely.

We could try not to build our life decisions on hype. Think it through.

We have been blessed with brains

and immune systems.

We could think it through before making our own informed decisions.

This year's flu immunization is proving to be about 60% effective. HELLO! I'm impressed!!

If you get the flu instead of the immunization, your immunity will likely be 100%. (If you don't die, for goodness sakes!!!!!!!!)

Have you ever wondered just exactly when Flu Season is?

Did you hear it “started early” this year? 

Ahh, are you curious as to just when it started?
Doesn't it sound ominous in the media...."started early!"....."epidemic proportions!"......"deadly!"......
Well, they gotta sell newspapers, TV shows and pharmaceuticals.  Our economy in America runs on selling and buying....and advertising hype.

“Flu season” is a time during cold weather when the flu virus which has been around all year, finds it much easier to be passed on and replicated.  People begin spending more time indoors and  vents for fresh air are often closed...so air gets more densely packed with viruses which are no longer held in check by the warm weather that makes them less able to flit about effectively.

“Flu season” lasts 6 weeks, so if it starts early it ends early.......as it takes 3 weeks for it to peak and 3 weeks to diminish....as people build natural immunity to the virus.  (the hype begins much earlier and lasts longer) 

Protecting oneself against the flu is possible.

Flu bugs like cold air, dry air, dry mucus membranes, weak "hosts".

As with all germs, the key factors of whether I will come down with any germy disease are:

1.  how densely packed together the germs when I encounter them

2.  the length of time I are exposed to the germ

3.  how strong (virulent) the germ is

4.  how well my immune system is at the time

I hate it when children are lined up and get the jab based on fear. Being a substitute school teacher in my spare time, I see some interesting things. Going in at noon to take over a fourth grade class last Tuesday, I watched the real teacher line his students up and dismiss them for lunch without hand washing or hand sanitizer.  That teacher never heard that hand washing helps prevent flu.
 

But people better get their flu vaccines so they don't get the flu! 
 Or somebody's gonna be fired or jailed!

We live in a strange technologic world anymore.

Staying healthy is a matter of Being Healthy to begin with.

Eat right, exercise right, get plenty of fresh air and keep yourself hydrated.

Don't abuse your immune system with drugs, alcohol, non-nutritional food, and poor sleep habits.

Wash your hands.

Stay out of crowded places and if you cannot stay out of crowded places take lots of vitamin C........& wash your hands more often,

and let in the fresh air if you can. Disperse those germs!

Don't get over tired.  Breathe moist air.

If you have blood sugar problems, keep your blood sugar in tight control. Germs love syrupy blood!

If you do not have blood sugar problems, still keep your blood free of brief bursts of circulating sugars. Germs love syrupy blood!

If you get the flu, rest, keep very well hydrated, take lots of vitamin C, eat chicken soup, green tea, toast, veggie juice and garlic.

If you are terribly frightened that you might get the flu and die, get the immunization which may or may not keep the flu away this season, and it may or may not help you stay on the job so your employer doesn't have to pay for a sick day or week. Or so you don't lose work that isn't covered by sick leave.  And it may or may not keep you from passing on the flu to others.

Make your own decision.

But wash your hands and don't cough on me! 
Cough into your elbow....and I will do the same for you.

By the way, Zanamivir (Relenza) is 100% effective against all strains of the flu virus if you get the flu and start the med within 48 hours.There are other anitviral meds like Tamiflu, etc.

I don't like to see a society guided by fear from the government and its agencies.

I once read that in FRANCE, the government is afraid of the people........................

but in AMERICA, the people are afraid of the government.

That could explain why our government takes us for fools and does not listen to us.

Riverwatch