Should You Get a Flu Shot?

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated for the flu.  Flu viruses tend to change each year and thus you need the new vaccine developed to prevent the current year's strain.  October is a good time of year to get your vaccination, but as late as March will still provide some benefit.

The flu vaccines are either dead virus particles or weakened viruses and thus cannot give you the flu.  They do stimulate your immune system to develop antibodies against the actual flu virus.  It takes about two weeks after immunization for you to be fully protected.

Side effects from the flu shot can be a sore arm from the injection and occasionally short-term low grade fever and body aches.  The nasal spray flu vaccine may cause congestion, runny nose, sore throat and cough.

Ask your doctor what form of flu vaccination is best for you. 

Thousands of people die from the flu and its effects each year in the U.S..  Taking advantage of the protection of flu vaccination is a healthy choice for most people.

Diabetics and Fast Foods - Is This a Good Combo?

The American Diabetic Association (www.diabetes.org) has listed a number of tips for eating at fast food restaurants.  These tips are for diabetics, but everyone should follow them to stay healthy and still enjoy the experience of eating out.

The following tips are from the ADA website:

• Know that an average fast-food meal can run as high as 1000 calories or more, and raise your blood sugar above your target range.
• Know the nutritional value of the foods you order. Although there are some good choices, most fast-food items are high in fat and calories.
• If you're having fast-food for one meal, let your other meals that day contain healthier foods, like fruits and vegetables.
• Think about how your food will be cooked. Chicken and fish can be good choices - but not if they are breaded and deep fried.

If breakfast is your fast-food meal, choose a plain bagel, toast, or English muffin. Other muffins may be loaded with sugar and fat. Add fruit juice or low-fat or fat-free milk. Order cold cereal with fat-free milk, pancakes without butter, or plain scrambled eggs. Limit bacon and sausage because they are high in fat.

The fast food we eat may stick around a lot longer than we'd like. It may linger in our bodies as excess blood fats and extra pounds.

• Watch out for words like jumbo, giant, deluxe, biggie-sized or super-sized. Larger portions mean more calories. They also mean more fat, cholesterol and salt. Order a regular or junior-sized sandwich instead.
• Choose grilled or broiled sandwiches with meats such as lean roast beef, turkey or chicken breast, or lean ham. Order items plain, without toppings, rich sauces, or mayonnaise. Add flavor with mustard, and crunch with lettuce, tomato, and onion.
• Skip the croissant or biscuit. Eat your sandwich on a bun, bread or English muffin and save calories and fat.
• Stay away from double burgers or "super" hot dogs with cheese, chili, or sauces. Cheese carries an extra 100 calories per ounce, as well as added fat and sodium.
• Go for the salad bar, but watch out for high-fat toppings like dressings, bacon bits, cheeses, and croutons. Even too much low-calorie dressing can add up. Check the calories on the packet. Also limit salad bar items that are dressed with a lot of mayo, such as potato or macaroni salad. Fill your salad with things like carrots, peppers, onion, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and etc.
• Order bean burritos, soft tacos, fajitas, and other non-fried items when eating Mexican fast foods. Choose chicken over beef. Limit refried beans. Or ask if they have beans that aren't refried. Pile on extra lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa. Go easy on cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Watch out for deep-fried taco salad shells - a taco salad can have more than 1,000 calories!
• Pizza can be a good fast food choice. Go for thin crust pizza with vegetable toppings. Limit to 1-2 slices. Meat and extra cheese add calories, fat and sodium.
• End your meal with sugar-free, fat-free frozen yogurt or a small cone of fat-free yogurt. Better still, bring a piece of fresh fruit from home. Ices, sorbets, and sherbets have less fat and fewer calories than ice cream. But they are chock full of sugar. They can send your blood sugar too high if you don't work the extra carbohydrate into your meal plan.
• Be alert for traps. Fat-free muffins for breakfast may have plenty of sugar. Skinless fried chicken can have almost as much fat as the regular kind. Chinese food may seem like a healthy choice, but many dishes are deep fried or high in fat and sodium, especially in the sauces. 

It is always a challenge for diabetics to decide what to eat in order to keep good control of blood glucose levels.  The key is to always think before you eat so you don't consume food impulsively and then regret it later.