We are now fully immersed in swine flu season. Anyone having fun yet? We all know having the flu isn’t enjoyable, but is it really cause for panic?
Flying to and from Australia this summer, every single Asian I saw had a facemask on. There are signs everywhere telling us how to prevent getting the flu and spreading it on to others. I’ve even heard stories about parents pulling their kids out of college to take care of them at home. Isn’t it all just a little ridiculous?
I decided to look up some facts about the super scary H1N1 virus to find out if it was more dangerous than the regular flu and if we had cause to fear.
An article on WebMD.com says the flu is most dangerous when it adapts and changes, making it harder to fight with regular antibiotics. “But so far the swine flu virus hasn’t changed much. That’s good news, as the vast majority of swine flu cases have been mild.”
So all the cases of swine flu popping up on campus and elsewhere really aren’t that severe. You can’t get sick from eating pork either. So munch away on that bacon with your eggs in the morning, and have no fear of catching something icky.
While antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza are available, according to WebMD.com “not everyone needs those drugs. Most people who come down with swine flu recover fully – without antiviral treatment.” The only people who really need drugs are the at-risk patients – the sick, the old and the very young.
Good to know, right? Sure you’ll be miserable for a few days and probably not want to move, but what a great excuse to skip class, cozy up in bed, watch movies and eat chicken noodle soup. It’ll all pass over soon, and you won’t have to rack your body with antibiotics, which over time can cause the virus to mutate. The more antibiotics people take for the flu or any other virus, the more likely the virus will adapt and be able to fight it off. This means the next people who get sick will have a harder time getting better, and the effects will be worse.
There is an easy way to get better when you’re not feeling well. People say, “Laughter is the best medicine,” but is it really true? I was curious as to what effects laughing has on health and decided to investigate further. There is quite a list!
According to an article on thehelpguide.org, laughter relaxes you. It relieves tension and stress and keeps your body relaxed for up to 45 minutes. Almost like a 30 second yoga session on the go!
And remember how I mentioned that you don’t need antibiotics every time you get sick? That’s because laughter makes them for you! I’m serious. “Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease,” says thehelpguide.org.
It’s pretty amazing how the body works. Giggling sends oxygen to our tissues, quickens our heart rate and burns calories. And of course as we all know, laughter makes you feel good! It releases endorphins which can make us not only feel happy, but also “reduce pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort,” Hara Estroff Marano said in Psychology Today.
So, what can we learn from this?
First, don’t freak out if you start feeling flu symptoms. If you’re a normal, healthy person your body will fight it off on its own in a few days.
Second, perhaps the simplest way to feel better is to laugh about it! Don’t take humor for granted, but rather find as much of it as you can. If nothing else it will give you a more positive outlook on things. And wouldn’t you rather laugh over the flu than wear a facemask? Who wants to smell their own exhaled breath over and over for hours on end anyway?
Hannah Kaase is a senior majoring in animal and dairy science. She can be contacted at [email protected].