Five Reasons You Should Get Vaccinated

From the dawn of time, the human population has periodically been decimated by outbreaks of serious disease. In the 1600s, bubonic plague was rife across Europe and millions perished from the disease. The influenza virus has also been a deadly killer over the centuries and even today, people still die from the more serious strains of the flu. But thankfully for mankind, many of the most serious diseases such as yellow fever, typhoid and diphtheria have been all but eradicated as a result of widespread vaccination programmes.

Why Bother With Vaccinations?

Even though serious diseases such as measles and mumps have mostly been vanquished in modern society, they haven't disappeared completely, which is why vaccination programmes are just as vital today as they were a few decades ago. Without protection from vaccinations, you and your family are at risk of serious disease or even death.

Vaccinations Are Safe

Millions of people are vaccinated every year and even though there are inevitably a small number of people who experience bad reactions to the vaccine, vaccinations are considered to be very safe. All vaccines have been rigorously tested and are among the safest types of medicine available today. You could opt out of a vaccination program, but the risk of suffering any side effects from the vaccine is far smaller than your risk of catching a serious disease.

Vaccines Offer Protection to the Vulnerable

All vaccine preventable diseases are serious. If a healthy adult catches a deadly strain of the influenza virus, they are likely to become extremely ill, but if a vulnerable person with a weakened immune system, a child or someone elderly catches the flu, they are far more likely to die as a result of the disease. Vaccinations offer protection to those most at risk of complications or death from serious diseases, so why die needlessly for the sake of a simple injection?

Vaccines Protect Your Family

When the main breadwinner of a family becomes seriously ill from an entirely preventable disease, it puts their family at risk. An ill person cannot work and if the disease causes life changing complications, the end result can be devastating. You might not think you are at risk of catching a disease such as tuberculosis, but these diseases are still out there and people who shun vaccinations are at risk of infection.

Preventable Disease is a Drain on Society

Treating serious diseases such as influenza, typhoid and cholera costs the economy billions every year. The direct medical costs alone are staggering, but when you take into account the indirect costs of preventable diseases such as influenza, which can cause a reasonably healthy person to be off work for up to two weeks, it is not difficult to see just how important vaccination programmes are in modern society.

Children and Vaccinations

There have been many scare stories surrounding childhood vaccinations and many parents have avoided having their child vaccinated. As a result of a lower take-up of some children's vaccination programmes, certain diseases such as measles and mumps have been making an unwanted return. Vaccine preventable childhood diseases can cause long-term and devastating health problems in children, but thanks to effective childhood vaccination programmes, horrible illness such as polio and whooping cough have all but disappeared. However, if parents decide to boycott vaccination programmes for fear of side effects, it won't be long before such diseases start to reappear once again.

Holiday Vaccinations Are Also Important

For most people heading off on their holidays, thoughts of serious illness and disease are the last thing on their mind, but holiday vaccinations are just as important as any other form of immunisation. Diseases such as hepatitis, yellow fever and diphtheria are rife in some parts of the world and if you become infected, you could end up taking home more than a sun tan.

Author: Carlo Pandian is a freelance blogger covering health, well being and medicine. He also reviews private vaccinations services at Blossoms Healthcare and loves involving doctors in Q&A sessions with online patients. When he’s not online, Carlo spend his time visiting London and the contemporary art museums in town.

Avoid virus-linked cancers, including cervical cancer, with shots

With a simple vaccine, you can avoid HPV-linked cancer, including cervical cancer and many cancers of the mouth, throat, anus and genitals, which constitute more than 3 percent of all U.S. cancer diagnoses. Vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV) thwarts the virus’s spread, wrecks its ability to jump between people and inhibits a virus that in 2009 led to a cancer diagnosis for 30,000 people in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Insititue. 

HPV infection is common. More than half of women between 14 and 59 catch a genital HPV. Many of these infections are low-risk, but when the body does not sweep out HPV intruders, high-risk HPV infected cells may lead to the unchecked growth of cancerous cells, according to Newswise, a research-reporting service.

HPV is actually a family of more than 150 viruses that infect human skin and mucosa, the moist membranes lining the nostrils, mouth and genital cavities. Two vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix, prevent people from getting HPV infections by helping the body stockpile a medley of cellular defenses. Gardasil and Cervarix target HPV types 16 and 18, the two responsible for most cervical, anal, genital, and oropharynx cancer.  Blocking infection by types 16 and 18 also fights off other cancers, and the vaccines’ protection could last a lifetime. Gardasil also targets types 6 and 11.

It is important to complete the three-dose series for the vaccines; series completion rates are low for people in the Southern states, especially those that are poor and without private insurance, according to Newswise. Scientists are working to make a single vaccine that blocks infection by all HPV types, but today’s vaccines can prevent infection by two of the most common high-risk HPVs and may be the first step toward preventing HPV-linked cancers. (Read more)

CDC: Ten swine flu cases reported last week were linked to Ohio's Butler County Fair; warns nation's fairgoers to be cautious

Centers for Disease Control officials in Atlanta say 29 human cases of the new strain of the H3N2 swine flu have been confirmed in the last year, including 12 last week. Ten of the new cases were linked to the Butler County Fair in southwest Ohio. Butler County is just north of Cincinnati's Hamilton County. The fair ended last weekend. None of the cases have been tied to human-to-human transmission and all 12 of the new patients had close contact with swine prior to getting sick. The two other new cases occurred in Hawaii and Indiana. (CBS News photo)

Health official told CBS News that because county and state fair season in full swing, attendees should avoid taking food and drinks into barns and to wash their hands after they have been near animals. Pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are especially at risk for developing the flu strain. So far, the strain hasn't spread easily, and recent cases have been mild. (Read more)

Toxic Shock Syndrome

Toxic shock syndrome can happen to anyone men, women, and children. Although it can be serious, it's a very rare illness. If you're concerned about toxic shock syndrome, the smartest thing you can do is to read and learn about it, then take some precautions.

What Is Toxic Shock Syndrome?
If you're a girl who's had her period, you may have heard frightening stories about toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a serious illness originally linked to the use of tampons. But TSS isn't strictly related to tampons. The contraceptive sponge and the diaphragm, two types of birth control methods, have been linked to TSS. And, sometimes, the infection has occurred as a result of wounds or surgery, where the skin has been broken, allowing bacteria to enter.

TSS is a systemic illness, which means that it affects the whole body. It can be caused by one of two different types of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes although toxic shock that is caused by the Streptococcus bacteria is rarer. These bacteria can produce toxins. In some people whose bodies can't fight these toxins, the immune system reacts. This reaction causes the symptoms associated with TSS.

When people think of TSS, they often think of tampon use. That's because the earliest cases of the illness, back in the late 1970s, were related to superabsorbent tampons. Research led to better tampons and better habits for using them such as changing tampons more often. The number of TSS cases dropped dramatically. Today about half of all TSS cases are linked to menstruation.

Aside from tampon use, TSS has been linked to skin infections that are typically minor and can be associated with the chickenpox rash. TSS has also been reported following surgical procedures, giving birth, and prolonged use of nasal packing for nosebleeds although all of these are rare.

By: Larissa Hirsch, MD

Rainbow Carrot Immune Booster

Right now I've got a mega-cold, a cat with severe skin allergies, and a cat that's just plain crazy waiting for me at home.  Life is a bit complicated. 

Let's uncomplicate things a bit, shall we?  I think it's time for a fresh juice.  This one is an intense immune-booster.  This healing concoction involves rainbow carrots, garlic, and ginger for a powerful punch.  It's a cure for the common cold, vampires, and crazy cats.  Okay, maybe just the cold.

For my juice base I used some fresh, local rainbow carrots.  Aren't these gorgeous?  I love using rainbow carrots because they turn the juice a pretty orange-red-purple color, but you can use any carrots of your choosing.  Carrots contain vitamin C, vitamin B complex, iron, potassium, and sodium which is great for boosting immunity, alkalizing the blood, and improving liver function. 

The next ingredient is raw garlic.  I'm a big garlic fan and love adding it to juices and recipes because it is a natural antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and powerful immune system booster.  Using garlic raw ensures that you are getting the most benefits.  If you've never juiced with garlic before, it can be a bit intense the first time.  I recommend starting with one clove of garlic and then working your way up to 2 - 3 cloves. 

I added ginger to this juice because it is a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.  It is also great for aiding the digestive system and is especially helpful for nausea and cramping. 

It is best to juice the garlic and ginger first.  Since they do not yield much juice, juicing the carrots afterward will make sure that you get the most juice from these items and it will also help to flush the garlic/ginger flavor  out of the juicer.  (This helps to prevent future juices from tasting like garlic.)

Rainbow Carrot Immune Booster

Yield: 8 ounces

1 - 3 cloves garlic

1-inch piece of fresh ginger

1 bunch of rainbow carrots (or any carrots), tops removed

Juice garlic, ginger, and rainbow carrots (in that order) and serve immediately.

Effect of Childhood Vaccines, Immune System

Certain vaccines may not work as well in children who have been exposed to high levels of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), a family of chemicals used to make everything from microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes to carpets and nonstick cookware, new research suggests.

In a study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that the higher the level of PFCs in a child's blood, the fewer antibodies the child produced after receiving vaccines for diphtheria and tetanus. In addition, kids with higher PFC exposure were more likely than their peers to have antibody levels too low to provide protection against those infectious diseases.

"The immune system is more sluggish when these kids are vaccinated," says lead author Philippe Grandjean, MD, an adjunct professor of environmental health at the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston. "It doesn't respond as well…and produces less antibodies."

The number of antibodies generated by a vaccine is an indication of overall immune system function, so the findings suggest that PFCs may have negative effects on the immune system that go beyond these two vaccines, the researchers say.

Although experts haven't identified all the ways that PFCs enter the body, contaminated food and drinking water and consumer products containing the chemical are believed to be the main sources of PFC exposure.

Research in animals has already linked PFC exposure to changes in immune function. To determine whether the chemicals might affect the human immune system as well, Grandjean and his team took blood samples from 587 pregnant women between 1999 and 2001 and tested the samples for five common PFCs. Then, when the women's offspring were 5 years old, they repeated the process using blood samples from the kids.

The researchers also measured levels of diphtheria and tetanus antibodies in the children's blood at two time points: at age 5, after the kids had received three doses of the diphtheria and tetanus vaccine; and at age 7, two years after they'd received a booster shot.

Higher prenatal levels of two PFCs were associated with having fewer antibodies at age 5. Likewise, kids whose blood revealed higher PFC exposure at age 5 had fewer antibodies at age 7. A 5-year-old whose PFC exposure was double that of another 5-year-old's could be expected to have roughly half as many antibodies at age 7, the study estimates.

The findings raise the possibility that health officials are overestimating the protection provided by childhood vaccines, Grandjean says. If the percentage of vaccinated children "includes kids who are exposed to PFCs and therefore not responding to the vaccine," he says, the likelihood of an epidemic may be higher than it would appear from vaccination rates.

How to Stay Flu-Free for the Holidays

The overlap of the cold and flu season with the holiday season can make it a challenge to stay healthy as you go to parties and get together with family and friends.

Getting a flu shot is important, but other precautions can also reduce your risk of getting sick or of spreading illness to others, according to a Ryerson University news release.

Here are some tips for a healthy holiday:

• When you have to cough or sneeze, do it in your sleeve or the inside of your sweater or jacket. That will prevent the spread of viruses to those nearby.
• Wash your hands regularly and always after using the restroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose.
• Use the air kiss or fake peck on the cheek instead of a kiss on the lips when greeting family and friends.
• Always use serving spoons or forks never your fingers to put food on your plate. If you're hosting a party, be sure to supply plenty of serving utensils and provide people with alternatives to reaching into bowls, such as making individual servings.
• Find creative ways to personalize cups so that people don't accidentally mix them up. Don't serve beverages in their original containers because people might get confused about which bottle or can belongs to them.
• Carry hand sanitizer with you and use it before you eat any food or touch your face, particularly your nose and mouth. This will help protect you against viruses you may have picked up from doorknobs, shopping cart handles, handrails and faucets.
• When you attend religious services, try to stay three to six feet away from others and don't share the communion wine goblet. Instead of shaking hands and hugging, use a friendly wave or elbow tap to greet others.
• Make sure you get adequate sleep, which is important for keeping your immune system strong.
• If you develop a cold or flu, stay at home until you feel better.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about preventing the flu.

Lemon Ginger Tonic

I've been fighting some nasty germs lately (the really mean ones).  Luckily though, I think I'm finally winning.

I don't like being sick.  I hate having to eat "sick food" because everything else makes you nauseous.  Or when your body gets too warm, then too cold, then too warm again.  And that feeling like you need to take a nap every half hour. 

Although it's not fun to be sick, there are a few benefits. Like lying on the couch in a snuggie watching an entire season of Friends while asking your significant other to grab you a sparkling water from the fridge. With exactly eight ice cubes and the juice from half a lemon.

No, wait, a lime.

No, lemon.  Definitely lemon.

With a straw, pretty please?

Yeah, you only get star treatment like this if you're sick.

The only thing that's been saving me the past few days is this drink.  And I'm pretty convinced this is what cured my sore throat and started turning this battle around. 

Now, before we continue, I do have to warn you that there is honey in this tonic.  There are a lot of people who do not consider honey to be vegan and so I have never posted anything with honey on this blog.  However, I'm personally not opposed to using honey and it's an essential part of this drink.  If you are allergic or don't use honey, you can always omit it or sub another sweetener instead.  (Apple juice is perfect in this.) 

The reason I say that honey is essential is because it is a natural immunity booster.  Honey contains antioxidants, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, is a good source of vitamins and minerals, and aids in digestion.  Lemon juice helps to make the body more alkaline and restore pH balance.  Ginger is wonderful for digestion and helps with nausea.  Together this makes a pretty tasty and powerful drink.

Since I have a juicer, I usually juice the lemon (removing the peel first) and ginger.  However, if you do not have a juicer, you can still squeeze the juice from the lemon.  Then you can either zest the ginger and add to the tonic, or, chop up the ginger into chunks and boil in the water for a few minutes then remove. 

I typically drink this hot, but you could also serve it cold or substitute sparking water for tap water. 

 Lemon Ginger Tonic

1 lemon
1 piece of ginger (about the size of your pinky)
1 - 2 Tablespoons of honey
1 cup of boiling water

Juice the lemon and ginger.  Add to your favorite mug with the honey.  Pour in the boiling water and drink as soon as the temperature is suitable.