The Stillpoint

The news today is filled with stories about the Swine Flu (H1N1) pandemic which is sweeping the globe. A few important caveats before we dive into how to look at flu from an osteopathic perspective.

First, the definition of a pandemic only describes the reach or scope of the infection, not the severity. As it stands now, there are 257 confirmed cases in at least 11 countries with 8 deaths, but the only deaths have occurred in citizens of Mexico. In Mexico, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated today that there were only 7 confirmed deaths from swine flu in that country, far fewer than the 150+ which has been reported in the media. The 1 death in the United States was actually a child visiting from Mexico. Worldwide the mortality rate (percentage of people who are killed by the disease) for this particular pandemic is 3%. Compare that to the mortality rate during a normal flu season which is closer to 10%. This flu virus, though widespread, does not appear to be any more dangerous than the usual influenza we deal with every year.

How can we explain, then, the increased mortality in Mexico? One of the keys to maintaining health is to provide an appropriate environment for health. The internal environment determines how your body responds to an invading organism, in this case an influenza virus. Knowing that this particiular virus is no more virulent than the typical influenza virus we face, we can assume that the people who died in Mexico had an internal environment which was not strong enough to fight off the invasion.

What kind of things make up the internal environment? What can make it stronger?

• A good diet: avoiding sweets, making sure we eat enough protein, fruits, vegetables, and drinking enough clean water. Carbohydrates activate your cortisol system, lowering your immune system and inhibiting your ability to fight infections.
• Get a good night’s sleep: sleep is another factor in the cortisol system. A good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health.
• Check your Vitamin D level: research is now showing what we have suspected for a while, that Vitamin D plays a key role in augmenting the innate immune response.
• Find ways to address stress: yet another activator of the cortisol system and a key in the psychoneuroimmunological response.
• Osteopathic treatment: aimed at removing restrictions and enhancing the activity of the lymphatic system helps augment the immune response by stimulating release of white blood cells into the system.

In summary, the usual precautions or actions we should all be taking to maintain health will help against this “new” flu pandemic. The majority of healthy individuals who do get the flu are going recover without significant medical intervention besides common sense.

To find a DO in your area, contact the AAO or the Cranial Academy.

April 30th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL