by Karen Laharty     |       November 2, 2009

Information overload about the H1N1 virus is easy to do.The number of reports about the pandemic appear to be conflicting and can be overwhelming. There are daily updates through the media about the availability of vaccines and frequent repetition as to reducing contact with the virus.  Lineups at clinics for the H1N1 flu shot, where available across Canada, have been long, though in Sooke not so long at the first clinic November 5 at EMCS.

Staying informed and knowledgeable about vaccination options has required attentiveness by every adult, who in turn must decide for the children and teens in their families, and also for seniors in their care.  So far, the primary push by health officials is for those with various stated risk factors (compromised immunity, ages 6 mo to 5 years, health workers in contact with H1N1 patients, pregnant women, anyone in contact with pregnant women or people who are immune-compromised, etc.) to get the H1N1 vaccine. And then apparently there will be enough vaccine for any other Canadian who wants the shot. 

Some people are declining the vaccine. The flu (influenza) has been around for decades, if not centuries; it's an  infectious disease caused by RNA viruses (i.e. viruses that replicate through its RNA instead of its DNA, which leave them open to greater chance of mutation). Every year there are new strains in the seasonal flu epidemic, each virus with its own genetic signature. H1N1 is the moniker for the same virus that caused the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic. The Avian flu, also known as H5N1, was of great concern after its appearance in Asia in the 1990s.  No matter the name, the symptoms all seem to read about the same: chills, fever, possible nausea and/or vomiting, dry hacking cough, headache and fatigue.  A guaranteed recipe for feeling absolutely crummy for at least a week.

Your best defence?  Hand washing is at the top of the list of preventive recommendations on Health Canada's website where further extensive H1N1 information can be found. The Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) website also has reliable information. Canada’s Public Health Agency has sent out a three-fold card to all Canadian households which lists symptoms, severity indicators and protection suggestions. Knowing the difference between a cold and the flu is also a great start in preventing the spread of the virus. You can feel a cold coming on for days but the flu will sneak up on you and within a couple of hours it’s got you.  We tend not to think about the flu unless it is flu season and as such, much time and effort is spent on seasonal prevention.  But what about prevention during the rest of the year?  Is there anything we can do to keep ourselves from becoming a target every spring and fall? 

Chatting with a local health food store owner revealed another way of looking at illness and year-round prevention against viral nasties. “Getting sick is the body’s way of dumping its internal garbage can,” said Karam Barazekar, owner of West Coast Natural Foods on West Coast Road in Sooke.  “If you don’t empty your household garbage regularly, your house fills with the smell of garbage. The smell is sickening and if you don’t do something about it, it continues to fill up and get worse. To avoid this, you empty the garbage. Your body tends to get sick easier when it is full of garbage. Consequently, it needs to be emptied. Your immune system gets a workout creating antibodies to help empty the internal garbage and as a result, becomes stronger. This is not a bad thing.” 

A strong immune system is key to illness prevention. There are many natural remedies available for strengthening the immune system on a daily basis, though the basics are to ensure adequate (or even optimal) intake of Vitamins A, C, D and E as well as zinc. Many supplements include herbs and other components that, in combination, work to combat viruses and environmental toxins. This combined with a better diet, proper rest and reduced stress (which we have heard repeatedly from various health care authorities), may help to give your body what it needs to fight colds and flus. 

Sound improbable, even impossible in this hectic day and age to prevent colds and flus? Barazekar has never had a flu shot and hasn’t had the flu in years. Colds come and go and generally last for a much shorter and less intense period of time than flus. “I take my vitamins and other supplements on a daily basis.  The key to long term prevention is consistency.  Our lives are so busy, it is easy to forget to take care of yourself.  But with every flu season we are reminded of just how important it is to not take our natural health for granted.”

This health food store owner is not completely opposed to the vaccine. “For those who are immunocompromised because of complicated or chronic health reasons, the vaccine is a good choice for them,” he says.  Otherwise healthy individuals who are undecided about being vaccinated may want to look at other choices.

There are several dates for VIHA H1N1 flu clinics to be held at Edward Milne Community School(EMCS, on Sooke Road):  November 5 and 6 from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm for high risk groups, health care workers and children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, and November 25 and 26 (also 9:00 am to 3:30 pm) for the general population. These dates are subject to change based on the availability of the vaccine. The VIHA website is updated regularly with information on H1N1 vaccination availability, which might be faster than getting through to a busy doctor's office by phone. Karam Barazekar at West Coast Natural Foods welcomes questions from Sooke residents who are interested in learning more about natural immunity boosting.  MM

Karen Laharty is a student news writer with the MapleLine Journalism Program.

See article by Rebecca Brooke, B.Sc. for science facts about the spread of H1N1 and some insights into the political decision-making behind flu vaccines, from the Holiday 2009 issue of MapleLine Magazine's print edition.

See definition of immunocomprised, from the Vancouver Island Health Authority website.