prevention and fitness – Page 35 – watercress words by Dr Aletha

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6 Tips to Cope During a Flu Epidemic

The post discusses influenza, emphasizing its symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention, particularly through vaccination. It acknowledges the similarities between influenza and COVID-19 symptoms. Antiviral medications like Tamiflu and Xofluza are mentioned for treatment. The article promotes awareness of complications, especially for high-risk individuals, and encourages preventive measures to protect oneself and others.

Keep reading

If you think you have “the flu”, you probably don’t.

To many people “the flu” is any respiratory illness characterized by some combination of fever, cough, congestion, fatigue and aches. That term has become so nonspecific even we doctors use it that way. But it more correctly refers to influenza, which is just one of many viruses that cause illness. The illnesses caused by the other viruses are usually called “colds”, upper respiratory infections, aka URIs, bronchitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis and pneumonia.

The human respiratory system — The respiratory tract including the nose, sinuses, mouth, throat, trachea, bronchi in blue and the lungs (pink). Infections can involve the breathing organs from the nose all the way down to the lungs. (photo complimentary from Pixabay)

If your doctor thinks you have “the flu”, you probably do.

Prior to the availability of the “rapid flu” test, we doctors diagnosed influenza the characteristic symptoms, confirmatory findings on exam, and knowing there was an outbreak in the community. The test is not absolutely necessary but is helpful for confirmation in the event the illness doesn’t progress as expected. Besides, we can charge for it and patients have come to expect it now.

3. The best way to prevent influenza is by vaccination.

The World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) , the National Foundation for Infectious Disease and every other reputable medical organization recommends vaccination against influenza. People refuse vaccination (some even at recommendations of physicians) because they believe it is ineffective, unnecessary, dangerous, toxic, unnatural, subversive, and who knows what else. And I don’t think I or anyone else am going to change their minds.

My family and I always get vaccinations which have successfully protected us without side effects or adverse reactions. There are risks, just like there are with any medical procedure, or lots of other things we do in life. In this case we have decided the benefit outweighs the risk.

If you want to avoid getting influenza, avoid being around people who may be infected.

This means everyone, since one may be contagious 2 to 3 days before symptoms. It’s not a coincidence that influenza outbreaks coincide with the American holiday season (approximately November through January). So to protect us all,

Stay home if you are sick, and ask your family, co-workers and employees to do the same.
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing
Wash your hands frequently.
Wash frequently touched surfaces frequently.

If you do get sick, don’t ask your doctor for an antibiotic.It will not help.

Antibiotics attack bacteria. Influenza and 99% of all respiratory illnesses are due to viruses.

There are 4 antiviral drugs that will “shorten the duration and severity of symptoms” by 1-2 days, if started early. The effectiveness is uncertain for an illness that will resolve within 10-14 days regardless. But if it gets you back to school or work a day earlier, it may be worth the cost-they are not cheap drugs.

Otherwise, the treatment is“symptomatic” or “supportive” care:

Rest; eat and drink as normally as possible; extra fluids if running a fever
Non-prescription cough/congestion /pain/fever meds

Here are general guidelines on what to do if you get a respiratory illness.

You can die from influenza, but you probably won’t.

I cringed last year when a friend wrote on her social media page, “My doctor said, ‘No one dies of the flu’.” And, technically, that is true. People die from complications of influenza, and infants, young children and the elderly have greatest risk.The most common fatal complication is bacterial pneumonia, infection in the lung. Influenza can also attack the nervous system causing brain inflammation (encephalitis and/or meningitis) and paralysis in the form of Guillain Barre syndrome .

an xray of healthy lungs with no signs of pneumonia. — Healthy lungs with no signs of pneumonia.

Persons with chronic illnesses like diabetes, lung disorders, depressed immune systems and cancer are at greater risk of complications and should always consult a physician if feeling ill. If you are not sure if you fall into that category, ask your doctor.

Influenza is a disease to take seriously; consider my suggestions, talk to your doctor, and stay healthy this season.

This post has been updated July 22, 2021

On this blog we’ve looked at

how lifestyle changes can make losing weight possible and

which weight loss programs work best.

But what if those do not work? Studies show that any low fat, low carb , or other restricted calorie diet can lower weight, but then weight tends to plateau and may even rise again.

For severely overweight people, especially with a BMI of 30 or more, this means that even if they lose weight, they still have not reached a healthy weight. For them, some type of weight loss (bariatric) surgery may be considered.

For some, medication is a good option for weight loss. — For some people, medication is an acceptable option for weight loss.

One option is prescription medication. Prescribing drugs for weight loss is not new, and has been an approach used by some retail weight loss clinics, “weight doctors”, for years.

Most of these programs used stimulant type drugs, amphetamines, to decrease appetite. People do lose weight on these because they eat less, but the drugs’ effect tends to diminish with time. They also have high potential for abuse and dependence.

When the non-amphetamine drug Meridia (sibutramine) was released, we thought we had found the solution- an effective drug without the risk and side effects. of amphetamines. However, once a significant risk of serious cardiac effects was found, its use was suspended.

Another drug, orlistat, seemed promising. Known by the brand names of Xenical and Alli, it works in the gut to block the absorption of fat. But patients found the unpleasant side effects of gas, diarrhea and oily stools not worth the benefit.

In past few years several new drugs have come to the party.

Belviq, lorcaserin, a serotonin agonist with uncertain action on appetite; as of September 2020, this has been withdrawn from the market.

Qysmia, a combination of two drugs- phentermine/topiramate,a stimulant and an antiseizure drug,

Contrave, also a combo -naltrexone, used for alcohol dependence and bupropion, an antidepressant

Saxenda, liraglutide; unique in that it is taken by subcutaneous (SC) injection similar to insulin; it also is used for diabetes under the name Victoza

Wegovy, semaglutide, also a subcutaneous injection, given just once weekly, rather than daily like Saxendra

Please note: none of these drugs are approved for use in pregnancy, and are in fact contraindicated, meaning they are unsafe in pregnancy and probably unsafe while breastfeeding.

These drugs all work in the brain to control appetite and increase satiety, the feeling of fullness. The long term solution to preventing and reversing obesity may lie in finding new ways to control the processes in the brain that control eating behavior. Much of obesity management research is directed to this area.

Learn more about the use and side effects of these drugs here-

via Diet Pills, Prescription Weight Loss Drugs, Appetite Suppressants.