Guest guest Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 You are here: About>Health>Alternative Medicine Alternative Medicine Health Alternative Medicine Essentials Be a Smart ConsumerA-Z Herbs & SupplementsA-Z Conditions & Remedies10 Popular Massage StylesHow to Get Started Topics Acupuncture to YogaThe BasicsConditions & RemediesHerbs & SupplementsDietsHealthy RecipesMassage TherapyMind & BodyQ & AFind a PractitionerNatural Health Schools Buyer's Guide Before You BuyTop PicksFor the VegetarianFor the Computer UserFor People with Tired, Achy FeetProduct Reviews Tools About Video Library Drug Finder Find a Doctor Find a Hospital Medical Encyclopedia Symptom Checker Forums Most Popular Articles Latest Articles Help Most Popular Detox QuizThe Detox DietStool - What's Healthy?Stress Effects QuizL-Arginine Related Sites Holistic HealingYogaExerciseStress Management Natural Remedies for SARS? From Wong,Your Guide to Alternative Medicine.FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Prevention of SARS With the fear of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) growing, many people are turning to natural remedies for prevention and treatment. But are these precautions necessary? Here are answers to some common questions about SARS and natural and herbal remedies.What general precautions should the average person take?Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially after contact with door knobs, bathroom fixtures, and other surfaces in public places. To properly wash hands, vigourously rub hands together with soap for 10 to 15 seconds. What types of extra precautions can I take?At this time, people in North America need not restrict their activities in the community. Elderly and immunocompromised people may wish to avoid very crowded places for the time being. SARS is most likely to be spread through contact with droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by someone with SARS or through contact with contaminated objects.The body’s primary defense against infection is the immune system. Some general methods of supporting the immune system are: - Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables such as citrus fruit, dark leafy greens, red and green peppers, berries, garlic, onions, and tomatoes and sufficient protein will provide nutrients to support the immune system. - Take a good-quality multivitamin- Get a good night’s sleep.- Try to decrease stress levels. Do what you can to avoid overwork and practice stress management and breathing techniques.Should I take natural remedies to prevent or treat SARS?[/br] People living in North America do not need to take herbs or supplements to prevent SARS. Unless you have traveled to the affected areas in Asia or had direct close contact with an infected person, you are not at risk. At the present time, there have not been any cases of community transmission in North America – this includes schools, shopping centers, subways, or other public places. What natural remedies could I try?No natural remedy has been proven to be specifically effective against SARS. Certain herbs are believed to have general antiviral and antibacterial effects, but whether they are effective against SARS and in what dose is not known. Beware of companies trying to cash in on the fear. One enterprising company is advertising a product that is effective against “new strains of the Asian flu”. Meanwhile, sales of a herbal remedy marketed for frequent air travel has more than doubled in the past week.In certain parts of Asia where there have been cases of community transmission, additional preventative measures may be prudent. Chinese newspapers have published prescriptions and medicinal soup recipes to strengthen the lungs, eliminate toxins and expel environmental “heat and wind pathogens” which are believed to cause viral infections. The herb olive leaf (Olea europa) is used by natural health practitioners to prevent and treat viral respiratory infections. Updated: April 7, 2003 Related Articles Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)HIV and SARS...Are We at Risk?Allergic Rhinitis (Hay Fever and Rose Fever) and Chroni...Asthma in Children and Adolescents Cholesterol Resources Manage Your CholesterolWhich Fats Are Healthy?Cholesterol QuizLow Cholesterol DietCholesterol Podcast What's Hot Flu RemediesThyroid Hormone BreakthroughChiropractic Low Back Alpha Lipoic AcidCold Remedies All Topics | Email Article | Print this Page | | Advertising Info | News & Events | Work at About | SiteMap | Reprints | Help Our Story | Be a Guide More from About, Inc.: Calorie-Count | UCompareHealthCareUser Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Corrections | Privacy Policy ©2007 About, Inc., A part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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