1) The CDC (Center for Disease Control), the premier institution for monitoring infectious disease in America, recommends routine annual influenza vaccination for all persons aged > 6 months who do not have contraindications.
2) Optimally, vaccination should occur in September or October of 2016, before the peak influenza season in January and February of 2017. It is a fallacy that early vaccination results in decreased immunity later, during the seasonal peak. 3) Children aged 6 months through 8 years require two doses of influenza vaccine (administered > 4 weeks apart) during their first season of vaccination in order to optimize protective antibody response. Children may get either the intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) or the inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV). 4) Adults usually receive IIV. Healthy persons aged 2-49 years may receive either LAIV or IIV. 5) LAIV should not be used in the following populations: A:) Persons aged < 2 years or > 49 years. B) Children aged 2 through 17 years who are receiving aspirin or aspirin-containing products (increases risk of developing Reye's Syndrome). C) Persons who have experienced severe allergic reactions to the vaccine or to a previous dose of any influenza vaccine. D) Pregnant women E) Immunocompromised persons F) Persons with a history of egg allergy G) Children aged 2 through 4 years who have asthma or have had a wheezing episode within the past 12 months. H) Persons who have taken influenza antiviral medication within the previous 48 hours. 6) IIV should not be given in the following populations: A) Persons with egg allergy B) Persons who have developed Guillian-Barre Syndrome after a previous influenza vaccination. 7) Persons receiving the inactivated vaccine (IIV) can develop mild constitutional symptoms, but cannot contract influenza because the virus is inactivated ("dead"). 8) Every year 30,000-40,000 persons in America, who are not vaccinated, die from influenza. This number can be astronomically reduced if only every qualified person participated in the vaccination program. 9) The following reasons that persons offer for refusal to receive influenza vaccinations include: A) I have never contracted the "flu" in the past. B) I might contract the "flu" from the vaccine. C) The vaccine causes ADHD. D) The vaccine causes autism. E) I do not believe in vaccines. These excuses are facile and scientifically invalid. Parents who follow this course of inaction are placing their lives and the lives of their children at serious risk of dying from a preventable disease. As an adult and responsible parent, do you really want to roll the dice when what is at stake is the life of you and your family? The efficacy of the live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) is very low compared to that of the inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV). Therefore, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the IIV vaccine for all children and adults and discontinuation of the LAIV intranasal vaccine. The CDC also recommends an annual influenza vaccination for everyone, the exception being those few individuals with a specific contraindication, such as severe allergic reaction to a previous flu vaccine, or to egg protein, or a history of Guillian-Barre Syndrome within 6 weeks of previous influenza vaccination.
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A) The most common kidney stones are composed of calcium oxalate. B) Patients with this type of kidney stone can benefit from a diet that reduces dietary oxalate and increases dietary calcium. C) The following six steps can reduce the rush of developing calcium oxalate stones. 1) Keep yourself well hydrated, especially during the hot, humid summer months. Drink plenty of fluids. The goal should be 10-12 glasses per day of water or other beverage that is calorie-free. 2) Eat fewer high oxalate foods. The more oxalate that is absorbed from the digestive tract, the more oxalate in your urine. Examples of high-oxalate foods to limit are: Spinach Potato chips Bran flakes French fries Rhubarb Nuts and nut butters Beets Beer 3) Increase the amount of calcium in your diet. Low amounts of calcium in your diet will increase the risk of forming calcium oxalate stones. Calcium binds oxalate in the intestines. A diet rich in calcium helps reduce the amount of oxalate being absorbed by the intestines, so stones are less likely to form. Eat calcium-rich foods and beverages every day from dairy or other calcium-rich foods. Most calcium is found in dark leafy greens and dairy products. The following are examples of calcium-rich foods: A.) Dark, leafy greens (watercress, kale, dandelion and turnip greens, arugula and collards B.) Low-fat cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, swiss and cheddar) C.) Low-fat milk and yogurt D.) Chinese cabbage (Bok Choy) E.) Fortified soy products F.) okra G.) green snap beans H.) almonds I.) Sardines in oil J.) Pink salmon, anchovies, and shrimp It is helpful to eat high-calcium foods at the same time as high oxalate foods. For example, have low-fat cheese with a spinach salad or yogurt with berries. If you take a calcium supplement, calcium citrate is the preferred form. 4) Limit Vitamin C content in your diet Oxalate is produced as an end product of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) metabolism. Large doses of vitamin C may increase the amount of oxalate in the urine, increasing the risk of kidney stone formation. If you are taking a supplement, do not take more than 500 mg. of vitamin C daily. 5) Limit dietary protein Eating large amounts of protein may increase the risk of kidney stone formation. Eat no more than 4-6 ounces per day. 6) Reduce the amount of sodium in the diet Reduce the amount of sodium in the diet to 2000 mg. per day. This means limit eating processed foods such as hot dogs, deli meats, sausage, canned foods, dry soup mixes, sauerkraut, and pickles. 1) Ingredients 12 fresh asparagus spears 2 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise 1 Tbsp. sweet brown mustard 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. grated lemon peel, divided 2) Procedure A) Steam asparagus until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse under cold water . Chill . B) Combine mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice in small bowl. Stir in 1/2 tsp lemon peel. C) Divide asparagus between 2 plates. Spoon 2 Tbsp. dressing over each serving . Top with 1/4 tsp. lemon peel. Servings: 2 Calories per serving: 39 |
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