Know the Difference between Cold and Swine Flu Symptoms

Symptom	Cold	Swine Flu
Fever	Fever is rare with a cold.	Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.
Coughing	A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.	A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).
Aches	Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.	Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.
Stuffy Nose	Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.	Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.
Chills	Chills are uncommon with a cold.	60% of people who have the flu experience chills..
Tiredness	Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.	Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.
Sneezing	Sneezing is commonly present with a cold..	Sneezing is not common with the flu.
Sudden Symptoms	Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.	The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.
Headache	A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.	A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.
Sore Throat	Sore throat is commonly present with a cold..	Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.
Chest Discomfort	Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.	Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

FAQs on Swine Flu

FAQs on Swine Flu

• What are the symptoms of swine flu?

The symptoms are cough, cold, fever, chills and body ache. These symptoms are not unusual in the rainy season, so it is difficult to identify the viral infection. Confirmation of swine flu infection is possible only by testing the fluids in the throat and nose for H1N1.

• Is there any way to prevent swine flu?

The virus spreads via the air when the infected person coughs or sneezes. The droplets of fluid resulting from coughing or sneezing can also get deposited on solid surfaces like doorknobs, tables, etc. A person can get infected if he/she happens to touch those surfaces and then touches his/her mouth or nose. The swine fly attacks the respiratory track. You should avoid public contact or use mask when in crowded areas where there is possibility of infection. Here is a good source of information: www.cdc.gov/swineflU/

• What tests are done by the doctors?

In case you need to go through the test, you need to stay in the quarantine for a day. A sample of saliva is taken on a swab from your throat and nose. This sample is sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune. NIV tests the sample and declares the result by 3 pm if the sample is sent before 8 am on the same day. The result could be positive or negative or there is no decision. In case you are negative, you can go home. In case there is no decision, you need to stay one more day in the quarantine. Sample is taken the next day and testing is done. In case you are positive, you have H1N1 virus infection. In that case, you need to be in the quarantine ward for five days including the day of testing. Medicines are given to you and doctors visit you two or three times a day. Preventive medication is also given to your family members. On the fifth day, testing is done to confirm that the test is negative.

• What do I expect at the quarantine?

The quarantine area is a hospital ward. The hospital provides a bed and masks to you. You need to wear a mask all the time. Carry a mobile phone so that you can reach your family using the phone. Ask your family members to get you food, water and tea/coffee/milk. You can take your laptop and reading material so that you can spend your time well during your stay at the hospital. Toilets are common for the ward. There is no hot water in the bathroom, so taking bath is optional. Your family members cannot meet you. They can meet the attendant and hand over your tiffin to the attendant. The attendant will hand over the tiffin to you. If your young child is infected, you can help her/him by being with her/him in the quarantine. You cannot get out during the mandatory period. You need to take medication to prevent the infection and also wear a mask at all times.

Home Remedies

ACNE, BLACKHEADS, AND PIMPLES:

• Dab a small amount of toothpaste (paste, not gel) on pimples before bed; this helps dry out the pimples.
• Mix equal amounts of lemon juice and rose water, apply to face with a cotton ball, and allow to sit for 30 minutes before rinsing. 15-20 days of this application helps cure pimples and also helps to remove blemishes and scars.
• Apply fresh lemon juice on the affected area overnight. Wash off with warm water next morning.
• For acne that hasn't seemed to respond to anything, steep 2-3 tsp. dried basil leaves in 1 cup boiling water for 10-20 minutes, cool, and apply to affected area with a cotton ball.

ANEMIA:

• Avoid drinking tea (regular, not herbal varieties) and coffee immediately after meals, as the tannin present in these interferes in the absorption of iron from the food.
• Drink a cup of herbal tea mixed with 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses each day. This provides 80% of the iron needed in one day.

• Foods high in iron: lean beef, skinned poultry, shellfish, fish, liver, organ meats, egg yolks, pinto, kidney, lima, navy, chick peas, black-eyed peas, lentils, split peas, green peas, spinach, kale, collards, beet greens, chard, broccoli, raisins, prunes, figs, dates, dried peaches, dried apricots, nuts, peanut butter, whole grain breads.
• Your body absorbs iron from meats easier than fruits and vegetables. To aid in the absorption of iron from fruits and vegetables, eat them with a good source of vitamin C.

ARTHRITIS:

• A daily serving of fresh fish or fish oil capsules helps to give relief of arthritis and other joint pains.
• 3-4 walnuts eaten daily, on an empty stomach, will help.

ASTHMA:

• Mix 1 tsp. honey with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and take it at night before going to bed.
• Avoid taking aspirin, as this may invoke an asthma attack.

BAD BREATH:

• Boil some cinnamon bark in a cup of water. Store it in a clean bottle in your bathroom. Use it as a mouthwash frequently.
• Parsley leaves are rich in chlorophyll, nature's own deodorizer. Chew some leaves regularly and your breath will remain fresh.
• You can chew some cardamom seeds to sweeten your breath.

BLADDER INFECTION: Take a bag of fresh or frozen cranberries and boil them in water (they will fall apart). Cool and drink. Don't add sugar! This remedy is also useful for people with kidney problems.

BLADDER STONES: Boil 2 figs in 1 cup of water. Drink daily for a month.

BRUISES: Slice a raw onion and place over the bruise. Do not apply this to broken skin.

COLD AND FLU: Here is a delicious recipe for a cold and flu soup: Sauté 6 crushed cloves of garlic in 1 tsp. vegetable oil until golden. Pour in a quart of beef or chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and whisk in 2 egg whites. Beat together 2 egg yolks and 2 Tbls. distilled white vinegar; pour this mixture into the soup. Season with salt and pepper and top with croutons, if desired.

CONSTIPATION (IN ADULTS):

• Eat a few black licorice sticks.
• Take apple pectin.
• Make sure you're getting enough Folic Acid in your diet.
• Drinking ginger tea will help start a bowel movement.

CONSTIPATION (IN SMALL CHILDREN): Soak 6-8 raisins in hot water. When cool, crush well and strain. When given routinely even to little infants, it helps to regulate bowel movement.

COUGHS AND ASTHMA: Steep 3-4 cloves of garlic in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks. Use several drops at a time, several times a day for coughs or asthma. Garlic is an exceptional cleanser for the body and has antimicrobial action similar to other antibiotics.

DAMAGED, DRY HAIR: A nourishing conditioner for dry or damaged hair which can be used for all hair types: Separate the white of an egg from the yolk, whip it to a peak. Add 1 Tbls. water to the yolk and blend until the mixture is creamy. Then mix the white and yolk together. Wet your hair with warm water, remove the excess moisture, and apply the mixture to your scalp with your fingertips. Massage gently until the froth is worked into your scalp, then rinse the hair with cool water. Keep applying the mixture until it is used up and then rinsed until all of the egg is washed away.

DANDRUFF: Pour distilled white vinegar onto the hair, as close to the scalp as you can manage; massage into the scalp; and allow to dry for several minutes before washing as usual. Repeat daily until the dandruff disappears, usually within a few days.

DARK CIRCLES AROUND EYES: Make a paste out of 1 tsp. tomato juice, 1/2 tsp. lemon juice, a pinch of turmeric powder, and 1 tsp. of flour. Apply around eyes. Leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing.

DEPRESSION: 3/4 cup of cooked spinach a day is enough to give dramatic relief from depression if you are deficient in B vitamins.

DIARRHEA: Eat boiled sweet potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper before bedtime to cure chronic diarrhea.

DRY SKIN: Combine 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup warm water, 1 Tbls. vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup baking soda in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth paste. Pour this paste under the running water while drawing the bath. Very soothing to dry, itchy skin.

EARACHE: Steep 1-2 tsp. chamomile flowers in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Strain out the water, and apply the hot flowers in a cloth for alleviation of the earache.

ECZEMA: Rub a whole nutmeg against a smooth stone slab with a little water and make a paste. Apply on affected parts. (Note: It is believed by some rural, old fashioned practitioners that instead of water, one's own early morning saliva can be used for better results.)

ENERGIZER: Simmer 1 cup honey and 3 cup water together slowly. Allow 1 cup of the water to evaporate. Strain off the top surface, and put the remaining liquid into a stoneware crock or dark bottle. Put a towel over it so it can breathe, yet be free of dirt. Place in a cool place. You can add cinnamon, clove, or the juice of 2 lemons, if you like.

EYE PROBLEMS: Simmer 1 cup water and 1 tsp. honey for 5 minutes. Dip a cloth in the liquid and apply to the closed eye.

FACIAL CLEANSER: Mix 2 Tbls. cornstarch, 2 Tbls. glycerin, and 1/2 cup water until smooth. Heat in a small pan placed in a water bath inside another pan. Heat until thick and clear; it will have the consistency of pudding. Do not boil. Cool completely, Use in place of soap to cleanse your skin. (If mixture is too thick, you may thin it by adding a little water, 1 Tbls. at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. )

FATIGUE: Take a glass of grapefruit and lemon juice in equal parts to dispel fatigue and general tiredness after a day's work.

GUM IN HAIR: Soak the gum-coated hair in Coke® and it should wipe out easily.

HAIR LIGHTENER: To lighten hair, use 1/4 cup chopped fresh rhubarb to 2 cups boiling water. Cool, strain, and apply as a rinse.

HANG-OVER: Eat honey on crackers. The fructose in the honey will help to flush out the alcohol in your system.

HAY FEVER: Steep 1 tsp. fenugreek seed in 1 cup water, covered, for 10 minutes. Drink 1 cup a day to help hay fever symptoms.

HEADACHE: Eat 10-12 almonds, the equivalent of two aspirins, for a migraine headache. Almonds are far less likely to upset the stomach.

HICCUPS: Only 2 remedies have I ever know to actually work. The first listed makes the most sense, since a hiccough is simply a spasm of the diaphragm, and you need to disrupt this spasm. The second offers no rhyme or reason, but works nonetheless.

• Breath in as deeply as you can, then exhale as hard as you can; repeat 10 times; when exhaling the last time, keep the air pushed out, not taking another breath for as long as you can stand. This normally works the first try, but repeat if necessary. Be sure to sit down when doing this.
• This is a remedy only feasible when sitting at a bar. Have the bartender fill a small glass with club soda. Light a match and drop it, then drink the water quickly (being careful not to drink the match). It works, but I don't know why!
• Drink 1/2 glass water, slowly.
• Keep a tsp. of sugar in your month and suck slowly.
• Suck 2-3 small pieces of fresh ginger.
• Take a large mouthful of water with out swallowing, plug both ears, and slowly begin to swallow the water. Unplug your ears and you're hiccup free! (Submitted by Mrs T. Falkmann)
• Eat a heaping teaspoon of peanut butter all at once. (Submitted by Tracy Pletcher)

HICKEY:

• Coat area liberally with lotion. Rub with the back of a cold spoon vigorously for as long as you can stand to, changing out spoon for new cold one every 10 minutes. Recommended time for this treatment is 45-60 minutes. Why it works: a hickey is a bruise; the discoloration of a bruise is caused by blood accumulating under the skin from broken capillaries; this remedy breaks up the old blood so it can be reabsorbed by the body more quickly, therefore diminished the discoloration.
• Rub white toothpaste over the hickey, allow to dry, and later, wipe it off with a warm facecloth. After a few applications, the hickey will be faded. Do not use gel toothpaste. (Submitted by Hot Rod Anne.)

INSECT BITES: Mix water with cornstarch into a paste and apply. This is effective in drawing out the poisons of most insect bites and is also an effective remedy for diaper rash.

MORNING SICKNESS: Mix 1 tsp. each fresh juice of mint and lime, and 1 Tbls. honey. Take 3 times a day.

MOSQUITO BITES: Apply lime juice diluted with water on bites with cotton ball.

MUCUS IN COUGH: Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1/2 tsp. each of ginger, ground cloves, and cinnamon. Filter. Sweeten with 1 tsp. honey and drink.

MUSCLE CRAMPS: Apply clove oil on the affected body parts.

NAUSEA: Boil 1/2 cup of rice in 1 cup of water for about 10-20 minutes. After it is boiled, drain the water into a cup and sip at the rice water until symptoms are gone.

OBESITY:

• Mix lime juice with honey and water; drink a glass of this every morning.
• Mix 3 tsp. lime juice, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. honey, and 1 cup water; drink a glass a day for 3 months.
• Mix 1 tsp. lime juice with 1 cup water and drink each morning.
• Eat a tomato before breakfast.

OILY SKIN: For oily skin, mix 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 egg white, 1 Tbls. lemon juice, and 1/2 cup mashed apple into a smooth paste. Apply to face and leave on 15 minutes. Rinse.

OVERWEIGHT: Effective at getting rid of fat, drink up to 3 cups of green tea daily. Regular tea can also be used with a lesser effect.

PAIN RELIEVER: Mix 3 Tbls. of honey in boiled water and drink. Honey has natural pain-relieving powers.

SMELLY FEET: Soak feet in strong tea for 20 minutes every day until the smell disappears. To prepare your footbath, brew two tea bags in 2 1/2 cups of water for 15 minutes and pour the tea into a basin containing two liters of cool water.

SMOKING HABIT: Lick a little salt with the tip of your tongue whenever you feel the urge to smoke. This is said to break the habit within 1 month.

SORE THROAT: Mix 1 tsp. lime juice and 1 Tbls. honey. Swallow tiny amounts slowly 2-3 times a day.

SPLINTERS:

• Lay scotch tape over the splinter and pull off.
• Soak the area in vegetable oil for a few minutes before removing with tweezers.

STOMACH ACHE: A simple cure for a stomachache is to dissolve 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon in 1 cup warm water, cover and let sit for 15 minutes, then drink it like tea. This remedy can also ease diarrhea and flatulence.

STOMACH ACIDITY:

• Drink coconut water 3-4 times a day.
• Have a plateful of watermelon and/or cucumber every hour.

SUNBURN: Mix 2 tsp. tomato juice and 1/4 cup buttermilk. Apply to affected area. Rinse after 1/2 hour.

TOOTHACHE & MOUTH PAIN: To ease toothache or other mouth pain, make a tea by boiling 1 Tbls. fresh peppermint in 1 cup water and adding a little salt. Peppermint is an antiseptic and contains menthol, which relieves pain when applied to skin surfaces.

VARICOSE VEINS: Take 2-3 tsp. black strap molasses orally daily. This also treats all kinds of circulatory ailments.

VOMITING AND NAUSEA:

• Sucking a piece of ice controls vomiting.
• Eat 1/2 tsp. ground cumin seeds.
• Cinnamon and sliced ginger work by interrupting nausea signals sent from the stomach to the brain. If you are an herbal tea drinker, simply sprinkle cinnamon on the tea and drink. To make ginger tea, simmer a few slices of ginger in hot tea water.

WARTS: Try taping a slice of garlic to the wart. Be sure to first protect the surrounding skin with petroleum jelly.

WEAK NAILS: To strengthen and shine nails, combine 2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. castor oil, and 1 tsp. wheat germ oil and mix thoroughly. Pour into bottle. Shake before using. To use, rub a small amount into your nails. Leave on 3-5 minutes and tissue off. Follow up with more plain castor oil, if desired.

WRINKLES & SKIN FRESHENER:

• Combine 2 Tbls. vodka, 1 Tbls. fennel seeds, and 1 1/2 tsp. honey. Stir well and allow to sit for 3 days. Strain mixture. Use full strength or add 2 Tbls. water to dilute. Use a cotton ball to apply to face as a toner.
• Apply coconut oil on the portions of skin and face where wrinkles set in and gently massage every night at bed time.

YELLOW TEETH: Mix salt with finely powdered rind of lime. Use this as toothpowder frequently.

Asthma

• What is Asthma?

Asthma is a disease that affects the lungs and the airways that deliver air to the lungs. Asthma causes periodic attacks of wheezing and difficult breathing. Periodic attacks are caused by an oversensitivity of the lungs and airways, which overreact to certain "triggers" and become inflamed and clogged.
Asthma is Greek for "panting". Asthmatics pant during an asthma attack because their air passages, which start in the throat and end in the lungs, become narrowed and sometimes almost completely obstructed.
Asthma is very common. Asthma is called a Reactive Airway Disease.

• When does Asthma Develop?

Asthma can develop at any age. An asthma attack occurs when the airways become inflamed in response to a trigger, such as dust, mold, pets, exercise, or cold weather. However, some attacks start for no apparent reason. Triggers may inflame the airways to the lungs, allowing disease-fighting cells to accumulate and causing swelling in the lungs. In addition, the airways may become blocked or obstructed when the muscles surrounding the lungs tighten or go into spasm. Spasms keeps air from circulating freely in the lungs. Mucus may also cause an asthma attack. Mucus may clog and narrow the airways in the lungs, making breathing even more difficult.

• Symptoms of Asthma?

The most obvious signs of an asthma attack are cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest and tachypnea (fast breathing). During an asthma attack, the airways of the lung undergo a number of changes, including Inflammation, bronchospasm, and increased mucus production.

• Triggers of Asthma?

Triggers irritate the airways and result in bronchoconstriction (constriction of the air passages in the lungs). Triggers do not cause inflammation and therefore do not cause asthma. Symptoms and constriction of vessels in the lungs caused by triggers tend to be immediate, short-lived, and rapidly reversible. Air passages will react more quickly to triggers if inflammation is already present in the airways. Common triggers of constriction of the air passages include everyday stimuli such as: Cold air, Dust, Strong fumes, Exercise, Inhaled irritants, Emotional upsets and Smoke.

Smoke acts as a very strong trigger. Second-hand smoke has been shown to aggravate asthma symptoms, especially in children. The effects of one cigarette lingers for 7 days. Asthma attacks can be mild, moderate, or severe, and can last for a few minutes, a few hours, or several days. Attacks can occur anywhere and at any time. Many attacks occur at night. Sometimes, there are warning signs that an attack is about to happen, but sometimes there aren't.

• What causes Asthma?

Asthma has been identified as an atopic disease. This is the result of certain inherited genetic features that cause the immune system to respond to otherwise innocuous proteins as if they were dangerous invaders.
Jobs can cause asthma...Read a CNN article about jobs and asthma

• Can Asthma be Cured?

Currently, asthma is not curable, but it can be well-managed.

• What does an asthma attack feel like?

An asthma episode feels similar to taking deep breaths of very cold air on a winter day. Breathing becomes harder and may hurt, and there may be coughing. Breathing often makes a wheezing or whistling sound. These whistling and wheezing occurs because the airways of the lungs are getting narrower.