April brings about much awaited warm spring air, and we enjoy not only more sunshine, but a renewed, refreshed spirit after a long hard winter. From my perspective, and for my patients, this winter has been a very long one, laden with too many being sick! We have seen many different bacterial and viral respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses to date, and they seemed to linger and spread like wild fire among family and social circles. To make matters worse, nationwide we are also seeing diseases that we medical professionals once believed to be rarely seen on U.S. soil. We now are seeing an outbreak of once rare, preventable illnesses growing exponentially. Have you heard about measles moving across the country and even whooping cough? Do you know how to recognize each? I bring this to your attention because we are faced with an immediate public health threat….a threat that could be standing right next to you, or looming in the air waiting for you to walk by and take a deep breath. April 24-30, 2015 is World Immunization Week and the time is now to stop and think about the steps you have taken to make sure you and your loved ones are protected and do not fall prey to PREVENTABLE illnesses and even cancer.
Every fall and winter, many can relate to the practice of getting your flu shot, right? Many employers and hospitals feel so adamant about this vaccine that they require it or off to the chopping block you go to find another job. Why, influenza is very contagious virus that can be prevented or at least made less severe by giving each of us a simple shot. You may have heard on the news that our flu vaccine did not work so well this year. You may have heard many say…what a waste! I counter to say, “Not true.” Each year we must make a new flu vaccine for the type of flu we expect to surface that year, as this intelligent virus changes its colors each year. Even though we did not match this year’s flu perfectly, we do feel it at least shortened the duration of one’s flu illness. Being sick for 3 days versus 7, which would you take? Continue reading “Don’t Fall Prey to PREVENTABLE Illnesses”