This is exceptionally common. Many are having only this as the primary symptoms of H1N1 infection. K

This is exceptionally common. Many are having only this as the primary symptoms of H1N1 infection. K

Nope:) Or not enough to matter anyway.

<< It all comes from fish liver or (very rarely) lanolin.>> My bad: it's the opposite. Most D3 is currently coming from lanolin or, very rarely, fish liver oil. :) K

It's H1N1. I've been around H1N1 people all day and what you describe is what they have..... And they're saying the same thing you are.....but it can't be the flu....there's no fever...it seems like a bad cold....but my neighbor had it and they were only sick for two days......but we only had stomach upset and vomiting.....It's probably the flu....it's just wearing a lot of different masks this go around. Hoping for mild mild mild for you guys. :) K

Yeah....I think you know: it's not a cold;p Hope you feel better soon, Katherine

the jury is still out on NAC's effectiveness wrt lung issues (though it looks helpful for bipolar and depression....but probably not as helpful as other non drug tx). There are so many substances that work and work really really well and that have known cytokine and/or ACE inhibitor actions (likely more important with this flu than typical seasonal flu) so I decided to stick with those. NAC may or may not be helpful in this framework and there may be risks associated with it. :) K

Elderberry encourages cytokine production....which in and of itself isn't a bad thing. But since cytokine storm activity is a real possibility with this flu, I think it's best to avoid it. I'm not as worried about chocolate, fish oil and olive oil b/c the amounts needed for the elderberry cytokine inducing effect would be comparatively massive. Anyone eat enough chocolate lately to beat a cold or flu into submission?:) Oscillococcinum is great.....but I can't find any evidence that it will help with H1N1 - esp since the symptoms are showing up so differently than typical flu....and homeopathy is so dependent on a good match between symptom and remedy. Sure can't hurt though! I love the stuff. :) k

If you get sick, and have symptoms on the list, regardless of severity, assume you've had it. But yup, that's exactly my point. You won't know. So just say home for the requisite time period, be thankful for acquired immunity, do what you can to keep it mild, then move on with life. :) K

Yes. This is a huge problem b/c it's the presence of a fever that moves a person along the algorithm to flu dx. Without that, they won't get the dx, estimates will be alarmingly low for # of cases and kids (and adults) will be out and about passing the flu on to high risk groups;/ K

share as needed/interested. All information is mine and from evidence based sources. I didn't have time to cite......so do with it what you will. http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AV3S7fNjwg33ZHp0bWN3cV83NnhxZGd3a2N3&hl=en Virtually all flulike illnesses currently presenting are H1N1. It's possible that 50% of cases are presenting without a fever and very likely many more. This makes meaningless, the recommendations to "stay home from school or work until fever free for 24 hours" as many with the flu will never have had a fever. Children are unknowingly being sent to school with H1N1; adults with H1N1 will continue to go to work not realizing that they are spreading the flu. Contagion is a factor from 24h prior to onset of symptoms and for 7-10 days after *onset of symptoms*. It's wonderful that most people are reporting being sick for 1.5-2 days. Yay! For those at risk for respiratory complications though (including our pregnant friends and family members) it doesn't matter that 'most' are sick for 1-2 days. For them, this is not a typical flu so please stay home if you have any symptoms. Please keep your child home if they have any symptoms. If one is sick, keep them all home. What can you do to prevent or treat the flu? Consider: •Anti-Virals if you think you have the flu [CDC recommendation not mine] Keep in mind that there is a 50-90% false negtive rate on the rapid flu tests. Yes, you read that right. Just b/c you have a negative rapid flu test absolutely positively does not mean you are home free. Effective treatment: •Anti-Viral Medication started within 24h (less helpful but still helpful if started later....though drug resistant cases are emerging) •High Dose Vitamin D3 therapy aka Stoss Therapy. (reduces cytokines) Stoss Therapy is 1,000 IU D per one lb body weight per day FOR THREE DAYS, then back to normal dosing: 1,000 IU per 25 lbs body weight. Stoss therapy is not appropriate for those with kidney disease. Take sufficient calcium and magnesium while taking vitamin D. Likely Helpful adjuncts effective treatment - will reduce and/or moderate cytokines or act as ACE inhibitors: •Aspirin, Adults only; never children or adolescents (reduces cytokines). •Green tea (ACE inhibitor, reduces cytokines). Consider drinking daily and/or gargling with it. •High dose vitamin C therapy to bowel tolerance. Use cheap ascorbic acid unless you personally need buffered - avoid time released for this usage. Effective Prevention: •Optimal blood levels of D3 (reduces cytokines) •50-80 ng/mL is optimal; some say 50-70 ng/mL, some say 55-80 ng/mL - it depends on who's writing and when they wrote it. Anything less than 50 ng/mL=substrate deficiency which is a Very Bad Thing. Our 50-80 ng/mL translates to 150-200 nmoL in any other place in the world Moderate levels are correlated, by some data, with increased cytokine activity (20-40 ng/mL). We don't want moderate levels or even 'normal' levels. We want optimal levels in the middle of the 'reference range'. •Remember that because of problems with Quest's test, any D result from them should be divided by 1.3 to get an accurate number. •Optimal vitamin D levels are your very best defense against influenza, some researchers posit that it may be as or more effective than a vaccine. •Green tea (ACE inhibitor, reduces cytokines). Drink it or gargle. •Probiotics. Take daily. May be helpful adjuncts to effective treatment and/or prevention in addition to above measures: •Black tea (ACE inhibitor, reduces cytokines) •Quercetin (possible ACE inhibitor, reduces cytokines) •Pomegranate (ACE inhibitor) •Proanthocyandin containig foods, supplements (ACE inhibitors): grapeseed extract, pinebark extract (pycnogenol) •Turmeric (reduces cytokines). 1/4 tsp powder can be placed on tongue and swallowed with water . •Black pepper (reduces cytokines) •Raw crushed garlic (reduces cytokines). For easy dosing, mix with tsp raw honey. •Coconut oil (reduces cytokines) •Echinacea (increases some cytokine activity but overwhelmingly reduces cytokine activity) Assess carefully: •Elderberry aka Sambucol (known to increase cytokines). I am avoiding. •Astragalus (reduces activity of some cytokines, increases activity of other cytokines). I am avoiding. •Olive oil (may increase cytokines). I will continue to use as needed but will use coconut oil for cooking/baking. •Fish oil (may increase cytokines). I will continue to take significant amounts. •Chocolate (ACE inhibitor but increases cytokines). I will use moderately;p Cannel on preventing and treating H1N1: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/newsletter/h1n1-flu-and-vitamin-d.shtml Randomized, placebo controlled trial shows D3 prevents and treats colds and flu: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17352842

Assume it's H1N1. Virtually all flulike illnesses currently presenting are of this variety. About 50% of possible cases are presenting without fever. This is likely a low number. Consider that this makes meaningless, the recommendations to 'stay home from school or work until fever free for 24 hours". Children are unknowingly being sent to school with H1N1; adults with H1N1 will continue to go to work not realizing that they are spreading the flu. Consider: •Visiting an urgent care center and for anti-virals. Keep in mind that there is a 50-90% false negtive rate on the rapid flu tests. Yes, you read that right. Effective treatment: •Anti-Viral Medication started within 24h (less helpful but still helpful if started later....though drug resistant cases are emerging) •High Dose Vitamin D3 therapy aka Stoss Therapy. (reduces cytokines) 1,000 IU D/ one lb body weight; one dose per day for three days , then back to normal dosing: 1,000 IU per 25 lbs body weight. This is not appropriate for those with kidney disease. Take sufficient calcium and magnesium while taking vitamin D. Likely Helpful adjuncts effective treatment - will reduce and/or moderate cytokines or act as ACE inhibitors: •Aspirin, Adults only; never children or adolescents (reduces cytokines). •Green tea (ACE inhibitor, reduces cytokines). Consider drinking daily and/or gargling with it. •High dose vitamin C therapy to bowel tolerance. Use cheap ascorbic acid unless you personally need buffered - avoid time released for this usage. Effective Prevention: •Optimal blood levels of D3 (reduce cytokines) •55-80 ng/mL is optimal. Anything less=substrate deficiency.....150-200 nmoL on the scale the rest of the world uses. Moderate levels are correlated, by some data, with increased cytokine activity (20-40 ng/mL). •Optimal vitamin D levels are your very best defense against influenza, some researchers posit that it maybe as or more effective than a vaccine. •Green tea (ACE inhibitor, reduces cytokines). Drink it or gargle. •Probiotics. Take daily. May be helpful adjuncts to effective treatment and/or prevention in addition to above measures: •Black tea (ACE inhibitor, reduces cytokines) •Quercetin (possible ACE inhibitor, reduces cytokines) •Pomegranate (ACE inhibitor) •Proanthocyandin containig foods, supplements (ACE inhibitors): grapeseed extract, pinebark extract (pycnogenol) •Turmeric (reduces cytokines). 1/4 tsp powder can be placed on tongue and swallowed with water . •Black pepper (reduces cytokines) •Raw crushed garlic (reduces cytokines). For easy dosing, mix with tsp raw honey. •Coconut oil (reduces cytokines) •Echinacea (increases some cytokine activity but overwhelmingly reduces cytokine activity) Assess carefully: •Elderberry "Sambucol" or similar (known to increase cytokines - I am avoiding) •Astragalus (reduces activity of some cytokines, increases activity of other cytokines). I am avoiding. •Olive oil (may increase cytokines). I will continue to use as needed but will use coconut oil for cooking/baking. •Fish oil (may increase cytokines). I will continue to take significant amounts. •Chocolate (ACE inhibitor but increases cytokines). I will use moderately. Certainly there is more, but this is what I've had time to compile at this point 28Aug2009) As always, NTBCAMA. Check your own sources and with your own health care provider regarding appropriate treatments for you and your family. All the best, Katherine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyopia <<The first symptoms most people notice are difficulty reading fine print, particularly in low light conditions, eyestrain when reading for long periods, blur at near or momentarily blurred vision when transitioning between viewing distances. Many advanced presbyopes complain that their arms have become "too short" to hold reading material at a comfortable distance.[2] Presbyopia, like other focus defects, becomes much less noticeable in bright sunlight. This is a result of the iris closing to a smaller diameter. As with any lens, increasing the focal ratio of the lens increases depth of field by reducing the level of blur of out-of-focus objects (compare the effect of aperture on depth of field in photography).>> SAD is nothing more than vitamin D deficiency and is treatable by taking sufficient amounts of vitamin D. 1000 IU vitamin D per 25 lbs body weight sufficient calcium and magnesium (all the time, but especially when taking biologically appropriate amounts of D) sufficient potassium is amazing for energy. supplements really aren't an option b/c we need 2-4 mg potassium per calorie ingested (so thousands of mg per day) and potassium supplements contain only 99 mg per serving. produce produce and more produce is the answer. tomato products especially. bananas won't to it. :) Katherine

All of the things you mention are symptoms of D deficiency with the exception of B12 and potassium deficiency...... all of them incl the food allergies, the insulin issues, the adrenal and thyroid issues, CFS/FM.....you're a wise woman to get your D levels tested:) A $40 test is available from grassrootshealth.org....And it's as part of a study that will be huge and may change the face of public health. I'm so glad for the opportunity to participate. So far 1000 people are enrolled in the US alone. 50% of those enrolled in the study are D deficient and the average amount of D they're taking is 1600 IU per day. Conventional wisdom will tell us that's no small amount....but apparently it's too small an amount. Wishing you all the best, Katherine

And if you test your 25(OH)D levels you'll find that 3,000 IU probably isn't enough. In the absence of *summer* sunlight, midday, in a bikini, we probably need about 1,000 IU vitamin D per 25 lbs body weight. Some will get some D from summer sun and incidental exposure (paler skins, lightly dressed during spring, summer, fall) but many will not get any significant D from sun at any time - even during the summer: those who are indoors most of the time those with darker skin those in northerly latitudes. I've beenworking on my D status for 5 years. When i wore no sunscreen and got lots of 'incidental exposure' (two toddlers, outside all of the time) 2,000 IU per day was enough to boost my levels to optimal. Now that I'm more sun protective and inside more often, I'm taking 6,000 IU per day and just tested D again. There is a $40 vitamin D test available from grassrootshealth.org I'd urge everyone here to do it. :) K

LOL. TTTW isn't one of 'these' books. Not by a long shot. _Twighlight_ and _HP_ don't occupy the same plane of literary existence as TTTW does. K

I so agree. I felt like I loooved it while reading it. But it was an unhealthy, obsessed angsty kind of love;p And I was a mess when I was finished with it. Unsettled, angsty, irritable, weepy......I have to be so careful about what I read and watch. Atonement messed me up *seriously*. But yes, I am going to see it.....Monday.....:) with abbeyej and some others from our local homeschool community. :) K

Then it contains one of the endocrine disrupting antibacterials most likely....alcohol based hand santizing gels are the gold standard. K

Guys, this is ridiculous. Seriously. I can see it being a problem with a 1 or 2 yo in daycare.....the teacher walking by squirting a blob of handsanitizer in everyone's hand then walking on.....the kid eats it, licks et.....whatever. but your child *cannot* get alcohol poisoning if the sanitizer is applied then rubbed in till it's dry which is proper use for hand sanitizer. Katherine

you might need something more comprehensive like Wilson Reading.

it depends on which hormonal issues are triggering the acne....if it's an androgen issue......spironolactone is an excellent drug......saw palmetto and/or spearmint are good herbal solutions. otherwise, neptune krill oil can be helpful but it's incredibly expensive and can make some oilier. I used to get 1-3 premenstrual pimples every month on my chin or forhead......when I started taking NKO for unrelated reasons, my acne suddenly went away.....I researched it and found out it was the NKO. If your acne is more chin/jaw centralized, then it's probably and androgen issue.... :) K

It just varies so much......I know a few who even with older babies (6-10 mos) had supplies that went down to nothing and did choose to use formula from a bottle. With a baby younger than 6 mos, yes you will very very likely need to supplement at some point depending on how much your supply dwindles and when. It's nature's way of protecting the fetus....but nature hasn't realized that we now have nearly unlimited access to resources (ie calories). I did nurse through a pregnancy but *oh* my goodness. It was the most creepy crawly, most uncomfortable experience of my life......every cell in my body was screaming out to stop nursing the toddler....and honestly, I was totally unprepared for that.....I was expecting to go along nursing happily until I had my toddler and my baby nursing together happily. Ugh. That so was not what happened. K

It doesn't really matter. Dr. Donner/Dunner (can't remember), Sambucol....lots of them are fabulous. Make sure everyone is taking 1000 IU Vitamin D3 per 25 lbs body weight....*everyone*. It's your best defense against the flu. We like Carlson Ddrops....the 2000 IU per drop version. Katherine

_Depression Free Naturally_ has the absolute best, most thorough information for treating, naturally, depression, bipolar, blood sugar issues, schizophrenia, anxiety (incl OCD) and many many other issues. I take SAM-e vitamin D (1000 IU per 25 lbs body weight....http://www.vitamindcouncil.org) fish oil about 3g epa/1.5g dha...it varies depending on how I'm doing b6 AND p5p (coenzymated form of b6) niacinamide (for irritability) zinc 45 mg per day C L-5 methyl tetrahydrofolate (a form of folic acid) 500-1000 mg magnesium per day sufficient calcium inositol (1.5 *tsp* of the powder 3x per day if anxious) GABA (sublingual, as needed, if anxious) http://www.healthrecovery.com/HRC_2006/Depression_06/DepressionFree_TheBook.htm Buy the book, but don't buy supplements from the company. You can buy anything you need from iherb.com....except the L5methyltetrahydrofolate and p5p (solgar brand).... luckyvitamin.com has that one:) My 10 yo dd has been on and off of many of the above since around age six......esp helpful for her: high doses of zinc (30 mg/day) and b6 - both forms (for pyroluria)...lots of fish oil....inositol, 1000 IU/25 lbs body weight d3, magnesium. For me, it really is the difference between normal/functional/happy/well and truly off the deep end (with nearly psychotic levels of anxiety). With my supplements, I'm good. Without? It's ugly. Don't underestimate the importance of D.....for both mental health and physical health. It's going to be one of your best self care/preventative steps against the flu. Start now. Katherine

take the racks out. close the oven. press the self cleaning button and that's it! takes quite a few hours but that's all. when it's done, just wipe out with a cloth. K