Q: It said on the news that the flu vaccines available this year are not for the right type of flu virus. Is there any point in getting the shot? What can I do to prevent getting flu or colds? I take lots of vitamin C and Cold FX.
A: Every year, researchers make their best guess regarding which subtypes of flu virus to include in the shots, usually based on what has happened earlier in the year in other countries. This year and last they missed the mark. This year’s virus, which is an Australian B type, causes nausea and vomiting as well as the usual muscle aches and fever.
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If you do get a flu shot every year, you may get some residual immunity from other years, although often not enough to prevent getting flu altogether.
There is also some cross protection from this year’s vaccine that will make the infection less severe if you do catch it and fewer people will die. Yes, people die from flu.
Fortunately, so far, there have not been many flu cases reported and most of those have been in Alberta.
There is another virus that many people confuse with flu called the respiratory syncytial virus.
RSV causes a cold-like illness that lasts longer than a normal cold and often results in a cough that continues for a while afterward. This is quite prevalent every winter and there is no vaccine to prevent it. RSV can be serious in babies younger than one year of age and in the elderly, where it can lead to a viral type of pneumonia that does not respond to antibiotics.
The average person catches one cold about every six months. If you get one every winter, you are doing better than most people.
Cold FX has been shown to shorten the duration of colds a little and may even help prevent them. The jury is still out on the effectiveness of vitamin C. Eating lot of fresh fruits and vegetables is always a healthy plan.
Getting plenty of restful sleep each night has also been shown to reduce the number of colds you get. Researchers led by psychology professor Sheldon Cohen in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, have shown that if you get less than seven hours sleep a night you are three times more likely to catch a cold.
If you do not get a restful sleep, for example waking up several times a night, you are five times more susceptible.
Cohen and his team published their findings in a recent edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine. They pointed out that lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on the immune system and that other serious illnesses such as heart attacks and strokes are more common in people lacking sleep.
How do you get good night’s sleep? Make sure the bedroom is quiet and dark. It should also be cooler than the rest of the house. Reserve the bedroom for sleep and sex only. This means no TV.
Do not drink caffeine drinks such as colas, hot chocolate or coffee more than four hours before bedtime. Drinking alcohol of any type just before bedtime will also interfere with a restful sleep. You may fall asleep easier, but there will be a tendency to wake up a few hours later, and then it is difficult to get back to sleep.
Do not exercise too close to bedtime either because it can be hard to unwind. Try not to take sleeping pills for more than a few days at a time, because eventually you will not be able to sleep even when you take them as the effect wears off once your body becomes dependant on the drugs.
Some prescribed medications such as certain antidepressants, some decongestants, cough mixtures and sinus pills should not be taken in the evening either because they will keep you awake.
Clare Rowson is a retired medical doctor living near Belleville, Ont. Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor regarding medical questions and treatments.
