Over the past couple of weeks, it has become more and more clear that the world wide obsession with the swine flu is driven by an insane fear. Here are some common arguments, with rebuttal:

1. “But look at what happened in 1918! We’re all gonna Die ! ” – well, 2009 ain’t exactly 1918. Guess what has happened since then. #1 – we now have antibiotics. We have antivirals. We have antihistamines. We have inhalers for people with asthma and COPD. We now know much better the importance of hand washing….. and we now have wide availability of indoor plumbing ! !

The world is much different now. It’s time to stop pretending it’s 1918.

2. “But it might get worse! We’re all gonna Die ! ” – this brings to mind a great Yogi Berra’ism: “It’s difficult to make predictions, especially about the future.” So, yes, it “might” get worse. But we know that right now people are dying everyday from the common flu, from cancer, from gunshot wounds, from suicide, from heart attacks….. and yes, from a lack of clean water and a lack of the basic necessities. We are spending now millions of dollars on something that “might” happen and ignoring what is happening.

Just last week at a cancer conference at Johns Hopkins that I was attending, it was mentioned that a patient couldn’t get a PET/CT scan, which they really needed in order to help with their cancer. They had no health insurance. About 20 physicians at Hopkins spent their time at this meeting trying to figure out how to get this patient the care they needed. The problem was solved, but why did it ever arise in the first place? Maybe because of screwed up policies and priorities by our federal government. They are spending millions on what might be, and ignoring what is. Heaven help us if we get “universal” i.e. politician run health care. It will be full of idiotic fantasies that boil down to a single thing… getting the politicians more power.

Obviously, these politicians have never volunteered in a community free health clinic, where those without insurance can get at least some access to medical care. The politicians have no idea about the preventable diseases, the unnecessary deaths, and the pain and suffering that exists, right now. The politicians are too focused on the fear of what might be.

Remember the words of FDR: “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” This fear mongering by the politicians is out of hand.

3. “The swine flu is a pandemic ! We are all gonna die !! ” – OK. This is partly right. Pandemic means a disease has spread around the globe, and isn’t just regional. It doesn’t mean that a large percentage of the population is affected. Typically, it refers to contagious diseases as opposed to chronic or genetic diseases. But we are not “all gonna die” from the swine flu. Much more likely is that you and I will die from the routine, boring, and unexciting diseases of cancer, stroke, and heart disease. These diseases don’t make global headlines, but they are millions and millions of times more important than the swine flu.

4. “That person sneezed. We’re all gonna die ! We’re all gonna die ! ” – guess what. Sneezing isn’t going away anytime soon. Start using a handkerchief or tissue. Wash your hands. And stop scaring everyone to death. Yes, we’re all gonna die, most of us in the western world at about age 75 or so. So prepare for being around for that long and start exercising, eating right, and even having a laugh or two at someone else’s expense (ha, ha).

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Nutritional supplementation is a fact of life. We supplement our bread, our milk, our cereals, and many other foods you find in the grocery store. Plus, many of us take nutritional supplements. But taken inappropriately, these supplements can make you sick !

1. You can overdose, e.g. on vitamin D or vitamin A
2. You can create an imbalance, e.g. too much calcium without enough magnesium can create constipation
3. You can use supplements and pretend you are getting a balanced diet, when you really aren’t

So, here are some basic principles that I follow to keep my supplement program safe and healthy:

1. I only take high quality, balanced supplements. I’m not a nutritional scientist, so I go with products that can be trusted, namely, Shaklee. This has been the foundation of my program for the last 30 years.
2. I supplement with concentrated whole foods. 
3. I regularly take breaks from my supplementation program

My job involves a lot of computer work, which means I am sitting down at a desk for long periods in a day. This means, I must get as much nutrition as possible into just a few calories. A good start, which I personally use and give to my family, is Shaklee. They are a responsible company that makes great products.

Back pain is a common medical problem, and a frequent reason for people to visit the doctor. In fact, it is the second most common reason people visit the doctor (second only to the common cold). But can back pain can be prevented? What are the natural ways to treat back pain, without surgery or prescription drugs? Here’s an 8 step program recommended by Johns Hopkins surgeons Gokaslan and Riley in their book, The Back Book.

1. When your back pain is acting up, try taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen in the recommended over-the-counter doses for two full weeks. Don’t stop early, even if your back pain is gone earlier.

2. Eat your vegetables and cut down on red meats.

3. Don’t smoke.

4. Before a strenuous event, take aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen just before the activity.

5. Exercise. Low imact exercises such as swimming, walking, and bicycling are best. Also recommended are yoga and Pilates.

6. Lift right. Keep your back straight and knees bent when lifting.

7. Make your workplace back-friendly by having a good chair and desk. Take frequent breaks to walk around and stretch.

8. Sleep on your side. This decreases the pressure on your back.