Swine flu remedies
Sometimes, I just read the most awful pseudoscience with respect to swine flu, or the H1N1 flu variant. I had to read this woo over at Daily Kos, a liberal blog site. Let's review the authors "claims":
The Centers for Disease Control makes these recommendations to prevent infection from swine flu:
Of course, I'm going to recommend getting a flu shot. And the CDC says nothing about eating ginger, zinc or other pseudoscientific alternative medicine woo, because none of it works. If swine flu becomes an epidemic in the US, you're going to hear lots of so called cures and preventions. The CDC's recommendations are cheap, and, in fact, the only way to prevent a flu, short of getting a flu shot.
By Michael W Simpson
- Get sleep. OK, this is probably a good piece of advice for anyone. But there is no evidence whatsoever that sleep has any influence on subsceptiblity to infections. However, I won't be too critical of this advice, because sufficient sleep is important.
- Eat right. Once again, good advice. The author mentions shiitake mushrooms, but the evidence is only in animal models, and even there, the in vivo results required an unorthodox method to detect a change. The author mentions zinc, the effect of which has already been discredited. The rest of the claims are similar. No real research supporting it, or actually showing it doesn't work.
- Stay hydrated. Once again, good advice. But it's not going to do anything to prevent you from getting the flu.
- Exercise. The author makes two specious and unsupported claims. First, a little exercise strengthens your immunity, but, second, too much exercise makes you more subsceptible. Well, there's some evidence that aerobic exercise does improve immunity to certain infections. But it doesn't say anything about "too much." Of course, I would contend a healthy cardiovascular system through vigorous aerobic exercise would be worth the risk of a flu.
- Some woo about foods to eat if you do get the flu. None of it works. The flu will take its course, so it's important not to infect others, and if there are serious secondary infections, the patient should seek treatment.
The Centers for Disease Control makes these recommendations to prevent infection from swine flu:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
Of course, I'm going to recommend getting a flu shot. And the CDC says nothing about eating ginger, zinc or other pseudoscientific alternative medicine woo, because none of it works. If swine flu becomes an epidemic in the US, you're going to hear lots of so called cures and preventions. The CDC's recommendations are cheap, and, in fact, the only way to prevent a flu, short of getting a flu shot.
By Michael W Simpson