Avian Bird Flu

"the avian bird flu will be in the United States in a few months because of migrating birds"?

Here's a quick review of the avian bird flu from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

Avian influenza in birds

Avian influenza is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These influenza viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.

Infected birds shed influenza virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with contaminated secretions or excretions or with surfaces that are contaminated with secretions or excretions from infected birds. Domesticated birds may become infected with avian influenza virus through direct contact with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry, or through contact with surfaces (such as dirt or cages) or materials (such as water or feed) that have been contaminated with the virus.

Infection with avian influenza viruses in domestic poultry causes two main forms of disease that are distinguished by low and high extremes of virulence. The “low pathogenic” form may go undetected and usually causes only mild symptoms (such as ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production). However, the highly pathogenic form spreads more rapidly through flocks of poultry. This form may cause disease that affects multiple internal organs and has a mortality rate that can reach 90-100% often within 48 hours.

To get a full review of the key facts concerning the avian bird flu visit this link:

Well, consider this evolving story about a possible preventative for avian bird flu: sauerkraut.

This story started last November as scientists at Seoul National University in South Korea fed an extract of kimchi, a spicy Korean variant of sauerkraut, to 13 chickens infected with avian bird flu, and a week later, 11 of the birds started to recover, according to a report by the BBC Network.

Well guess what? A company that makes sauerkraut in Wisconsin made these claims: "we've got the preventative, and 115,000 tons of it in Wisconsin alone," said Ryan Downs, owner and general manager of Great Lakes Kraut Co.

Downs said more extensive scientific research is needed to prove any curative link to avian bird flu, but he's more than happy to tout kraut as a healthful part of any diet.

After a Minneapolis CBS affiliate did its own story on sauerkraut's potential in the battle against avian bird flu, Frank's checked 54 Twin City area stores it supplies, and found an 850 percent spike in overall sales, Lundin said.

Now the story gets better. Headlines in January started touting the benefits of sauerkraut (unrelated to the avian bird flu story) as being a low carb food, and named sauerkraut as one of the hottest foods of 2006.

Believe It or Not: Sauerkraut was named as one of the Hottest Foods of 2006. Additionally the National Restaurant Association cites sauerkraut as an older dish making a comeback. And lo and behold now Arby's has introduced a new Reuben sandwich as part of their new "market fresh sandwich" program and they use Frank's Sauerkraut, considered to be the highest quality sauerkraut in the United States.

A Georgetown University study (February 2006) was cited, in the latest issue of the British Journal of Cancer, and expands upon many other cancer studies by identifying and describing the cellular process which gives cruciferous foods, like cabbage and sauerkraut, a strong cancer-fighting response in the human body.

The study found that a chemical called indol-3-carbonol (I3C) which occurs naturally in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and sauerkraut, boosts the activity of two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, which then work to detect and repair damaged DNA. Because damaged DNA can lead cells to become cancerous, eating foods that repair DNA, like sauerkraut, may lower the risk of cancer development.

I started noticing that 7Eleven stores carry as part of their condiment arsenal, sauerkraut. And when combined with their big bite array of dogs it actually becomes a low carb alternative. According to Charles Stuart Platkin, a syndicated health, nutrition, and fitness columnist, author of the best-selling book, Breaking the Pattern (Red Mill Press, 2002), the 7 Eleven Biggest Bite can be broken down to the following goodies:

"All I can say is pack on the sauerkraut -- it's your best bet. It has very few calories and no fat. Mustard, ketchup and relish are also great deals in terms of calories. Steer clear of butter and mayo, which have a habit of turning up on almost everything we eat. Also, try to avoid cheese and chili whenever possible; they can add more than 250 calories and 15g fat to your frank.

-Sauerkraut (1 cup): 27 calories, 0g fat, 6g carbs

Also, have you noticed that no South Koreans have died from the Avian Bird Flu, even though there have been several infections?