“Flu viruses are divided into four types: A, B, C, and D. During flu season (October through May), you’ll mostly hear about flu A and flu B. Flu C viruses only cause mild illness in humans and are not linked to large outbreaks. Flu D viruses do not appear to infect humans at all and are mainly found in cattle.

Now that we know there are two main types of flu viruses that affect humans, you may be wondering: Which flu is worse, A or B? Answering that question starts with learning more about their differences and how they affect us.

While flu A and flu B both cause seasonal flu, there are several differences in terms of their structure, behavior, and who they impact.

Flu A is the more common of the two main flu types, making up about 75% of all cases.”

National Council on Aging – NCOA (https://www.ncoa.org/article/whats-the-difference-between-flu-a-and-flu-b/)

The CDC states the following:

“There are four types of influenza viruses: A, B, C and D. Human influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal epidemics of disease (known as flu season) almost every winter in the United States. Influenza A viruses are the only influenza viruses known to cause flu pandemics, i.e., global epidemics of flu disease. A pandemic can occur when a new and different influenza A virus emerges that both infects people and has the ability to spread efficiently among people. Influenza C virus infections generally cause mild illness and are not thought to cause human epidemics. Influenza D viruses primarily affect cattle and are not known to infect or cause illness in people.

Influenza A viruses are divided into subtypes based on two proteins on the surface of the virus: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). There are 18 different hemagglutinin subtypes and 11 different neuraminidase subtypes (H1 through H18 and N1 through N11, respectively). While more than 130 influenza A subtype combinations have been identified in nature, primarily from wild birds, there are potentially many more influenza A subtype combinations given the propensity for virus “reassortment.” Reassortment is a process by which influenza viruses swap gene segments. Reassortment can occur when two influenza viruses infect a host at the same time and swap genetic information. Current subtypes of influenza A viruses that routinely circulate in people include: A(H1N1) and A(H3N2). Influenza A subtypes can be further broken down into different genetic “clades” and “sub-clades.” See the “Influenza Viruses” graphic below for a visual depiction of these classifications.

Currently circulating influenza A(H1N1) viruses are related to the pandemic 2009 H1N1 virus that emerged in the spring of 2009 and caused a flu pandemic (CDC 2009 H1N1 Flu website). These viruses, scientifically called the “A(H1N1)pdm09 virus,” and more generally called “2009 H1N1,” have continued to circulate seasonally since then and have undergone genetic changes and changes to their antigenic properties (i.e., the properties of the virus that affect immunity).

Influenza A(H3N2) viruses also change both genetically and antigenically. Influenza A(H3N2) viruses have formed many separate, genetically different clades in recent years that continue to co-circulate.

Influenza B viruses are not divided into subtypes, but instead are further classified into two lineages: B/Yamagata and B/Victoria. Similar to influenza A viruses, influenza B viruses can then be further classified into specific clades and sub-clades. Influenza B viruses generally change more slowly in terms of their genetic and antigenic properties than influenza A viruses, especially influenza A(H3N2) viruses. Influenza surveillance data from recent years shows co-circulation of influenza B viruses from both lineages in the United States and around the world. However, the proportion of influenza B viruses from each lineage that circulate can vary by geographic location and by season. In recent years, flu B/Yamagata viruses have circulated much less frequently in comparison to flu B/Victoria viruses globally.”.

Consider the FLU VACCINE!

“Enjoy a safe and happy holiday season by doing the following:

● Place candles where they cannot be knocked down or blown over, and out of reach of children
● Keep matches and lighters up high and out of reach of children in a locked cabinet
● Use flameless rather than lighted candles near flammable objects
● Don’t burn trees, wreaths or wrapping paper in the fireplace
● Use a screen on the fireplace at all times when a fire is burning
● Never leave candles or fireplaces burning unattended or when you are asleep
● Check and clean the chimney and fireplace area at least once a year

● Prepare your car for winter and keep an emergency kit with you
● Get a good night’s sleep before departing and avoid drowsy driving
● Leave early, planning ahead for heavy traffic
● Make sure every person in the vehicle is properly buckled up no matter how long or short the distance traveled
● Put that cell phone away; many distractions occur while driving, but cell phones are the main culprit
● Practice defensive driving

● Keep potentially poisonous plants – mistletoe, holly berries, Jerusalem cherry and amaryllis – away from children
● If using an artificial tree, check that it is labeled “fire resistant”
● If using a live tree, cut off about 2 inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption, remember to water it, and remove it from your home when it is dry
● Place your tree at least 3 feet away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources, making certain not to block doorways
● Avoid placing breakable ornaments or ones with small, detachable parts on lower tree branches where small children can reach them
● Only use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors, and choose the right ladder for the task when hanging lights”

National Safety Council (https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/seasonal-safety/winter-safety/holiday)

Safety in the house with decorations:

Turn off and unplug decorations when leaving the house or going to bed.

Use decorations that have safety certification labels.

Use battery-operated candles to avoid shock or fire

Inspect electrical connections before use and don’t leave any lithium battery operated things in your house.

Here a few tips to stay healthy in December:

Light Your Tree, but Not on Fire: Christmas trees are reported to cause 200+ structure fires annually. Pick a flame retardant tree or a live, healthy tree with fresh green needles that don’t fall off easily. Make sure to keep all trees at least 3 feet away from all heat sources.

Deck the Halls Safely: Fires caused by decorative lights account for $7.9 million in property damages annually. Use safe lighting that’s tested, rated and stamped with the (UL)) label. Make sure your lighting isn’t frayed and that you use only 3 sets of lights per extension cord.

Cook with Care: 2/3 of all holiday fires start in the kitchen. Don’t leave your pots and pans unattended!

More tips regarding your diet:

• Exercise regularly
• Stay away from tempting foods and eat slower
• Wear clothes that can keep you warm
• Avoid sugary drinks and foods
• Drink more water
• Visit your doctor regularly to diagnose health problems before they become worse

“The scientific evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that appropriate hand hygiene is the single most effective action to stop the spread of infection, while integrated with other critical measures.

• • Appropriate hand hygiene prevents up to 50% of avoidable infections acquired during health care delivery, including those affecting the health work force.
  • The WHO multimodal hand hygiene improvement strategy has proved to be highly effective, leading to a significant improvement in key hand hygiene indicators, a reduction in health care-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance, and substantially helping to stop outbreaks.
  • Appropriate hand hygiene reduces the risk on SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – infection among health workers.
  • Investing in hand hygiene yields huge returns. Implementation of hand hygiene policies can generate economic savings averaging 16 times the cost of their implementation.

Hand hygiene compliance is recommended as one of the key performance indicators for infection prevention and control programmes, patient safety and quality of health services worldwide.”

World Health Organization-WHO (https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hand-hygiene-day/2021/key-facts-and-figures)

• All Posts

Facts about Handwashing:

• On average, you come into contact with 300 surfaces every 30 minutes, exposing you to 840,000 germs.
• Only about 5% of people wash their hands correctly.
• Most people only wash their hands for 6 seconds.
• Around 33% of people don’t use soap when washing their hands.
• Up to 80% of communicable diseases are transferred by touch.
• Proper handwashing can reduce diarrhea rates  by 40% and respiratory infections by close to 20%.
• Failing to wash hands correctly contributes to nearly 50% of all foodborne illness outbreaks.
• Only 20% of people wash their hands before preparing food, and 39% before eating food.
• About 7% of women and 15% of men do not wash their hands at all after using the bathroom.
• Most bacteria on our hands is on the fingertips and under the nails. The number of bacteria on our fingertips doubles after using the bathroom. Most people wash the palms of their hands and miss everything else.
• Damp hands are 1,000x more likely to spread bacteria than dry hands. Only about 20% of people dry their hands after washing them.
• There is fecal matter on 10% of credit cards, 14% of banknotes and 16% of cellphones.
• Approximately 39% of people don’t wash their hands after sneezing, coughing or after blowing their nose.
• Elevator buttons harbor 22% more bacteria than toilet seats.
• Reminder signs are successful in encouraging more handwashing.
• Dirty sinks result in less handwashing.
• Handwashing rates are higher in the mornings than evenings.

If everyone did handwashing properly many infections could be decreased from respiratory, nasal, to foodborne illnesses.  Good handwashing techniques can block alot of illnesses.  While the majority of people as high as 95% claim to practice proper hand hygiene, studies show that only 67% of people practice any sort of hand hygiene.

“Handwashing with soap removes germs from hands. This helps prevent infections because:

• People frequently touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without even realizing it. Germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth and make us sick.
• Germs from unwashed hands can get into foods and drinks while people prepare or consume them. Germs can multiply in some types of foods or drinks, under certain conditions, and make people sick.
• Germs from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, like handrails, tabletops, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands.

Teaching people about handwashing helps them and their communities stay healthy. Handwashing education in the community:

• Reduces the number of people who get sick with diarrhea by 23-40%
• Reduces diarrheal illness in people with weakened immune systems by 58%
• Reduces respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 16-21%
• Reduces absenteeism due to gastrointestinal illness in schoolchildren by 29-57%”

Center for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/data-research/facts-stats/index.html)

When & How to Wash Your Hands

Keeping hands clean through improved hand hygiene is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water. If clean, running water is not accessible, as is common in many parts of the world, use soap and available water. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to clean hands.

When should you wash your hands?

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage

How should you wash your hands?

• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

What should you do if you don’t have soap and clean, running water?

Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs on them in most situations. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs and might not remove harmful chemicals.

Hand sanitizers are not as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.

How do you use hand sanitizers?

• Apply the product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).
• Rub your hands together.
• Rub the product over all surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry.

 Almost everyone has dropped food on the floor and still wanted to eat it. Some people apply the “5-second rule” — that random saying about how food won’t become contaminated with bacteria if you pick it up off the floor in 5 seconds or less.

The 5-second rule has become such a part of our culture that scientists actually tested it. As you can probably guess, they found that the “rule” is mostly myth: Bacteria can attach to food even if you pick it up super fast. So, depending on which types of bacteria happen to climb on board, you could still get sick.

Here are two facts to consider whenever you feel tempted by the 5-second rule:

1. A clean-looking floor isn’t necessarily clean. A shiny linoleum floor is probably cleaner than a 1970s-era carpet. But even clean, dry floors can harbor bacteria. Newly washed floors are only as clean as the tools used to wash them (picture eating food off the mop in the cafeteria if you need a visual). Even with a brand-new mop or sponge, stubborn germs can still remain on the floor after cleaning.
2. Fast is better — but it may not be fast enough. Although a piece of food does pick up more bacteria the longer it’s on the floor, bacteria can attach to it instantly. So any food that makes contact with the floor can get contaminated if conditions are right. And foods with wet surfaces, like an apple slice, pick up bacteria easily.

When in Doubt, Toss It Out

Some bacteria are not harmful. But others can torture you with miserable stuff like diarrhea. Even if there’s no visible dirt on your food, you can still get sick. You just can’t tell what kinds of bacteria may be lurking on the floor.

So what are you to do with the piece of watermelon that just slipped from your grip? The safest choice is to throw it out. Or let the dog have it. (And there’s another thing to consider — even the 5-second rule can’t get around the fact that your food may have landed right in a spot where Fido parked his butt.)

“There are a variety of techniques that may help you stay healthy and deal better with memory and mental skills. Here are some tips:

• Learn a new skill.
• Follow a daily routine.
• Plan tasks, make to-do lists, and use memory tools such as calendars and notes.
• Put your wallet or purse, keys, phone, and glasses in the same place each day.
• Stay involved in activities that can help both the mind and body.
• Volunteer in your community, at a school, or at your place of worship.
• Spend time with friends and family.

Signs that it might be time to talk with a doctor include:

• Asking the same questions over and over again
• Getting lost in places you used to know well
• Having trouble following recipes or directions
• Becoming more confused about time, people, and places
• Not taking care of yourself — eating poorly, not bathing, or behaving unsafely”

NIH National Institute on Aging

(https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/memory-loss-and-forgetfulness/memory-problems-forgetfulness-and-aging)

HOW TO KEEP YOUR MEMORY SHARP WITH AGE.

Part 3 Foods to help keep your memory sharp

There’s no denying that as we age chronologically, our body ages right along with us. But research is showing that you can increase your chances of maintaining a healthy brain well into your old age if you add these “smart” foods to your daily eating regimen.

Blueberries. “Brainberries” is what Steven Pratt, MD, author of Superfoods Rx: Fourteen Foods Proven to Change Your Life, calls these tasty fruits. Pratt, who is also on staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., says that in animal studies researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Studies have also shown that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging rats, making them mentally equivalent to much younger rats. Ann Kulze, MD, author of Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet: A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss & Lifelong Vitality, recommends adding at least 1 cup of blueberries a day in any form — fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried.

Wild salmon. Deep-water fish, such as salmon, are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are essential for brain function, says Kulze. Both she and Pratt recommend wild salmon for its “cleanliness” and the fact that it is in plentiful supply. Omega-3s also contain anti-inflammatory substances. Other oily fish that provide the benefits of omega-3s are sardines and herring, says Kulze; she recommends a 4-ounce serving, two to three times a week.

Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are good sources of vitamin E, says Pratt, explaining that higher levels of vitamin E correspond with less cognitive decline as you get older. Add an ounce a day of walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, filberts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed, and unhydrogenated nut butters such as peanut butter, almond butter, and tahini. Raw or roasted doesn’t matter, although if you’re on a sodium-restricted diet, buy unsalted nuts.

Avocados. Avocados are almost as good as blueberries in promoting brain health, says Pratt. “I don’t think the avocado gets its due,” agrees Kulze. True, the avocado is a fatty fruit, but, says Kulze, it’s a monounsaturated fat, which contributes to healthy blood flow. “And healthy blood flow means a healthy brain,” she says. Avocados also lower blood pressure, says Pratt, and as hypertension is a risk factor for the decline in cognitive abilities, a lower blood pressure should promote brain health. Avocados are high in calories, however, so Kulze suggests adding just 1/4 to 1/2 of an avocado to one daily meal as a side dish.

Whole grains. Whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole-grain breads, and brown rice can reduce the risk for heart disease. “Every organ in the body is dependent on blood flow,” says Pratt. “If you promote cardiovascular health, you’re promoting good flow to the organ system, which includes the brain.” While wheat germ is not technically a whole grain, it also goes on Kulze’s “superfoods” list because in addition to fiber, it has vitamin E and some omega-3s. Kulze suggests 1/2 cup of whole-grain cereal, 1 slice of bread two-thee times day, or 2 tablespoons of wheat germ a day.

Beans. Beans are “under-recognized” and “economical,” says Kulze. They also stabilize glucose (blood sugar) levels. The brain is dependent on glucose for fuel, Kulze explains, and since it can’t store the glucose, it relies on a steady stream of energy — which beans can provide. Any beans will do, says Kulze, but she is especially partial to lentils and black beans and recommends 1/2 cup every day.

Pomegranate juice. Pomegranate juice (you can eat the fruit itself but with its many tiny seeds, it’s not nearly as convenient) offers potent antioxidant benefits, says Kulze, which protect the brain from the damage of free radicals. “Probably no part of the body is more sensitive to the damage from free radicals as the brain,” says board-certified neurologist David Perlmutter, MD, author of The Better Brain Book. Citrus fruits and colorful vegetables are also high on Perlmutter’s list of “brainy” foods because of their antioxidant properties — “the more colorful the better,” he says. Because pomegranate juice has added sugar (to counteract its natural tartness), you don’t want to go overboard, says Kulze; she recommends approximately 2 ounces a day, diluted with spring water or seltzer.

Freshly brewed tea. Two to three cups a day of freshly brewed tea — hot or iced — contains a modest amount of caffeine which, when used “judiciously,” says Kulze — can boost brain power by enhancing memory, focus, and mood. Tea also has potent antioxidants, especially the class known as catechines, which promotes healthy blood flow. Bottled or powdered teas don’t do the trick, however, says Kulze. “It has to be freshly brewed.” Tea bags do count, however.

Dark chocolate. Let’s end with the good stuff and my favorite desert. Dark chocolate has powerful antioxidant properties, contains several natural stimulants, including caffeine, which enhance focus and concentration, and stimulates the production of endorphins, which helps improve mood. One-half ounce to 1 ounce a day will provide all the benefits you need, says Kulze. This is one “superfood” where more is not better. “You have to do this one in moderation,” says Kulze.

Lastly the prevention of diseases that can impact all organs including our brain. With obesity comes the risk of heart disease, diabetes II, that can lead into further problems down the road with other systems of the human body. To get on prevention check if your body mass index is in the range it should be and if your not sure check online BMI where it is for free. If you need assistance with a good diet plan but more importantly knowing how to get in a regular routine of living a healthy life through diet, habits, balancing rest with exercise than you have come to the right site. For no fee, no donation, no hacking go to healthyusa.tsfl.com and take a peek at what we offer which is at such a reasonable price. We provide more of a reachable goal for you with having Dr. Anderson through access of his book “Dr. A’s healthy habits” with a personal coach and the foods to eat while your dieting. If you have any questions or set backs and need to converse with someone that’s what your personal coach is there for; we provide support. Take a peek go to healthusa.tsfl.com and you may just like what you see. Join me and so many others in attempting to reach the goal of getting back in the right weight for our height. I hope to hear from you.