When it comes to the media, the government and Big Pharma, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to know your facts. In order for us to make informed decisions on what to do in certain situations, we need to have all of the information. Makes sense, right? My goal in this column is just that, to give you the facts.

1. The World Health Organization has recently raised its threat level to Phase 5 (out of 6) which means the Swine Flu virus is capable of human to human transmission. Please remember that ANY virus that is a threat to a human is capable of human to human transmission. Now, if it reaches Phase 6, it is then classified as a pandemic. That’s an awfully scary word. What does it really mean? That a new sickness is spreading, that’s all. Now it makes for much better news if you add to that that millions of people could die, but again, that is not what the word means.

2. Then just how deadly is the Swine Flu? The symptoms are as follows: lack of appetite, fatigue, vomiting/ diarrhea, joint pain, runny nose and/or sore throat, cough, headaches and fever. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Pretty typical flu symptoms; let’s compare. The number of people who have died since January from the regular flu in our country is 13,000. The number of people who have died to date from the Swine Flu in our country is 1. But again you need the facts. This one person was not actually an American citizen. He was a little boy from Mexico. The number of confirmed cases in our country is now a whopping 141, with all new cases being reported as mild. Looking at the numbers, shouldn’t we be way more concerned with the regular flu? (But the regular flu no longer has the potential of making someone billions of dollars in a short time.)

3. Where did the Swine Flu come from? Interestingly enough, this mixed animal-human mutant strain could not have occurred naturally. The new H1N1 virus contains three main parts: typical flu, Swine flu and Avian or bird flu. Mixtures like this are not found in nature. Okay, maybe somehow it was "accidentally produced." But what does it respond to? The only thing so far that this atypical virus will respond to is a drug called Tamiflu. This drug is approved for the treatment of the flu and prevention of the flu even in children. More facts: several governments have stockpiles of Tamiflu that they bought for the Avian Flu (which never really occurred). Well, Tamiflu could be used for the Swine Flu, and conveniently, the shelf life for the stockpiles is almost up. I guess it’s a perfect world. Or is it? Does this drug have any side effects? Absolutely. Vomiting/diarrhea, fatigue, cough, headaches, etc. Ring a bell? How about the very symptoms you are trying to avoid with the Swine Flu? What does Tamiflu do then? When used as directed it has the potential to reduce the duration of your flu symptoms by about 36 hours. Also, while taking Tamiflu you are at much higher risk for secondary bacterial infections. One more fact: all fatalities due to any past flu pandemic were actually due to these secondary infections, NOT THE FLU ITSELF! So, here is a drug that is banned in Japan, costs over $100, has a chance of killing you, and might provide you with a day or so of symptom relief. Any takers?

4. Vaccines: without getting too detailed, here are some more facts; make your own decisions. Flu experts currently have no idea whether or not this mutated virus would be affected by a vaccine. To create a new one will take months. Looking back at our past experiences with the Swine Flu of 1976 (yes we’ve dealt with the Swine Flu before), we see that within a few months of the vaccinations, $1.3 billion in claims had been filed by individuals who suffered paralysis or death by this vaccine. Loaded with toxic mercury as a preservative, these vaccines cause severe nervous system damage. If you need more information on the way this works, check out www. nvic.org (no bias, just facts).

5. Is anyone benefiting from all this public fear? Absolutely; the makers of Tamiflu have already profited almost $400 million since the "scare" began. Now that’s without the probable pushing of future vaccinations, and if "pandemic" proportions are reached, sales will more than likely skyrocket.

There will always be some new virus out to get you, and the media is always there to help the pharmaceutical companies make a big deal out of it. You need to be an informed consumer; know your facts. And remember, viruses are ubiquitous, meaning they are everywhere. Some people may get the virus and some will not. The difference is in the immune system. Work on lowering your risk tremendously by not consuming sugar or white flour, exercising and eating plenty of vegetables to keep your body’s pH intact. Taking a good quality probiotic will also keep your immune system strong. I’m sure you can tell where I stand on the whole situation. But don’t take my word for it; the point is to do your own research and make your own conclusions.