Tag Archives: flu

Don’t Let the Grinch Steal Your Christmas!

The holiday season is upon us! Christmas decorations are up! Peppermint mochas and eggnog lattes are back at Starbucks. Christmas music has taken over the radio. The parking lot at the mall is a nightmare. And there’s a Christmas movie on TV almost every night! I just watched Elf last night! It’s only a matter of time until you watch Love Actually (You know this is true).

image source: fanpop.com

image source: fanpop.com

Not to be a Grinch, but it’s also flu season. No one ever wants to be sick, especially this time of the year! So DON’T LET THE FLU GET TO YOU! FIGHT BACK AND GET YOUR FLU SHOT ASAP! 

Imagine this: While all of your friends are celebrating the holiday together, eating delicious food, exchanging gifts, singing karaoke, and playing Monopoly Deal (best game ever), you’re stuck in bed, sick with the flu and looking at all the pictures they’ve Instagrammed. If that doesn’t convince you to get vaccinated for the flu, then here are 3 reasons from the CDC on why you should:

  1. The annual vaccine is the best way to protect yourself from the flu.
  2. New flu vaccines are released every year to keep up with the rapidly changing flu viruses, so last year’s vaccine may not protect you from this year’s viruses.
  3. People with certain medical conditions, such as children younger than 5, senior citizens, pregnant women, and people with asthma, are at a greater risk of developing flu-related complications.

This week (December 2-8) is National Influenza Vaccination Week. So if you haven’t gotten your flu vaccine yet, get it this week! Click here for more information from the CDC.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

About these ads

Oh Schmidt

If you watch New Girl, then you’re probably familiar with Schmidt. Nine out of ten times, he’s pretty much what you see in that video. But in episode 15 (Injured), Schmidt said something…profound. For once, he wasn’t JAR’d.

“Treat your body like a temple. Treat your body like a temple” – Schmidt.

Here’s how:

1. Eat healthy. This does not mean going on a Whole Foods (whole-lotta-money) diet. Click here for some tips from My Plate on how to stretch those food dollars. Make sure to include grains, veggies, and fruits into your everyday meals. Beware of Suga Suga Suga and Step Away from the Big Mac. And can we get some Waters All Around, Please? Thanks. Eat healthy and you may have what it takes to be America’s Next Fruit Ninja!

2. Be active. The CDC recommends 1 hour of physical activity every day for children & adolescents and 150 minutes of moderate-intense aerobic activity each week for adults. Keep your Head in the Game and play sports! Hear music and Just Dance!

3. Wash your hands. None of us know where those Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all have been. Plus, Clean Hands Save Lives.

4. Don’t smoke. Duh! So, want to go to college? Then you better quit smoking! Click here for tips from former smokers.

5. Stay positive. Stress Stinks! Don’t let your Horrible Bosses get the best of you. And don’t forget about those new years resolutions you made not too long ago. We Like Number 16 of Thought Catalog’s 20 New Year’s Resolutions for 20-Somethings.

6. Get sleep. The CDC recommends 7-9 hours of sleep. Rock-a-bye-baby!

7. Get check-ups. Make sure you’re up-to-date with all of your vaccines and tests. Sexy and I Know It? Yea, that’s great. But did you know that healthy is the new sexy? So if you get sick or feel pain, make an appointment with your doctor. Don’t go playing doctor and diagnosing yourself using WebMD. It’s Trichy Trichy Trichy.

For more info, check out CDC’s Tips for a Safe and Healthy Life.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

R.I.P Heavy D

image source: soul culture

On November 8, 2011, the “big teddy bear rapper” of the 80s and 90s, Heavy D, passed away. He was only 44 years old. Heavy D was a hip-hop pioneer and will truly be missed. The cause of his death is not yet known, but the LA Times reports speculation that Heavy D had been experiencing flu-like symptoms or pneumonia.

When you were younger, your mom might have told you, “It’s raining! Get inside before you catch pneumonia!” To set the record straight, getting wet won’t cause pneumonia. So what does? Pneumonia is a lung infection caused by bacteria or viruses. A cold or flu can also worsen into pneumonia. Kidshealth.org explains that the “infection creates fluid and mucus that blocks the alveoli [tiny air sacs in the lungs],” which is why people with pneumonia may experience coughing, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing or shortness of breath, chills, or chest pain.

Anyone can get pneumonia, but kids, senior citizens, and people with health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, or HIV/AIDS are at a higher risk of infection. Nevertheless, it is important that everyone practices good hygiene, such as washing your hands, cleaning hard surfaces that are touched often (please invest in Lysol Disinfecting Wipes), and coughing/sneezing into a tissue/elbow/sleeve. Also, stay away from cigarette smoke and make sure to treat/prevent conditions like diabetes and HIV/AIDS.

Pneumonia can also be prevented with vaccines and treated with antibiotics and antiviral drugs. It seems like this whole pneumonia business is under control, right? WRONG.

In 2007, 1.2 million people were hospitalized with pneumonia and at least 52,000 people died from the disease in the United States. Every 20 seconds, somewhere in the world, a child dies from pneumonia. In fact, more deaths are caused by pneumonia than any other infectious disease such as AIDS, malaria, or tuberculosis.

Heavy D’s last tweet was “BE INSPIRED.” Today (November 12) is World Pneumonia Day. Join the Global Coalition against Pneumonia’s campaign to fight this disease by raising awareness in your community. Pneumonia is one of the most devastating yet solvable global health problems. Check out worldpneumoniaday.org for more information on how you can help solve this problem.

And in memory of Heavy D, check out one of his famous songs, “Now That We Found Love.”

By Alyssa Llamas

Shoo Flu, Don’t Bother Me!

If you have…

  • Fever or feeling feverish/chills
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue (very tired)
  • Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

Then you probably got the flu!

According to experts, the flu usually spreads by droplets, which are made when people with the flu cough, sneeze, or talk. Droplets can enter the mouths or noses of other people. Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. No tissue? Then cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow. Never your hands! And make sure to wash your hands!  The CDC states that a person who seems healthy can infect others “1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick.” So it’s a good idea to get a flu shot ASAP. Both CVS and Walgreens offer flu shots.

It totally sucks to be sick. Please, do yourself and everyone around you a favor, STAY HOME AND GET BETTER!

And if you’re sick and stuck in bed, check out stumbleupon, pinterest, and sporcle!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS