Author: Artemis

Preventing Swine Flu – 5 Key Steps to Protect Your Business & Employees From a Pandemic

By June 19, 2009, all 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands had reported H1N1 infection. H1N1 outbreaks are ongoing in parts of the United States, in some cases with intense activity. Every business must understand and plan for an outbreak of H1N1 (Swine) Flu and prepare ahead of time.

High rates of worker absenteeism can also interrupt other essential services, such as law enforcement, transportation, banks, restaurants, government offices, telephone and cellular phone companies, post offices, stores, and your business practices.

Plan for the possibility that usual services your employees and your business need may be disrupted. You need to consider how business will continue during a pandemic. Consider staggered shifts, telecommuting possibilities and needs, accessing remote networks, and using portable computers. Consider flexibility in leave policies as well.

Knowing the 5 steps to preparing for the H1N1 (Swine) Flu are essential for protecting your business and employees.

Step 1 Know the Facts

Step 2 Prepare Ahead of Time

Step 3 Educate Your Employees

Step 4 Loosen Your Leave Policies

Step 5 Allow Telecommuting

Pandemics touch every aspect of society, so every part of society must prepare. All have roles in the event of a pandemic. Federal, state, tribal, and local governments are developing, improving, and testing their plans for an influenza pandemic. Businesses, schools, universities, and other faith-based and community organizations are also preparing plans. As a business leader, you are an essential part of our nation’s defense against natural and man-made threats. Preparedness is the best method to defend against the impacts of all threats and hazards, including public health threats.

Every business, large or small should have a written plan …

Worried About the Swine Flu (H1N1)?

Are you worried about the swine flu or H1N1 as it is now referred to in the media? It can be pretty scary to think about contracting this virus given all of the attention it is attracting worldwide. Hopefully, after reading this article, it will ease some of your concerns and anxieties about the swine flu (H1N1).

Swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease that affects pigs. It is caused by a type-A influenza virus with the most common version being H1N1. The current strain is a new variation of the H1N1 virus, which is a mix of human and swine influenza versions. In the past, people had only contracted swine flu from handling or coming in contact with infected pigs. Scientists become concerned whenever a new virus is able to jump from an animal, in this case a pig, to a person and then spread from person to person. As with any virus, as it spreads, it can continue to mutate, making it harder to treat.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized the outbreak of H1N1 as a pandemic and has urged governments around the world to take necessary precautions to prevent the spread. As a result, there has been an urgency to create a vaccine to help contain and limit the spread of the H1N1 virus. However, is this really a good idea?

The vaccine contains dangerous additives such as mercury and squalene. Squalene is an adjuvant which reduces the amount of vaccine needed. There was a study done in 2000 that demonstrated that injections of squalene in rats triggered rheumatoid arthritis. In humans, squalene has been linked to auto-immune disorders. Several studies have found squalene to be safe in humans; however, the studies were done by pharmaceutical companies who stand …

Diagnoses and Treatment of Haemophilus Influenza Symptoms

Haemophilus influenza symptoms are not new in our planet. Some time ago, the disease was well thought-out to be incurable. But as time evolved, a number of therapies are given to treat it and inhibit it from happening. Knowing about these symptoms is essential for the accurate treatment of the disease. If you are equipped with knowledge about the disease, you will be guided appropriately in the treatment progression.

What Are The Common Haemophilus Influenza Symptoms?

There are numerous symptoms, and these consist of a stiff neck, vomiting, cough, chills and fever, breathing difficulties, green phlegm expectoration and, in some cases, chest pains. There can also be sore throat and dry mouth, headaches and body fatigue. If you happen to experience any of these, it would be best to request aid from your doctor.

How quickly does Haemophilus Influenza Symptoms Appear?

The haemophilus influenza symptoms more often than not have an incubation period of two to four days. This means that if you get infected with it, the disease will appear symptomatically after two to four days from exposure. Initially, the indicators presented will come in the early and late stage of influenza. The early period usually lasts a small period of time at the same time as the late phase has longer peiriods of duration. Whichever stage an individual is in, treatment from a health professional is very necessary.

How Are Haemophilus Influenza Symptoms Diagnosed?

Symptoms are detected and diagnosed by your physicians in three different ways. First, a physician can name influenza as a diagnosis by means of symptoms. If you exhibit specific symptoms of influenza than you will be diagnosed accordingly. Second, the doctor can ask for blood tests to determine the type of viral strain that you have. Lastly …

Ways You Can Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally

Everyone knows that high blood pressure is unhealthy. It also affects nearly one third of adults in the United States. Most people that have it are not even aware that they do have high blood pressure. If it has been a while since you have had it checked, make it a point to do it now.

It could save your life.

If you do have hypertension, there are some things that you can do to lower it. There are medications available that your doctor may subscribe that will help with this. The majority of medical treatments that are prescribed to help hypertension do have potential side-effects. However,in most cases, these side-effects are likely to be relatively mild and temporary but this fact is never a guaranteed given.

High blood pressure is also known by the medical profession as hypertension. It is also possible to suffer from a less serious form of the condition known as pre-hypertension as well.

For now, we are going to look at some natural ways to reduce your hypertension.

1. Exercise. Proper exercise is one way you can reduce your blood pressure. By exercising you keep your heart rate up and also keep your weight in check. Being overweight can cause high blood pressure. Even if you don’t like to exercise, at least do some walking. Swimming is also a great way to get your exercise.

2. Balanced Nutrition. By eating a balanced diet, you will help your hypertension. Look out for the amount of salt in canned and frozen foods as well as in processed foods. You can be adding more salt than you should.

3. Lower your stress levels with slow breathing exercises,Yoga, and meditation and even some classical music. Anything that will relax you will …

What Vaccines Are and How They Work

With more and more Australians becoming aware of the importance of receiving the influenza vaccine in order to avoid contracting the flu, it is interesting to note that many people don’t really know or understand what vaccines are, how the work – or what different types are available. Although the science behind vaccines can be quite confusing, it is possible to gain a basic understanding of flu vaccinations and other products in order to more clearly realize how they work and why they are so incredibly important.

How Vaccines Work –

In simple terms, vaccines are a weakened disease that is introduced into your body’s immune system. While the organisms found in any given vaccine are not strong enough to actually make you ill, they still contain the antigens that stimulate your immune system to respond. These antigens produce an important phenomenon known as a primary response; this basically refers to the process by which your body’s B lymphocytes detect the antigens and form special cells. These cells evolve into plasma cells which immediately produce antibodies that fight off the organisms you are being vaccinated against.

Over time, antibodies fade from your body’s system; however, memory B cells stick around for many additional years – and this is where your immunity comes from. Vaccines work in very specific and proven ways to use your body’s natural defence mechanisms to protect you from specific diseases and illnesses. The popular flu vaccines are no exception to this, and they help protect you against the most common – and troublesome – flu strains. However, the flu does mutate over time, making yearly vaccinations necessary and highly recommended.

The Different Types Of Vaccines –

There are four basic different types of vaccines available today. Some of them …

The WHO Hears a Flu & What You Should Do

Much has been written about the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak.  The World Health Organization’s doyenne of viral awareness, Margaret Chan, has amped up global concern.  Although we share in the wisdom of CDC’s preventive actions we resist Macbeth’s “horrible imaginings” and extend their advice to what consumers can do to better protect themselves and their families.

First get vaccinated.  All flu viruses are best transmitted by aerosol or droplet sprays during coughing and sneezing, not so much via physical contact.  Therefore, once exposed to sick persons the emphasis on hand sanitization and hand washing are good practice but short of the mark.  Flu viruses do not survive for long on hard surfaces.  Thus the best practice is to avoid exposure to the sick and once sick to isolate yourself.  Also you should try to suppress coughing and sneezing, and wear masks sufficient to reduce transmission in close quarters.  Installing UV germicidal units in sick rooms may also help.

The current medical evidence from the spring and summer 2009 case reports, gathered from both hemispheres, suggests that the severity and transmission [6-8%] of this 2009 pandemic virus is no more rapid than other flu viruses; the symptoms are mild.  The eruption of this virus is most similar to the reemergence of a new H1N1 virus in 1977 (mild).  In that year H1N1 reemerged after many years of “disappearance” hitting college students in 1977 and downshifting demographics further in 1978, but producing average excess mortality.  Media comparisons to the pandemic of 1957 (H2N2, severe) and 1968 (H3N2, moderate) are overwrought.  Typically new emergent flu viruses “replace” seasonal ones in their first years and become milder over the first four years.  The mildness, drug sensitivity (Tamiflu) and replacement effect of this 2009 H1N1 …

Blood Pressure – Finding Natural Ways to Alleviate High Blood Pressure

My grandfather who lived 101 years old had often said “Your health is more important than your wealth”. He always reminded us to take care of your body particularly as you age. His perspective was if you invest into your health with daily exercise, a good healthy diet, you should stay fit and healthy for a long time. He was certainly an example of the advice he dispensed. He was a firm believer if you neglected your body and ate poorly, you could end up with major health issues at a young age. He saw many of his friends experience health afflictions and one of the prominent ones with high blood pressure. Fortunately you can lower your blood pressure using natural means and keep it down to improve your health.

While there are numerous medications which can lower your blood pressure, there are just as many natural ways to lower your blood pressure. Unfortunately not all physicians educate their patients about the natural ways. In defense of the physicians, they do encourage eating a healthy diet and removing the stresses in your life. You can certainly lower your blood pressure if you eat well and are relatively stress-free. Realistically stress is one of the major factors that leads to high blood pressure. It would seem obvious to remove stress from your life by clearing your mind, relaxing and not worrying so much. Yoga is a great stress reliever as is many of the medications. Both work, however I prefer the natural way. To me, medications just mask the problem.

Hypertension essentially means that blood is traveling throughout your veins at a unhealthy level of pressure. As the blood hits your vein walls hard, the effects on your body are …