Thursday, August 27, 2009

Fear Based Flu Shots

I try to stay away from listening to the news. When I accidentally do, I'm usually appalled by how negative it is.

Last night, I was watching Larry King, and during one of the breaks, they had a little news update. I was folding laundry and barely listening, but I thought I over heard the news person say, "90,000 are expected to die this season from the swine flu." I had dvr-ed Larry, so I was able to rewind that, just to make sure I heard it right because I thought surely I had not. But after listening a second time, I verified that yes, that is exactly what had been reported. 90,000 Americans are expected to die this season of the swine flu.


Is this really what "they" think, or are they just trying to scare us all into getting out there and getting our flu vaccine?

It reminds me of when as a very young adult, I was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. I can remember during my stay at the hospital, I was assigned a diabetic educator that told me very dark, scary things about my disease. She told me more than likely, one day I might be in the grocery store doing some shopping, feeling fine, and the next thing I'd know, I'd be passed out and in an ambulance on my way to the hospital. (20 years later, I can tell you this has never happened. Low blood sugar, as well as high blood sugar is a treatable situation that doesn't just come at you out of nowhere.) She also told me there was a good likelihood I'd eventually suffer a leg amputation in my older age from poor circulation. I become visably upset and she told me she was simply telling me these things so I'd realize how serious my disease was and really take care of myself- because she said, many diabetics do not. I remember at the time thinking her little scare tactic was not the right approach for me.

I don't make my health choices- everything from taking my insulin, to working out, to choosing healthy foods- because I'm thinking, "Well, it's either this, or lose my leg!" That approach seems awfully negative to me. And I think this death by swine flu prediction is also grossly negative.

Let's just wash our hands, get enough sleep, get some healthy workouts in regularly, eat well, and if you are someone who believes in the flu shot, by all means, get it. And if you do get a bad cold or the flu, stay home and rest until you feel better.

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