The World Health Organisation (WHO) will raise its pandemic alert level to phase 4 over the deadly swine flu virus. This shows that the infection can spread between humans to cause community-level outbreaks. Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A (H1N1) influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. This virus can spread from human to human through coughing or sneezing.

Currently 149 people died in Mexico and the virus has now spread to the US, Europe, Canada and New Zealand. In the US there is now 41 confirmed cases.

The natural health trend is more likely to help you achieve a natural weight loss if you remember the simple principle of not consuming more calories than your body uses. This should be an easy concept but for many overweight Americans (around 35 percent) and for people in other countries, who are gradually catching up, this is not the case. Despite this, most of these overweight people want to be trim again although it is probably more for cosmetic reasons than those related to their health.

What most people do not realize is keeping at the right weight is much, much easier than losing it. This is something that all of us know deep down, that if we do not watch what we eat and how much we exercise, then we are doomed to an overweight future.

For some reason even when dieters who have become used to, and enjoy, a low calorie diet, they eventually drift back to old habits and start piling the pounds back on again. You can maintain your weight through natural weight loss methods mentioned in the fat loss 4 idiots review and even if being at the centre of unwanted attention doesn’t convince you, surely your health should.

There is a large number of health conditions associated with weight gain and the greater the increase in body weight the more that problems occur. The basics of eating correctly while maintaining a healthy weight is not all that complicated, in fact most people know pretty well what is best and that is losing weight naturally.

Well according to fat loss 4 idiots review, weight loss requires a balanced approach which means a diet that contains quantities of complex carbohydrates, fiber, reduced fat and not too much protein. If you were looking at a meal then this would be a baked potato (carbohydrate), the vegetables would be the fiber and a little meat, is the protein.

Dietitians also say that the body has a capacity to retain dietary fat more than calories for regular foods so weight gain is more likely. Don’t fall into the fat-free trap where manufacturers keep coming out with low-fat or fat-free versions of their best-selling foods despite the fact that Americans are getting fatter anyway.

When I read fat loss 4 idiots review it stated what people fail to understand is that it isn’t just fat in their food that is making them put on weight, it is the quantity of food they consume and the calorific content of it. Weight control methods ensure you avoid the fat-free products but suggest you eat healthy and nutritious snacks if you are hungry.

It is believed in some circles that a natural method of weight loss is to eat less but more often without actually missing meals, which can get you into bad habits. When combined with regular exercise, this natural weight loss plan offers a way to lose unwanted pounds in the long run.

The formula for losing weight is simple: eat less and exercise more. However, it not really simple at all? Long-term weight loss isn’t impossible, but you do have to be committed. Having a plan for your weight loss is a good start. Here are ten items that should be in your fat loss plan.

1. You have to eat breakfast to jumpstart your metabolism. This will keep you from getting to hungry and eating wrong later in the day.

2. Stock your refrigerator and pantry with healthy foods and snacks and limit high-fat, high-salt snacks such as potato chips and cookies.

3. Never skimp on the fiber. Eat whole foods like vegetables and fruits. Fiber in these types of foods will leave you full so you cannot choose poor foods.

4. Don’t fall into bad habits on weekends. Many people will follow a strict diet on weekends only to fall back into eating more (unhealthy) on the weekends as a reward for “being good” all week. Unfortunately, this can cause you to regain the weight you may have lost during the week.

5. Watch portion sizes. Your perception of what a serving size should be and a “true” serving size can differ dramatically. Keep a eye on how much you are putting on your plate - you can totally jepordize your prgram with poor serving sizes.

6. Set lifestyle goals - not fat loss goals. To achieve dramatic weight loss you have to be commited. Stop looking at your weight daily. Most people who check their weight daily get discouraged and unfocused.

7. Take healthy snacks with you when you take road trips. Eat whole healthy foods like granola bars and apples.

8. Don’t deny yourself the foods you love. If you absolutely love chocolate, go ahead and have a small piece - half of a candy bar instead of a whole one! You cannot allow yourself to have “treats” during the day. Save them for when you really need them!

9. Start moving around. Exercise is extremely important to long term fat loss. You have probably heard the saying “move it or lose it”.” Too true!

10. Make sure you have a Jounal. Writing down what you eat, when and how much you exercise and your moods will keep you on track and motivated to continue the course. Dieting and exercise is a great way to lose a lot of weight. It is also achieved by persistence. If you “fall off the wagon” one day, pick yourself up and continue your healthy lifestyle the next. You cannot give up!

These tips will do a great job in getting your body to burn fat. However, if you want to turbo charged your effort then you need a proven plan. There is no better fat loss workout/diet then Combat the Fat. Check out my Combat the Fat Review to see why this program will exponentially speed up your fat loss.

Geneva, May 2: World Health Organization (WHO) in its guidance for health workers has cautioned that HIVdefine and the new flu strain could be a lethal combination for people with immunodeficiency diseases, leading to serious health complications.

There are strong indications that flu symptoms might be prolonged and the risk of related complications higher for certain HIVdefine-infected people. Hence these people should be considered among the priority groups in the face of the pandemic threatening the world at large.

Advise tendered by WHO
The United Nations Agency stated, “Although there are inadequate data to predict the impact of a possible human influenza pandemic on HIV-affected populations, interactions between HIV/AIDS and A (H1N1) influenza could be significant.”

“HIV-infected persons should be considered as a high risk and a priority population for preventive and therapeutic strategies against influenza including emerging influenza A(H1N1) virus infection,” it further said.

Africa, which has the highest rate of HIV prevalent cases, needs to take stock of the situation, ensuring that people lacking immunity get the drugs they need to fight off the flu infection, advised the WHO.

People with chronic underlying medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease tuberculosis), including persons with advanced HIV disease may have a poor response to immunization. Therefore, use of antiviral medications for prevention should be considered for these patients if they are likely to be exposed to people with A (H1N1).

Persons with advanced HIV disease who are not expected to mount an adequate antibody response should consider antiviral medications such as Tamiflu and Relenza if they are likely to be exposed to other people with flu.

“Patients at higher risk for complications of influenza including those with HIV infection should be among those prioritised for antiviral treatment with oseltamivir or zanamivir which shortens illness duration and severity in seasonal influenza,” the WHO guidance stated.

According to the WHO, it is advisable that people diagnosed with the flu strain start on the course of anti-virals within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. The authorities also clarified that no reactions occur on taking the drugs with the anti-retrovirals that HIV patients take for treatment of HIV/AIDS virus.

Update on the A(H1N1) virus
Mexico has been ruthlessly hit by the virus commonly known as the “swine flu”. The officials have reported more than 100 casualties. The other countries bearing the brunt of the flu, though in a milder form, are the United States, Austria, Israel, New Zealand and South Korea.

In comparison to other epidemics such as malaria, hepatitis, and meningitis, the swine flu is considered small. However, the WHO has raised a pandemic alert level to 5 (out of maximum 6) mainly because the flu can swell swiftly and ravage the poverty- and disease-ridden regions.

Swine flu is extremely contagious. Those affected need to make sure they don’t pass on the infection to others. On suspicion of flu, a lab test is essential.

No one knows if swine flu will become a horrible pandemic. That uncertainty leaves parents with worries that have no end. How can parents help themselves and their children?

“It’s calming to prepare,” says Peter Sandman, a risk communications expert in Princeton, N.J., who advises government health agencies on pandemic preparations. He’s also the father of three grown children.  “People need to be involved in trying to cope.” And for most of us, being told to wash our hands isn’t enough involvement to banish fear. Sandman told me five sensible actions that can help parents and kids feel better (see below). He also explained that children need to be told different things about swine flu, depending on their age:

Very young children pick up that parents are nervous. So parents need to acknowledge that, Sandman says. “You just want to say, ‘Yeah, we’re all a little nervous because there’s this new flu, and nobody knows much about it yet, but don’t worry, sweetheart, Mommy and Daddy are going to take care of you.’”

School-aged children need parents to listen to them. “You give them a chance to tell you what they’ve heard and what they think and what’s worrying them,” Sandman says. “If they’re off base, you can set them straight. If they’re legitimately worried, you can sympathize with them.” Parents can explain that there are very talented experts working to keep a pandemic from happening, and that Mommy and Daddy are also working to keep it from happening. You can say something like, “That’s why we’re making you wash your hands so much, that’s why we bought extra food. Yeah, you’re right to worry about that, but we’ll all get through this together,” Sandman says.

Here are the five sensible things parents can do now for the family:

1. Be worried. It’s natural to worry that your kid might have the flu, to worry that your kid might get the flu, or to worry that even if your kid doesn’t get the flu the country might go through a horrible time. Those are all very reasonable things to worry about.
2. If your child really is sick, you want to take it seriously. If your child has a fever and other flu symptoms, you need to talk to a doctor. Call and see what he or she recommends.
3. Even if your child does get sick, you don’t need to freak out. So far, the evidence is people are not getting very sick. There are two worries at the national level: 1) Swine flu could become widespread, and if millions of people get sick, even if they’re not very sick, that’s very hard on the country. It’s hard to keep the economy going. 2) The virus could get more virulent, with more deaths. But neither of those things has happened.
4. Don’t take your child to the hospital without talking to a doctor first. Hospitals are where people with respiratory infections go, and you don’t want to expose your child to really sick people if you don’t have to.
5. Now is a very reasonable time to stock up a bit more on staples. Buy a little more soup, buy a little more tuna, buy a little more peanut butter so that you don’t have to shop if your child gets sick. If you wind up wanting to stay home for a week, you want to have what you need. Let your children help you prepare by going to the store and shopping for extra food, or whatever preparations you think are appropriate. You’ll all feel better. And you’ll have that peanut butter!

Mexico’s ususal May Day celebrations have been cancelled all over the country and in the capital, Mexico City, government buildings are closed for the next five days.

Shops, restaurants, bars and gyms have shut down in an attempt to stop the spread of the H1N1 flu virus.

President Calderon has asked Mexicans to stay at home over the holiday weekend.

The health minister says there has been a noticeable drop in the number of people being admitted to hospital with severe flu symptoms, but as the BBC’s Stephen Gibbs reports from Mexico City there is still a lot of anxiety.

Genava, May 1: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Thursday that it will stop using the term ’swine flu’ for the disease affecting millions of people worldwide, and instead will refer to it as influenza A(H1N1).

The Geneva-based health agency said it would stop using the term “swine flu” to discuss the new flu strain in order to prevent any further misunderstanding that people can catch the flu from pork.

WHO spokesman Dick Thompson told reporters in Geneva “Rather than calling this ‘swine flu’ … we’re going to stick with the technical scientific name H1N1 influenza A.”

Keiji Fukuda, the health security chief of the WHO, added: “We know it is an H1N1 virus. This is scientifically accurate and doesn’t place any stigmas.”

“This is to try to reduce some of the overreactions to swine flu as a name,” Fukuda added.

The global agency’s flu name change decision comes after the agriculture industry and the UN food agency expressed concerns that the term “swine flu” was misleading consumers and needlessly causing several countries like Russia and China to ban U.S., Canadian and Mexican pork and some countries like Egypt to order the slaughter of pigs.

On Wednesday, the Egyptian government decided on culling nearly 300,000 pigs in the country as a precautionary measure against the flu, erupting outrage among people and farmers in the country. Infuriated with the decision, farmers and animal rights organizations around the world have started protesting against this unnecessary and extreme action.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have repeatedly assured that swine flu cannot be caught through contact with pork products. The agencies confirmed on their Websites that this strain of influenza is not spread by food, instead spreading through human-to-human contact.

Global spread of virus

According to WHO’s fresh data, As of 06:00 GMT, 1 May 2009, 11 countries have officially reported 331 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

Mexico has reported 156 confirmed human cases of infection, including nine deaths, while the number of cases in the United States now tops 109, including one death.

Other countries with laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths include- Austria (1), Canada (34), Germany (3), Israel (2), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (3), Spain (13), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (8).

About swine flu

CDC describes the swine influenza (swine flu) as a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine influenza viruses are most commonly of the H1N1 subtype, but other subtypes have also been isolated in pigs-H1N2, H3N1, H3N2.

Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. Its symptoms in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza, including fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing.

In order to prevent infection by the virus, WHO recommends people to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis, and advises to seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.

The agency also confirms that people cannot contract the virus if they consume properly handled and cooked pork (pig meat) or other products derived from pigs. Cooking pork to internal temperatures of 160°F/70°C kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

Lima, April 30: Health authorities in Peru confirmed the country’s first case of swine flu.

The victim was an Argentinian woman who was in Mexico only for a few hours on a layover when travelling from the US to Argentina, Peru’s Health Minister Oscar Ugarte said Wednesday.

The 27-year-old was hospitalised with high fever, nosebleeds and a cough at a quarantine ward in Callao province near the capital Lima, he said.

The woman was en route Monday from California to Argentina via Mexico and Panama when she felt unwell during the flight and the captain asked for an unscheduled landing in Peru, where the woman was then hospitalised.

Peru’s authorities are concentrating on examining travellers in their attempts to stem an outbreak of the disease. At Lima’s international airport 5,146 passengers from 39 flights arriving from North America have been examined, authorities said.

Argentina meanwhile halted all passenger flights to and from Mexico. The measure was to remain in place until Monday, cabinet chief Sergio Massa said, adding that health authorities were examining three suspected cases of swine flu. Temperature scanners have been installed at the Buenos Aires international airport.

When the holidays arrive, many people forget all about their diets and healthy eating.  Weight gains of 7 - 10 pounds are common between Halloween and Christmas.  To make the holidays easier, these tips will help you with healthy
eating through the season and not gaining weight. Most traditional foods can be made low fat.Turkey is very lean without the skin, and gravy can be made without any fat.  Potatoes that are served without butter can be very ealthy.  The beloved pumpkin pie is nutritious, although it can be made into a fatty dessert with the adding of whipped cream.

Even though the holidays are in, don’t forget about the exercise.  Keeping weight off during the holiday season is burning off the extra calories.  You should plan a walk after meals, park farther from stores when you shop, and
take a few walks around the mall before you  begin shopping.During holiday parties and at family dinners,
feel free to sample foods although you shouldn’t splurge.  Decide on what you plan to eat in advance, then stick to your plan.  Eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, low fat dressings, and slices of lean meats.  Before you go to a party,
eat a small snack to help curb your appetite.

If at all possible, avoid alcohol.  Having too many drinks can cripple your will power, and also add excess calories to your diet.  In the place of alcohol, drink water with lemon. Water can help to limit your appetite and keep you
from binging.  Also make sure to avoid eggnog, as each glass can have up to 300 calories.

Be flexible with your healthy eating, as one bad meal won’t ruin your diet.  Try to balance your calories over a few days and don’t just look at one meal or day.