Posts Tagged ‘Flu’

Winter Colds & Flus

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

sick-childWell, I can’t believe it but I have a revolting cold! A head filled with congestion, razor blade throat, a nasty cough and I feel miserable. I do find that more clients succumb to infections at the change of season than in winter itself. So I have made a huge batch of my immune boosting soup and wanted to share my recipe with you. Of course this soup is best when totally organic as the nutrient value will be much higher.

Ok so first let me explain why these ingredients are so wonderful for you:

Chicken - perfect protein to support your production of disease fighting immune molecules
Onion - helps to break down mucous
Garlic - a natural antibiotic
Ginger - stimulates circulation enabling more efficient clearing of toxins
Chilli - high in vitamin C
Enoki mushrooms - has properties that are anti cancer so can help fight any nasty bugs
Risoni - a great carbohydrate source for energy
Lemon - uplifts mood
Parsley - high in iron which stimulates immunity
Goji berries - traditionally used in China in convalescence, specifically in broths

Ingredients (use your inutition on quantities)
Chicken thighs
Chicken stock ( I always have some pre made in the freezer)
Onions
Garlic - lots
Ginger - lots
Chilli - lots
Enoki mushrooms
Risoni
Lemon zest and juice
Parsley
Goji berries

Method
Saute onions, garlic, chilli, ginger until soft. Add chicken thighs and brown them. Pour in your stock and simmer. Once chicken is cooked take it out and shred with a fork. Add chicken back in with risoni, Goji berries and enoki mushrooms. To serve, place lemon zest on the bottom of your bowl. Add soup and top off with lemon juice and parsley.

I have eaten nothing but this soup for the last 36 hours and have woken up this morning feeling so much better. I can actually breathe through my nose and my headache has gone. So, the next time you feel a nasty cold coming on remember this easy recipe and start cooking!

For more information click here

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Probiotics May Reduce Cold and Flu Symptoms for Children

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

sick-childAnother fantastic study that demonstrates the benefit of probiotics in keeping your child’s immune system strong and healthy. This clearly shows that probiotics not only reduce the need for antibiotics but also reduced days off from child care and the awful symptoms of colds and flus. So, if you weren’t convinced by previous posts on my blog, you should be by now! Most importantly, ensure that your child receives a high quality probiotic that contains the correct strains in the right therapeutic doses. If you need to consult a naturopath then I recommend doing so and getting a product that will work as opposed to shooting in the dark and self prescribing.

A daily supplement of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains may reduce the incidence of cold and flu-like symptoms in children by 50%, says a new study from Danisco. A combination of the two strains was linked to reductions in fever incidence by 73%, a reduction in the occurrence of runny noses by 59%, and drop in the incidence of coughing by 62%, according to findings published in Pediatrics.

“Daily probiotic dietary supplementation during the winter months was a safe effective way to reduce episodes of fever, rhinorrhea, and cough, the cumulative duration of those symptoms, the incidence of antibiotic prescriptions, and the number of missed school days attributable to illness,” wrote the authors, led by Gregory Leyer from the Department of Research and Development for Danisco in Madison. “L acidophilus NCFM alone was effective. There was, however, a trend for a broader protective effect with the combination of L acidophilus NCFM and B lactis Bi-07.”

Indeed, when L. acidophilus NCFM was used alone the fever incidence was cut by 53 per cent, the occurrence of runny noses was reduced by 28 per cent, and the incidence of coughing fell by 41 per cent. According to UNICEF, a global average of 16% of children under five suffer from acute respiratory infections.

Study details

Leyer and his co-workers from Tongji University (Shanghai), the University of Texas at Houston, and Sprim USA (Frisco) recruited 326 children aged between three and five in a child care centre in China.

The children were randomly assigned to one of three groups, and received twice a day for six months the single L. acidophilus NCFM strain, the combination of the strains, or placebo. In addition to the reductions in the incidence in fever, coughing, and runny noses, the researchers noted a reduction in the use of antibiotics in children either of the probiotic interventions, while these children also missed fewer days of child care.

“Although the reduced incidence of antibiotic prescriptions for all indications noted in an earlier study was confirmed, this study is the first to indicate a trend toward more-significant results with a combination versus single strain preparation,” wrote the authors. The duration of symptoms was also reduced in the placebo groups, with a 32 and 48% decrease observed in the single strain and combination groups, respectively.

Commenting on the mechanism, the researchers said that an immune-enhancing effect was the “likely explanation, because numerous studies with various probiotic bacteria have demonstrated their ability to modulate immune responses through interactions with toll-like receptors”. Furthermore, they note that part of the rationale behind the strain choice for this study lay in the strains ability to stimulate cells called dendritic cells that play a role in immune systems function.

Pediatrics

2009, Volume 124: e172-e179

“Probiotic Effects on Cold and Influenza-Like Symptom Incidence and Duration in Children”

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Probiotics Intake Beneficial Against Infections in Kids

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

ear-infectionsThis is an extremely interesting study that clearly demonstrates the health benefits of probiotics in strengthening a child’s immune system. Just a note about the study – the children were given 10 billion colony forming units of Lactobacillus GG (LGG) which is a good therapeutic dose. Ensure that your child is receiving the correct dose of probiotics. I always use probiotics for a period of 3 months before child care is commenced to allow enough time for a strong immunity to develop.


LGG can decrease the risk of upper respiratory tract infections including rhinitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, otitis, and the common cold in children attending day care centers, claims a new study.

The findings of the researchers, which were published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, also found that the rate of absence from childcare centers due to infections was lower in children receiving LGG in comparison to those who were not. According to UNICEF, a global average of 16% of children under five suffer from acute respiratory infections.

The team behind the research explained that while the efficacy of probiotics in the prevention of infections in children who attend day care centers has been investigated in several studies, these have yielded contradictory results, and thus further studies are required to evaluate their efficacy.

Method

The researchers said the objective of their study was to investigate whether LGG administration could play a beneficial role in the prevention of both gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections in children who attend day care centers. They said that they undertook a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 281 children who attend day care centers in Zagreb, Croatia.

According to the authors, the children were randomly allocated to receive LGG at a dose of 10(9) colony-forming units (CFU) in 100 ml of a fermented milk product or placebo that was the same post-pasteurized fermented milk product without LGG over a period of three months. 139 received the LGG supplemented fermented milk product and 142 received the placebo product, they added.

Control

The scientists stated that the children were not allowed to consume any other product containing probiotics or prebiotics during the intervention, and they reported that the study started in November and finished in February to coincide with period when the majority of infections occur. They added that the milk products were tested every two weeks to prove stability and concentration of the LGG, and both the research staff and children were unaware of the real nature of the product.

Moreover, the study investigators said that every ten days contacted parents to find out whether their child had developed any infections or side effects: “Infections were diagnosed by local general practitioners, who were responsible for the care of each child. They were asked to record details of all infections that the child experienced during the intervention period.”

Results

The authors found that, compared to the placebo group, children in the LGG group had a significantly reduced risk of upper respiratory tract, a reduced risk of respiratory tract infections lasting longer than three days, which they say has not been shown by previous studies, and a significantly lower number of days with respiratory symptoms. However, they noted that there was no risk reduction in regard to lower respiratory tract infections as a result of the consumption of the LGG.

Lactobacillus GG in the prevention of gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections in children who attend day care centers: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The aim of our study was to investigate the role of Lactobacillus GG (LGG) in the prevention of gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections in children who attend day care centers. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 281 children who attend day care centers. They were randomly allocated to receive LGG at a dose of 10(9) colony-forming units in 100ml of a fermented milk product (LGG group, n=139) or placebo that was the same post-pasteurized fermented milk product without LGG (placebo group, n=142) during the 3-month intervention period. RESULTS: Compared to the placebo group, children in the LGG group had a significantly reduced risk of upper respiratory tract infections (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.82, NNT 5, 95% CI 4 to 10), a reduced risk of respiratory tract infections lasting longer than 3 days (RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.78, NNT 5, 95% CI 4 to 11), and a significantly lower number of days with respiratory symptoms (p<0.001). There was no risk reduction in regard to lower respiratory tract infections (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.24 to 2.76). Compared with the placebo group, children in the LGG group had no significant reduction in the risk of gastrointestinal infections (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.38 to 1.06), vomiting episodes (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.29 to 1.24), and diarrheal episodes (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.11) as well as no reduction in the number of days with gastrointestinal symptoms (p=0.063). CONCLUSION: LGG administration can be recommended as a valid measure for decreasing the risk of upper respiratory tract infections in children attending day care centers.

Clin Nutr. 2009 Nov 4.

PMID: 19896252

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Swine Flu Update

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009


The Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in America state that almost two-thirds of swine-flu victims so far are between the ages of five and 24, whereas only 1% of those over 65 have been affected. This is the opposite of what is normally expected; usually it is the elderly who die in their thousands each year from the effects of seasonal influenza. The unexpected resilience of the elderly this year may be from a past exposure to a similar flu virus that has left them with some degree of immunity - but the reason why they have been largely unaffected is still not clear. The other high risk group for A(H1N1) infection appears to be those who are pregnant.

Are the overweight at greater risk?

Researchers report: “Doctors tracking the pandemic say they see a pattern in hospital reports from Glasgow to Melbourne and from Santiago to New York. People infected with the bug who have a body mass index greater than 40, deemed morbidly obese, suffer respiratory complications that are harder to treat and can be fatal.”

If you are concerned that you may fall into this high risk category then the news is not good - make a determined effort to lose weight before the next flu season – your life could depend on it.

What do the symptoms of swine flu look like?

Swine flu symptoms are similar to those of previous flus. They include:

* Weakness,

* Muscle and joint pain,

* High fever,

* Loss of appetite,

* Runny nose,

* Cough,

* Headache.

Some sufferers have also had symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

For how long is a person contagious?

Adults are infectious during the flu’s incubation period and for 7 days following the onset of symptoms; children may be infectious for up to 10 or more days. The incubation period for swine flu is not yet known but is expected to be similar to that of other influenzas which is 1 – 4 days.

What are the danger symptoms to watch for in children?
If your child has any of the following, please seek the advice of your healthcare professional:

* Rapid breathing,

* Bluish skin,

* Lack of thirst with dry lips and mouth or sunken fontanelles (soft spots in the skull),

* Difficult to wake,

* Not wanting to respond or be held,

* Severe irritability,

* Fever with a rash,

* Worsening cough,

* Worsening of any underlying condition

What are the danger symptoms to watch for in adults?

If you or another adult has any of the following, please seek the advice of your healthcare professional:

* Dizziness or confusion,

* Shortness of breath or trouble breathing,

* Severe or persistent vomiting,

* Pressure or pain in abdomen or chest,

* Worsening of any underlying condition.

How can I protect myself and my family from swine flu?
Swine flu spreads the same way as every other cold and flu does – from the respiratory secretions of an already infected person. Speaking, coughing, sneezing, and blowing the nose allows the virus to escape into the environment where it then reinfects others through the mucus membranes of their eyes, nose, or mouth. To reduce the risk of infection:

* Avoid close contact with people who might be ill,

* Minimise the time spent in crowded areas such as shops,

* Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, or rub them with an antibiotic hand cream or gel. (A few drops of teatree or lavender oil added to your hand cream will have a strong antibiotic effect that is far less toxic than many of the synthetic chemicals added to commercial rubs.)

* Note that while masks may help to control the spread of flu, they are not particularly effective at protecting you from it. Masks become moist within 10 minutes of use making them ideal breeding grounds for the flu virus and other bacteria.

* Resist touching your eyes, mouth, and nose as these are the entry points by which the virus gets into your body,

* Improve the airflow in your living space by opening windows and doors;

* Practise healthy habits such as getting enough sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active,

What should I do if I already have swine flu?
* Stay at home so that you don’t infect others,

* Rest and drink plenty of fluids,

* Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and dispose of tissues carefully,

* Cleanse your hands with soap and water immediately after coughing and sneezing, or use an antibacterial hand rub,

* Use a mask to contain the spread of droplets when you are around other people. It must be fitted correctly to be effective,

* Contact your healthcare professional before travelling to a healthcare facility in case they would like you to take extra precautions,

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