April 2009 Special Advisory

Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine
9328 E. Raintree Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85060
Phone: 480-240-2600 Fax: 480-240-2601
www.ArizonaAdvancedMedicine.com

Swine Flu Concerns

The World Health Organization today (Wednesday 4/29) raised their alert from a 4 to a 5 on a scale of 6. And today, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer announced that Arizona's first swine flu patient is an 8-year-old boy who attends Moon Mountain Elementary School in northwest Phoenix.

Q - What do we know about how this started?

The first outbreaks were confirmed in Mexico on April 13th. "Ground zero" may have been 5-year-old Edgar Hernandez who lives in the small village of La Gloria in the southern state of Veracruz He survived the earliest documented case of swine flu. It has since spread to the United States and other countries.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this particular strain is said to be a 'genetic mix' of swine, avian, and human flu. Almost all cases outside of Mexico have had only light symptoms, and only a handful of cases have needed hospitalization as of today.

Q – What preventive measures can keep it from spreading?

When you cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue - or your sleeve if you do not have a tissue. Throw used tissues in a trash can. When people use their hands to cover a sneeze, their hands tend to spread germs around. Germs left on a shopping cart for example can live up to 48 hours. After you cough or sneeze, wash your hands with soap and water.

Avoid contact with ill persons. If you think you are ill with flu, avoid close contact with others as much as possible. Stay at home or in your hotel room. Call us if you develop symptoms. Do not go to work, school, or travel if ill.

Q – What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of swine flu, so far, are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu in humans and may include:

Fever (greater than 100°F or 37.8°C)
Sore throat
Cough
Stuffy nose
Chills
Headache and body aches
Fatigue

Q – What preventative steps can a person take?

There is talk of developing a vaccine specific for this flu within perhaps 6 months. A regular seasonal flu shot will not be at all effective; it was not formulated for this strain of virus. The CDC says the antiviral medicines Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir) have shown they can kill the new flu strain if taken in the first couple days. The CDC recommends this as precaution only for people living in households with someone who may be sick with swine flu.

Tamiflu comes with side effects including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, fatigue, cough…the very symptoms you're trying to avoid. Japan banned this drug for children in 2007 after links to suicidal behavior. A vaccine developed in 1970s for the swine flu actually killed/injured more people than the disease itself.

Influenza is a virus, and immensely susceptible to vitamin C. First, take extra amounts of vitamin C. At about 10,000 mg you get "bowel intolerance" which means you head for the bathroom a lot. As a preventive measure, aim for something less than that, but perhaps more than what you usually take. If you are feeling as if you are coming down with flu, call us pronto. We will be able to give you intravenous vitamin c – large doses that bypass bowel tolerance and flush viruses out of the system by making them unable to "stick" to cell membranes. We also add glutathione – the body's own antioxidant, immune system booster, and detoxifier.

For confirmed cases, we can also clean the blood of viruses, fungi and more with UV light. We can add ozone to oxidize (kill) the molecules in the shell of the virus.

If you feel ill on a weekend, use Oscillococcinum. It is an over-the-counter homeopathic remedy. The effectiveness of Oscillococcinum is confirmed by a several double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trials published in the Lancet, the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and others. Again, take it at the first signs; do not wait 2 days to start it.

Another option is high-grade colloidal silver. This is available through my office. Silver's renowned germicidal abilities come without the downsides of prescription antibiotics. ACS 200® demonstrates a much broader pathogen kill spectrum than traditional prescription antibiotics, antifungal, or antiviral preparations. ACS 200 does not damage human tissue or wipe out good intestinal flora. ACS 200 is proven to kill MRSA, Candida albicans, and Rhinovirus in less than 3 minutes. It is a good tool to use whenever you are in high-exposure environments such as airplanes and schools.

Q – Where do I get information about where swine flu has spread?

See www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm for affected areas, both in the United States and around the world.

For specific information on travel precautions and an update on the affected areas, see: www.cdc.gov/travel.

Q – Is the media hype out of perspective?

In the words of Reuter's columnist Eric Auchard:

"Influenza is a big killer every year, with or without a pandemic.

"WHO estimates flu kills upward of 250,000 to 500,000 people year after year. "Normal" flu epidemics infect 3 to 5 million a year. Statistics are complicated by inconsistent reporting. Flu often leads to other ailments that end up being listed as the ultimate cause of death.

"Flu's typical victims are the elderly, the infirm or the young. The difference with swine flu outbreak in Mexico is that otherwise healthy adults aged 20-50 are vulnerable.

"But so far the new swine flu death rates are lower than other recent pandemic scares, a report by Barclays Capital notes.

"While there are many unanswered questions early on in the outbreak of flu from Mexico, it is crucial to remember that the number of deaths and reported infections remain small — even if its spread across the globe has proved worryingly rapid."

If we can help you or a loved one, we are just a phone call away.

Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine
9328 E. Raintree Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85060
Phone: 480-240-2600

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