Happy breathing...

"What we really are matters more than what other people think of us..." - Jawaharlal Nehru

I received in my e-mail this morning on some very simple steps that can be practiced for prevention of H1N1:

1. Frequent hand-washing - well highlighted in all official communications.

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face.

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water - (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation.

4. Clean nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

All these are simple ways to prevent, within means of most households, and certainly much less painful than to wait in long queues outside Government hospitals.

Happy breathing!!