August 08, 2009 2 Comments

I had a comment on yesterdays post asking a question I felt others may also have and I didn’t want the answer buried so here it is:

I just went to a pandemic preparedness class in my community and they mentioned something called a cytokine storm… have you heard of this? The presenters were also selling products so I tended to be more leary butthis was something that I had not heard of before and I figured you would be the one to ask.

There is a lengthy explanation of cytokine storms in the Prep Not Panic ebook but in brief this is the answer:
Cytokine storms are the reason young people die more than would normally be expected during a pandemic.
When an illness of any kind enters the body an immunological response against the germ occurs. In those with the strongest immune systems the response is the strongest. Unfortunately, this massive response causes the release of human enzymes called “cytokines,” which destroy lung cells at the same time as it destroys the illness. This causes a potentially deadly outpouring of fluids into the lung. This interferes with the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide and leads to sever respiratory conditions such as pneumonia.

I also would be VERY wary of anyone selling a product when speaking of a pandemic. There is NO herb, pill, nothing, that can prevent a cytokine storm. The best defense against this is a good offense, build your immune system through good nutrition, self quarantine when a pandemic flu surfaces in your area, treat the symptoms of the flu seriously, and know when to go to the doctor or hospital. If you have symptoms go, don’t get diagnosed over the phone. Too many illnesses can appear to be a flu. If your condition worsens insist on a personal exam.

Again the guidelines for when to go to the doctor and when to go to the hospital are in the book so if you have it run off a copy and post it where you can find it should your family become ill. I have also done a few posts with guidelines so go through the posts.

I am at a family reunion this week and really short on time or I would search out the post myself but…more later.

Answers to questions, Pandemic

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