Posted on 12/30/2014 8:19:19 AM PST by Aquamarine
The CDC has today declared a national flu epidemic as virulent mutated versions of this years H3N2 virus sweep the country.
Twenty-two states have reported a high number of flu cases, centered mainly around the Midwest and southeast of the country.
Since the start of the flu season on October 1 and December 20, CDC figures show that 15 children have died from the virus and four in the week before Christmas.
Six children in Tennessee have died this year from the flu according to the state's Department of Health and so far East Tennessee Children's hospital has seen 442 children with flu this month.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
3) Colds and Flu
The flu virus causes the most illness in the winter months, leading some researchers to hypothesize that influenza may be related to vitamin D levels. Vitamin D levels are lowest during the winter. Also observational studies have found that people who have low vitamin D levels are more likely to get respiratory infections or report having a recent cold or upper respiratory tract infection.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the use of vitamin D (1,200 daily) or a placebo in nearly 340 children during the winter months. After four months, researchers found that the rate of influenza type A was approximately 40 percent lower than in the placebo group, with no significant difference in influenza type B rates.
I personally don't believe the supplementation is useful except in an individual who has low serum level to begin with.
Research is inconsistent. You cherry-picked one study that appears to support it, but why only in the case of Type A? Sounds fishy.
Comfort memories are so wonderful to have and keep.
Happ New Year!
I 'cherry-picked' nothing. I copied and pasted the section on colds and flu.
How about referencing the studies that showed no experimental benefit?
Got the flu shot, got the flu anyway. Fever, chills (unusual for me), and copious amounts of mucus only Tylenol Severe Cold seems to work on (at all).
Can someone give an explanation or two as to why the entire south is in the high range?
What’s important to know is how important and underrated sanitation is. Vaccines aren’t effective enough to use as a crutch. Rely on cleanliness too. But for the most part, I agree, disease-causing germs are the quintessential example of evolution, and not in a good way.
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