Early Spring

Don’t be fooled by the early spring and mild weather seen in many parts of the U.S. As of the third week of March, 40 U.S states report widespread or regional flu activity.

According to a 30 year study of CDC data, the month of March is the third most common time for peak flu activity. Both April and May can be peak months as well though many people mistakenly think the flu is long gone by this point.

Triple Flu Defense has been working well with both the respiratory and GI flu that has been hitting many areas. Remember to stick with your flu regimen throughout the spring months.

Flu Activity

Flu activity continues to slowly progress across the United States with increased levels reported by the CDC in the states of California, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Texas during the month of January.  The states of Colorado, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia are currently experiencing the most activity.  Nationwide, flu levels are lower than this time last year.  February is typically the peak month for flu activity nationwide so we anticipate seeing levels increase  over the next month.

Here’s What We Are Seeing So Far…

We continue to review CDC data and receive reports on influenza from throughout the U.S.  Here’s what we are seeing at this point.

We saw early flu cases in September and October and then a lull November through mid-December.  Flu activity typically picks up after the New Year’s holiday and peaks during the months of January, February and March.  We are seeing  a similar pattern this year with increased flu activity at the end of 2011 reported by the CDC in the states of Colorado, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Texas and Virginia.  We anticipate that this year will look like a typical flu season and levels will rise significantly as the winter months progress.

There have been two distant types of flu cases reported thus far:

1) respiratory flu with fever and bronchitis-like symptoms and

2) stomach flu with fever, body aches and GI upset of cramps and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.

Triple Flu Defense 2011-2012 has been working well with both types of cases.

The weather

While the weather for the fall and early winter has been unseasonably warm in many parts of the U.S. don’t be fooled that this means a mild flu season.

We did see some early influenza in September and October and then a more mild November and early December.

However, historical data tells us that the flu season typically picks up after the New Year’s holidays and runs strong during the peak months of January, February and March.

So stick with your winter health regimen to stay ahead of those flu viruses, especially as the weather changes and we are indoors and in closer contact during the coming months.

What to Expect This Flu Season

“What is the upcoming flu season going to be like?”

Now that the fall is upon us, I am sure you are wondering what we will face with this flu season.  When will it hit, what will it look like, and how long will it last?  And, what should you do to be prepared?

First, most people do not realize that the flu season begins in the fall and extends into the spring months, an 8 month period.  And, some years the flu poses a problem in the summer months as well.  During a typical flu season, the months when influenza hits worst are January, February and March.

However, as of late, the flu season has not been very typical both in terms of timing and symptoms.  Last season, for example, the flu hit in the fall, continued into the winter months and resurged in the late spring. Dr. Nenninger believes that because the flu did not die out after the winter, this provides a ripe environment for the influenza viruses to mutate and present a difficult season ahead.

Dr. Nenninger and our research team at Nenningers Naturals receive weekly reports from all over the United States on the influenza viruses.  We use this data in conjunction with CDC and WHO information to carefully track the flu as it moves geographically and to assess the symptom picture. As you may know, there are many different strains of influenza each year and each strain presents a unique set of symptoms.

So, what will the flu look like this year and when will it hit?  We anticipate the flu will involve upper respiratory infection – bronchitis-like symptoms, body aches, lingering cough and fever, though not necessarily high fever.  Because the flu can involve many different symptoms that can change year-to-year, people are often unsure as to whether they have the flu and get caught unprepared.

We have already received reports of the flu in the Northeast so it looks like the season will begin early this year.  You can go our website www.TripleFluDefense.com for updates throughout the flu season.

Dr. Nenninger’s recommendations for staying healthy throughout the flu season are:

• Eat a well balanced diet rich with Vitamins A, C and D.

• Stay active and get plenty of rest each day.

• Take Triple Flu Defense 2011-2012 at the first sign of flu-like symptoms.

Flu Facts

What is the Flu?

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness that is transmitted as an airborne virus. It can incubate from 1-4 days before onset of symptoms.  There are many strains of the flu that affect people differently by age group and severity of illness.

How Does the Flu Affect Us?

The flu is known for its abrupt onset of fever, body aches, sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, headache, fatigue and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.  In the U.S. an estimated 25-50 million cases of the seasonal flu are reported each year; this translates into lost work days, lost school days and lost productivity.

What Makes the Flu So Tough?

Influenza is a RNA virus that has the ability to change or mutate rapidly.  These changes occur when a cell is infected by two different influenza strains, possibly in an individual that has received the flu vaccine or has also been exposed to the virus in nature.  This enables the influenza virus to constantly stay ahead of and challenge our immune system.

When Does the Flu Season Peak?

The flu season is the United States is an 8 month period from October to May.  It is an unpredictable disease; peak activity some years falls in December or as late as May.  Historically, the worst months for widespread activity in the U.S. are January and February.