By Joy Stephenson-Laws, JD, Founder
Excerpt from complete story, found here pHLabs
Since measles is a virus, it cannot be treated with antibiotics. There is actually no specific treatment for measles, but symptoms usually improve within seven to 10 days. All you can really do is treat the symptoms by resting and drinking plenty of fluids. However, serious complications can occur which is why this is such a dangerous virus. And if you are elderly or already have a compromised immune system, your body may really have a hard time fighting the virus. If a pregnant woman gets measles, this can also be very dangerous to the unborn baby.
- Vaccination
Obviously, vaccination plays an important role in preventing measles. The benefit of vaccinations to the health of the public far outweighs any perceived disadvantages of being vaccinated. To get more information on vaccinations, particularly when your child should get them, read here.
You also have to be very proactive if you are traveling to parts of the world where measles is a common health issue. Read here on how to travel safely.
In addition, you should also do the following:
- Learn how to boost your immune system. The immune system is your body’s greatest defense mechanism against viruses and infections. At the risk of getting a bit technical, viruses work by invading your cells in order to survive and replicate themselves. Once inside, the immune system is unable to ‘see’ the virus and does not know that the host cell is infected. So to overcome this, our bodies have special types of white blood cells which will “display pieces of protein from inside the cell upon the cell surface. If the cell is infected with a virus, these pieces of peptide will include fragments of proteins made by the virus,” (British Society for Immunology).
Other cells, including special ones called cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells, kill cells that are infected with viruses. This prevents “survival of the invading virus.”
So clearly it is important to ensure that you have adequate numbers of these protective white blood cells so that your immune system is strong. And one way to do this is to give your body the nutrients it needs to protect itself from viruses such as measles.
Eating a diet rich in nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits and vegetables, is imperative. And if you have difficulty absorbing adequate nutrients from the foods you eat, consider putting those critical nutrients directly into your bloodstream. You can read about specific nutrients that may keep your immune system in top shape, here.
- Get regular nutrient testing. To help your body ward off illness, it is important that you are nutritionally balanced. If a nutrient test reveals you have too little or not enough of a certain nutrient, like zinc, a competent healthcare professional can work with you on making the necessary dietary changes and recommend quality supplements if you need them.
- Don’t underestimate the power of soap and water. Handwashing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. To learn proper handwashing technique, read here. And never sneeze or cough directly into your hands. Use a handkerchief or cough into the inner part of your elbow.
- Don’t ignore your sneeze or cough. Or any other symptoms, for that matter. In the earlier stage of measles, you may confuse your symptoms with the common cold or stomach bug. But if your symptoms are persistent and you “just don’t feel right,” it is better to be safe than sorry and go see a competent healthcare professional.
Let’s be proactive and stop measles in its tracks!
Enjoy your healthy life!
The pH professional health care team includes recognized experts from a variety of health care and related disciplines, including physicians, attorneys, nutritionists, nurses and certified fitness instructors. This team also includes the members of the pH Medical Advisory Board, which constantly monitors all pH programs, products and services. To learn more about the pH Medical Advisory Board, click here.
Joy Stephenson-Laws is the founder of Proactive Health Labs (www.phlabs.org), a national 501c3 nonprofit health information company that provides education and tools needed to achieve optimal health. In addition to her day-to-day leadership role with pH Labs, Ms. Stephenson-Laws is also the founding and managing partner of Stephenson, Acquisto & Colman (SAC), the health care industry’s premier litigation law firm established in 1989. Her most recent book is Minerals – The Forgotten Nutrient: Your Secret Weapon for Getting and Staying Healthy, available through Amazon, iTunes and bookstores.