For several years now it has been encouraged that seniors receive a flu shot to help protect them from Influenza. Others may wonder how safe the flu shot really is and if it worth the risk to get the shot. You should always talk over your concerns with your doctor and they will let you know if the flu shot is right for you but it doesn’t hurt to do your own research online to discover the risks and benefits of the flu shot. First of all you should know what Influenza is. Influenza is a viral infection that starts in the air passage ways; lungs, nose, and throat.

Symptoms of the Flu

The severity of symptoms depends on each individual but sure signs of the flu include

Sore throat

Stuffy nose

Cough

Tiredness/Exhaustion

Headaches and muscle aches

These symptoms can last for up to two weeks. If you begin to feel any of these symptoms you may want to call your doctor so they can monitor your progression. If the flu is left untreated it can turn into pneumonia and that is why it is important to get your flu shot if your doctor recommends it.

The only time you should not get the flu shot is if you have had a negative reaction from the flu shot before, If you have ever developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome right after taking the flu shot, or if you are allergic to eggs. Your doctor may still recommend that you receive the flu shot but they will monitor your condition more closely.

Alternatives

Besides the flu shot you can also receive a flu nasal spray vaccine. This is not for everyone but you may be a perfect candidate for it. There are situations that you should not receive the spray including

If you are over 50

If you have certain health conditions

If you have certain immune deficiencies

If you have asthma or other breathing conditions

If you have diseases such as lung, heart, or kidney disease

If you have a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome

If you have ever had a reaction to the flu vaccine in the past

You can still end up with the flu even after taking the vaccination. The older you are the less likely the flu shot is to prevent your from getting the flu. Keep in mind that there are several factors that play a role in increasing your chances of developing the flu. These include:

If you frequently visit or reside in a nursing home or facility

If you are over the age of 65

If you suffer from health problems and conditions that require long term treatment

If you are under the care of someone who is frequently exposed to other patients who have the flu

The flu vaccination is your best defense from the flu but there are other ways that you can protect yourself. These include taking care of your self by eating the right foods in a well balanced diet, making sure you have enough sleep every night, and washing your hands often. When you go out of the home make sure that you wash thoroughly when you return in case you have come into contact with germs and bacteria while you were out.

Indeed a number of people are going through a number of things just to find the right obsessive compulsive disorder treatment for their anxiety problem. All over the world you will find a whole lot of people suffering from this problem in its mild and severe forms. Research has been conducted and it has resulted in some form of medications for all patients with this problem. However, it seems that the medications do not really work for all.

Moreover, there have been numerous reports of its associated side effects. This has led to the emergence of one of the most effective ways of treating the problem. This is what is known as meditation. It is therefore important that we take a look at how this method can be used in treating the obsessive compulsive disorder.

In doing the meditation, you will have to first look for a very quiet place in order to do your practice. This should be a place where there is not too much of an activity there. This could easily be your kitchen away from noise. You will have to then shut the door to the place where you hold the meditation. Let people know that this is what you are doing and that there should not be any disturbances. This will make your obsessive compulsive disorder treatment very effective.

Moreover, there is the need to set aside a particular time in order to practice the meditation like two times a day for thirty minutes each practice session. It is very vital that you do your practice for at least two times in a day when you start. This will go a long way to make your mind be in a relaxed state necessary for the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. As you move along and perfect the practice sessions and the symptoms begin to reduce then you practice for once in a day. During the practice sessions of your meditation, there is the need to chant a mantra if by chance you have trouble concentrating in silence.

In order to maintain your focus in the process, you an chant a focus word or some favourite words in a monotone. In order to make this part very effective, you will have to feel your head vibrating whenever you chant. This will make your obsessive compulsive disorder treatment a very effective one.

In the process of meditation, you will have to be breathing deeply and naturally. You must ensure that your abdomen is rising whenever you inhale and fall when you exhale. Here let the process take its course by not forcing the breathing.

You should moreover, select a comfortable seat for the meditation process. Never be distracted by the straining back muscles, therefore make sure that the seat you use has a good lumbar support. It must be comfortable to sit on and quite soft for such an exercise. All this will go a long way to make your obsessive compulsive disorder treatment an effective one.

Phosphatidylserine is a new wonder drug recommended by health-food manufacturers for its efficacy in everything from aiding in increased sexual stamina for men, to easing symptoms of children’s Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). There is also some evidence that phosphatidylserine (or PS) may aid the brain’s ability to retain memory and strengthen the body’s tolerance for exercise. Initial studies suggest that PS lowers the level of the stress hormone cortisol during workouts. Another benefit is that PS is legal to consume as a nutritional supplement for professional athletes.

Medical studies on PS chemicals only began in 1990, so no long term studies have been completed. PS has opened many doors of exciting new research that may eventually help with managing a variety of medical conditions over time. Some scientists such as chemist Andrew Hamilton, BSC, MRSC, believe that PS may be a tonic to prevent certain types of dementia and help encourage individuals to build up their own immune system by making exercise less painful. Hamilton claims that there are no documented negative side effects of PS.

Studies have advanced quickly enough for the US government’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant qualified health claim status to the substance in 2003. This means that any manufacturer or seller of PS could advertise the beneficial effects of PS with early types of dementia in elderly patients. But manufacturers cannot claim PS can cure dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. It is unknown when and if the FDA may grant another ‘qualified health status’ for adding physical endurance.

What Is PS?

Every cell in a plant or animal body contains PS. The cell needs PS in the membranes to help hormones communicate with one another. The cell membrane is the semi-solid wall that separates one cell from another. Cells communicate with each other by releasing chemicals from their membranes, which then encounter chemicals such as PS, which either recognize and accept the chemical inside the membrane or refuse it entry.

PS is found in brain or inner organ tissue more often than anywhere else, possibly because these organs require more hormones than other parts of the body.

Andrew Hamilton also states that living body cells may be able to store excess PS in times of need, such as when the body is stressed during vigorous exercise. This excess PS is not used in the cell membrane but instead uses the cell as a medium to help in absorbing and synthesizing such essential nutrients as potassium, calcium and sodium. This helps the cell work faster while the PS in the membranes assist all the cells to communicate more efficiently.

Medical Controversy

The first clinical studies of PS were conducted with the brains of dead cows. But after outbreaks of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (more commonly known as ‘mad cow disease’) researchers switched from cow brains to PS harvested from soybeans. Researchers are still reluctant to use cow tissue because of the public’s fear of ‘mad cow disease’ and the rise in vegetarianism, where consumers are consciously trying to avoid the use of any product requiring animal deaths. There is also a concern that animal tissue could rot faster than vegetable tissue and thus introduce viruses or other dangerous bacteria into a medication.

PS from cow brains and PS from soybeans are obviously not identical substances, however, a study confirmed that soybean and chicken egg-derived PS behaved in the same manner as cow brain-PS. (’Cognition-enhancing properties of subchronic phosphatidylserine (PS) treatment in middle-aged rats: comparison of bovine cortex PS with egg PS and soybean PS.’ A. Blokland, et al.; ‘Nature’; Oct. 1999.) Not all medical institutions are convinced that both substances are sufficiently the same. For example, the Mayo Clinic’s official position on phosphatidylserine is that ‘more research is needed’.

Conventional medicine does not often endorse nutritional or multivitamin supplements because the manufacturing standards are considered lower than what would normally be required for conventional pharmaceuticals. The health supplements industry is also a self-regulating industry. Alternative medicine practitioners point out that, even with government regulation, many dangerous drugs from pharmaceutical companies have been released to the general public over the years. Still, reputable complementary and alternative medicine practitioners urge patients to talk to their doctors before trying a supplement like PS. Individuals taking blood thinning medication or medicinal doses of vitamin E should avoid PS supplements altogether.

Sport Controversy

Even if PS does not stop pain and even if it does not improve athletic performance, could PS still be considered a performance-enhancing drug if it is proven to help amateur and professional athletes achieve enhanced endurance? This depends upon the individual sport, but generally the answer would be yes, unless the argument is made that since caffeine is an allowable substance, why not PS? Caffeine does momentarily make athletes more alert, but the effect shortly wears off. The weekend warrior could not take a pill and suddenly sprint past a race horse.

Golf may be one sport that would ban PS, if results of this 2008 study are be reproduced. Golfers in good health that took PS for six weeks were able to tee off more accurately, and further. (’The effect of phosphatidylserine on golf performance.’ Jager, R. et al.; ‘Journal of the International Science of Sports Nutrition.’ Dec. 2007). Another sport that might consider a ban would be road cycling, because they are even considering banning caffeine after numerous dope-scandals damaged the prestige of the Tour de France. This is one reason why chemists and sports enthusiasts like Andrew Hamilton are urging athletes to try PS now before public paranoia sets in.

Conclusion

There are some fascinating short-term studies that support the theory that phosphatidylserine (PS) can help with sports training. PS is legal, is now made from non-animal sources like soy and cabbage, but can be pricey. It has no known negative side effects except for making the blood thin slightly, which should not have an effect upon healthy individuals.