Anti-Bacterial Cleansers Don't Work Against Swine Flu

For years, critics and even the food and drug administration, have questioned the use of antibacterial cleansers. Soaps and sanitizers (including Purell) that promise to kill viruses and germs actually provide very little benefit for consumers and could pose both environmental and public health risks.

1. It is often not clear whether antiseptics give any further benefit than washing with plain soap and water.
2. Some doctors warn that widespread use of antibacterial products can lead to the emergence of bacteria that resist antibiotics. Further, overexposure to these products prevent people from being exposed to routine bacteria, which may weaken the development of their immune system.
3. Environmentalists worry that some antibacterial cleansers may hurt algae and fish and break down in to a harmful contaminant.
   

So what can you do to help protect yourself from viruses, including the deadly Swine Flu?

It’s important to clean your hands as often as possible with soap and water.  But the only sanitizing product proven to kill viruses and germs is alcohol, so when you can’t wash…use a hand sanitizer with an Isopropyl alcohol base, such as HPN’s Hand Sanitizer for Healthy Hand Hygiene.

HPN’s hand sanitizer is a mist, which means more coverage and the ability to sanitize things like door handles, shopping carts, airplane seats, etc. Also, this special formula contains special emollients that are engineered to 'stay out of the way' of alcohol molecules during the killing phase, yet leaves the skin soft and moisturized.

“The HPN mist sanitizer is my peace of mind right now. I spray the shopping cart before putting my son in, and I know he’s safe – the wipes the store provides do not work and are bad for him. I use it when I travel on everything…the phone, the bed, the plane seat, the remote control.  So many of my colleagues are getting sick!  Everyone should have them…in their purse, at the office, in their kids’ backpacks! My son won’t wash his hands but he’ll spray that bottle.” -Actual HPN Customer 

Think about it...if you were going in to surgery, what would they clean you with to remove all bacteria before opening you up?  Alcohol.

Click here to order your hand sanitizer today and buy yourself a little peace of mind.

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H1N1 and Small Businesses

If H1N1 (Swine Flu) is widespread this winter, many small businesses will be crippled “severe absenteeism,” warns workplace authority John Challenger, chief executive of Challenger, Gray, and Christmas, an outplacement consulting firm.

Making the problem worse, Challenger says, are several factors:

• Many companies are operating at minimum staffing after layoffs
• Many lack any emergency planning related to a big flu outbreak
• Many have ineffective sick-leave policies.

“For an employer that has recently gone through a downsizing and already stretched thin in terms of staffing, 40 percent absenteeism in a given month could be devastating,” said Challenger.

Widespread problems aren’t out of the realm of possibility. There have been more than 9,000 confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu strain reported in the United States so far this year, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control.  The World Health Organization puts the number of 2009 cases worldwide at nearly 350,000, with at least 4,100 deaths resulting from the virus.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is certainly concerned about the potential impact. The agency along with Homeland Security are offering an H1N1 preparedness guide for small businesses.

Click here to download the free booklet.

“For countless small businesses, having even one or two employees out for a few days has the potential to negatively impct operations and their bottom line. A thoughtful plan will help keep employees and their families healthy, as well as protect small businesses and local economies,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills.

A recent survey by the Harvard School of Public Health found that just  one in three companies indicated that they could sustain their business with severe operational problems if half their workforce were absent for two weeks due to H1N1.  Only one in five felt they could keep operations running if they were staffed at 50% for a month.

A recent poll by LogMeIn, Inc., a provider of remote computing devices, found that nearly 60% of small- to medium-size businesses do not have a business-continuity plan in place for a possible flu outbreak.  A separate survey of 100 senior executives at private equity, hedge funds and other financial services companies conducted by Insite Security found that only 10%  have plans to deal with the impact of H1N1 on their businesses.

“Beyond the impact on individual companies, there is the impact on the entire economy resulting from decreased tourism, trade and increased burden on the health care system,” said Challenger.

One recent example is the 2003 outbreak of SARS. It is estimated that the SARS outbreak – which infected just 8,000 people worldwide – cost the Chinese economy $18 billion, including a 65% drop in tourism and a 15% decline in retail sales. When the virus spread to Toronto , the Conference Board of Canada estimated that it cost the city $1 billion in lost gross domestic product.

Challenger has several suggestions for companies to protect workers if H1N1 is widespread:

• Increase the number of shifts. This will reduce the number of people working in the office at one time.
• Limit meetings. If there is no need to gather large groups of workers in a confined space then do not do it. Conduct meetings via conference calls. Bigger companies may want to consider video conferencing.
• Expand telecommuting. Determine who can work from home or other locations. This will keep people off of public transportation and out of the office.
• Allow sick workers to stay home without fear losing their jobs.
• Institute flexible leave policies to allow parents to care for an ill child or one who is home due to school closures.
• Provide no-touch trash cans and hand sanitizer.
• Assign someone to the post of flu czar or workplace illness coordinator, who would be responsible for monitoring absenteeism rates, coordinating leave and informing employees of company measure to prevent and/or respond to outbreak.

Originally published by Jan Norman, small-business columnist

Strengthening The Immune System

When a country is threatened by its enemies, its government responds with a declaration of war, and the country mobilizes and prepares for battle. Similarly, when the body is under attack from foreign bodies and pathogens, the immune system mobilizes to protect organisms from infection with layered defenses.

The human immune system is an intricate and complex system that is constantly working to protect our bodies from harm. Its defenses are organized into three layers: 

• the physical barrier, 
• the innate immune system, and 
• the adaptive immune system. 

The physical barrier prevents pathogens such as bacteria and viruses from entering the body. If this barrier is breached, the innate immune system responds. This system is found in all plants and animals defending the host in a non-specific matter, meaning it doesn’t offer long-lasting immunity to the host. In addition, it does not have immunological memory.

The final layer of protection is the adaptive immune system, which is only found in vertebrates. The adaptive system does just that—adapts its response during an infection to improve its recognition of a pathogen, i.e., bacteria and viruses. The body uses y-shaped antibodies, produced by white blood cells, to identify and neutralize foreign substances, as known as antigens. Antigens trigger a reaction from the immune system and are often found on the surfaces of bacteria and viruses. After the pathogen has been eliminated, the antibodies stay in the body as an immunological memory. This helps the adaptive immune system launch a stronger attack each time the pathogen is met. Antibodies can be transferred from one individual to another, often from a mother to the fetus through the placenta. This is known as passive immunity and is a short-term transfer.

Many different types of immune cells travel through the body identifying pathogens. White blood cells, leukocytes, defend the body against antigens. There are two major types of leukocytes: lymphocytes and phagocytes. Lymphocytes are found in the adaptive immune system where immunological memory takes place and allows the body to recognize previous invaders. The two major types of lymphocytes are T cells and B cells. They start out in the bone marrow and either stay and mature (B cells), or depart for maturation in the thymus gland (T cells). B cells search for antigens and send antibodies to lock on to them; T cells destroy the antigens that the B cells identified. There are two types of T cells: helper T cells and killer T cells. Killer T cells destroy the antigens tagged by antibodies. Helper T cells help signal other cells (like phagocytes) to perform their job.

Phagocytes are biological cells that ingest and destroy foreign matter, bacteria, etc. There are three main categories of phagocytes: macrophages, microphages (mainly neutrophils, which fight bacteria) and dendritic cells. Each type of cell targets a specific type of foreign body such as parasites, bacteria or fungi. Neutrophils are the main cell found in pus, eosinophils mainly deal with parasite infections and are the predominant cell in allergic reactions, and basophils are present during an allergic reaction causing inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s protective attempt, triggered by dying cells, to remove the foreign bodies and start the healing process for the tissue; it is not a symptom of infection.

Immune disorders occur when the body’s immune system is deficient and cannot perform at its potential. Immunodeficiency is when one or more of the components of the immune system are inactive and it is unable to launch a normal immune response. Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system fails to properly distinguish between itself and non-self; basically, the body is attacked by its own immune system. Lastly, hypersensitivity is an immune response that damages the body’s own tissues.

Fortunately, the body doesn’t have to fight these battles on its own. Natural supplements have been proven to help boost the body’s immune system and strengthen its defenses.

Originally Published By: Alissa Marrapodi on http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com

Imperatives of the Immune Response

When developing a dietary supplement to support the immune system, it is important to have a specific idea of the expected effects. Considering the “imperatives” of the immune response and how to best support those imperatives can help guide product developers in making the best choices.

Imperatives are defined as “obligatory acts or duties.” Most activities within the human body are unconscious or involuntary, happening naturally or automatically unless there is some interference with the activity.

The immune system carries out millions of actions daily with no conscious instruction and operates with a set of three imperatives relative to foreign invaders:

1. Recognize them.

2. Respond to their presence.

3. Remember how to respond to them effectively.

Five factors have been shown to interfere with the immune system’s ability to execute its duties relative to the imperatives—stress, poor nutrition, toxins, infection and trauma. Interference by these factors primarily manifests as a reduction in immune system communication, which reduces the immune system’s effectiveness. This reduction in communication is represented physically in the body by a reduction in the number, variability and viability of immune communication cells available to carry out the imperatives.

Most dietary supplements support what is known as “innate” immunity, primarily comprised of monocytes, neutrophils, granulocytes, natural killer (NK) cells and various specialized proteins. The innate immune system can recognize and respond to pathogens in a generic way; it does not confer long-lasting or protective immunity. Study data comparing the performance of one nutritional compound to another inevitably compares their effects on innate immunity. The immune support provided by these ingredients is generally the “generic” stimulation of cells that are already present toward a higher level of activity. Many products inaccurately describe this effect as immune “modulation.” An immune modulation effect implies intelligent up or down regulation, or a lack of movement, based on the circumstances present in the immune system at the time the ingredient is introduced. Stimulation is a one directional activity like caffeine in a cup of coffee. There is no specific intelligent modulation generally applicable to this activity.

The weakness of a stimulated approach to immune support rests in the realization that stimulation cannot reach immune communication cells that have been compromised or eliminated by the five factors. Clearly, there is only a limited and unpredictable benefit to stimulating immune cells already present in an individual’s immune system while creating no benefit for that which does not exist or has been marginalized.

As biological resources are finite, continual stimulation of an already compromised immune system opens an individual to reduced capability or other even more serious immune disorders or health compromises caused by the exhaustion of hormones, nutrients and co-factors that would otherwise be available to the immune system. Often, as a defense, the immune system will compensate for this continual stimulation using even more resources and rendering further use of the product meaningless.

The innate immune system can reach beyond its limited generic recognition capability and activate what is known as “adaptive” immunity. Adaptive immunity provides the long-term ability to recognize and remember and strengthens the ability to respond beyond the capabilities of innate immunity. The adaptive immune system is dependent upon the presence of a highly variable array of immune communication cells, primarily comprised of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and lymphocytes, which generate the immune cascade that modulates the entire immune response and results in the production of antibodies. If the array is compromised, the immune system will struggle and innovate to create optional solutions that may or may not be successful. This struggle reduces immune capability and introduces the potential for undesirable outcomes. Some autoimmune diseases, for example, are thought to be triggered in this way.

Accordingly, formulators of immune products may wish to aim beyond simple stimulation and support “adaptive” immunity and true immune modulation. Innate immunity, by itself, may not be sufficient to protect a host against an invading pathogen. When innate immunity fails, the invader may yet be detected and attacked by the mechanisms of adaptive immunity.

The immune communication molecules needed to support the body’s adaptive immunity cannot come from a plant or herb, mushroom, fungi, etc. These coded immune communications molecules, necessary for a variable and intelligent immune response, can only come from another mammal. Most interesting is that mammals can also simultaneously provide superior support for innate immunity. Consider the role of breast feeding to see the validity of this concept.

The first goal of a dietary supplement for long-term support of the immune response should most surely be to provide a ready source for orally absorbable and relevant immune communication molecules to help replace those that have been lost to stress, poor nutrition, toxins, infection and trauma. These highly soluble immune communication molecules exist below <100kD and are highly synergistic with other immune stimulants of herbal and mushroom origin as well as antioxidants.

The presence of sufficient immune communication molecules sets the stage for support of full and effective immune capability and a high level of utilization of other supplements and nutrients from food. Accordingly, this type of immune support should be considered the cornerstone of “intelligent” dietary supplementation.

Originally Published 7/10/2009 by David L. Bergsma. David L. Bergsma is president of Health Technology Resources Inc., a Scottsdale, AZ-based company engaged in dietary supplement research and innovation.

Ai/E10 is a patented and proprietary ingredient for the immune system. Ai/E10 is a refined lacteal peptide complex that consists of over 60 hyperimmunized communication molecules to help the immune system recognize, respond and remember germs that come into the body. This unique ingredient can be found in the HealthPro Nutrient products Cell Balance and Cell Design.

For an optimal immune system look to HealthPro Nutrient's Cell Balance and Cell Design, along with YouthD3, Probiotic, C+CoQ10 super antioxidant with plant cell technology and the new LifeLine antioxidant drink.

HealthPro Nutrient products are manufactured in a Drug cGMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) Facility, NSF GMP, and NNFA GMP. Product are made to pharmaceutical grade standards with a state licensed analytical laboratory for testing purity and potency.

Probiotics Prevent Asthma

This article talks about using healthy bacteria to help with your immune system in the gut:

Probiotics Prevent Asthma 

 

Gut health is responsible for over 60% of your immune system so you can see how important probiotics are.

Dr. Oz recommended two supplements for the flu (including Swine Flu): probiotics and vitamin D3!

HealthPro Nutrient Probiotic is unique since it doesn't have to be refrigerated, it isn't destroyed by the stomach acid, and it is dairy free and 100%vegan.

For an optimal immune system look to HealthPro Nutrient's Cell Balance and Cell Design, along with YouthD3, C+CoQ10 super antioxidant with plant cell technology, and the new LifeLine antioxidant drink.

 

 

Flu Season is here in force! Over 1,000 Swine Flu Deaths in U.S.

http://ping.fm/744H8

Check out the new video on Swine Flu with President Obama, Officials from the CDC, Tommy Thompson (former Secretary of the U.S. Health and Human Services), and research scientists. http://ping.fm/xszLm

HealthPro Nutrient Educational Programming

HealthPro Nutrient Educational Programming

HealthPro Nutrient is hosting a fall/winter series of educational programs and updates every other Sunday evening at 7:00 to 7:30 pm PST.  The 30-minute conference calls will feature cutting edge information on how to protect yourself and others against the Swine Flu (H1N1 Virus).

Due to overwhelming inquiries related to the Swine Flu and immune health, HealthPro Nutrient will keep you up to date on cutting edge information designed to defend you and your family against this growing concern.

Learn how the Refined Lacteal Peptide Complex (Ai/E¹º®) found in Cell Balance and Cell Design works for optimal immune health.

Log-In Information:
Conference Call #605-475-6400
Access Code: 242068#

Mark Your Calendars, Invite Others, and Stay Informed!