Arm yourself against the flu for kids’ sake, says actress and mom Sarah Chalke. Photo by Eric Reed/AP Images on behalf of Faces of Influenza.

Flu is a big deal and it hit early and hard. But it’s not too late to get a flu shot: flu season can last as late as May. “Like all mothers, I do whatever I can to keep my son healthy—and that includes getting him immunized against the flu. I’ve learned that everyone is at risk of catching and transmitting this disease. So my family and I get annual vaccines to make sure we don’t spread the virus to him,” says actress Sarah Chalke, known for playing Dr. Elliot Reid on the hit TV series Scrubs and starring in the comedy series How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) set to premiere in April.

The widely available vaccine is a good match for circulating flu bugs and immunity kicks in after two weeks. Federal health experts recommend that everyone 6 months of age and older be immunized annually, yet fewer than half of children ages 6 months to 17 years were immunized during the 2011-2012 flu season. Flu can lead to severe complications, even death, for patients or those with whom they come into contact. Each year in the U.S., influenza and its related complications result in an average of 226,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 to 49,000 deaths.

No vaccine is perfect. To boost your defense during outbreaks, avoid crowds and keep hands away from your face because pesky flu viruses can lurk for hours on hard surfaces. Six of the grimiest places you encounter through the day include: the kitchen sink, elevator controls (especially the first floor button), shopping cart handles, purses, playgrounds, gym equipment, and the office phone, according to leading commercial cleaning franchisor Coverall Health-Based Cleaning System®.

Learn more about the flu at facesofinfluenza.org.

Flu News with Scrubs Alum Sarah Chalke The Saturday Evening Post

To fight the flu, the CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine, practicing good hygiene, and taking antivirals if prescribed.

Click image to enlarge infographic.

Another flu vaccine? Absolutely. And now’s the time! Flu is a big deal, costing millions of dollars in healthcare and lost wages—and causing days or weeks of misery. Getting vaccinated is the best way for you (and others within six feet of coughs and sneezes) to stay healthy. This year, three vaccines are available at pharmacies and doctors’ offices for people ages 18 to 64: a nasal-spray, a regular flu shot, and one featuring an ultra-thin needle. Additionally, a high-dose flu shot is approved for the 65-plus set.

Each flu season is unique and unpredictable. The 2011/2012 season began in February 2012—the latest start in 24 years. So, be prepared. Get vaccinated now. Then, follow the flu with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Flu Map or the free “Fight the Flu” app from FluFACTS. When the super-contagious respiratory infection comes to your town, avoid crowds when you can. Vaccines are not 100 percent effective and the disease spreads easily wherever people congregate—in child care centers, schools, office buildings, auditoriums, and public transit systems. It takes most people two days to two weeks to recover from the flu, according to the CDC.

Older Americans are hit especially hard by the flu, accounting for 90 percent of flu-related deaths. Click here for critical information from the CDC and the National Council on Aging urging all older adults to get a flu vaccine.

Another Flu Vaccine? Really? The Saturday Evening Post

Top “Flu Buster” Foods

• Whey Protein: Popular among the bodybuilding crowd, whey protein contains key substances called immunoglobulins or immune peptides that support a healthy immune system.
• Cultured Yogurt: Check labels of yogurt products for active cultures representing a class of “friendly” bacteria (probiotics) found throughout the GI tract.  The intestinal tract is the largest immune organ in the body, and probiotics help fend off germs that make you sick.
• Mushrooms: Once thought to be void of nutrients, recent research shows that most mushroom varieties contain antiviral constituents called polysaccharides that shore up the immune system.
• Elderberry: Cooked into jam and syrup, or mixed with cranberries for a special sauce, elderberries have been shown to prevent replication of the flu virus. Preliminary findings suggest that the berries may speed recovery from the flu.
• Garlic: This aromatic bulb contains several constituents, such as allicin, with proven antimicrobial effects. Warding off nasty bugs by generously adding garlic to foods may boost immune resistance and help prevent flu.
• Oats: In addition to the grain’s cholesterol-lowering effects, components in oats called beta glucans are powerful immune regulating compounds that have been studied with positive effects in animals and humans.

Honorable mentions: Fish for omega 3’s, nuts for zinc and selenium, sweet potatoes for beta carotene, and citrus fruits for vitamin C are all important nutrients that support a healthy immune system.

“Daily exercise, healthy diet, supplements, being hydrated, and getting adequate rest, help provide a potent arsenal to prevent the flu,” says Germano, who is also Chief Science Officer for Surgex. “Another healthy tip that can never be said enough?  Don’t forget to wash your hands frequently!”

When is the Flu Contagious?

Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5-7 days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for longer than seven days. Symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Some persons can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons may still spread the virus to others, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Who Should Get a Flu Shot?

Nearly everyone. For the first time, the CDC is recommending that everyone over six months old be vaccinated  to protect themselves and others from flu symptoms and complications that can put the heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, and brain at risk.

Flu-Buster Foods The Saturday Evening Post