Replies

WELCOME BACK GRANNY!!! WE MISSED YOU!!!

Just got an email from Bruce Hopkins of internet-grocer.net

“I can’t vouch for the validity of this, but—if it’s true—it’s good info:

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of
over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital, Saifee Hospital ,
Tata Memorial etc.. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at
Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).

The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know:

The only portals of entry for the H1N1 virus are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of
this nature, it’s almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions.
Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent
proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps,
not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to
stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications)..

2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to
eat, bathe or slap).

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days
after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms.
Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a
healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and
powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Blowing the
nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very
effective in bringing down viral population.

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. If you have to supplement with
Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same
effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat
into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.”

[Sounds logical, practical, effective..... DW]

Note to Joya: Growing up we used to have a dedicated enema bag that was used just for nasal washes... Warm water with a spoonfull of iodized salt... As a youngster I hated it, but it sure did work...