Relax. No matter what the news actress spouts on the tube, this is not a rerun of the 1918 killer flu.

To begin with, no one can say with certainty how many have been inflected by H1N1. Since August 31st patients exhibiting flu-like symptoms have been counted as swine flu cases. Specific testing for H1N1 was deemed too expensive to do it on every case. What passes for testing now is a nasal swab, which will only confirm that influenza is present. It doesn’t identify the strain of flu. But for our 24 hour news cycle media that fact is considered a minor technicality. Instead it’s reported that the CDC stated that 5.7 million Americans were infected by the H1N1. Actually the CDC said that between 1.8 million and 5.7 million were infected. To get the top number the CDC took the total number of confirmed cases and multiplied it by 80. That’s right…80. That’s based on the assumption that for every confirmed case, 80 had it and toughed it out. If that’s true, it sounds like a fairly mild virus.

And those assumptions and their underlying numbers have been brought into question. CBS completed a three month investigation that reviewed the CDC’s lab results for suspected flu samples from all 50 states. H1N1 was only a small percentage of the suspected samples. That means the real swine flu numbers could be a fraction of the official report. The fact is, when it comes to the number of swine flu cases, no one knows. So don’t let the numbers rattle you. It’s just an opinion, not a hard fact.

Still, night after night, we hear nothing but stories of clinics overrun by panicked mobs demanding vaccines. It makes for good television. It gets viewers’ hearts racing. It freaks people out.

It’s time to put this in perspective. The president stated that 1000 Americans lost their lives because of swine flu. Last week it was reported that 114 were under age 18 [labeled children]. That’s tragic. Unfortunately, people die tragically from a multitude of unexpected illnesses every day. From a statistical perspective, 1000 deaths in ten months is a small crisis. Every year, 200,000 die from medical mistakes in hospitals. And you’d better believe that includes a lot of children. Imagine if we put the same time and effort into solving that problem. How many lives could we save? Personally, I think a little bit of public outrage over that issue would be well placed…but that’s a topic for another day.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath and clear your mind of swine flu worries. And instead of being glued to your television or laptop for the latest news on H1N1, go outside, enjoy the fresh air and take a long walk. That’s the healthy way to weather any crisis.

That’s a lot of celebrating…and a lot of stress. Thanksgiving weekend is the crown jewel of stress for the year. It’s travel time, cooking and, of course, dealing with relatives.

Stress weakens the immune system, which can open the door to sickness and disease. Nobody needs that during the holiday season. With that in mind here are a few tips to keeping your immune system going strong:

Exercise. Regular moderate exercise boosts the immune system as well as wards other debilitating diseases.

Sleep. There are numerous studies that demonstrate how important adequate sleep is on the immune system. For those who are planning on getting the vaccine, inadequate sleep can make the shot far less effective.

Chiropractic adjustments. Getting your spine adjusted definitely boosts your immune system. Studies have shown an increase in white blood cell production immediately following the adjustment. In addition patients under chiropractic care had a much lower death rate during the 1918 Spanish flu.

Supplement with Vitamin D, specifically D3. As I have said in previous newsletters, we are all running on empty when it comes to Vitamin D. We just don’t get out in the sun [sunlight on the skin triggers Vitamin D production in the body]. Even when we do, we slather ourselves with sunblock [which is just like staying inside]. This mineral is critical for the immune system. Pick up a supply at the office the next time you’re in.

Nutrition. Cut down on the sugar. Refined carbohydrates depress the immune system. Excessive sugar intake also increases weight, undermines blood sugar management and leads to a host of nasty diseases So put down the Halloween candy and grab an apple instead.

Fast forward a half a century and smokers are under siege on every front. No smoking in the workplace, the restaurants or [gasp] the neighborhood bar. What’s a smoker to do? If you said, “Quit”, you’re right on target. Unfortunately, that’s isn’t easy. And Americans like things easy.

So it’s Big Tobacco to the rescue with a brand new product, the e-cigarette. This device is battery powered and uses a cartridge that delivers nicotine and other flavorings. The user expels water vapor instead of smoke. Hey, it’s almost like a toy. Wouldn’t that make a great Christmas gift for the kids? Now you can have your addiction without irritating everyone around you. And since there’s no smoke, it’s got to be healthier, right?

Sorry. File this under “If it sounds too good to be true, it is.” While the e-cigarette doesn’t produce smoke it delivers a high dose of nicotine. Anyone thinking that this is a stepping stone to quiting is misinformed. And according to the FDA, these devices may actually encourage people to smoke regular cigarettes once they become addicted to nicotine. As far as being harmless, FDA analysis of e-cigarette cartridges has uncovered carcinogens and other nasty chemicals, including diethylene glycol, an antifreeze component. Most of the e-cigarette materials are manufactured in China, which has had more than a few quality and safety issues in the past.

So, if you’re a smoker and you want to improve your health, don’t bother buying an e-cigarette. Just quit. Yes, it’s hard. Damn hard. I used to be a hard core smoker. In my mind, there is no substitute for going cold turkey. Forget the patches, pills and e-cigarettes. Put down the cancer sticks, gnash your teeth and be grumpy as hell for about three weeks. That’s about how long it takes for your body to shake off the addiction. Going through withdrawal and making it to the other side has an added benefit. You won’t want to go through it again. Keep reminding yourself of the ordeal you went through and it’s easier to stay quit.

What about the recent animal [volunteer monkeys] study on diet and longevity? Monkeys on skimpy diets outlived strap on the feed bag comrades. How about living longer and better. Sounds good, but once again it's sometime in the distant future. Time to turn on the TV and open another bag of chips.

How about a killer flu? That's the H1N1 swine flu that's making the rounds this summer. The World Health Organization is worried that this virus will make a big comeback in the fall in a very nasty way. If they are right, millions will die. And, according to a new study, the most likely to catch this virus and die from it are...you guessed it...the obese. People with a BMI over 30 are clinically obese.

To determine your BMI, go to an online BMI calculator. Obese folks are at the highest risk of catching a severe flu because their bodies are overtaxed. That weakens the immune system. Abdominal fat obstructs the diaphragm, limiting the expansion of the lungs and the ability to cough deeply. That encourages viruses to settle in for the long haul...or as long as you last.

The swine flu virus is an immediate threat. This isn't years down the road. The prevailing scientific opinion is that the H1N1 flu will come back stronger in the fall. You have about three months to drop some weight and strengthen your immune system.

Not sure where to start? Go to the staying fit section of the website. There you'll find a simple plan to reduce weight and increase strength. If you want more detail, encouragement or handouts, just ask one of the doctors on your next visit to Fink Family Wellness. And while you're losing weight, don't forget that chiropractic and acupuncture will also help boost your immune system.

Slimming down and shaping up this year [as opposed to a year in the distant future] may just save your life. If the swine flu peters out this summer and doesn't return in the fall, who cares? You'll have the strong, healthy body you're only daydreaming about right now.

As many of you may already know, I lost my mother-in-law to pancreatic cancer this year. Pancreatic cancer is merciless and deadly. Unlike colon cancer, there is no regular test to catch it early. Sadly, for most victims, pancreatic cancer isn't found until it has spread to another organ, usually the liver. By then, it is just too late.

Every year, 42000 Americans contract pancreatic cancer according to the American Cancer Society With that cheery fact in mind, it only behooves us to do everything in our power to lower our risk of developing the disease.

A National Institute of Health study shows a clear link between pancreatic cancer risk and a high fat diet. This was a very large study. The records of 500,000 participants were analyzed. Those with a high fat diet had a 23 percent greater risk of pancreatic cancer. And the higher the fat intake, the greater the risk, especially for men. Men with the highest percentage of fat in the diet had a 53 percent increased risk.

This is bad news for folks that rely on fast food which has 40 to 55 percent fat. Many of the 'quick and easy' foods from the grocery store are just as bad. Add to that the alarming array of chemicals used to preserve food and enhance the taste and its no wonder that our vital organs are having a tough time keeping us alive.

So what's the solution? First, eat out less. Brown bag your own lunch. When you go grocery shopping, stick to the perimeter of the store where the fresh foods are located. Start a garden. If your diet is loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables that's the best way to avoid becoming another cancer statistic.

Open any fitness magazine and you will run across an ad for Hydroxycut. With 8 million sales in 2008, this product was the number one weight-loss supplement. It was used by folks who wanted to shed a couple of pounds and bodybuilders who wanted a more sculpted look. This month, Hydroxycut was recalled by the FDA. The reason? Liver damage. Some users showed signs [yellow skin and dark urine] in a matter or weeks after using the product.

“Okay, now that I can't buy Hydroxycut, what should I take?” Nothing. Zero Zip. That's the safe answer. There is no short cut to losing weight and getting in shape. Short cuts, quick fixes and miracle cures are almost always dangerous or at the very least, a waste of time and money. In the end, it's like the old TV ad line, “It's not nice to fool Mother Nature”

There is a point to this post and it's not to elicit sympathy. It's simply this. None of us know how long we have, so it only makes sense to live life to the fullest. Take each day as a gift. Stop putting off calling your old friends, spend more time with your kids and take that vacation that you always wanted. There's no point in leaving anything undone, because as far as we know, you only go around once in this world.

Tomorrow is promised to no one, but today is all yours. Make the most of it.

Yes, there is a hill in life but there is no way of getting “over it”. It’s the hill of time. And like it or not the grade only gets steeper as we travel. It can’t be avoided but if you want the most out of life there’s a solution: Fight to Climb.

What does that mean? It means that as we age, we have to do more to maintain our health. When you’re twenty, your body is very forgiving. When you’re fifty, not so much.

It’s easy to pick out the fighters in a sea of loafers. Someone who sits at a desk all day long, eats fast food, keeps his supplements unopened in a drawer looks a lot older than his or her feisty counterpart. They are aging at two different rates. And you don’t have to be fifty to notice the difference. I know people in their mid thirties who can’t do a single push-up…but their Dad can.

There is no magic pill to slow down the aging process. There is only you and your determination to best Father Time at his own game. No matter what your age, NOW is the time to act. Get out and walk, go to a gym, take up a sport, take Omega 3 [fish oil] supplements, get adjusted, eat less processed food. This advice is hardly news. You’ve seen it all before on TV while you were munching on corn chips and swigging your Big Gulp, right?

The first thing you have to realize is that this fight to climb is a lifelong pursuit. You need to exercise regularly to maintain health and vitality. As we grow older that becomes even more important. Skipping a few workouts can result in a loss of strength and endurance for the middle-aged crowd. Sure, that stinks but those are the rules. You have to keep going, pushing yourself physically so that you don’t lose any ground on the hill of time. After all, don’t you want to be the old codger that runs circles around his grandkids?

Okay, are you ready to get started? Turn off the TV, throw out the chips, pour the soda down the sink and go for a walk. That’s a beginning.

The volunteers were split into two groups. Both groups were put on a resistance training program. In English, that means working out with weights. One group was given chiropractic care in addition to the exercise program. Strength, functionality and improvement of fibromyalgia symptoms were assessed after 16 weeks.

The results? Strength and function improved in both groups. Fibromyalgia symptoms also improved in both groups. Only the chiropractic group showed improved flexibility, balance and endurance. None of those results were startling. Exercise should improve strength and assist in pain relief. Chiropractic is well known to improve range of motion and balance.

There was one very interesting finding. The researchers concluded that adherence to the exercise regimen was significantly higher in the chiropractic group. In fact, in the exercise only group, 50% of the participants dropped out before the end of the 16 week program. In the chiropractic group, it was only around 10%.

Why would that be? In this study we have women who are already suffering. Now they are being put through a weight lifting program. That may have increased soreness, at least in the first couple of weeks. This pain on top of their existing burden may have been enough to make them give up on the program. The group that was receiving chiropractic care had a distinct advantage. Chiropractic is an excellent pain relief treatment and no doubt mitigated some of the aches and pains along the way. This made it easier for the fibromyalgia volunteers to stick with the program.

So how does all of this apply to you? If you have fibromyalgia, exercise will improve your condition. Fibromyalgia impact was measured by both questionaire and number of tender points. So exercise [as it is with almost every aspect of health] is the key. Chiropractic should also be part of your plan to deal with this chronic condition, since it increases adherence. My additional recommendation would be to find a chiropractor that is proficient in extremity adjusting [joints of the arms and legs]. It has been my experience that these joints need a little extra attention in the beginning of any exercise program.

So the kid [I mean, college kid] was right and I spent a few days sprucing this online space up.

One more thing. You may have noticed that the menu item “Articles” is gone. That has always been the place for articles that previously appeared in our enewsletter, Wonders of Wellness. I moved them over to the blog so that all the health related information would be easier to search.

What do you think of the new design? Drop me a line at drrich@finkwellness.com.