Forum: 'Common sense' can fight H1N1

Using common sense can be the best protection against viruses like the H1N1 flu strain.

That was the message presented by three health practitioners Monday, Oct. 19 at a forum sponsored by the Town of Chaplin, Chaplin Elementary School, the Chaplin Public Library and the Chaplin School Readiness Council.

Before a group of concerned parents at the library, Chaplin Elementary School nurse Charlene Petrone, along with nutritionist Shoshana Levinson and naturopath Fran Storch who both practice in Mansfield, outlined prevention measures against the flu.

In addition, the trio offered proactive suggestions for overall wellbeing and strengthening of the body’s immune system.

“Wash your hands. I can’t say that enough,” said Petrone, who said this practice was important for adults as well as a “mantra” she repeatedly uses with children at the elementary school.

She said the school cafeteria has been reconfigured to enable all children to use a sanitizer dispenser before lunch and that children are asked to wash their hands upon arriving at the school and before eating.

Children are also taught to not touch their eyes, nose or mouth because these are portals to infection.

Petrone also outlined the difference between symptoms of flu viruses and common colds.

Flu symptoms, she said, always include fevers, body aches, fatigue and, sometimes, headaches. Cold symptoms rarely include fevers, body aches or headaches.

Petrone said, as of Monday, H1N1 outbreaks have been reported in 41 states and it will likely spread further.

Boost your immune system

Petrone, Storch and Levinson all said basic good hygiene practices, good nutrition and exercise would all be valuable in preventing the spread of the virus.

Storch said flu vaccines were one way of safeguarding against the illness, but they did present some risks, because flu viruses are constantly mutating and it’s difficult for vaccines to keep up with the mutations.

She also noted that receiving the vaccines are not how the body was intended to fight illness naturally.

Storch recommended using neti-pots to flush out the nose and throat and gargling with salt water because viruses can’t live in a saline environment.  [Neti pots are like small tea pots with long nozzles that are place in a nostril so that water can be washed through the sinuses, and are available at health food stores and most pharmacies.]

Dr. Storch  said these habits should become as routine as brushing one’s teeth and were probably more important.

Levinson outlined good nutritional habits, and said that while many people tend to spend less money on food than on other areas in their lives, food should be considered an investment.

“It’s not easy to put lots of money into our food, but we’ll get back dividends,” Levinson said.

Levinson said food eaten as closely as possible to its natural state is always the healthiest option. For example, she said, eating an apple is healthier than drinking apple juice.

She said while organic options are often good, eating local food is even better, because it’s always preferable to know the conditions in which the food was produced.

Levinson noted that in this area, residents are lucky to have so many farmers markets and recommended purchasing dairy products from local brands such as the Farmer’s Cow and Mountain Dairy that do not have any hormone additives.

The trio took questions from approximately a dozen people, and told those who inquired that rice milk was often better than soy milk and many herbal supplements are usually safe for children over 3.

Levinson, Petrone and Storch all advised drinking lots of water and exercising  regularly to build upone’s  immune system, to prepare the body to fight illness naturally and to help the body rebound quicker from any illness. “It’s just a matter of common sense,” Petrone said.

For more information on natural remedies and nutritional well-being, contact Levinson and Storch at their offices.

Levinson’s office is at 370 Gurleyville Road in Mansfield and her Web site is www.eatwellusa.com. Her telephone number is 429-4624, her e-mail is shoshana@eatwellusa.com.

Storch’s office is located at 476 Storrs Road (Route 32) in Mansfield and her telephone number is 423-2759. She also has a radio program on the UConn radio station, WHUS.

Petrone also suggested a web site and telephone number for updates and information on the H1N1 virus and vaccines. The state flu hotline is (800) 830-9426 and national updates about the flu strain can be accessed through the national Center for Disease Control’s web site at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu. Another good Web site is www.flu.gov