M.E’s ‘09 thoughts on H1N1:

Did you get the H1N1 vaccination…that is the question, or is it?  Did you know that every Thursday at 4pm you could visit the site of the Public Health Agency of Canada for the latest on FluWatch?  Sounds a bit like WeatherWatch to me yet in the place of snowstorm updates, the FluWatch tallies H1N1 infections, hospitalizations and even deaths that occurred during the week.  The virus certainly made an impact in its 3rd appearance of all time last year, having previously taking on the health of millions of people in 1918-19 and again in 1978-79.  A little over 400 Canadians lost their lives last year to the virus, which is tragic, but most individuals do recover without any side effects.  Thankfully, the FluWatch update this week stated that the H1N1 flu has been either sporadic or absent in the surveillance regions.

To date I may not have been infected with the H1N1 virus but I was personally affected at my job as one of the Dietitians of the North York Canadian Prenatal Nutritional Programs (CPNP).  At these programs there is both a Dietitian and a Public Health Nurse.  However, when the pandemic arrived, the nurses disappeared as they were dispatched from current duties and sent to the mass vaccinations clinics.  This left many public health programs, generally accessed by lower income and high need families, to be shut down or run with few resources.  The worst part of my job was not the additional workload but having to tell high-risk pregnant women that they would not be able to access critical nursing services until the New Year.  For that reason alone, I’m glad for 2010!

If you did in fact get the vaccination then you are immune to the H1N1 flu but there are thousands of other flu viruses that circulate each year.  What is your best defence against them?  Close to 70% of Canadians regularly take natural health products (NHPs) such as vitamins and minerals, herbal products and homeopathic medicine in an attempt to get and stay healthy.  This contributes to a billion dollar industry in North America.  Many products make big claims on how they can prevent you from getting sick.  Are they reliable?  It is really difficult to say.  I was trained to believe science; meaning there must be multiple scientifically significant studies that yield the same or similar result.  That being said, I’ve had positive personal experiences with Traditional Chinese Medicine in the form of herbal remedies.  I can’t deny that they can do what they claim to do, however, I am cautious when products either state outrageous claims or do not have either a drug identification number (DIN)/natural health product number (NPN) on the label.  These numbers indicate that the products are licensed for sale in Canada under the Natural Health Product Directorate, which began a 6year implementation into the Canadian marketplace in 2004.  As for vitamins and minerals, there is more scientific support to their functions in the body as well as health benefits.  For instance, it is true that Vitamin C and zinc supplements may contribute to improving your immunity but they won’t necessarily prevent or cure you from illness.  I do have one BIG caveat and that is – I recommend my clients get their nutrients from food instead of supplements.  Therefore, I believe that your best defense against illnesses, such as the flu, is by eating a balanced diet rich in rich in whole grains, antioxidants from fruit & vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, lean sources of protein and low fat dairy products.  Save some money and go buy a bag of oranges!