Category Archives: Vaccines

Health Tip: Consider a Strawberry Banana Cabbage smoothie  to help increase your immunity. Smoothies are a great alternative for young children and help create healthy dietary habits while prevent disease.  Learn more about the Industrial Vitamix Smoothie Blender designed for home use.

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Do you have a head cold, cough, body aches and it body aches all over- does this sound familiar?

Do you have a bad cough that is leading to vomiting?  if so, you may have whooping cough (read more about this here).

This is influenza season and virus season. Some become dehydrated and may need intravenous fluids.  Even though   you may have had your flu shot, you can still get flu-like illnesses. No one is 100% protected against infections.

I have seen many patients with stuffy noses, post nasal drip (you know you have this if your are clearing your throat all the time), sore throat, cough, body aches and a few with  vomiting and diarrhea.   A visit to your doctor may be of benefit.

Fortunately, only a few will  develop bacterial sinus infections, bacterial bronchitis or even pneumonia.  For some, this virus may prove fatal.

Generally, less than 10% of those with a viral infection will need antibiotics, most just need time and fluids.

Also, its real important to note that the only  throat infection that needs antibiotics is strept throat.  No matter how bad your throat hurts, antibiotics won’t help unless you test positive for strept. See your doctor  if you are not sure.

If my patient does not have a bacterial infection, I simply recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil).

How can you prevent these from occurring in the first place? First, make sure your vitamin D levels are adequate. Most people need to take 2,000-4,000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily. Ask your doctor to check your vitamin D blood levels before taking in excess of 2,000 IU daily. To learn more about vitamin D and how it can strengthen you immune system, read Vitamin D Prescription on Kindle.

Also, consider zinc supplementation which has been shown to be beneficial according to recent studies.

Also, consider influenza vaccination, which may also decrease risk.   However, the studies are not as clear cut as one thinks.

Cochrane reviewers, an independent research group concluded this when asked whether vaccines were helpful in preventing the flu for healthy people. “Influenza vaccines have a modest effect in reducing influenza symptoms and working days lost. There is no evidence that they affect complications, such as pneumonia, or transmission.”(cochrane). Ask  your doctor if the flu shot is right for you.

FYI: The above  symptoms are generally caused by a virus called, adenovirus. In addition to the above symptoms, adenovirus can cause gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis (pink eye), rash and whole body aches.  Another type of virus that can cause infection and common cold symptoms are known as the corona virus (no relation to the beer).

* Always consult your physician if you have a medical problem, the above it not my medical advice..

From the CDC website: Adenoviruses are medium-sized (90-100 nm), nonenveloped icosohedral viruses containing double-stranded DNA. There are 49 immunologically distinct types (6 subgenera: A through F) that can cause human infections. Adenoviruses are unusually stable to chemical or physical agents and adverse pH conditions, allowing for prolonged survival outside of the body.