Fall News 2012

Flu Season Is On the Way!

It’s almost flu season. As it is each year, the flu can take on different forms. Last year’s flu season was quite mild and many attribute that to the fact that more people are getting flu vaccines and following healthy flu prevention guidelines. This year’s flu vaccine will be a mixture of three different viruses…the H1N1 from last year’s vaccine and different forms of the influenza H3N2 and B vaccines from last year.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

The Centers for Disease Control suggest all individuals six months and older be vaccinated. Most vital for vaccinations include:
  • People who suffer with asthma, diabetes and chronic lung diseases
  • Pregnant women
  • Individuals 65 years and older
  • People who live or care for high-risk individuals
When Is Flu Season? The onset of the season can vary from year to year and season to season. Typically, activity can begin as early as October and continue to be seen as late as May, but it usually peaks in January or February. Getting the flu vaccine as early as it is available will cover you through the entire season. How Can I Prevent Getting the Flu? Healthy living is the best defense against flu. In addition to getting that flu vaccination, follow these tips to stay healthy this year:
  • Cover that cough. Flu is airborne so when you sneeze and don’t cover up, it can spread like wildfire. The most effective and sanitary way to cover the cough is to cough into the crook of your arm. That way you are not spreading the virus to your hands and then on to everything else you touch.
  • Keep your hands away from your face. Touching your nose or eyes after touching potentially infected areas spreads the disease.
  • Wash your hands. Use warm water and soap often throughout the day and teach your children to do the same.
  • Healthy Habits. Eat a healthy and balanced diet, get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily and sleep at least eight hours per night.
Follow these tips and you’ll minimize the chances of getting the flu this year. A flu epidemic killed upwards of 50 million people in the United States and Europe during 1918-19. If you weren’t going to get the flu vaccine this year, you might want to reconsider.

Healthy Eating: An Easy & Tasty Recipe

Healthy eating need not be tasteless and difficult to prepare. This recipe combines the zestiness of grilled chicken with a crisp and tasty light Caesar salad. Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad 4 servings | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes Ingredients 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat 1 teaspoon canola oil 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste Freshly ground pepper, to taste 8 cups washed, dried and torn romaine lettuce 1 cup fat-free croutons 1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing, (recipe link) 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese curls, (see tip) Lemon wedges Preparation Prepare a grill or preheat broiler. Rub chicken with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil chicken until browned and no trace of pink remains in the center, three to four minutes per side. Combine lettuce and croutons in a large bowl. Toss with Caesar salad dressing and divide among four plates. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch slices and fan over salad. Top with parmesan curls. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Tip: To make parmesan curls, start with a piece of cheese that is at least four ounces. Use a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler to shave off curls. Nutrition Per serving: 278 calories; 6g fat; 2g sat; 2g mono; 74mg cholesterol; 14g carbohydrates; 34g protein; 1g fiber; 662mg sodium; 308mg potassium One carbohydrate serving From EatingWell: The EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook (2005)

Menopause: A Starter Guide

When you hear the term menopause it can strike confusion, dread and even fear in many women’s minds, but educating yourself on when it can occur and how to tell if it is happening is your first defense. Menopause is quite simply the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle and fertility. The ovaries no longer produce estrogen and progesterone, hence reproduction ceases. While some women can enter menopause at ages as early as late 30s or as late as their 60s, it generally occurs between the ages of 40 and 58. The average age tends to be around 51. Menopause is not an overnight process. It is quite gradual and the journey can take years. Here is a basic overview of the stages: Stage 1: Premenopause: This stage can occur generally around the ages of mid- to late 40s. You don’t exhibit classic menopausal symptoms (see below) but may be having irregular periods. Stage 2: Perimenopause: This stage is the real heart of the process and can last the longest. The onset occurs around 47 years of age and you may start to experience hot flashes, vaginal dryness and mood swings. Stage 3: Once you have not had a period for one year, you can count back to the very last period you had and that is considered your onset of menopause. Any bleeding after this one year free from your period is considered abnormal and should be discussed with your doctor. Stage 4: Postmenopausal: Considered as the last third of a woman’s reproductive life, it may range from the date of your last period until age 100 and beyond! Symptoms of Menopause While some women experience only the cessation of their period as a sign and symptom of menopause, other women may experience more symptoms associated with the decreasing levels of estrogen being produced. These symptoms may include one or more of the following:
  • Mood swings
  • Decreased sex drive
  • Hot flashes
  • Sweating
  • Heart palpitations
  • Headaches
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Vaginal dryness and soreness
Speak to your doctor about remedies and solutions to your specific issues. Many changes are occurring but they can signal a new and wonderful chapter in your life. Educating yourself on what is going to occur is the best and first step in guiding your body and mind through this amazing process. The gynecologists at Wake Women’s Health are very experienced in the treatment of menopause. Schedule an appointment if you would like further consultation. 47-63% of all statistics are made up.

Vaccines. Why Are There Sudden Outbreaks of Diseases That Had Virtually Disappeared?

An alarming trend is occurring across our country. There is a startling increase of formerly preventable diseases that are on the rise. Measles and pertussis (whooping cough) are two of the most prevalent examples of this trend. The question is why is this trend occurring? The answer is that many parents have listened to debunked reports online touting the dangers of vaccinations and have opted out of administering these life-saving vaccines to their children. What can happen to your child without vaccinations is virtually like playing roulette with their health. We live in a society that moves around constantly. With that movement, you can be exposed to a variety of individuals who may have traveled to another country and contracted an illness. If you have been vaccinated, you are protected against contracting that disease. If you have not been vaccinated, you can contract something that can lead to catastrophic illness or fatality. Some parents feel that because a disease such as polio has become virtually eradicated in our country, this is a useless vaccine to give. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is a domino effect. Once you stop administering the vaccine and several carriers enter our country and spread the disease to unvaccinated individuals, suddenly you see a serious uptick in the occurrence of the disease. This is what has occurred with both measles and whooping cough. If you let your guard down against these diseases, they will come raging back and threaten the health of our population. Additionally, while many parents site their belief that vaccines can be linked to autism, that theory was debunked and the study was deemed criminally fraudulent. Vaccines are extremely safe for most of the population. Any vaccine can carry a very small chance of side effects. However, the effectiveness of the vaccination far outweighs the risk of what can happen if you contract the disease. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor. There is a wealth of misinformation about vaccinations online, so the best way to educate yourself is to talk to those who are on the frontlines and who have you or your child’s best interest at heart. The average American will drink about 11,000 gallons of fluid during their life.

Meet Aspire Counseling Group, Our Partner for Therapy and Counseling

Wake Internal Medicine Consultants is part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Blue Quality Physician Program(SM), a certification earned through improved patient care by our practices. Part of this process is partnering with a healthcare provider who specializes in mental health issues. Aspire Counseling Group is that partner and has been for some time. Aspire provides counseling for adults, adolescents, and families. The eight providers are all Licensed Clinical Social Workers and many have additional areas of expertise or licenses. Aspire specializes in counseling and therapy for separation and divorce, women’s issues, young adult and adolescents, couples therapy, and substance abuse. The practice uses a personalized approach to address the issues a patient may be facing. These include therapy for depression or anxiety, parenting support, grief and loss counseling, stress management, and conflict resolution. Visit Aspire Counseling Group’s website https://www.aspiregroupnc.com for more information. Talk to your Wake Internal Medicine doctor to determine if counseling or therapy might be beneficial for your health and well being.