Cause

Bronchiolitis is usually caused by a virus called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is spread by sneezing, coughing or personal contact.

Clinical features

The onset of the illness is somewhat like a cold, with a runny nose and a mild fever. This progresses rapidly to a nasty cough, and breathing may become rapid and laboured. A high whistling sound called a wheeze may be heard when your child breathes out. Your child may be difficult to feed and may become quite distressed. In severe cases, the child may look blue around the lips. In this case seek immediate medical attention.

Treatment

Mild attacks of bronchiolitis can be managed at home. Offer your child smaller but more frequent feeds. Give paracetamol according to direction if your child has a fever. Make sure that he drinks plenty of fluids. A humidifier in his room can help to ease the cough and make breathing easier. Make sure the child is in a smoke-free environment.

If your child is having difficulty breathing or feeding, and appears to be distressed, he may be better off in hospital for a few days until the worst of the illness has passed. The hospital staff can provide oxygen if necessary, and if your child cannot feed he may require an intravenous infusion for a few days. Anti-asthma drugs have not proved to be of much use in this age group, probably because the muscles surrouding their larger airways are not fully developed, and this is the site where these medications work. Anti-asthma medication may be tried, just in case your child responds to it well. Most children recover fully after 7-10 days.

When to see your doctor

• if your child is coughing and distressed;

• if your child has difficulty feeding.

Take your child to hospital immediately

• if he becomes short of breath or has difficulty breathing;

• if he looks blue around the lips.

*253\90\8*

Dr. Harold Lief, a pioneer in the study of sex and marriage, describes what he calls FAIDS, or the fear of AIDS. It is certainly to be expected that any of us would fear a deadly disease, but fear will not help us find the exclusive intimacy that would decrease the spread of AIDS. Fear and anxiety actually weaken the immune system and allow even more vulnerability to the AIDS virus. If we want to lessen our chances of falling victim to any virus, I believe we must strengthen our immune system by healthy daily living and loving styles, not weaken it medically or by our living style. The focus on insertion, ejaculation, variety, and adventure that dominated the first three perspectives only makes us more vulnerable to any disease, including AIDS. The editors of a major journal, The Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, state, “Voluntary abstention from sex with infected persons is our best weapon against the spread of AIDS to the general population.” Another positive step is to commit intimately, intensely, and over time to one partner, to find super sex in one long-lasting, loving relationship.

*289\97\8*

HUSBAND

I can say without fear of contradiction from any sex researcher that the number-one male sexual problem is not erective failure orejac-ulatory control, but the failure to enjoy sex, the failure to really enjoy sexual interaction with a woman. My clinical experience teaches that the male genital focus, the phallocentrism of the American husband, has seriously jeopardized and compromised his potential for true sexual happiness. Men are not orgasmic, they are ejaculatory. Climax for too many of them is an end to an activity, the accomplishment of a challenge, the extra point after the touchdown, the completion of a project rather than the beginning or renewal of feelings of closeness, intimacy, and warmth.

“When my husband finishes—shoots his load, as he likes to say—he is really shot. I feel like I should ask him if I can get him anything else. I feel like a waitress instead of a sex partner.”

Her husband responded, “Sure. Remember the time you said ‘wait until the girls hear about this.’ Really made me feel great. I’ll bet I am the feature story for your coffee klatch.”

And so it goes, a perpetual sexual sparring, with both partners getting hurt. Such difficulties might be expected outside of marriage, for seldom do shorter-lasting, more anonymous sexual relationships provide the opportunity for learning, communication, mutual growth, understanding, total life-sharing, and intimacy that is available over time within marriage. Unfortunately, more than half of married people report dissatisfaction with their sexual lives. One reason is that men may be doing it more but enjoying it less.

*116\97\8*

Common products which could have propyl alcohol in them include cosmetics, perfumes, deodorants, shampoo, hair spray, mouthwash, body lotions, vegetable oils, antiseptics, shaving creams and rubbing alcohol. Propyl alcohol is also listed on the product labels as propanol or isopropanol. Any compound having a “prop” sequence in their name should raise your suspicion.

Benzene is so deadly, that it should be totally absent from our environment. Yet, traces of it can be found in many products ranging from bottled water to toothpaste and chewing gum. Benzene is not added intentionally in any food product. However, it is used in the process of extracting food additives, flavours and as a cleaning agent. Most products containing added flavours or extracts potentially contain traces of benzene. A typical example is a mint extract from mint leaves which is used in toothpaste, chewing gum and confectionery. Any product containing any food extracts and/or flavours potentially contains traces of benzene. Simple logic tells us that we should avoid such foods. Benzene is also added to unleaded petrol (gasoline).

Xylene, toluene and other solvents are used in paints, cleaning agents, petrol (gasoline), colour pen markers and other consumer products. Of course, you do not eat such products, but you can breathe the solvents into your lungs. It is quite logical, that you should avoid inhaling any solvents.

For further examples, go to the library and inspect Chemical Dictionary. Look up the solvents listed above and read in what quantities they are manufactured and how they are used in the food industry. Prepare yourself for a shock.

Mercury is one of the most toxic metals to our body. It directly affects most of the functions of the brain. Yet, it has been used for decades in the form of dental amalgam fillings.

As the mercury is slowly released from the amalgam – such fillings act basically like toxic time bombs. See the References for more details.

Fluoride is very toxic and for years has been used as a rat poison. Yet, most of the municipal water in the USA, Australia and many other countries is poisoned with it. The only large city in Australia having fluoride-free water is Brisbane, and interestingly enough, children in Brisbane have the healthiest teeth in the country.

It is little known, that in 1990-91 forty US dentists sued the American Dentist Association for misinforming the public and the dental profession about the effects and extent of amalgam and fluoride poisoning (NEXUS Vol 2 No 2 February 1991).

From just the few examples listed above, it becomes quite clear that it may be quite difficult, if not impossible, to avoid toxins completely.

However, it is quite possible for us to take precautions and to change our lifestyle to:

• minimise the intake of poisons

• assist our body in its natural purification processes

In the following chapters I will show you how you can do this.

*15\96\8*

Legionella pneumophilia is the name scientists have given it, and there appear to be several closely related strains. This organism is hard to grow and detect.

It is believed to be present in some air-conditioning and humidifier units, in standing water, creek water and in fresh excavations.

The germ appears to spread through the air and be breathed into the lung where it causes infection. Spreading from person to person has not been demonstrated.

Epidemics occur mainly in the summer and autumn, although odd sporadic cases may occur throughout the year.

The disease mainly affects the middle-aged or the elderly, especially those whose resistance is lowered and who can mount little immune response to the infection.

Incubation period varies between two to 10 days, with a mean of six days.

*483/71/1*

Although, in medical circles, most drugs are known by their proper or generic names, they are usually prescribed by brand and so patients become familiar with the names given by the manufacturer rather than by the chemists who discover and research them. These drugs are:

Alprenolol — Aptin and Betacard

Atenolol — Tenormin

Labetalol — Trandate

Metoprolol — Betaloc and Lopressor Oxprenolol — Trasicor Pindolol — Visken Propanolol — Inderal Timolol — Blocadren

Anxiety often stimulates the autonomic nervous system to key up the body ready to deal with the feared danger. We are all familiar with this “fight or flight” mechanism, when the beating heart, tight feeling in the throat, and sinking feeling in the abdomen tends to make us sick with fear.

These physical symptoms of tension can be controlled in many cases by the use of the beta blockers and have been used in relieving those inconvenienced by “stage fright”.

Their safety has not yet been established in pregnancy and, of course, doctors and women are cautious about using any drug during pregnancy, especially in the first three months when the foetal organs are forming.

Beta blockers can be excreted in human milk and so nursing mothers may need to be cautious of these as well as other drugs.

Recently they have found use in preventing migraine.

If you are taking beta blockers, relax — their benefits outweigh their disadvantages and, having been around for some time, any hidden dangers should already have shown themselves.

*227/71/1*

Home care:

Bed rest is necessary while the fever is high.

Give paracetamol not aspirin, for fever and pain.

Have the child drink plenty of fluids.

Isolate the child from other family members.

Keep the child home from school or work until he or she is completely well.

Precautions

-     Because influenza is one of the diseases associated with Reye’s syndrome, do not give aspirin; use paracetamol instead.

-    Do not assume that the child is better because the fever goes away for a day; it will probably recur.

-    Watch for complications and inform the doctor if they occur.

-    Do not allow the child to resume everyday activities until the temperature has been normal for at least two days.

-    Influenza vaccines are not generally recommended for children who do not fall into a “high risk” category.

A child with any upper respiratory viral infection will probably be described as having the “flu,” particularly if the child also has chills, fever, cough, and muscle aches. However, true influenza is a specific, highly contagious (catching) respiratory infection that occurs in epidemics in which large numbers of persons in a community get the disease within a short period of time. It is caused by the influenza A or influenza  virus and is transmitted by droplets from nose and throat discharges of persons who have the disease. Influenza has a short incubation period – the time it takes for symptoms to develop once a person has been exposed to the virus – of one to three days and is contagious for seven days starting even before symptoms appear.

*129/84/5*

A cut made surgically during the later stages of labour to enlarge the birth canal and so let the baby out more easily.

There are few subjects that cause so much concern to women having babies-many episiotomies are done uncaringly and the after-effects on the woman and her sex life can be far greater than is often realized by the medical and midwifery professions.

Episiotomies are very commonly performed-in some units in the US about 90 per cent of women have one, especially for a first birth. There is evidence that they are slowly being used less.

Clearly there are medical and obstetric reasons why an episiotomy should be done but a book such as this is no place to discuss these. Usually, though, the reason the procedure is performed is that the doctors or midwives are inexperienced in delivering women without doing one and because with modern birthing positions many women are in labour in a position that makes an episiotomy more likely. Women who labour and give birth in an upright position do not have prolonged labours and rarely need an episiotomy at all because in such positions the pelvic tissues stretch slowly and evenly.

Why are they done?

•     Habit-most modern midwives and obstetricians see an episiotomy as ‘normal’ and so continue to perform them.

•     Impatience – many hospitals set a time limit on the length of the second stage of labour, and if the baby has not arrived by this time (usually about IV2 hours) an episiotomy is ordered to get the baby out.

•     Because women who labour on their backs are actually in danger of having prolonged second stages of labour. The answer is to labour and give birth upright.

•     Many obstetricians and midwives believe that tears that occur naturally as the baby is born are more difficult to repair than cuts made surgically. There is no truth in this.

•     Most midwives have lost the art of ‘guarding’ the woman’s perineum to control the emergence of the baby’s head to prevent the vaginal opening from being stretched too wide, too fast-an age-old midwifery technique that worked. Many medical and paramedical people actually believe that a woman’s vaginal opening is too small and so needs surgical help during birth. Such people argue (quite without factual evidence) that a woman who has a birth without an episiotomy goes on to have a flabby vagina that is un-pleasurable to her partner and that she will eventually have more gynecological problems, such as uterine prolapse.

*147/72/5*

Because there are so many kinds of disease eager to challenge your defense network, your immune system has developed a variety of immune “soldiers,” each with its own weapons and method of attack. Some parts of your immune system don’t actually engage in battle. Instead, they act like computers, storing information on the enemy and its characteristics, or serve to control other immune cells.

The individual parts of the immune system are strong fighters, each in their own way. No single component of the immune system, however, is a match for the many diseases that are eager to harm you. But taken as a whole, the immune system packs an incredible wallop, each part contributing in its own special way.

And a lot of parts there are. You may have heard these terms tossed about: T-cells, B-cells, killer cells, interferon, lymphocytes, phagocytes, T-4, lymph glands, and so on. Let’s begin this brief discussion of the immune system by looking at the white blood cells called phagocytes (cell “eaters”). Then we’ll examine the lymphocytes, also known as T-cells and B-cells. Next comes a peek at the complement system, and finally some words on interferon and interleukin.

*172\80\8*

What they do have, however, is a quick temper and a great deal of free-floating hostility. Stress seekers interpret most facts as a challenge. Revving up their body chemistry at inappropriate times, they’re prepared to fight over every little issue.

Stress seekers are supremely competitive: they have to win, even if they’re only competing against themselves. They talk fast, walk fast, drive fast, work fast and eat fast, pushing themselves to their limit—and beyond.

Always on edge, angry with themselves or others, stress seekers fill their minds with angry, urgent, impatient thoughts.

*130\80\8*