Get Your Fix By Needle or Nose... It's Flu Season Again

Well I just got back from getting my flu shot, which is just one more indication that it’s officially Cold and Flu season. I also have to make sure I get all my vitamins and nutrients so I build up my immune system for the winter ahead.

I was told at the Office, that there was a reformulated batch this year. Flu viruses constantly mutate, forcing health authorities to update the vaccine annually to try to counter the strains predicted to be circulating in the population. Two out of the Three strains they planned for last year didn’t match up well, so the vaccine protection was not as good as usual.

This year they changed all three, and are hoping for better results. So far the CDC advises that the Flu viruses circulating in the United States during the summer match those chosen for the vaccine. Those circulating in the southern hemisphere, whose flu season has already taken place, also match the vaccine.

This year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 85 percent of the population should be vaccinated beginning now with either a shot or a nasal spray. The influenza season is expected to peak in January and February,

This means that all children from 6 months up to their 19th birthday get vaccinated. And then in my age group, people 50 and older, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses, health care workers and certain others.

One thing I did not realize was how many people die from the flu each year. Flu kills about 36,000 people and sends 200,000 into the hospital in the United States annually.

A record 143 million to 146 million doses of flu vaccine should be available this year. The CDC said about 141 million doses were produced in last winter's flu season, and 112 million were used. I just reduced that number by one, but I think there should be one left for you.

P.S. If you need some additional support for your immune system click here to start your search from the comfort of your nice warm house. If you order before the end of the month you can get 5% off your order by using a coupon: VIP5OFF. It’s good at checkout, only one coupon can be used and not combined with other offers: Search Over 6,000 other products

Zylene and Advantra-Z, an excellent team for weight loss

Do you feel that the job market is down, so you work longer, or have a second job. Gas prices are soaring, and gulp down our fast food, and can’t find time to exercise like we should. How about all that time in front of the tube or surfing the net?

This lifestyle is typical, and when all these factors combine, it’s not surprising that we’re seeing a dramatic rise in obesity and obesity related diseases (cardiovascular problems, hypertension, type 2 adult onset diabetes, etc. These are real problems in America today.

But you are thinking about your lifestyle and your need to live more healthily – and probably lose weight. Starting a program of healthy living and increased exercise are now a priority in your life and you should be pleased with yourself.

If you want to give that new program of losing those unwanted pounds, you might want to try a weight loss pill like Zylene. Diet pills (or weight loss pills) can be an additional aid for someone wanting to lose weight, and they may help your efforts also.

When you see the weight you have lost with the help of a diet pill plus improved diet and exercise, this builds motivation to keep on with your weight loss plans and reach the target weight that’s right for your height and bone size.

Zylene works in many ways to help you achieve your target body weight. Zylene acts as an appetite suppressant. This is a real aid during the initial stages of any diet plan, whether you’re trying a particular diet plan (e.g. Atkins, South Beach, etc.) or just trying choose things that are lower in fat and sugar.

Sugar is one of the top three addictions to break (the other two are cocaine and caffeine), so being able to curb your cravings can help you change your habits.

And because Zylene is an appetite suppressant, it can help you if you’re trying to eat less, since it reduces the desire to eat. Zylene also contains many natural ingredients that work together to make Zylene more than just an appetite suppressant.

Some of these herbal ingredients lower bad cholesterol, which means that you not only lose weight, you have the chance to reverse some of the health problems caused by poor diet and lack of exercise.

Other ingredients in Zylene increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin, and thus reduces your chance of developing Type 2 diabetes.

In Type 2 diabetes, which usually happens as you approach 40, your cells become desensitised to the amounts of insulin that are produced to deal with a high-sugar, high-carb diet and so do not respond to the body’s natural insulin. Increasing insulin sensitivity with Zylene is one way to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The herb Hoodia is certainly popular within the diet industry these days, and dieters may be attracted to Zylene due to its inclusion. Hoodia, has been shown to generate real weight loss, due to appetite suppression.

It is also believed by many that results will be much more significant when this herb is paired with a powerful fat burner.

I strongly suggest if you are interested in more natural approaches, to look into products with Hoodia and Advantra-Z®, (which is a patented, potent metabolism booster.)

The Common Cold Vs. Me in a Classic Battle

I woke up this morning with a scratchy throat, and my eyes burn like I didn’t get to bed until very late, or read for eight straight hours. I fear I have a summer cold. Is there a cure? Of course there is, it’s called the immune system. And when it’s working properly, it deals with most colds pretty quick.

My approach to cold relief relies on boosting immune response. Zinc, Echinacea and Vitamin C are the leading non-drug remedies for colds, and provide significant relief for most people.

Do these natural remedies really work? According to more and more experts, the answer is, “Yes.”

ZINC: CAN IT CUT YOUR COLD TIME IN HALF?

One of the most exciting natural cold remedies, zinc lozenges, can reduce the average duration of cold symptoms in half, according to several important studies. In one randomized, double-blind study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (7/00) and conducted at the Detroit Medical Center in Michigan, cold duration was effectively cut from 8.1 to 4.5 days. The duration of coughs was reduced from 6.3 days for the placebo group to 3.1 days for those using zinc lozenges.

In a 1996 study at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, zinc lozenges reduced the average duration of cold symptoms from 7 days to only 4. The study participants were employees of the Clinic. They started using zinc lozenges or dummy placebo lozenges within 24 hours of the onset of cold symptoms. The results: the median time for all symptoms to disappear was 7.6 days for the placebo group; the zinc group recovered in 4.4 days.

This study confirms results of several earlier tests. In a 1983 study at the University of Texas, zinc lozenges reduced the average duration of cold symptoms from nine days to only three.

A 1992 study at Dartmouth College, supported the efficiency of 23 mg. Zinc lozenges. How does zinc work? Zinc ions may interfere with the replication of cold viruses in the throat, according to George Eby, who conducted the initial study on zinc. But more recent research suggests that zinc may owe its cold-fighting properties to its effect on our immune system, rather than directly on the virus. In either case, many experts now recommend sucking on a 23 mg. zinc lozenge every two hours at the first sign of a cold.

ECHINACEA: HERBAL DEFENSE

The immune enhancing properties of this popular herb are now well documented in the medical literature. Over 300 journal articles confirming the effectiveness of echinacea have appeared in the past decade. Herbalist Christopher Hobbs recommends taking a “protective dose” of 6-8 echinacea capsules or 2-3 droppers of extract a day when exposed to others with colds or during the early stages of a cold.

These dosages should be doubled or tripled during a full-blown cold. Some research also suggests that large doses of echinacea work best in a ten-day course, but that smaller doses may be taken on a daily basis.

So armed with this information, I have ordered my supplements on line, express delivery, and because I have trained hard for this fight, am confident that I will put a hurt on this so called common cold, and will come out the winner.

I predict it will be over quickly!