The Threat of a Second Swine Flu Infection Wave Needs to Be Taken Seriously by Mark Farrell

Copyright (c) 2009 Mark Farrell
The current swine flu pandemic has, so far, turned out to be less severe than expected, with most infected people experiencing mild symptoms, and only a relatively limited number of deaths.
Will it stay this way and slowly fade away?
Health officials say this is unlikely, and warn that swine flu may re-emerge,next fall, more deadly than ever. There remains, however, uncertainty about what could happen should this relatively mild outbreak be followed by a more severe one later this year.

Dr. James McCaw, of the Vaccine & Immunization Research Group (VIRGo), in the School of Population Health at the University of Melbourne, Australia, is involved in major math modeling projects related to pandemic influenza transmission, immunity and threat.
McCaw was asked what is the likelihood of a second wave of swine flu? And what should we expect over the coming months?
Flu pandemics historically come in waves We know from past pandemics that multiple waves can, and do, occur, says McCaw. A defining feature of pandemics, like the ones of 1918-19, 1957and 1968, is their tendency to occur out-of-season, not necessarily over the winter period.
The 1918-19 pandemic (i.e., the Spanish flu), which was also caused by the H1N1virus, provides the best example of this type of behavior, he says. At that time, the United States and the United Kingdom experienced three distinct H1N1 flu waves, within just 12 months.
McCaw notes that each wave was more severe than seasonal influenza, both in terms of the proportion of the population infected and the case fatality rate. The second wave in the United Kingdom was the most severe, contributing the most deaths of any of the three waves. And the severity of influenza remained high for a number of seasons following the pandemic.
Beyond a second wave It appears that the wave behavior might extend beyond a second flu outbreak into possible further flu pandemic waves. There is clear evidence that this happened in the past, says McCaw, as shown by an increase in the numbers and severity of the seasonal flu outbreaks that occurred after a pandemic. This was the case, for example,for many populations around the world after the Spanish flu and the flu pandemics of 1957 and1968.
Predictions are difficult to make In terms of the 2009 outbreak, he says, we have very little data that would allow prediction of a second wave, let alone its severity. As such, we cannot specify a probability or the 'likely characteristics'of a second wave.
New research confirms: swine flu could turn deadlier For a lethal fall swine flu pandemic wave to occur, the A(H1N1) virus needs to mutate into a form capable of infecting and killing more people, more rapidly. Although, there is no firm evidence that the swine flu virus is already undergoing such a transformation,a study published is Science by researchers of the National Influenza Center and Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands,shows that it has indeed the potential of becoming more deadly.
Compared to previous seasonal influenza A(H1N1) forms, which only replicate in the upper airways (i.e., the nasal cavity), 2009 A(H1N1) has the ability, in animals,of reproducing in the lower airways ( trachea, bronchi, and lungs). What this means to us is that 2009 A(H1N1) could trigger a highly deadly form of viral pneumonia capable of killing people in just a few hours, as it occurred during the Spanish flu of 1918. Most at risk would be healthy20- to 40-year-old individuals, whose immune system reacts more vigorously to the infection.
Don't just write Swine Flu off as another minor problem as the second wave could kill us all.

How To Cure Back Pain by Steve Whelan

STATISTICS ON BACK PAIN
Among which are: Bulging or ruptured disks. Cauda equine syndrome. This is due to the added weight and hormonal fibers which expand the sacroiliac joints and widens the size of the birth canal. Osteoarthritis usually hits the joints of the hands, hips, hands and lower body; it causes the narrowing of the spine and spinal cord, leading spinal stenosis which is commonly due to aging. Back pain during pregnancy. Lumbar muscle strained is the most common cause but the pain disappears after a few weeks. Once in their lifetime, more than 31 million Americans experienced dorsalquia; 60 suffered back problems; 4 out of 5 people had low back pain while 50 of working Americans have back pain symptoms each year.
TYPES OF BACK PAINS
Back pains are caused by the debilitating conditions brought about by osteoporosis, vertebral fractures, osteoarthritis, degenerative spondylolishtesis, degenerative disk diseases, spinal stenosis, pinched nerves and adult scoliosis. When you feel pain every time you cough or bend from the waist, you have herniated disk. When to consult the doctor. The pain in the back spreads from the lower back to the buttocks then to the thigh and down to the calves and toes. In fact, back pains which are considered work-related disorders, will enable the employee the right to receive a disability pension.
TESTS AND DIAGNOSTICS
For the record, diagnostic exams are not really essential but to be secured, you will see your doctor and he will go about checking your back, testing your ability to sit, stand, walk and even lift your leg. Make sure your automobile seat provides for a low back support and use throw pillows when necessary. In picking up objects from the floor, do not bend down, instead use your knees then lift the object from one side.
MIRACLE BACK PAIN CURE
By increasing the pain, it causes your pain to reduce the pain. You acquire the knowledge on how to cure back pains and how to use them to achieve the cure, not in a few minutes but according to the length of time that it normally takes place. You need medication, homeopathy, herbs and supplements..
HOME REMEDIES TO CURE BACK PAINS

Most back pains will disappear after a few weeks by using an ordinary home remedy. Acute back pains. Muscles that are strained from excessive physical activities or become spasmodic will usually heal after some time. Even if you do not have back pains, you need to take proper rest by lying down from 2 - 4 hours daily on your back. Medications for treating back pains are:The non-steroidal anti-flammatory medicines, the generic ibuprofen with brands like naproxen and ketopropen; inhibitors as COX-2 also known as celocoxib; acetaminophen which taken to relieve acute pain; varied muscle relaxants, opioids analgesics and steroid injections. Exercise is good therapy.
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES
Aside from improving your physical fitness; it is also an effective therapy in reducing back pain which will last for several months. It delivers deep heat by using high frequency waves; this will reduce stiffness, muscle spasm and pain. It involves using weights or harness to apply a constant force along the length of the spine. Laboratory studies showed that the shoe insole can be a help in preventing and treating back pains.
EXERCISE TECHNIQUE
Apply deep pressure by pushing it, then holding it for a few seconds, then pushing it, then releasing and pushing and then holding it for a few seconds and release. First of all, the miracle worker can be anyone of you and you are always around. Assume this position for a while, holding your breathe. Take a deep breath, counting from 1 to 5 as you continuously inhale and exhale, breathing in and breathing out. Here are three exercise techniques which have been tried, tested and insure to reduce your back ache. The twist will increase spinal flexibility. Technique 3.
SCIATICA PAIN LEARN HOW OUR EXPERTS FIND AND TREAT THE SOURCE OF YOUR PAIN.

Systemic Candidiasis - A Silent Killer by R J McNaught

We are all aware of the fungus candida and what happens when it gets a over-excited.
Oral or vaginal thrush, tinea, jock itch and the like are annoying in the least, debilitating at their worst, but handled properly these are relatively easy to dianose and treat.
But what if we don't get the rogue fungi back under control? Or what if there are no discernible symptoms and we miss it completely?
For the healthy person this is not a problem, the delicate balance of organisms will be restored eventually and you will be no worse off.
However there is the slight possibility that the infection will find it's way into the bloodstream and internal organs by a varity of methods;
*Through an untreated primary infection - tinea, thrush or any other skin infection that has spread into the intestinal tract,
*through any open wound,
*through surgery or catheterization
*having a long course of antibiotics,
*or having lowered immunity - as in HIV or leukemia.

Once there it begins to cause problems with the internal workings and systems. This is appropriately named Systemic Candidiasis.
The major difficulty with this is that because of the variety of parts that may be attacked, the symptoms can be too varied or subtle for a definite diagnosis to be achieved.
Candida often first spreads in the intestinal tract causing digestive problems like; gas, cramps, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, indigestion, nausea. It also creates major cravings for sugar, starches and alcohol.
(Of course the more of these foods that are consumed, the worse you begin to feel as they feed the yeast which repays you by releasing toxins and interfering with digestion even more).
Once the candida hits the internal organs and bloodstream, the immune system is put under far too much pressure and begins to falter.
As the candida spreads through the body, symptoms grow more diverse and involved ranging from high fevers to blurred vision - Specific signs and symptoms relate to the site of infection:
Eczema, Jumpy Legs, Blurred vision, Skin lesions, Leaky Gut Syndrome, Depression, Thyroid function anomolies, Increased susceptibility to infections, Chronic fatigue, Muscular and joint aches, An 'itchy bum' PMS, Impotence, Memory loss, Mood swings, Brain fog, Recurrent infections such as "jock itch", tinea, ringworm and vaginal or urinary infections, Sensitivity to smell, Prostatitis, That drunk feeling after one wine, beer, or certain foods, Aching joints, Acne, Heart murmurs, Fevers, Cough, chest infections.....
These are only a few of the numerous symptoms of Systemic Candidiasis.
A good indicator of whether it is systemic candidiasis causing your symptoms is that they can be worsened after eating foods containing high levels of sugar or yeast. The severity of the symptoms may also increase if you are in contact with a damp or mouldy atmosphere.

How Healing Flows by Marie C. Barrett

Is it possible to heal our emotional stress and physical disease? We are complex people but we, like the rest of creation, work and function according to universal laws. If we did not, life would be chaotic.
So when we understand how we function, in what order of flow our life works, then we can begin to take control of our part in creating our life the way we choose it to be. We cannot control every part of our life but nor do we have to be victims either; we are healers, lovers, creators and experiencers of our creations.
Here is a simple scenario of the sequence of how life works and of how, when we adhere to the process of creating the flow, life can be as we want it. This process is relating to healing, but the principles apply to the whole of human life.
Jon wants to stop smoking because he notices some body symptoms the doctor has told him are the result of his smoking addiction. If he does not quit smoking he will probably develop lung cancer, and he already has a menacing cough. What does Jon do? How can he stop this compulsive drive to smoke?
There are three clear issues here: The kind of person Jon is, his persona in life, an identity issue; his compulsion to smoke, an emotional issue; and his developing physical symptoms of disease. What deprivation or need is he trying to fill or cover over by smoking?
How is Jon showing up in life, identifying himself, that he has this need? I am someone who can't cope with the stresses of my life. Why does he feel the compulsion to smoke? Smoking makes me feel relaxed, nurtured and safe.
What if you don't smoke, how would you feel? I would feel stressed, agitated, short tempered and angry. I couldn't cope with the stresses in my life.
Note that the fundamental cause of the addiction lies with who this person is being: being powerless to cope.
By working on his identity, the cause of his addiction to smoking, Jon has a great chance of realigning the rest of his behaviour that poses such a health threat. He needs to accept responsibility for creating himself as weak and powerless. Fighting against the idea of being powerless will just energize his weakness, and make it stronger. But by accepting himself just as he is, he allows the negative energy to flow without resistance; and once the energy has discharged, it will never bother him again in the same way.
Jon then decides to create a new identity: he wants to be calm, gentle, imperturbable, and fun to be with. He has removed his need to smoke because he has changed who he is, his identity. Jon has healed himself by choosing to be a person of power rather than powerless, calm instead of stressed, fun instead of angry, and healthy instead of diseased.
So we can see from this simple exercise that by controlling who we are, we automatically control/change how we feel and negate the reason for our physical disease to exist. Disease of the body is a result and sign of our presiding identity and emotions. Taking creative responsibility for our identity is true power, and we all have this ability. We are creators in the real sense: we create who we are and how we live our life.
Can we heal ourselves of all our physical illnesses? Evidence shows we still have some way to go in understanding the healing process. But we are well on that path and one day soon it will be our reality if that is what we choose.