Should I Get a Flu Shot?

Headlines read...

Flu More Widespread in US

Flu Season Hits Early and Hard

Flu Cases on Rise at Hospitals

It seems that every year the media hype over the flu and the need to get a flu shot reaches a higher high. "The worst flu season ever... " "Infection rates have officially reached epidemic levels... "

Really?

With drug stores sprouting up on every corner in even the smallest towns, you can't avoid seeing banners that promote getting a flu shot. Cold weather setting in typically signals the start of the flu season. Should you run down to your local pharmacy and get a flu shot?

Flus are not fun. Fever, chills, runny nose, sore throat, cough, muscle aches, vomiting, fatigue and decreased appetite. With some rest they typically run their course in two to three days, with some symptoms hanging on for a week. The fact is dying from the flu is rare. The vast majority of so-called “flu deaths” are due to bacterial pneumonia—a potential complication of the flu if your immune system is weak.

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Macaroni & Vegan "Cheese" with Broccoli

If you and your kids find Mac 'n' Cheese to be sacred, I ask you to set you bias aside and give this vegan version a try. Your kids might be pleasantly surprised and you may find a healthier version. Don't give it away when you set the dish in front of them. Then step back and watch their reaction.

The recipe comes from the Forks Over Knives website from the kitchen of Victoria Fiore, plant-based chef at the Naked Core.

I adjusted the recipe amounts to suit using a small butternut squash and used fussilli pasta because it's a lot more fun than elbows. You can use your favorite. This recipe calls for gluten-free, brown rice pasta for added nutrition and those avoiding wheat.

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Have a Healthy Halloween

I love the dress-up part of Halloween. When our son was young, I enjoyed coming up with fun costumes. One year I made a tyrannosaurus rex costume and my husband and I dressed as cave man and woman. We won best group costume at our community Halloween Festival as the Prehistoric Family.

What I don't like is all the candy.

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Apple Crisp

Fall is Apple Hill time in El Dorado County where I live. Located up the hill, heading East towards Lake Tahoe, at 3,000 feet elevation sits a bucolic farming region planted in apples, pears and wine grapes. The majority crop is apples, but you'll also find peaches, nectarines, cherries and several berry varieties. And let's not forget we're cruising into the Christmas season and Apple Hill boasts the best Christmas Tree farms in Northern California.

This Apple Crisp dessert is another simple and delicious recipe from PCRM Recipe of the Week. I recommend getting on their email list.

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Wisdom Wednesday

Tip:
The arrival of cool, crisp mornings remind many of the impending flu season. What to do? Underlying your susceptibility to contract a dreaded seasonal illness is a Vitamin D deficiency. This vital vitamin is key to keeping your immune system ready to fight off illness. Here are some tips for being prepared:

• Natural sources of Vitamin D include adequate sun exposure (without sunscreen) and foods such as mushrooms, egg yolks, and fish rich in Omega-3 oils such as salmon, mackerel and tuna.
• Get your blood tested to determine your Vitamin D levels. They should be within 50-70 ng/ml.
• If you take Vitamin D supplements, make sure you take D3. An average adult requires about 8,000 IU's of Vitamin D3 per day; children 35 IU's per pound of body weight.
• If you supplement, add Vitamin K2, an important co-factor for proper synthesis of Vitamin D.

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