Celebrate Wellness!

H1N1, “The Flu,” and YOU

Every year, cold and flu season takes a toll on many of us.  What can you do to protect yourself, and your family?  Here are some facts and tips,

            Influenza (“flu”) viruses are from a genus (group) known as A, B, or C.iInfluenza virus “A” is highly relevant to humans, causing aches, pains, headaches, sweating, and malaise -- or worse. It has two major proteins associated with its surface:  hemagglutinin and neuraminidase.  Hemagglutinin allows the virus to bond to host cells, while neuraminidase is critical to its reproductive functions.ii   H1N1 (briefly known as “swine flu”) and H5N1 (“bird flu”) have different hemagglutinin (H) proteins on their surface, but the same neuraminidase (N) proteins.  Small variations in either protein are what define different viruses -- which means that your immunity to one virus doesn’t guarantee resistance to the other.iii

            There are two major ways to gain immunity to a virus.  One means is direct exposure (infection).  The body creates proteins called antibodies, which attack the viral surface proteins.  Once you get a flu, you’re likely immune to it, and possibly even to similar future strains... if you survive the original infection.

            The second major way to gain immunity to a virus is inoculation.  An inert or “attenuated” virus is intentionally injected into a potential host (typically via needle or nasal spray), and the body responds by creating its own antibodies to the proteins on the surface of the virus.  The problem is that some people will have adverse reactions to the inoculation, ranging from mild malaise and flu-like symptoms, to more serious complications such as Guillain-Barré syndrome -- an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own peripheral nervous system.  Though some inoculations are safer than others, there is always a risk-benefit ratio.  This problem is further compounded by the rush to produce vaccine against each year’s new flu strains, which limits time for experimental trials to document safety and efficacy.  You have a right and a responsibility to weigh the cost-benefit ratio of flu vaccines for yourself, and your family.

            The chiropractic view on immunity is based in science, and is informed by a time-honored philosophy on human health.  That philosophy states that the human NERVOUS AND immune systems, rather than being defective or deficient, deserve respect; and the body’s innate healing abilities should be supported, not suppressed or bypassed.  For example, different humans exposed to the same virus may respond differently.  Some will become gravely ill, or even die.  Some will suffer and bounce back with even stronger immune systems.  Others won’t become ill at all.  Interestingly, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention in Atlanta notes that “about one-third of adults older than 60 may have antibodies” against the 2009 H1N1 virus.iv  They go on to state that we do not know how much protection these people have against H1N1.  The bottom line is that the stronger your immune system, the less fertile your “soil” is for an invading “seed” to grow in, the healthier you’ll tend to be when exposed to all but the most deadly viruses and bacteria.

            For most seasonal flu, groups at higher risk for serious complications related to infection include age 65+, children under 5, pregnant women, and those with certain chronic diseases or compromised immune systems.  Curiously, H1N1 may be LESS deadly to seniors than other flu viruses:  CDC states, “One thing that appears to be different from seasonal influenza is that adults older than 64 years do not yet appear to be at increased risk of 2009 H1N1-related complications thus far.”  On the other end of the age spectrum, though CDC notes that “no children and very few adults younger than 60 years old have existing antibody to 2009 H1N1 flu virus,” many of these are also in lower-risk groups.

            Chiropractic is a drugless, non-surgical approach to health and to life.  Though there are life-saving medications, some of them suppress the immune system in potentially dangerous ways.  For example, common medications used for certain forms of arthritis (joint pain) increase patient risk for tuberculosis and other infections.  Though specific studies have not yet linked a single medication to unique susceptibility to a particular flu virus, why risk depressing your defenses against colds and the flu, when there may be a natural way?

            Chiropractic is highly safe and effective for many aches, pains, and ailments of the human frame. IT DOESN’T suppress the immune system like some drugs, AND it may actually enhance immune function.v, vi Certain forms of chiropractic spinal manipulation may “prime” neutrophils, which are white blood cells that attack bacteria.  Through limiting or avoiding unnecessary stresses to the human immune system, and through chiropractic and natural self-care methods, you and your family are likely to survive this flu season... and possibly, to thrive despite it.

                For more information about health and well-being, ask your chiropractor; or find a highly trained chiropractor on-line at www.virginiachiropractic.org.

Simple Self-Care Measures

•       Hand washing. Do it regularly, and be thorough.

•       Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Consider sneezing into your elbow.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet.  Consider talking to a nutritionist, or your chiropractor

Celebrate Wellness!

Back to School

A new school year is dawning.  It's a time of joy, new beginnings, and new injury risks.  Here are some tips to stack the odds in your family's favor, courtesy of Ivy Commons Famliy Chiropractic

Healthy school lunches and healthy exercise together are an opportunity to protect your child's heart, decrease future diabetes and arthritis risks, and create positive self-esteem.  Healthy exercise can be as simple as a daily walk, and innovative communities have established safe walking routes to and from school.ⁱ  Children should travel in groups, and need to be aware of traffic and potential human hazards.  Should your child choose more intense forms of exercise such as recreational or organized sports, be sure they do so safely.  Soccer goals need to be anchored properly.  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission notes 28 deaths between 1997 & 2007 caused by movable soccer goals that fell on children who climbed on them or hung on their crossbars.ⁱⁱ  If your child is involved in collision sports like football or even skateboarding, a proper-fitting helmet can literally be life-saving.  And if your child gets his or her joy on the playground, be sure it's a safe one.  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends a minimum of 9 inches of shock-absorbing material in the event of a fall from playground equipment. ⁱⁱⁱ  

Clothing can itself be life-saving.  Reflectors on shoes or garments can make a child more visible in the dark.  Also, remove drawstrings from young children's sweatshirts and jackets-- you may be removing a potential choking hazard.

Can words make a difference?  Absolutely.  Peer pressure is as powerful today as it was in prior generations.  Have age-appropriate talks with your children about drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and sexual activity.  Frame the conversation in terms that your child can relate to, using an ethical framework that is consistent with your world view.

For teens, the car is both a powerful tool and risk.  Be sure your children understand the risks associated with distracting activities like texting while driving;  and outline clear consequences for violations.  In Virginia, drivers 18 and younger may not use a cell phone while the vehicle is in motion. ^iv  Be sure that your child understands that violations of state law may mean consequences that are beyond your ability as a parent to mitigate.

Another major risk to your children's safety is right behind them:  their backpacks.  Heavy backpacks can cause growing frames to experience temporary backaches, joint pain, even muscle strains and headaches;  and some children may begin a lifetime of these problems.  Here's a simple tip:  Weigh your child, and then weigh his or her backpack.  Only 4% of parents do this simple test, yet the children of those "4 percenters" carry the lighter backpacks (Archives of Disease and Childhood. 2003;88:18-19).  If you care about your child's health and well-being -- and you know you do -- pull out the scale, and use it.  A child's daily backpack shouldn't weigh more than 10% of total body weight, and some sources suggest a maximum of 5-10%. ^v  Simply put, your 100 pound child's backpack should weigh less than 10 pounds.  For a 150 pound child, 15 pounds is the recommended maximum.  For a 75 pound child, 7 1/2 pounds is the most he or she may be able to safely carry on their back.

In addition to stressing young frames and growing structures, heavy backpacks cause acute injuries.  In fact, a study in Pediatrics showed that emergency room visits associated with backpacks are most highly correlated with tripping, with the head and face being the most commonly seriously injured body parts. ^vi  Why not protect your kids with a simple device that most of us already own-- specifically, the bathroom scale?

For more information about health and well-being, ask your chiropractor; or find a chiropractor on-line at www.virginiachiropractic.org.

Celebrate Wellness!is provided as a public service by Ivy Commons Family Chiropractic