Swine Flu and Stress

Stressed About Swine Flu? Here's Some Key Information

With growing concern about the new Swine Flu that has affected Mexico City, parts of the United States, and other countries worldwide, this new potential threat has already caused some collective stress. While nobody knows at this point what will develop in the coming weeks, it's important to understand key facts about Swine Flu and know about strategies that can help you prepare for a possible pandemic. While we are not currently in a state of pandemic, and things may not progress that far, it's wise to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. So here's what you may need to know about Swine Flu.

What Is Swine Flu?
First, it's important to understand a little bit about Swine Flu and what it is. Basically, it's an upper respiratory disease that presents with typical flu-like symptoms: body aches, lethargy, fever over 100 degrees, and sometimes coughing, runny nose and vomiting or diarrhea. What makes Swine Flu different is that it usually infects only pigs; the new strain that has people concerned is a mutated version that's a mix of Swine Flu, Bird Flu and regular human flu, and, being completely new, we (humans) may have little immunity against it, so it can spread fast and hit hard. It can be fatal. (See this article for Swine Flu FAQs, or the CDC's Fact Sheet on Swine Flu for more information.)

Why Are We Concerned?
The main cause for concern is that many people could potentially get sick in a short period of time. Many people could get really sick, in fact, so society may not run as smoothly as usual, and fatalities could occur. Without wanting to stress you too much, it could be pretty serious. (Read this article on Flu Pandemics if you want to know more.)

What's Happened So Far?
Things are changing quickly, but as of this writing, there have been fatalities in Mexico, with thousands sick. There have been cases in the U.S. and other areas of the world, but they have been mild so far. The U.S. has declared a state of Public Health Emergency. (To get the latest information on Swine Flu, visit the CDC's Swine Flu Page or the World Health Organization's Swine Flu Page.).

What Can Be Done?
The important thing to remember, and the reason for this article, is that there are things that can be done to lessen the impact of Swine Flu. You can increase your odds of staying healthy, and prepare for potential disruptions to your lifestyle. It's important to know what to do. The following are recommended steps to take:

• Practice Regular Flu-Prevention Precautions
  Because Swine Flu appears to pass from person to person the way the regular flu does, you can decrease your chances of catching and spreading it by doing what you should normally do to avoid the flu. Wash your hands (for 20 seconds or more), stay away from sick people, and practice stress management (because stress affects your immunity). Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use it.

• Contain Your Own Germs
  Cough or sneeze into your sleeve if you are sick, or--better yet--stay home, to avoid infecting others. (Even if it's not Swine Flu, you don't want to get others sick, right?) Staying home will limit your contact with others and provide you with a chance to rest up and fight illness more easily.

• Stock Up On Supplies
  The CDC recommends having at least a 2-week supply of food and other necessities in your home (don't forget water!) for each member of your family, for use in case you need to stay in for a while. (Here's a complete checklist for emergency preparedness.) This is very good advice, and I would recommend you follow it. (Even if there isn't a pandemic anytime soon, most geographical areas have other natural disasters that may occur, and a stockpile of supplies would help prepare you for other potential emergencies, too.)

• Stay Calm
  It's important to be cautious, heed warnings if they are issued, and do what you can to prepare and prevent, but there's no need to panic. Anxiety that you may be feeling is your body's natural way to motivate action (read this article for more on stress and anxiety), but once you've done what you can to prepare, it helps to let go of anxiety. Because stress affects your immune system, excessive worry won't help you, and at this point, there's no call for it. If you find yourself stressing over Swine Flu after you've taken every possible step to prepare, try the following stress management techniques:
  • Meditation
    Meditation is one of the most popular stress relievers for good reason: it brings far-reaching benefits!

  • Breathing Exercises
    Breathing exercises are simple and convenient. They're easy to learn and can be practiced anywhere.

  • Yoga
    Yoga can help support physical and emotional health in many ways.

  • Exercise
    Working out is a great way to blow off steam, keep your body healthy, and relieve stress at the same time.

  • Listen to Music
    Music can be a great stress reliever, and putting on some soothing music can help you and everyone around you passively relieve stress.

  • Talk To A Professional
    If you feel persistently anxious about this or anything in your life, the anxiety is interfering with your regular activities, and regular stress management techniques aren't helping, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor for further help.

_{Source:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/}