Just a quick reminder before we get to the virus…the fall Vaccine Free: Now What? course is now open for registration. Sending kids back to school can take a big bite out of the budget so do take advantage of the instalment plan and the early bird price (available until this Thursday, September 18th).
For those who have already signed up for the free Measle-y Intro call tomorrow, September 17th at 11AM PST, welcome! We are very excited to have you join us and try out the new Ruzuku format. And for those who have been considering joining the call to ‘sample’ what the VFNW? course might be like, you still have time. Click over to here and sign up now!
Want the information but can’t be on the call live? No problem! We know how busy parents are, especially if you plan to be on the call and, oops, sick kid or fussy baby… Just sign up here and we’ll send you the recording and transcript of the live call so you’ll still have a couple of days to decide if you want to join us for the full 12 weeks at the Early Bird rate.
NOW…onto the virus…
Back to school and in the news…Enterovirus (EV) D68. This particular virus is part of a family of viruses called Picornaviridae. They are classified together because they all have a similar structure and replicate in a similar way. Within that large grouping, there are two groups called enterovirus and rhinovirus.
Entero- means relating to the intestine…so these are viruses that populate the intestines and throat (think tonsils, appendix, Peyer’s patches – in the intestinal wall). This is important information because this is how the virus is transmitted – fecal-oral route…mouth to ‘other end’ and ick…vice-versa. Think of the entero system as one long tube where food goes in and you know what comes out! Because the tonsils are lymphoid tissue, the virus can replicate in the throat and shed through spit from the mouth and snot from the nose.
The most well-known enterovirus is polio, non-paralytic and paralytic. Please read Dr. Suzanne Humphries work on Polio and check out the February 2013 newsletter where you will find lots more information.
Rhinovirus is the scientific name for the common cold – and there are over 100 different types of cold viruses. More enteroviruses and rhinoviruses will be identified in the future as mutation occurs.
Common Sense
You can see how both the enterovirus and rhinovirus could have similar cold-like, flu-like symptoms.
And already you can see some of the common sense measures you can take to prevent or help heal should your family get sick with one of the many ‘back to school’ sicknesses. Cover your mouth when you cough, wash your hands frequently, stay home if you or your child is even slightly sick, wash surfaces of counters and toys if a snotty nose or two has been sneezing or using something other than a tissue for wiping, keep you and the sick one well hydrated with water, cuddle up, and ride it out. (Using homeopathic remedies will help. We’ll get to that!)
The Scare
So if this is an illness that looks like a common cold or something else, like a flu-like illness, what is all the media and medical hype about? Well…this is a relatively new virus, or at least a virus that has been identified only recently in 1962.
For a look at a chart of just how many of these enteroviruses have been identified and classified, you can go here.
Remember, every single one of these viruses will have similar kinds of cold-like, flu-like symptoms should your system actually mount a full-blown immune system response to one of them in your body. If you had a cold this year, you will never know which enterovirus or rhinovirus you may have had.
Your body is getting rid of the toxins generated by the virus, so in a healthy immune system response, you are going to get a lot of sneezing, coughing, sweating, pooping, peeing…discharges that carry the toxins out. This is a good thing…but it is the ‘thing’ that carries the virus to the next person. Bears repeating…please stay home or keep your kids home if they are sick with any of these symptoms!
So again…the scare?
With a new virus circulating in the population, more people will likely be getting sick than in the regular back-to-school germ pool. As a group collectively, we are ‘learning’ and creating an immune system response. At risk, however, are the very young, those with weakened immune systems, and those with chronic respiratory illnesses like asthma.
How Many People Have Asthma?
The CDC has a PowerPoint presentation on the site with graphs and charts about the impact of asthma on the American population.
Here is one of the charts:
The bottom part in blue might be a little hard to read so here is the quote:
“One in 12 people (about 26 million, or 8% of the population) had asthma in 2010, compared with 1 in 14 (about 20 million, or 7%) in 2001.”
So right now, with an outbreak of a very new virus, with everyone susceptible, especially 26 million people with asthma and all likely without immunity to EV-D68, there is cause for concern. Conventional medical medicine has little to offer in terms of prevention and/or cure. In conventional medicine, this means no vaccine and no anti-viral. This is a virus and viruses are notoriously difficult to manufacture vaccines in a short amount of time. This is the concern every flu season. Normally the circulating flu viruses have been around for some time, but every once in a while, a brand new strain emerges and acquired immunity from natural infection has yet to happen.
Antibiotics might be offered as ‘prevention’ for possible secondary bacterial complications, but other than that, hospital stays may be required. You start adding up the numbers, though, and there is a possibility of emergency departments being filled very quickly. Where will everyone go? What will ordinary folks do if they are sick with a cold or flu that may or may not be EV-D68?
And remember, the worst-case scenario is everyone getting sick or every person with asthma getting sick with this virus. For many healthy adults and children, you may never know if the cold or flu-like illness was EV-D68 or not.
Facing the Scare of EV-D68 With Homeopathy
For those of you familiar with homeopathy, here’s the good news! There are homeopathic remedies for the common cold and for flu-like illnesses.
Let me side track for just a minute. While doing some additional research, I found a blog post by Michael Coston, who has an interest in outbreaks and epidemics., about the EV-D68. The post was written a couple years ago, long before the concerns of today. (You’ll find a link to the blog post in the resource list below.)
Here is an excerpt from the blog post. Note what he is saying:
“Of the more than 10,000 samples submitted for testing during the 1st week of October 2009, more than 72% – almost 3/4ths – came back negative for influenza. ILIs or Influenza-Like Illnesses, like adenovirus, parainfluenza, rhinovirus and others (enteroviruses) are often indistinguishable from influenza without laboratory test. Unless there are serious complications – often exacerbated by pre-existing medical conditions – viral illnesses generally resolve themselves after a few days without medical intervention.”
Start with Symptoms
From the Center for Disease Control website which was just updated last week:
Symptoms:
- Mild symptoms may include fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough, and body and muscle aches
- Most of the children who got very ill with EV-D68 infection had difficulty breathing and some had wheezing. Many of these children had asthma or a history of wheezing.
Spread:
- Saliva, nasal mucus, or sputum
- Coughing, sneezing, or touching contaminated surfaces
Homeopathic Remedies for the Common Cold
With so many people possibly getting sick with this virus, chances are very good that you will be at home, dealing with a cold, flu-like illness on your own. In the worst-case scenario (as in a flu pandemic), the hospitals, emergency rooms, and doctors offices will be taking only those who are at risk and the advice will be to quarantine yourself and your family.
Even in the best-case scenario, you will be helping your kids/family heal at home. What to do?
Common sense measures and homeopathic remedies along with large doses of vitamin C will get you through. And please, if you or your child or family member is having breathing problems, you are on your way to the hospital. Hospitals and emergency medicine are your best and only options if any illness is hindering breathing.
With so many folks writing great information, articles, and blogs, I am going to recommend that you check out their websites. I have chosen writers and homeopaths who are well known and can be trusted with information on homeopathic philosophy and remedies.
For most of you, this current outbreak, if it should reach your part of the world, will be a matter of using homeopathic remedies as you would for a cold or for a flu-like illness. Check your kit today and contact your homeopath or pharmacy if you need to top up your stash. For some remedy suggestions, you can also check out the archived newsletters.
Yours in health and healing,
Donna
Additional Resources
Common cold
Dana Ullman has some great information with homeopathic remedy suggestions. Do check out his website as it is chock-full of helpful resources. Plus he has a store where you can buy books and products.
More remedy suggestions and common sense measures for seasonal colds from the homeopaths in Australia.
And even more remedy suggestions.
Asthma
For those who have asthma and have concerns about seasonal colds, flu and enteroviruses, please consider working with a homeopath. Check out these resources to see what is possible with homeopathic care. Asthma is a chronic condition that needs both your medical doctor and homeopath involved until resolved.
“A Homeopathic Perspective on Asthma”
“The Homeopathic Treatment of Asthma: A Breath of Fresh Air”
Other Resources
CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Reports on HEV68 (Human Enterovirus 68 same as EV-D68)
Blogger Michael Coston with very good published medical references:
“While it is a distinction often lost on the public, doctors know that during the height of every flu season the majority of patients reporting `flu-like symptoms’ likely have something other than influenza.
Even during the opening weeks and months of the H1N1 pandemic of 2009, a large percentage – perhaps even a majority – of people who either thought (or they were told) they had `swine flu’, had something else.”
There is an enterovirus foundation and you will find quite an extensive list of symptoms on their website. Remember while you’re reading that most symptoms will be mild. They are including some of the most severe, but for those who are generally healthy most of the time, the symptoms will be mild.
