# Did you know this about the F word..(as in Flu)??



## Ozarkgal (Jan 25, 2013)

There is a particularly nasty intestinal flu going around.  It is the Norwalk virus and it comes on very quickly with vomiting and diarrhea (simultaneously in my case).
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





This virus went through first my hubby, me and then my brother who is staying with us.  I was really PO'd to get the flu because we have all had flu shots and I thought we were protected...*Wrong!!* The flu shot takes care of only one particular strain of flu and it is an upper respiratory one.   

There is not much that can be for it except to ride it out and try not to get dehydrated.  That is the most dangerous part of it because you literally cannot keep even a sip of water down for a couple of days(at least in my case).

This type of influenza is especially hard on seniors, so please try to minimize your time in public places, especially restaurants, skip any salad bars, public restrooms, door handles, faucets, credit card pens, shopping cart handles, you get the idea.  This virus can shed for two weeks after the initial illness, so even though someone looks healthy, they can still be contagious.  Wash hands often with plain soap and water, anti-bacterial soaps and hand sanitizers are not effective in killing the virus.  

I hope everyone takes care and manages to evade this bug, as I would only wish it on my worst enemy!


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## rkunsaw (Jan 26, 2013)

Ozarkgal, 
I hope you're over the effects of the bad bug now. We've had our flu shots too but as you said it has no effect on this bug I try to avoid going anywhere while this is going around. So far my wife and I have been okay.


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## TWHRider (Jan 26, 2013)

This must be the flu virus Burt Reynolds was hospitalized for.  I heard the words "flu" and "dehyrated" along with his name.

If he's going to sport a beard, I wish he'd dye it - actually he was much better looking without all that unkempt looking stuffld:

I have been pretty resilient against the flu after I got the flu shot in 1974 that made me miss a week's worth of work and crawl on my hands and knees to the bathroom.  Hopefully that resiliency isn't starting to wear down:kiwi-fruit:


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## Knightofalbion (Jan 26, 2013)

This particular virus has been all over England, but it's petering out now.

Eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise will help to keep your immune system in good shape which will help you fight off most viruses and bugs.
If one does get through, what I do every time is take *grapefruit seed extract.  *It's a natural antibiotic. I swear by it. The best natural health product I've ever taken.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 26, 2013)

I haven't taken a flu shot in years, and haven't had the flu.  It always causes dehydration, due to the vomiting and diarrhea.  I take vitamin D3 and vitamin C in winter to avoid the flu, along with other supplements.  I use those sanitary wipes whenever they're provided in stores for the shopping carts.  When I get home, the first thing I do is wash my hands.  I really think that helps a lot.

I don't recall ever using grapefruit seed extract for the flu Knight, but I have some on the shelf, and will keep that in mind, thanks.

Ozarkgal, we have a friend too that had the flu shot, and came down with the flu recently.  Hoping you and yours are feeling better now, and thanks for posting those tips!  If I'm shopping in a store and there's someone nearby coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose, I try to stay away, and breathe through my nose if I can.

:winter2:


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## TWHRider (Jan 27, 2013)

Knightofalbion said:


> This particular virus has been all over England, but it's petering out now.
> 
> Eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise will help to keep your immune system in good shape which will help you fight off most viruses and bugs.
> If one does get through, what I do every time is take *grapefruit seed extract.  *It's a natural antibiotic. I swear by it. The best natural health product I've ever taken.



It's good to know about the grapefruit seed extract but if someone is on medication for high blood pressure, they may want to check with their doctor first.  It can cause problems to mix the two.

I am a person that has negative reactions to Grapefruit seed extract and also Coq10.  Both of them will start my heart racing.  Some herbs and some drugs do not react on me like they should. 

I seem to have a life-long resistance to flu viruses; I hope that doesn't run out anytime soon-------------------


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## R. Zimm (Jan 28, 2013)

That is one reason I and my wife do not bother getting flu shots. We work with the public anyway and likely are exposed to many germs that our bodies will build up defenses against as long as we are exposed in small doses. We do take vitamin C and Zinc regularly and use hand sanitizer.


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## Ozarkgal (Jan 28, 2013)

R. Zimm said:


> That is one reason I and my wife do not bother getting flu shots. We work with the public anyway and likely are exposed to many germs that our bodies will build up defenses against as long as we are exposed in small doses. We do take vitamin C and Zinc regularly and use hand sanitizer.



I am seriously rethinking this annual flu shot mantra.  I don't like the sounds of some of the ingredients and just like the big push on anti bacterial soaps and hand sanitizers, they now say are causing bacteria to become more resistant.  Not to mention, they do nothing for viruses.  As I say this, I turned my hubby loose on Walmart today and he came home with a ginormous bottle of Germ-X hand sanitizer...LOL ...That recent stomach virus has him running scared!

What and whom do you believe anymore?


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## pchinvegas (Jan 29, 2013)

_This time of year, every year the media starts the "Flu Blitz". Every news cast tell of deaths, hundreds in hospitals, elderly in long lines in the cold waiting for the flu vaccine. I hate to say it but the media blows so many thing out of proportion, out of context_ and then there's so much money to gain by the medical industry, who do you believe?
I have never had the flu, haven't had a cold in 3 years, don't take vitamins and have no idea why or what to attribute my good health to, but it works.
Needless to say I do not get flu shots. I do work in the public, wash hands, sanitize often but the rest is just good luck I suppose.
I just gotta go with "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".
I hope everyone stays healthy and avoids what sound like a miserable ailment.


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