Flu Viruses Live Longer on Surfaces Than Cold Viruses

Most people know that cold and flu viruses can contaminate doorknobs, faucets and other surfaces. But for how long?

Studies have found that the survival time for both kinds of viruses varies greatly, from a few seconds to 48
hours. The reasons have to do with a number of factors, including the type of surface, humidity and
temperature.

For example, cold and flu viruses survive longer on inanimate surfaces that are nonporous, like metal, plastic and wood, and less on porous surfaces, like clothing, paper and tissue. Most flu viruses can live one to two days on nonporous surfaces, and 8 to 12 hours on porous surfaces. But a 2006 study found that avian influenza seemed particularly hardy, surviving as long as six days on some surfaces.

Cold viruses, however, deteriorate quickly. A study in 2007 found that when objects in a hotel room - light switches, telephones - were contaminated with a cold virus, 60 percent of healthy volunteers picked up the virus when they touched one of the objects an hour later. Eighteen hours later, the transmission rate was cut in half.

On skin, cold and flu viruses generally last less than a few minutes, but that can be plenty of time: studies show that most people touch their hands or mouth several times in the course of daily activities - enough to cause infection.

THE BOTTOM LINE Flu viruses tend to survive longer than cold viruses.

If you are looking for a a good disinfecting wipe, take a look at Germ Off Fragrance Free Disinfecting Wipes.   Kills odor-causing bacteria* found on hard,non-porous household, kitchen, and bathroom surfaces. Great for cleaning around the toilet. Leaves your bathroom and kitchen fresh and clean. The smart way to clean and disinfect.

*Kills 99.9% of Salmonella choleraesuis(ATCC*10708), Escherichia
coli(ATCC*11229), and Escherichia Coli 0157:H7(ATCC*43895).

Germ Off Fragrance Free Disinfecting Wipes

Kills odor-causing bacteria* found on hard,non-porous household, kitchen, and bathroom surfaces. Great for cleaning around the toilet. Leaves your bathroom and kitchen fresh and clean. The smart way to clean and disinfect. *Kills 99.9% of Salmonella choleraesuis(ATCC*10708), Escherichia coli(ATCC*11229), and Escherichia Coli 0157:H7(ATCC*43895).
- See more at: http://www.wellnessnewsonline.net/a2wellness/article_b.html#sthash.wCIroHSQ.dpuf

Most people know that cold and flu viruses can contaminate doorknobs, faucets and other surfaces. But for how long?
Studies have found that the survival time for both kinds of viruses varies greatly, from a few seconds to 48 hours. The reasons have to do with a number of factors, including the type of surface, humidity and temperature.
For example, cold and flu viruses survive longer on inanimate surfaces that are nonporous, like metal, plastic and wood, and less on porous surfaces, like clothing, paper and tissue. Most flu viruses can live one to two days on nonporous surfaces, and 8 to 12 hours on porous surfaces. But a 2006 study found that avian influenza seemed particularly hardy, surviving as long as six days on some surfaces.
Cold viruses, however, deteriorate quickly. A study in 2007 found that when objects in a hotel room - light switches, telephones - were contaminated with a cold virus, 60 percent of healthy volunteers picked up the virus when they touched one of the objects an hour later. Eighteen hours later, the transmission rate was cut in half.
On skin, cold and flu viruses generally last less than a few minutes, but that can be plenty of time: studies show that most people touch their hands or mouth several times in the course of daily activities - enough to cause infection.
THE BOTTOM LINE Flu viruses tend to survive longer than cold viruses.
- See more at: http://www.wellnessnewsonline.net/a2wellness/article_b.html#sthash.wCIroHSQ.dpuf

You Can't Believe Everything the Ads Say!

I am often leery of the products I see advertised on TV for kids.  One of them I have seen a lot lately is for PediaSure.  So I decided to check the ingredients list and nutrition label.  It was at that point that I asked myself, why would anyone give this stuff to their kids?  Answer:  Because advertisers do a great job of marketing.

PediaSure is basically water, milk and sugar with some chemicals and other nasties.  Here's the ingredients list for PediaSure Strawberry Ready to Drink:

Water, Sugar, Corn Maltodextrin, Milk Protein Concentrate, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Canola Oil, Whey Protein Concentrate. Less than 0.5% of the Following: Soy Protein Isolate, Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides, Cellulose Gel, Magnesium Phosphate, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Phosphate, Tuna Oil, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Soy Lecithin, Monoglycerides, Potassium Hydroxide, m-Inositol, Carrageenan, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, L-Carnitine, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacinamide, FD&C Red #3, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Lutein, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Sodium Selenate, Sodium Molybdate, Potassium Iodide, Phylloquinone, Vitamin D3, and Cyanocobalamin.

Whew!  Notice the artificial flavors, FD&C Red #3 (food dye), and dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl (synthetic Vitamin E).  Since I am not an expert at reading food labels, I can only assume that if the Vitamin E is synthetic, so are the other vitamins.  This list is enough for me to know that I would never feed Pediasure to my grandchildren.

 

Fortunately, I have found an excellent meal supplement.  It's called Meal Shake and it's from Shaklee.  You won't find artificial flavors, dyes or synthetic vitamins in this product.  It comes in Vanilla and Bavarian Cocoa (very yummy) flavors.  I gave it to my boys when they needed extra calories during their sports seasons.  It's also excellent for picky eaters, providing 19 essential vitamins and minerals.

I have said it before and I will say it again.  Advertisers get paid to sell stuff.  And they are very good at it.  So it's up to us as wise consumers to really listen to what they are saying and then check it out.  Don't be fooled by terms like "for baby" or "pediatrician approved."  Take a look at the  "#1 choice of pediatricians" (AKA Dreft.) It contains chemicals like Propylene Glycol; which is an immune system toxin, neurotoxin, reproductive toxin, respiratory toxin, and skin toxin.  But I digress... 

By now I am sure you get my point.  I just want us all to be smart shoppers, especially when it comes to making safe & healthy choices for our kids!

What Is Lactoferrin?

By:  Dr. Stephen Chaney, PhD. Many of you have been asking me "What is lactoferrin and why did Shaklee add it to Incredivites, their new Children's multivitamin?
Simply put, lactoferrin is an iron-containing protein found in mother's milk that is very important in developing and strengthening the infant's immune system.

Let's look at the science behind lactoferrin and why it strengthens the immune system:

1) Iron is an absolutely essential nutrient for your child's immune system. In fact, a weakened immune system is one of the first signs of an iron deficiency.  It turns out that lactoferrin is an easily absorbed form of iron. In fact there is a special transport system in the intestine for lactoferrin. Because the iron in lactoferrin is much more bioavailable than other forms of iron, the lactoferrin in Incredivites assures that your child's immune system gets the iron that it needs to function optimally.

2) Lactoferrin also increases the number of nutrient- absorbing cells in the intestine, so it enhances the absorption of the other nutrients your child needs for a healthy immune system.

3) Finally, lactoferrin suppresses the growth of bad bacteria in your child's intestine. That's important because 80% of your immune system originates in the intestine.  Simply put, when those immune cells in the intestine have to spend their time fighting off bad bacteria in the intestine, they are unavailable to fight off bacteria and viruses elsewhere in the body.

So lactoferrin helps strengthen your kid's immune system in several different ways and Shaklee's Incredivites is the first children's multi to contain this important immune-enhancing ingredient.

The other two questions that I frequently get are:
(Q):If lactoferrin is only found in mother's milk is it really needed by anyone beside infants?

(A): Lactoferrin is, indeed, very important in helping infants develop a healthy immune system. I suppose in an ideal world once the immune system was developed we wouldn't have to worry about it again.

But we don't live in an ideal world. We live in a world of Happy Meals, french fries & soft drinks. We live in a world of artificially colored, flavored & preserved snack foods. We live in a world where antibiotics are used at the drop of hat!

Several clinical studies have shown that lactoferrin can play an important role in strengthening the immune systems of children who are no longer breast feeding.

(Q): My child is allergic to milk. Can he use a supplement containing lactoferrin?

(A): Most milk allergies are caused by an allergy to whey protein, the most abundant milk protein, or lactose, the most abundant milk sugar.  Lactoferrin, on the other hand, is a very minor component of milk, and it is very unlikely that your child will be allergic to lactoferrin.
However, if your child has a very severe milk allergy, it is always a good idea to check with your pediatrician before giving them any food containing an ingredient derived from milk.


To your health!
Dr. Stephen Chaney, PhD