FLU SHOTS

FLU SHOTS

FLU SHOTS

As regular as tax time, flu season is coming around. Just like
tax time, there will be lots of new nastiness we haven't seen before--and you'd
better be ready. Influenza, "the flu," is not just the aches, fevers,
and fatigue--it can put you in the hospital, or take your life. According to
the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), each year the flu kills about 20,000
people.
The CDC says most of the people seriously harmed by the flu
will be members of its "target populations": People over 65, people
with chronic lung or heart disease, with asthma, or with diabetes.
Why? A serious case of the flu can put anyone on their back
for a week or two, but if you have diabetes, it can cause real problems with
your blood sugar control. The fevers and infections can drive your blood sugars
way up, and it is really hard to self-manage your diabetes when you're that
sick.
Prevention is the best cure! The CDC is already tracking the
strains of flu expected to be here this winter, and vaccinations have been available
since September. Talk to your doctor, and avoid this complication--get your
flu shot.
To learn more about the flu, check out the following website:
http://www.hcfa.gov/flu