Practical advice for flu season

Lucy Lindros passed along this advice that was distributed to Royal Inland Hospital staff by email. She says if you have the flu, take tylenol for pain and fever, take vitamin C to boost your immune system, drink lots to keep yourself hydrated, rest, and stay home for at least a week. The catch phrase at the hospital right now is "Fever and cough? Take a week off!"

The email message also included this information from Dr. Vinay Goyal, which has been published on several websites:

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) with clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital, Saifee Hospital, Tata Memorial,etc. Presently, he heads our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, in Malad India. His recommendations to avoiding H1N1 flu:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In an 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 or bathe) .
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, cleaning your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, and
   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 (Oranges and other citrus fruits). 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.