Should You Get a Flu Shot?

Every year just before the weather turns colder, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention begins an advertising campaign geared toward motivating the masses to get the flu vaccine. They talk about the number of deaths each year that are attributable to the flu and the number of missed work days that cost employers hundreds of thousands of dollars. This year, that campaign will likely be even more urgent due to outbreaks of the "swine flu" virus, which have spread from one country to the next in the past six months or so.

Should you get yourself and your children vaccinated against the flu? Just like all vaccines and medications, there are potential side effects associated with the flu shot. Minor side effects can include but are not limited to soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site, low-grade fever and other aches and pains. More severe, life-threatening complications have proven to be rare, but the danger still exists that someone can suffer severe effects from this alleged beneficial vaccine. The most common dangerous side effect is an allergic reaction. Since the vaccine is grown in eggs, it is more dangerous for those who have had an allergic reaction to other vaccines in the past. These reactions can include breathing problems, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, and a fast heartbeat or dizziness.

An even more serious side effect is Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). This is a disease in which the body damages its own nerve cells, resulting in muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. While most people eventually recover, some have permanent nerve damage and 5 percent to 6 percent of those who develop GBS will die. The CDC would remind you that only six of every 1 million people injected with the flu shot will develop GBS. That's small comfort if you're one of the six, of course.

After careful consideration of the risks associated with the vaccine, it's wise to weigh those risks against those of the flu. The CDC talks about the benefits of being vaccinated, but are those benefits backed up with the facts? The flu vaccine is always changing because the flu strains change from one year to the next. (The swine flu is once such variation.) The manufacturers of the vaccine take a shot in the dark and hope they'll hit the right strain each year, but the fact is the flu shot is only 70 percent to 90 percent effective.

The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (and probably your Mom when you were growing up) advocate simple health habits to prevent the spread of illnesses like the flu. Taking these steps can help people avoid the flu without having to get a flu shot in the first place:

	Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough/sneeze; throw the used tissue away.
	Wash your hands often with soap and water as soon as possible after coughing or sneezing.
	Keep yourself and any babies and children in your care away from people who are coughing or sneezing.
	Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth if you in close contact with people who are sick or have been sick.

Consider these suggestions, along with the above information regarding risks vs. benefits, before getting a flu shot this year, and of course, talk to your doctor for more information. After all, it's your health and the health of your children at stake.

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Don't Fill Up on Empty Calories

The term empty calories refers to a group of foods that provide little to no nutritional value, yet still have calories in them – typically a lot of calories! That makes the term a bit deceiving, because the calories in these types of foods are actually anything but "empty." A typical selection of empty-calorie foods includes cakes, pies, beer, soft drinks, candy and French fries. Here are a few simple strategies for eliminating empty calories from your diet:

Go slow. Your primary strategy should involve slowly switching from consuming empty calories to eating more nutrient-dense foods. Make one change a week and try to maintain it.

Be smart when it comes to the food you eat. Gradually eliminate all foods made with high levels of sugar and white flour. Deep-fried foods, processed foods, and foods high in saturated and trans fats should also be gradually eliminated from your diet. It's OK to have an occasional treat from these food types, but they should be a rare exception.

Your best friends are fruits and vegetables. Start by eating something familiar such as cucumbers, peppers or tomatoes. Enjoy oranges, bananas, grapes, watermelons and apples. Vegetables such as celery and carrot sticks make good substitutes for chips. Fruits can easily satisfy a sweet tooth. When you get accustomed to eating familiar types of both, you can get more adventurous with many other types.

Replace soft drinks with water. Instead of getting a soft drink (a classic example of empty calories) every time you are thirsty, drink water. If you are really addicted to these types of drinks – and many people are – try to at least alternate between soft drinks and water, particularly while transitioning from empty calories to better ones.

Read all food labels very carefully. There are plenty of deceptive products out there; fruit juices are a good example. You think because it has a word like "fruit" that it has to be good for you. Not necessarily so. Almost all commercially prepared fruit juices contain high-fructose corn syrup, which from a nutritional point of view is the same as sugar. It also means that they are nutritionally dead (unless the manufacturer happens to add a few vitamins).

Breakfast calories are the most important. Research suggests that eating breakfast, particularly if it contains some protein, can hold off hunger for hours. Your body converts the amino acids from protein into blood sugar that act as tiny time-release energy capsules, which can keep you from overeating for the remainder of the day.

Remember that deficiencies in nutrients do not occur because we don't get enough to eat. The real culprit is the poor nutritional quality of what we eat, foods overloaded with calories and deficient in nutrition; in short – too many empty calories and not enough nutrition. Talk to your doctor for more information.

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Solving Sinus Problems Naturally

Sinusitis - inflammation of the mucous membranes in the nose, sinuses and throat, eventually leading to blocked sinuses and potential infection – can be triggered by a number of things, from viral or bacterial infection to allergies or hay fever. Regardless of the cause, sinusitis is a common problem with frustrating symptoms: congestion, cough, sore throat, fatigue, fever, pain and pressure around the eyes, cheeks nose or forehead, and sinus drainage in the form of a thick yellow/green discharge. What can you do to prevent sinusitis? Harvard Women's Health Watch offers a few simple suggestions for reducing your risk or relieving early symptoms of the condition.

First, keeping your nasal membranes moist is a great way to avoid/reduce sinus symptoms. Stir 1 teaspoon salt into 2 cups of lukewarm water; use a squeeze bottle to stream the solution through your nose. Do this 1-2 times daily to keep your nasal passages from drying out and clear excess mucus before it has a chance to cause congestion and/or infection.

Drinking lots of water every day is another great way to keep mucus from building up; water keeps mucus thin, loose and easy to dissipate with the saltwater solution or simply by blowing your nose.

If you have sinus symptoms, inhaling steam also can help to reduce congestion and other symptoms. You can do this several ways: by spending a little extra time in a hot shower or steam room; or by boiling water in a pan and then inhaling the steam. (Place a towel over your head to maximize the effect.)

Finally, sleeping with your head elevated helps prevent mucus from pooling. When mucus builds up in your nasal passages, it's a veritable breeding ground for infection. It might mean you spend a few days and nights with a runny nose, but it's better in the long run than the alternative – congestion and infection.

Remember, always consult with your health care provider to make sure your symptoms aren't indicative of something more serious. Your doctor can also recommend these and other natural methods of treating your sinus problems without having to rely on decongestants or other over-the-counter medications.

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