My Best Health — Page 86 — Personal Health Guide

Flu Vaccines To Save You, The Community And The World

December 1, 2010 by admin

Most people nowadays have become skeptical of the need for flu vaccines. Most of us aren’t really affected by flu season, and when we do, we usually pay for it with lost work days at worst. People who easily get the vaccine may say it’s not needed. Unfortunately, this growing complacency towards the vaccine may put you and your community at an unjustifiable higher risk.

You need to be cognizant of the fact that influenza is a killer disease that strikes thousands every year, even among developed countries. The few who don’t recuperate immediately from the flu are at fatal risk. The 1918 flu outbreak, previously known as the Spanish flu, became a worldwide epidemic with an estimated death toll between 20 to 100 million. Outbreaks in the 50s and 60s also killed millions, though in lesser numbers.

More recent outbreaks like the bird flu pandemic and the current H1N1 outbreak were more readily controlled, thanks to development of the vaccine that began in the 30s. The vaccine has proven effective in limiting the spread of seasonal flu, but not 100 %. This is because multiple strains of the flu come out every season, and current vaccines aren’t able to cover each one. People who get the vaccine can still get the flu, but will have a stronger resistance to it. Drug companies are currently in a race to develop the first flu vaccine to cover all strains.

The people at greatest risk for influenza, and therefore should be prioritized for flu vaccines, are older people, children, pregnant women, people with recurring medical conditions and people who work in medical care, especially in care of the abovementioned. People who should not get the vaccine include those allergic to the vaccine or to chicken eggs (since the vaccine is made in chicken eggs), susceptible to Guillain-Barre syndrome, or too weakened by prior medical conditions.

There are two forms of vaccine; the flu shot, which is made of dead flu cells, and the nasal spray, which actually has a live, but weakened version of the virus. Neither will give you the flu, although nasal spray may give you flu-like symptoms. To be on the safe side, nasal spray is usually administered to people at lower risk.

Today, we have been able to successfully impede the dissemination of both seasonal and new strains of influenza. Ongoing use of flu vaccines is needed to maintain control of this disease, as well as to find a way to eventually eliminate it.

Most people nowadays have become wary of the need for flu vaccines. Make no mistake about it, influenza is a killer disease. There are two forms of vaccine; the flu shot, which is made of dead flu cells, and the nasal spray, which actually has a live, but weakened version of the virus. Both will not give you the flu, Today, we have been able to successfully limit the spread of both seasonal and new strains of influenza.

– jason ciment

Simple Weight Loss Work Out Plans That Can Get You Results

November 30, 2010 by admin

Losing weight is one of the hardest things some people have to do in life, and it can be discouraging and at times just dreadful. However, it is a necessary part of being fit and staying in shape, which means you want to find a fitness program that you can actually stick to until you reach your goal. These workout tips on how to lose weight fast could come in handy when you hit a dead end in your own routine.

Forget about those hour or two hour long workouts, not everyone can realistically do that, and do you really want to? Thirty to forty minutes a day, with the right workout, is enough to get you in shape and keep you in shape. Going for high intensity in a shorter time period than high and low for a longer period can help maximize your time and your workout.

Alternating cardio and strength training will help you get the full benefits of your workout. One day do some cardio and the next some strength training, and you don’t have to exercise everyday of the week, take a day or two off to rest muscles.

If you do what you love, you’ll continue to do it. That is why you need to pick cardio exercises that you love to do, like biking, swimming, or running, or maybe even the rowing machine or treadmill. It doesn’t matter what, as long as it is a good cardio workout and you love it. Doing something you don’t love is a sure way to end up getting bored and quitting.

Compound exercises allow you to maximize your time. Instead of doing exercises that focus on one muscle group, which takes up a lot of time, choose exercises that use many different muscle groups at the same time. Some good ones to try are the squats, the lunges, and push-ups. There are others to choose from, so find what you like and incorporate that into your routine for an overall workout in less time.

Make sure you mix things up a bit every now and then. Doing the same routine over and over can get boring. If you have some other workouts on hand that you can switch to, you’ll keep things interesting. You could even mix and match your routines to keep out of a rut.

The one thing you must remember, no matter how good your workout is, if you don’t set realistic goals, it isn’t going to work. You have to be fair to yourself and be realistic about what you are expecting. That weight didn’t show up in a day or a week, so you need to give yourself a realistic time frame to experience fat burning. If you don’t, you’ll set yourself to fail before you begin.

You are not going to get complete all of your fat burning right away, and there will be days when you want to throw in the towel. But use these tips on weight loss workouts; they can help you achieve your goal. Remember to be fair to yourself and be patient, you’ll finally understand how to lose weight fast, easier than you expect.

– Ben Pate