— — — HEALTH
Staying Free
Of Colds, Flu
When The
Occasion Arises
Dependability
Is Utmost!
You Can Always
Rely On
bruce m. weiss
Jewelers
26325 Twelve Mile Rd.
Southeast corner Northwestern
Behind Gabe's Fruits
In The Mayfair Shops
Mon.-Sat. 10 5:30
-
DR. ALLAN J. ROSS
In the summer, everyone
may scream for ice cream, but
when the mercury drops below
the freezing point, the food of
choice is definitely chicken
soup. Face it, unless you have
an immune system that's
tougher than "the Ter-
minator," you've already had a
cold this winter, or no doubt
you'll be looking one in the eye
sometime before spring.
Think of it this way: if you're
lucky, you'll get a cold — your
basic two or three days with a
clogged head, runny nose and
sore throat. At least it won't
completely put the brakes on
your on-the-go lifestyle. The
flu, on the other hand, often
knocks you out of commission
altogether. A week of aching
joints and muscles, fevers and
headaches are all part of the flu
package.
Unfortunately, there's not
much you can do to avoid get-
ting a cold during the winter, a
time when germs are like
candy at Halloween — free and
plentiful. Since the viruses
that cause colds and the flu are
easily transmitted from person
to person, doctors suggest tak-
ing special precautions this
time of year.
Kissing is an obvious way
germs are spread, but most
people don't realize how many
germs are passed hand-to-
hand. People rub their noses,
touch their eyes, then shake
hands with someone else.
Hand-washing is very im-
portant. It can break the cycle.
Whenever people are contagi-
ous, they should wash their
hands as much as possible so
they avoid passing along their
germs.
For all of us who grew up
with mothers who had a fit
every time we went outside in
the cold after a shower, don't
panic. It's nonsense. You get a
cold when you're exposed to
another person with a cold.
Wet hair has nothing to do
with it.
If the cold air isn't the cul-
prit, then why do people get
sick more often in the winter?
Partially because it's a season
when togetherness is to an ex-
treme. Many hours are spent in
close contact with sick co-
workers, and don't forget the
slew of winter-time holidays
that give people a chance to
spread germs along with cheer.
For some people, the time to
Dr. Ross is a staff member of
Sinai Hospital's internal
medicine department.
start thinking about flu pre-
vention is in the fall. Each
year, •a new flu shot is de-
veloped by doctors who antici-
pate the type of viruses that
will cause the season's flu
epidemic.
Because every virus is
different, each year the flu
changes. This year we saw a lot
of the Taiwan Flu, which
hasn't been around for many
years.
I don't recommend a flu shot
for everyone, but it's important
for people in high risk groups
to have one so they can avoid
the serious complications that
might result from the flu.
The high risk groups Dr.
Ross refers to include people
over 65 who have chronic
illnesses like diabetes or heart
disease. Since flu is a respira-
tory disease, a secondary
bacterial infection, such as
bacterial pneumonia, is the
most common complication.
If symptoms from a cold or
flu persist over an extended
period, it is wise to see a physi-
cian. In the early stages of both
illnesses, however, a trip to the
local pharmacy can equip you
with the ammunition you need
to declare war on your clogged
nasal passages.
There are two kinds of medi-
cations you can purchase over
the counter that will give you
relief. One of them is an ,an-
tihistamine, which will dry up
the secretions, or _mucus, and
the other is a decongestant
that will open up the pas-
sageways.
Stay away from nasal sprays
when it comes to choosing a de-
congestant. Stick to oral medi-
cation, it's the safest way to
treat this condition. For the
aches and pains take an
acetaminophen such as
Tylenol. Considering the rare
possibility of Reye's Syndrome,
which has been associated with
taking aspirin after a viral dis-
ease, young adults should
avoid taking aspirin.
A word of caution for those
who don't often take medica-
tion: Follow the instructions on
the label. Too much antihis-
tamine can make you drowsy,
and an overdose of deconges-
tant can make you shaky.
It is also a good idea to cur-
tail your bar-hopping activi-
ties when you are on medica-
tion. People don't realize that
their alcohol tolerance is lower
when they take these drugs.
It's a good idea not to mix alco-
hol and medication."
Vitamin C hasn't been pro-
Continued on next page
Thurs. 10-8:30
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shelving
storage accessories
furniture
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CLEARANCE
lighting
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miscellaneous
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in process now, through
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orthogonality
135 S. Woodward / B'ham 642-1460
JEWISH SINGLES
More than 185
PERSONAL MESSAGES
from Jewish singles
of all ages
Attitude Adjustment Hour
February 12, 1987
40. 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. 40
In Buddy's Bar room at Buddy's Pizza
31646 Northwestern Highway
• Happy Hour Prices
• Free Gourmet Pizzas &
Hors d'oeuvres
• Free Admission
sponsored by the •
Community Network for Jewish Singles
For information call 661-1000, extension 347.
The 2nd Annual
Winter Wonderland
Weekend for Singles
from U.S., Canada
sponsored by the Community Network for Jewish Singles
and Israel are in
February 20-22, 1987
"THE CONNECTOR"
January issue!!
Send self-addressed
double stamped legal'
size envelope for your
FREE COPY to
thc
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Cross Country Skiing • Ice Skating • Tobogganing • Nature Walks
Low Impact Aerobics • Stretch & Tone • Nerf Ball • Movies • Indoor Games
•"The Real Mr. or Ms. Right?"
Discussion by Ms. Lanie Broder, MSW, ACSW
•"Beauty of the Winter Woods - A Nature Walk on Skis "
by Ms. Carol Fink
slow Impact Aerobics"
by Ms. Candice Bousquet
•"Adventure Travel" – A Slide Presentation by Mr. Dan Pickard
Dance • Sleighride
$85.00. For further information call Jill Cole
at 661-1000, extension 347.