What's your best flu vaccine option?
During last year's flu season, around 40 million people came down with the virus, 18 million of them went to see their doctor or to the emergency room because of their symptoms, almost half a million were hospitalized and 28,000 folks died from influenza-related issues such as pneumonia and inflammation of the heart and brain, and sepsis. Unfortunately, vaccination coverage only hit 32% in 2023, but even so, it's estimated that vaccinations prevented almost 10 million influenza-related illnesses, around 5 million medical visits, 120,000 influenza-related hospitalizations, and nearly 8,000 influenza-related deaths.
To take advantage of the protection a flu shot provides, research indicates that the best choice may be to get a recombinant influenza vaccine. According to a study in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, the recombinant vaccine elicits a 29% stronger humoral immune response than the standard dose of an inactivated flu vaccine when given to folks ages 18 to 64. And, no, that isn't because it's funnier!
A humoral immune response means that your immune system's B cells marshal a defense against the invading flu virus and -- with any luck -- lay it to waste.
Other ways to strengthen your immune system include having a regular sleep schedule, eating at least seven servings of fruits and vegetables daily, eliminating added sugars and red meats from your diet and getting 300 minutes of exercise weekly. For more tips on strengthening your immune system, check out the free newsletter at LongevityPlaybook.com and "5 Natural Ways to Strengthen Immunity for Cold and Flu Season" at iHerb.com/blog.
Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).
(c)2024 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2024 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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