Prevent H1N1 with exercise, diet

SYLVANIA, Ohio - On a day that saw an estimated 3,000 vaccinated in Maumee at St. Luke's Hospital, area medical specialist Dr. Tom Bauer, informed Northwest Ohioans Sunday about the H1N1 swine flu virus Sunday at Claudia's Natural Food Market in Sylvania.

Though many seemed uneasy getting inocculated, Dr. Bauer eased their apprehension and discussed alternatives many need to follow in preventing the global illness.

"I think the public has a lot of fear about something they are not familiar with, and so education is the solution to allow people to make informed decisions," Dr. Bauer said.

He says so far the virus hasn't been as bad as once thought.

"I think in hindsight it's always 20/20, and for us to say now that H1N1 has not been as tragic as we had hoped is a good thing," he said. "I think it has also been a lesson for use to learn that nobody is going to be able to take care of our health as well as we can ourselves."

Every day we should be doing things like eating colorful fruits and vegetables and daily exercise. Dr. Bauer said adults and children should cut out the sugar in adults. Children who ingest a lot of sugar are thought to be at higher risk of getting H1N1.

"That's going to attack their immune system in itself," he said.

To strengthen that immune system, Dr. Bauer said supplemental products could be the key to keeping H1N1 away.

"A lot of people use supplemental products to help with their immune system. It doesn't necessarily prevent something, but it just boosts immune system."

Dr. Bauer admitted he is personally choosing to pass on the H1N1 vaccine.