According to a report in HealthDay News, all children and adolescents 6 months of age and older should receive the annual trivalent influenza vaccine this flu season. The updated recommendations are from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The AAP also says special efforts should be made to immunize anyone who falls into the following categories:

all family [...]

Readers of this blog are well aware than many (if not most) Americans have insufficient to deficient levels of vitamin D. Other than prescribing oral vitamin D or vitamin D-containing foods, we doctors were left with prescribing a little sunshine. But, we know that exposing your skin to unprotected UVA or UVB light can increase [...]

In a recent study of Japanese schoolchildren, vitamin D supplements taken during the winter and early spring helped prevent seasonal flu and asthma attacks. Here’s more on the study from Reuters Health:
The idea for the study, study chief Dr. Mitsuyoshi Urashima, told Reuters Health, came from an earlier study looking at whether vitamin D could [...]

As of 15 November 2009, the World Health Association (WHO) is reporting that worldwide more than 206 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 6770 deaths. So, the outlandish predictions that the Swine flu vaccine would cause illness and deaths appear to be false.
According to a [...]

Demand continues to rise for supplements for colds and flu … despite the lack of hard evidence for most of them. However, some may work. Find out more about them here.
Nasal saline irrigation can reduce nasal congestion, sore throat, and cough. I suggest that my patients irrigate once a day or more often if needed.
Zinc [...]

As I recommend the Swine flu vaccine in the office, most healthy adults tell me, “I’ve never had the flu, I have no medical problems, so why should I take it?” The reason was just revealed yesterday when the CDC reported, “of the patients requiring hospitalization, nearly half had previously been in good health.”

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Most of you should be aware, by now, that frequent hand washing not only helps protect you from the flu, but also a variety of other potential infections. It also helps, if you are carrying a disease, to prevent you from spreading it to others. But, should you use hot water or not? And, how [...]

The good news about the Swine flu (2009 H1N1) epidemic is that, so far, it’s been very mild. Most of the patients I’m seeing in the office with Swine flu are no sicker than they would be with the seasonal flu. However, the bad news is that the sickest Swine flu patients require heroic measures [...]

Up to 1/3 of Americans who are asked say that they believe the Swine flu vaccine is not safe and/or it has not been tested enough. Nothing could be further from the truth.

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In an earlier blog, I told you that the only facial apparatus that is likely to protect you from the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus is what they call a “respirator,” which refers to an N95 or higher filtering facepiece respirator certified by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Now a new [...]

I’m getting tons of emails and questions at the practice about the safety of the Swine flu vaccine (the Swine flu is now officially called the “2009 H1N1 influenza). Will it be safe? Will it cause cancer? Will it contain preservatives or adjuvants? One friend wrote: Are you taking it? Are you recommending it to [...]

At my practice, patients are already asking about the safety of H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine – event though it’s not likely to be out for a month or two. Here’s what I am telling them.
More Information:

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ABC News is reporting, that with flu season less than a month away, it isn’t too soon to take steps to protect yourself from influenza. And, since the flu can knock you out for a couple of weeks, catching it can be a setback. Simply watching out for co-workers who have it probably won’t be [...]