Expert Advice On Staying Healthy This Flu Season

Title:Expert Advice On Staying Healthy This Flu SeasonWord Count:519Summary:While fears about a bird flu pandemic have grown recently overseas, an increasing number ofpeople right here at home are falling ill.Keywords:Expert Advice On Staying Healthy This Flu SeasonArticle Body:While fears about a bird flu pandemic have grown recently overseas, an increasing number ofpeople right here at home are falling ill with this winter's seasonal flu bug. According to the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu incidence has been on the rise since lateDecember, spreading from the Southwest corner of the U.S. and making its way eastward.Seasonal flu affects up to 40 million Americans every year. Influenza and its complications areresponsible for an average of 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths annually in the U.S.\"Many Americans see flu as a nuisance rather than a serious health threat,\" said DonaldPerlman, M.D., who specializes in treating respiratory illnesses at Newark Beth Israel MedicalCenter in New Jersey. \"While concern about the avian flu is understandable, the health risksassociated with seasonal flu are much higher for the average American than the bird flu threat.\"Despite the upswing in flu incidence, there are two fewer treatment options this season. TheCDC has recommended against the use of amantadine and rimantadine for the prevention andtreatment of influenza for the remainder of the 2005-2006 flu season due to increasing

resistance levels. Instead, CDC recommends that oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza)be prescribed if an antiviral medication is needed.Dr. Perlman, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NewJersey (UMDNJ), emphasizes that flu is a preventable disease, and offers advice and simplemeasures everyone can take to help control its spread:Prevention:• Get Vaccinated: Vaccine is the first line of defense. Visit www.cdc.gov for vaccinelocations in your area.• Wash Hands Frequently: Germs are often spread when a person touches somethingcontaminated followed by the eyes, nose or mouth. Wash hands often for 20 seconds with warm,soapy water.• Practice Respiratory Etiquette: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue whencoughing or sneezing, to reduce the chances of spreading the virus to others.• Monitor Flu Outbreaks in Your Area: Stay informed of when the flu hits your city bylogging on to www.flustar.com, which provides updates on flu outbreaks on a regional andnationwide basis.If You Get Sick:• Know the Difference Between Cold and Flu: Many people are confused by cold andflu symptoms. Above are some tips to help you tell the difference.• See Your Doctor at First Signs of Flu: Early diagnosis and treatment can help lessenthe time you are sick, so see your doctor at the first sign of flu symptoms. He or she mayprescribe an antiviral medication such as Tamiflu, which can reduce the duration and severity offlu symptoms if taken within 48 hours of symptom onset. Antiviral medications can also beused to help prevent the spread of flu within a household or workplace if taken within two daysof exposure to the influenza virus.• Stay Home: Be considerate of others. If possible, stay home from work, school anderrands when you are sick.As the threat of bird flu grows overseas, seasonal flu, which affects 40 million Americans eachyear, packs a punch in the U.S.Title:Important Health Benefits Of A Good Nights SleepWord Count:716Summary:

A good nights sleep has many important health benefits which I will write about in this article. Iam the kind of person who is just unable to perform to my best if I have only had a smallnumber of hours of sleep, I also have a step-daughter who is extremely moody during the nextday, if she has not had slept for around seven hours during the night.Keywords:sleep, benefits, bed, lie, safe, comfortable, son, socialising, television, sheep, quilt, pillowsArticle Body:A good nights sleep has many important health benefits which I will write about in this article. Iam the kind of person who is just unable to perform to my best if I have only had a smallnumber of hours of sleep, I also have a step-daughter who is extremely moody during the nextday, if she has not had slept for around seven hours during the night.I would have to say that I would even class sleep as a hobby of mine, you may think that this isa bit strange but it is true. I feel very safe and comfortable when I am in bed and some peoplesuggest that it is possibly like the way young infants feel when they are in their mothers womb.When I am in the type of mood that means I find it hard to get to sleep, for example when Ihave a lot on my mind, I imagine that I have driven off to some long off place in the distance,parked up the car and then have gone to sleep in the back of the car with around four pillowsand three quilts. I suppose this is a way of me dreaming of running away from my troubles to anarea where no-one can hurt me and again making myself extremely warm and comfortable. Thisagain might be a bit weird in some peoples eyes but it helps me to get to sleep. It certainly beatscounting sheep.Sleep itself has many benefits. People who often find themselves in a depressed state, which iswhat I have been in the past, can find that a good nights sleep can have a very positive affect ontheir overall state of mind. This could be because it helps people to think in a clearer and morepositive way. The sleep helps bring more life and energy into people helping them to startfighting their problems and challenges.Sleep can also help people who are often stressed. This is very much for the same reasons asabove. What people may of course say is that they actually find it hard to sleep when they arestressed or depressed. This is very understandable and the example above where I havedescribed how I manage to get myself to sleep in this situation, may hopefully be of use topeople. Other methods would be to think of other ways of trying to switch off the mind fromover worrying about things, as an example people can read part or all of a good book beforeattempting to fall asleep.From a personal point of view, I have found that even though it is important to sleep for quite along time (around seven or eight hours per night), that it is also important not to over stay inbed in the morning. I am not sure exactly why this is but I always have a sense of feelingheavier. This leaves me in a negative and lethargic mood all day. This could be just me ofcourse. I basically in general go to bed at around ten at night and wake up at around seven in themorning.What I enjoy most of all is what happens in my house at around eight o'clock most evenings.This is when my son goes upstairs to bed. He always has around an hour of playing with his

toys before he decides he is ready to go to sleep and he likes me to listen to him whilst he isplaying. This is fine by me as it allows me to lie in my bed and relax. I do not always fall asleepbut it is extremely enjoyable to hear him play while at the same time I am in a way re-chargingmy batteries.In conclusion, I would advise people to enjoy the benefits of sleep. Sleep in some peoples eyesis a hassle and they would rather be watching the television or socialising with their friends. Aspreviously stated I treat sleep as a hobby and look forward to going to bed. For people who areprone to depression or who are often stressing about this or that, a good nights sleep could beexactly what you need.Title:Travel Health Insurance Is A Smart BuyWord Count:501Summary:No one wants to think about getting sick or having an accident while they're on vacation.Unfortunately, this can happen. When it does, travel health insurance can prove to be a verybeneficial buy.Travel health insurance is a temporary policy that provides coverage to people while they're onvacation or in transit. It can work in conjunction with or independent of regular major medicalcoverage. This type of insurance is very commonly offered to those using a travel agen...Keywords:travel insurance, travel health insurance, health insuranceArticle Body:No one wants to think about getting sick or having an accident while they're on vacation.Unfortunately, this can happen. When it does, travel health insurance can prove to be a verybeneficial buy.Travel health insurance is a temporary policy that provides coverage to people while they're onvacation or in transit. It can work in conjunction with or independent of regular major medicalcoverage. This type of insurance is very commonly offered to those using a travel agent,booking a cruise or going on a package trip.The perks of travel insurance even when major medical coverage is in place include:* Pricing. Travel insurance is typically a very small purchase on top of trip pricing. Althoughthe few dollars would likely be more enjoyed spent on wining and dining, if something doeshappen, it will be worth every penny in most cases. Typically, this coverage costs no more thana dinner out on a trip.

* Out of network coverage. While most major medical coverage plans will offer someprotection anywhere in the world, under any circumstance, they won't always function at theirfull amounts.For example, those who get sick on a cruise ship might find their basic co-pay plan will onlycover 50 percent of a doctor's visit on board the ship or perhaps even none. The travel healthinsurance policy, however, will cover this and a whole lot more. Out of country travelers, too,find this coverage very beneficial for covering them when nothing else will.* Availability. In most cases, some form of travel insurance is available to people withoutmedical examination require. It won't cover pre-existing conditions for the most part, but it canmake dealing with a crisis away from home a whole lot easier.* Peace of mind. Just having this low-cost coverage while away from home can givevacationers a certain peace of mind. Since vacation is about relaxation, ensuring this can reallyhelp make a trip.While travel insurance can be a huge perk for those who need it, not everyone does. Peopletraveling in their own general regions, for example, might not require this coverage or evenreally benefit from it. If major medical coverage will remain in full force during the trip, there'sprobably no reason to go to this extra expense. Check with regular health insurance to find out,however.If major medical coverage isn't available, a travel health insurance policy can be doublyimportant. The relatively low expense involved in this kind of coverage can really provebeneficial is something does go wrong.Although this type of coverage is generally offered through a booking agent, it can bepurchased by travelers on their own. A basic Internet for phone book search will typically netsome great results on places to go for this type of policy.Vacationing is about having fun, relaxing and doing new things. Unfortunately, sometimes badthings happen to travelers. When they do, travel health insurance can provide an extra level ofcomfort and peace of mind.