Health Articles:

Bird Flu and You

by Dr. Jake Psenka, ND

The Great Pandemic of 2005, the deadly H5N1 bird flu, seems to have been moved to the second page of the daily paper. However, even though it may not necessarily be front page news right now, the bird flu could come back anytime to again dominate the headlines. It's impossible to predict when, and if, the bird flu will truly live up to the media hype. Understanding the risks and what can be done preventatively is the only way to prepare for the bird flu and what it may or may not do.

So, what is the bird flu, you ask? Well, the bird flu is a type of influenza virus that is normally found in wild bird populations. A virus is not really a living thing; it is an ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within the cells of a living host. The viral infectious agent is basically just a piece of DNA or RNA wrapped in a thin coat of protein. When this viral agent gets close to a cell that it can use as a host it attaches to the cell's outer shell. Once the virus has attached to the potential host cell, it uses a special delivery device to implant its DNA or RNA into the DNA or RNA of the host cell. The host cell is then used as a sort of incubator for the virus- when that host cell reproduces, the viral agent gets reproduced as well. The viral replication process is a pretty fascinating piece of science.

The process by which the viral agent attaches to the host cell is equally as fascinating and can shed some light on why some viruses are harder to catch than others. The bird flu spreads from bird to bird pretty easily- that's why the bird farmers of the world are worried. The virus could spread through a farmer's entire flock in a matter or days. However, the transmission of the virus to people is not so easy, and that's where the attachment process comes in. Now remember, viral agents need a host cell in order to replicate and not just any cell will do, it must be the “right” cell. The “right” cell is defined as the cell type that the virus can actually attach to. For example, imagine somebody sneezing in your face. In the course of such an event, you would inevitably inhale some viral particles. These viral particles might pass right by your sinuses and not attach there, but once they get near the cells of the upper part of the lungs they may stick. When they stick, that means that they have found cells that they are capable of infecting. This is exactly why it is so difficult to get the bird flu. The cells that are capable of hosting the bird flu virus reside at the bottom of a person's lungs, not a very easy place to get to. In fact, the only people to get bird flu are those who basically sleep with the infected birds. Don't sleep with birds. This is a good place to emphasize some good preventative advice: Wash your hands after filling the bird feeder, don't play with dead birds (and, if you come across a dead bird, it's not a bad idea to wear a surgical mask while disposing of it), always wash your hands after handling poultry destined for the dinner table, don't eat bird poop, and try to avoid employment in a commercial poultry farm.

It is true that the bird flu virus may mutate into a form that could attach to different cell types. If the virus mutates to a type that can infect the cells of our upper airways, then we may be in trouble. But, it's also true that the virus could mutate to a less lethal form as well. It's impossible to predict what this, or any, virus is going to do. One thing is certain, though. There will another pandemic; but when, and from what cause, is unpredictable.

Here's another FYI: the symptoms of the bird flu are what you would expect from almost any virus: headaches, chest pain, increased temperature, and mild diarrhea. The chest pain is probably the most important symptom, as the bird flu virus kills by causing pneumonia. My favorite symptom of the bird flu is the increased temperature. The increase in the temperature isn't the virus- it's the human body. Heating up is one way that the human body protects itself from invaders such as viral particles, bacteria, and yeasts. This increased temperature is the immune system kicking in to gear, and this is where you can work preventatively against the bird flu. When you keep your immune system healthy, your risk of contracting any viral disease decreases. Just because you're exposed to a virus doesn't necessarily mean that you'll get sick. If your immune system gets to the virus before it can find the right cell type, the immune system can kill it.

Keeping your immune system healthy is a pretty easy thing to do. Eating right (see the “Naturopathic Refrigerator” in this month's edition) and exercising are vital to keeping the immune system strong. Both aerobic and weight training exercises are essential for a healthy body. At least five hours of exercise per week is recommended. Don't work yourself too hard right from the get-go. Start exercising slowly and build up your tolerance with time. It is a good idea to enlist the help of someone familiar with exercise, like a personal trainer. Stress reduction techniques are also very important as stress is known to deplete the immune system pretty significantly. Yoga, Tai Chi, or video games- what ever it is that relaxes you, just do it. There are also many types of herbs that can be taken as a tincture or a tea to give the immune system a little boost. Old favorites such as Cat's Claw ( Uncaria tomentosa ), Echinacea ( Echinacea purpurea ) work great but they don't taste that great. Rose hip ( Rosa Canina ) tea is excellent for colds and influenza, place 2-5 grams in hot water for 30 minutes. Rose hips are very high in vitamin C and they taste great. Cold rose hip tea is also very good thirst quenching in a fever. Rose hip tincture is also available.

So, the bird flu is a reality, but we have no way of predicting its future. What we can do is protect ourselves by taking care of our minds and bodies. What we shouldn't do is panic, take prophylactic anti-viral medication, or believe everything that we see on TV.