Worries about “MERS”  (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome)

Virus

According to the CDC (online)…   Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV. Most people who have been confirmed to have MERS-CoV infection developed severe acute respiratory illness. They had fever, cough, and shortness of breath. About 30% of these people died.

So far, all the cases have been linked to six countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula. This virus has spread from ill people to others through close contact. However, the virus has not shown to spread in a sustained way in communities. The situation is still evolving.

CDC is working with partners to better understand the risks of this virus, including the source, how it spreads, and how infections might be prevented. CDC has provided information for travelers and is working with health departments, hospitals, and other partners to prepare for possible cases in the United States.

Do the opposite and you can help yourself avoid many germs:

• Eat a poor diet. If you want to catch a cold, make sure your body lacks the vitamins and minerals it needs to keep itself in good repair. Eat lots of processed foods, stripped of their nutritional value.
• Avoid adequate rest. Deprive yourself of adequate rest. Stay up late and reduce the time you sleep as much as possible. Use tobacco, coffee and other stimulants to fool yourself into thinking you have more than enough energy.
• Stop exercising. Reduce the effectiveness of your immune and lymphatic systems. Unlike the circulatory system, your lymphatic systemdepends upon exercise and movement to circulate these germ-fighting fluids, so sit on the couch and stare at the TV.
• Rarely wash your hands. Increase your chances of catching a cold by compromising your personal hygiene. Remember to use your dirty hands and fingers to rub your eyes, pick your nose or wipe your lips.
• Think negative thoughts. Look for opportunities to visualize having a cold. Pay attention to news reports about outbreaks of the flu and pay close attention to advertising that sells medications for cold sufferers.
• Invite stress. Stress yourself physically by experiencing extreme temperature and humidity changes. Stress yourself mentally with constant worry or fear.
• Become dehydrated. Avoid drinking enough water. Reduce the effectiveness of your natural defense mechanisms and other bodily functions by carefully avoiding fluids.
• Never get spine your checked. Ignore your nervous system, the master controller of your immune system. Avoid these preventative strategies and shun our suggestions of periodic chiropractic checkups to help you stay well.

Doing the opposite will certainly set you on the path to staying healthier.

Choose to get healthier everyday!   Dr Don