Shannon Medical Center | Health Beat | Summer 2014 - page 7

Every year there’s a flu season. And
every year people come up with
reasons not to get a flu shot.
But here are five reasons why you
should get vaccinated against the
flu this year (and every year):
1
The vaccine offers protection
from three flu viruses—the viruses
deemed most likely to circulate
this year.
2
A flu vaccine is now recom-
mended for everyone age 6 months
and older. It’s almost universal.
Talk to your doctor if you have
concerns.
3
The flu can make you very
sick. Symptoms include fever, sore
throat, headache and fatigue. It
can also lead to more serious ill-
nesses, such as pneumonia.
4
The flu vaccine won’t give you
the flu. Neither the flu shot nor the
nasal-spray vaccine can give you
influenza. The sooner you get vacci-
nated, the sooner you’re protected.
5
Getting the flu vaccine helps
protect you and those around you.
Do you live with an infant, grandpar-
ent or someone with a chronic health
issue? Skipping the vaccine puts
their health at risk too.
Check in with a doctor
about getting your flu vac-
cine. To find a physician, call
325-658-1511
.
Source: Centers for
Disease Control
and Prevention
TEST YOUR ASTHMA SMARTS
YOU PROBABLY KNOW
—or know of—someone who
has asthma. A er all, about million Americans have it.
But what do you know about the condition itself? Take
this quiz and nd out. e answers are at the end.
TRUE OR FALSE?
1
Asthma is a lifelong condition, even for children.
2
Using fast-acting inhaler medicine once or twice a
day is a good idea.
3
Asthma isn’t all that serious—you can’t die from it.
4
People with asthma should avoid exercising to help
prevent an attack.
5
People with allergies also have asthma.
6
Regular doctor visits are needed, even when asthma
symptoms are absent.
ANSWERS
1
True.
e underlying condition never goes away. Even
so, many children do get much better as they get older,
though they’re still at risk for having asthma symptoms
come back when they’re adults.
2
False.
In fact, using a fast-acting inhaler more than
a couple of times a week is a sign that asthma isn’t well-
controlled. Long-term medicine to control asthma is
recommended if attacks are severe, unexpected or occur
more than twice a week.
3
False.
Asthma is a killer—every day nine people in
America die of the disease. Many hospitalizations and
deaths from asthma could be prevented with the proper
use of medications to control symptoms and prevent
attacks.
4
False.
Precautions are recommended, though. Exer-
cise-induced asthma a ects about percent of all people
with asthma. Warming up and taking medicines before
exercising o en prevent symptoms.
5
False.
Asthma and allergies are separate conditions.
You can have one without the other. For some people,
though, allergies to pollen, pet dander, dust mites or an-
other substance can trigger asthma episodes. For them,
allergy control is a crucial part of managing their asthma.
6
True.
Working with a doctor is one of the best ways
to help prevent future asthma episodes.
Sources: Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America; American Academy of Pediatrics;
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
W
TRIGLYCERIDES
THEIR ROLE IN
GOOD HEALTH
A FANCY WORD
for fats.
In a nutshell, that’s what triglycerides are.
Perhaps you’ve noticed that when you get your choles-
terol checked, you sometimes get a report on your blood
triglyceride level too. ere’s a good reason for that—and
a good reason to pay close attention to your results.
Although experts can’t say for sure that high blood
triglyceride levels by themselves lead to heart attack and
stroke, there’s evidence they can, especially if you also
have high levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) or low levels of
good cholesterol (HDL).
WHAT’S HIGH?
According to the American Heart
Association (AHA), triglyceride levels are considered
high when they’re
mg/dL of blood and above. Lev-
els less than
are normal, but it’s even better to have
readings less than
.
Eating foods high in carbohydrates, saturated fat,
trans fat and simple sugars can boost your triglycerides.
Other things known to increase triglyceride levels
include smoking, being overweight, not exercising and
drinking alcohol.
TAMING TRIGLYCERIDES
Speci c recommendations for
improving triglyceride levels will depend on your read-
ings. If they’re very high, for instance, your doctor may
prescribe medication.
In general, though, if you need to bring triglyceride
levels down—or keep them at a healthy level—lifestyle
choices can help.
e AHA o ers these tips:
If you’re overweight, try to reach a healthy weight.
Reduce saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol in your
diet.
Cut down on added sugars, which are o en found in
regular soda, desserts, syrups, candy and other foods.
Eat nonfat or low-fat dairy products, vegetables, and
fruits most o en. But be aware—it may be best to limit
how much high-fructose fruit, such as cherries and
grapes, you eat. Fructose is a type of sugar.
Know the risks of drinking alcohol.
Get at least minutes of moderate-intensity exercise
ve or more days each week.
Work more omega- fatty acids into your eating plan.
Good sources include oily sh, such as salmon and al-
bacore tuna.
5
reasons
to get a
flu shot
S U M M E R 2 0 1 4
7
H E A L T H
B E A T
1,2,3,4,5,6 8
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