2004 Year in Review

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Dr. Mark Woods on Staying Healthy during Flu Season

Dr. Mark Woods

The lack of adequate flu vaccine in the United States is making headlines but we wondered what each individual person can do in order to stay healthy during the approaching flu season. We interviewed Dr. Mark Woods of The Morrison Family Health Clinic, Thursday October 28, 2004 and he has several suggestions for minimizing a cold and flu bug this year. Dr. Woods emphasized that the flu virus is an airborne virus and is transmitted in that manner and equally is found on many people's hands and then transferred to simple items such as door handles, appliances, grocery carts and anything that is touched by the public.

Dr.Woods emphasizes good hand washing and washing frequently. Whether we want to hear it or not, limit the nose picking when you have a cold or flu, this is how the flu and cold germs get transferred immediately to hands.Each individual needs to make good choices when it comes to going out in public when you have the flu. Should you have the flu symptoms maybe delaying that trip to the shopping mall or to church is a wise choice for not spreading the virus to others.

Although the flu vaccine is in limited supply Dr. Woods said his clinic can at their discretion prescribe the nasal vaccine which they do have at their main clinic in Clinton, IA and they are using that nasal option for patients ages 5 to 50 years old. Dr. Woods went on to explain that the absolute best way to minimize your risk of a bad cold or flu is to both follow the items he mentions but also get plenty of rest and sleep daily, drink fluids such as water daily and eat a well balanced diet. Dr. Woods does not prescribe alternative methods but says if his patients like supplements of Vitamin C, zinc tablets or herbal remedies and the like he is not opposed to letting his patients enjoy those ways of relief and possible minimiziing the effects of colds and flus.

Dr.Woods finished by saying the flu season really starts at the end of the year and there is no projection of any kind whether this flu season will be any better or worse for number of cases versus last year.

by Editor, theCity1.com
October 28, 2004