Topic: vaccinations

CDC Says Flu Shot Makes You 62% Less Likely To Get The Flu

If you’re following health news at all, you can’t avoid news about the increasingly scary flu season of 2012/2013. With the Centers for Disease control reporting widespread geographic influenza activity in 57, it’s likely that the flu season will continue for weeks, so the CDC held a press conference today to explain what’s happening, and how to prevent it. Over the course of the conference, they threw out an interesting answer to a common question: “How effective is the flu shot?” Apparently this year, the answer is: About 62%. More »

The Hormone Diet: Should You Get The Flu Shot?

Health departments, government agencies, school boards, and even corporations are pushing everyone to get the flu shot to in order to stay sniffle and fever-free. But before you opt for vaccinations, be sure you make an informed decision by considering some of the pros and cons associated with vaccination. More »

Chicken Pox Lollipops: Gross, And Also Not A Safe Way To Avoid Vaccines

According to WSMV-TV, a Nashville, Tennessee mom was selling lollipops contaminated with her kids’ chicken pox-laced saliva via social media networks, for $50 a pop. Can you say creepy? We wouldn’t put a used lollipop in our mouths, even if we DID know exactly where it came from. But gross-out factor aside, her “chicken pox lollipops” (or the more common “chicken pox parties”) also aren’t that safe. In fact, they could be a good way to increase your child’s risk of contracting hepatitis. More »

1 in 10 Parents Still Delaying Or Skipping Vaccinations, Study Says

The court of public opinion has had a roller-coaster relationship with immunizations. But after Jenny McCarthy’s claims were pretty much decried by every scientist ever, it became clear that vaccinations probably don’t cause autism, and in fact, every child should get them. So why are 10% of parents still delaying or denying them altogether? More »

Morning Links: Sam’s Club to Offer $99 Health Screenings

Health Care Comes Cheaper in Bulk – The bulk supply store Sam’s Club (owned by Walmart) will offer $99 health screenings to its members, along with personalized health coaching and 24/7 nurse hotline services. (NPR)

Unconventional (Diet) Wisdom: Don’t Eat Six Small Meals a Day – Most of us have learned to munch throughout the day to boost metabolism, but some nutritionists vouch that three meals a day can be just as good. (That’s Fit)

Pneumonia Vaccine Introduced in Africa – A new vaccine against pneumonia is being introduced in Africa and South America, and could save half a million lives annually. (BBC) More »

Morning Links: Organic Milk Has Healthier Fats

To Vaccinate, Or Not To Vaccinate – Wherever you stand on the issue, it’s interesting to find out why we started fearing the needle in the first place. (New York Times)

Choosing A Good Mate Slows Fertility Decline… in birds, that is. Studies show that choosing the right mate slows the biological clock in some birds. We hope that’s true for humans, too. (ScienceDaily)

Scientists Say Organic Milk Is Healthier – Researchers found that organic milk has healthier fats than non-organic milk. (Grist) More »

U.K. Stricken With Flu Epidemic

If you happen to be traveling in the U.K. these days, you may want to bring along some over-the-counter cold and flu medicine. In just the last week, there’s been a 60% increase in people who are critically ill with the flu in Britain (from 460 to 738). Most of those patients had not been vaccinated and were in high-risk groups for certain strains of the flu. In all, almost 40 people in the U.K. died from the flu in 2010.

I just spent the Christmas holidays in London and Brighton, and can personally attest that everywhere I went (hotel, pub, restaurant, shop, train, tube) there was at least one person sitting next to me who was sneezing into a tissue or coughing into a handkerchief. (I also went to Paris, and the same was true there.) More »

Flu Shot Gallery: 10 Celebrities Who Are For and Against Vaccinations

It was recently reported that one in three Americans have been vaccinated for the flu. While that’s on par with the number of seasonal flu vaccinations in the past, many doctors are hoping that the number will increase before the flu season peaks between January and March. But why listen to doctors when there are so many celebrities willing to inform us about the pros and cons of vaccinations? Save yourself the trouble of waiting in a crowded medical clinic or trying to find time in your schedule for a doctor’s appointment. Instead, if you’re not sure what your stance on immunizations is – and don’t limit your opinion to just flu shots – look to these celebrities for guidance: More »

Scientists Banish Plaque and 1/3 of Us Are Vaccinated: Morning News Roundup

Most People Aren’t Vaccinated — One out of three people got their flu shot this year; a rate that’s ahead of last year’s. (USA Today)

Dental Problems, Solved — Scientists have identified the enzyme that creates plaque, and hope to find inhibitors that will make tooth decay a thing of the past. (Science Daily)

Starbucks Pissed Off Kraft — The coffee giant broke distribution contracts with the packaged food giant, and now they’re going to court. (The Seattle Times) More »

What We're Reading:

A New Strain of Swine Flu: Horrible or Hype?

Just when we thought we were safe, a new strain of swine flu is emerging. So break out your face masks and hand sanitizer, because authorities aren’t sure if the current vaccine will protect against this new mutation. Great — we’re really looking forward to having to get another flu shot. More »

Poll Alert: Will You Get a Flu Shot This Year?

Every year around this time, a question (debate, really) emerges among the health-conscious: To get the flu shot, or not to get the flu shot? That is the question. Some vehemently swear that they stay healthy by avoiding the vaccine, while others get pricked with an annual flu shot no matter what. We know you’ve got an opinion about the flu vaccine, so take our poll and tell us what you think. More »

Flu Shots: Will You Get One This Season?

Another year, another flu season — and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging everyone (except infants under 6 months) to get vaccinated this year. After last year’s flu pandemic, it’s become clear that the flu isn’t just dangerous to babies and the elderly — perfectly healthy children and adults also can be at risk for dangerous complications. This year’s shot will include protection against swine flu and two other strains. More »

Americans’ Immunity to Mumps is Below Ideal: A government study found that only about 90% of Americans, from the young to the middle-aged, have immunity against the mumps virus. That’s at the low end of what’s needed to prevent outbreaks of the infection. (via Reuters)

Possible Breast Cancer Vaccine Discovered: A scientist at Cleveland Clinic has found a vaccine that prevents breast cancer in mice. If all goes well in human testing, the vaccine could be available in ten years. (via USA Today)

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