That's Fit

I know it got me. Did it get you? Despite getting the flu vaccine last fall, I was down for the count with one of the nastiest bouts of flu I've ever had. According to US health officials, I wasn't alone. This flu season has been the worst in four years.

According to the CDC, the flu vaccine was only 44% effective against the strains of the flu viruses that were out this year. While it gave 58% protection over the most predominant strain, it was completely ineffective against other types of the flu virus.

In previous years, the flu vaccine has had up to a 70% effectiveness. The vaccine is developed each year based on data about the currently circulating strains of the influenza virus. According to the CDC, the vaccine has been a good match to the circulating viruses in 16 of the past 20 years.

Whenever someone asks why the flu is always worse in the winter, health experts usually reply with a few of the same theories. One is that we're all inside more in the wintertime, and therefore are more likely to spread germs around. Two is that dry winter air makes our respiratory passages more susceptible to infections. While those theories may still hold water, new research about the flu bug itself have some scientists wondering if they've happened upon a new way to beat the flu.

Researchers from the NIH recently discovered that the flu virus can coat itself with a fatty material that hardens in cooler temperatures. When the virus enters a human body, the warm temperature melts the fatty material and the virus is free to cause an infection. When the weather warms up outside, the fatty material melts away and the virus dies.

In time, this may lead to a soap or cleanser that destroys that fatty outer layer. Until then, health experts recommend hand washing, exercise, and a healthy diet to ward off the flu.

Nasty cough, three days of high temperatures, lethargy, refusing to eat -- I swore that the virus causing my two-year-old to suffer last week was the flu. But I had gotten her a flu shot back in October. What gives?

The CDC recently announced that there's a variation of the flu circulating this season that isn't covered by this year's flu vaccine. When vaccines are created, they include the top three most likely viruses to be spread. This year, a fourth bug is circulating that wasn't included in the vaccine. Is that bug the cause of our current woes? I have no idea, and since she's recovering nicely, whatever it was, I'm just glad that it's on its way out.

Does this mean that you shouldn't get a flu shot? Not at all. In fact, if you haven't gotten yours this year, it's not too late. The vaccine will still fight the three targeted viruses, and may even help you fight off this other virus and lower your risk of complications if you do contract it. Read more about this bug and the 11 states that are especially involved here.

Ugh, the flu season is fast approaching and the first lucky ducks are already starting to come down with it. For the most part dealing with the flu is really just a "get as comfortable as you can and wait it out" kinda game, but in some cases it can get so severe that it's necessary to see a doctor. So how can you tell when a simple winter cold turns into a serious flu that needs medical attention? Call your doctor whenever you're unsure, but especially if you're experiencing these symptoms:

• Fever
• Headache
• Extreme tiredness/fatigue
• Cough/sore throat
• Runny or stuff nose
• Muscle aches
• Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea

Also call if you've been sick for a few days already and then your symptoms suddenly start to get worse, or anytime you're unsure or have concerns. Better safe than sorry, especially when it comes to the very young and the elderly.

A report out this week that focused on flu preparation nationwide has found that seven states still have not responded to a federal program meant to prepare each state for a national flu pandemic.

Thirteen U.S. states were deemed as ill-prepared for a possible flu pandemic due to not having adequate vaccine distribution plans in place related to the stockpile of vaccines that would be available from the U.S. federal government.

The best-prepared states that participated in all ten steps of the national flu vaccine preparedness program were Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia. The lowest scores went to Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nevada, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

If you're sick and not feeling well, the best thing to do is stay at home and get rest (among many other things like get plenty of fluids). But, in the hustle and bustle of today's business world, taking even a single day off can lead to feelings of guilt and regret. Why this is I don't know.

But more bad things can be lurking behind that attitude. As in, what if you go to work and give everybody the flu or cold that you have? As an employer, this would not be a positive situation. In fact, staying home when sick is mandatory in some companies.

The loss of productivity from one person is enough, but if that person is the cause of even more lost productivity due to making more people sick, what would be the outcome? It would would way more than paying a single employee sick leave for a week, that is for sure.

It appears that a much stronger consumer warning label will come to the Tamiflu flu vaccine drug. The FDA said this week that the most widely used flu drug in the world needs some beefing up as it applies to warning consumers about possible side effects.

In certain instances, psychiatric problems have been witnessed in some Tamiflu patients. The label on Roche's Tamiflu product already alludes to delirium and self-injury. Apparently, if you take Tamiflu, you might drive yourself off a cliff.

What is it with these bizarre side effects that seem to be a component of every pharmaceutical drug? As always, the best way to stay flu-free is to eat and exercise right and get your immune system in perfect working order. Another biggie -- wash your hands several times a day.

British government authorities are wanting to vaccinate the entire English population in lieu of a flu pandemic, according to government authorities there.

Calling a flu pandemic "one of the most severe risks," is mass vaccination really the answer? If you're a vaccination supporter, making sure each person has that vaccine inside their bodies is probably a top priority for you.

What about choice? Some folks don't want foreign bodies forced inside their systems, but is that dangerous? Depends on how you look at it, but a medical police state kinda goes against the doctrine of a free society.

What do you think?

Nothing's more stressful during the holiday season than getting sick amid all the hoopla.

So, as you're cruising the aisles of the grocery store stocking up on canned pumpkin, flour, sugar and other "necessities", consider grabbing those infamous immunity buildings, zinc and echinacea. Stocking up on vitamin C might also be a good idea, although it is a more controversial remedy for the common cold and one must be careful about dosing with a supplement. As you're picking through the produce, throw in a few bulbs of garlic, which is believed to have antibiotic properties. If nothing else, it sure spruces up sauteed veggies and pasta sauces and can be added to olive oil for a divine bread dip.

Then, after your home perusing the net for holiday gift ideas, visit here and order some fabulous teas that reportedly aid digestion, reduce cholesterol and boost antioxidants . I also like this place, which has some nice herbal and decaf options. Even if you're skeptical of the health benefits, you can't argue that a nice hot cup of liquid does wonders for relaxation. And that can't be bad for warding off illness. As a matter of fact, might be a good gift idea too.

Award-winning actress and tabloid target Jennifer Garner is supporting the new cause -- the flu shot. She's recently joined the American Lung Association's Faces of Influenza education campaign as the national spokeswoman, and she's speaking out on the importance of getting your flu shot. Lois and Clark actor Dean Cain is also promoting the cause.

Garner, 35, says "One in three children get influenza, and more than 100 children die every year from this disease -- these are facts that no mother or parent wants to hear."

Have you had your flu shot? If you have frequent contact with children or senior citizens, it's a must. And it's not too late to get it, though sooner is better.

It's not quite flu season yet, but for some people, it's worse -- it's the time when allergies run rampant. According to this article, fall is also a time when colds are common, and in kids, croup. Yikes. Seeing as there's no shot you can get to prevent colds, allergies and croup, I'd say this time of the year leaves me wishing for flu season.

So what can you do if you or a family member gets sick during pre-flu season? Steam is a good natural treatment for kids and adults who are having trouble breathing -- try a humidifier. And not to sound like a broken record, but you can't beat plenty of fluids and lots of rest, as far as treatment goes.

How do you survive pre-flu season?

I have no idea when I last got a tetanus shot. But I just learned that I need a vaccine called Tdap, a three-in-one vaccination for tetanus, diptheria, and pertussis, every 10 years. Even if I was immunized as a kid against these diseases, I still need the shot. So do all other adults.

I never knew adults needed shots. Until now.

Apparently, about 50,000 to 70,000 adults in the United States die each year of diseases that are preventable by vaccine. It seems it's time we keep track of what we need, and when we need it. So here are some grown-up guidelines for those vaccinations we should not let pass us by.

Hepatitis B

If you've had a sexually-transmitted disease and/or are not in a monogamous relationship, you need this shot. If you have more than one sexual partner in a six-month period, you need this shot. It's given in three doses over several months and protects against liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. The virus is spread by sex with an infected partner or exposure to an infected person's blood.

The coming influenza season will knock out hundreds of thousands from their daily lives for a little while, a situation that we see almost every single year. In fact, flu shot season is here if you hadn't noticed. Line up now or be prepared to take the risk of catching the flu virus in the next few months.

The flu is responsible for over 200,000 hospitalizations and about 36,000 deaths every single year, according to CDC figures. Those numbers don't sound like a lot, but the death count alone is staggering in the U.S. (though we rarely hear about it from the mainstream media).

Preparation is key: some choose shots (dead virus vaccinations or else), while other choose an incredibly healthy lifestyle (read: great immunity buildup) along with taking several herbal supplements known to affect viruses. Regardless of choice, the CDC suggests a flu shot every year, since flu mutations happens regularly.

Is there was ever to be an influenza pandemic, the first in line for a vaccine would be pregnant women, babies and toddlers. Following them would be doctors, emergency workers and soldiers. All things considered, that makes sense, as the top of the hill here is those at greatest risk.

A new draft of a flu pandemic plan that was released today by the U.S. government lines out the priorities should a new super-strain of flu cause a pandemic inside the U.S.

After the first two groups mentioned above, the next folks in line would include older kids and workers responsible for keeping the water, electricity and phone lines working nationwide would be next. Last on the list? The elderly and healthy younger adults.

As the U.S. and other countries prepare for the next, coming wave of the flu, are the children in this nation (and others) being overlooked in terms of preparations?

A report this week from the U.S. government stated that children in this country would most likely be primary spreaders of a flu pandemic, as well as targets of the flu. The only problem is that they are -- as a group -- not at the forefront of preparations for dealing with the flu.

Sounds to me like a huge contradiction, yes? Dr. John Bradley of the American Academy of Pediatrics said that "right now, we are behind the curve in finding ways to limit the spread of a pandemic in children even though they are among the most at risk."