COVID-19 Supplements
There have been few studies on supplements to prevent or treat COVID-19. Zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may be helpful. Studies are ongoing to study their benefits. Zinc helps the immune system. It helps the body make antibodies and white blood cells. High dose zinc may reduce the length of common cold symptoms. Vitamin D helps people who lack it. Lack of vitamin D may be linked to higher rates of lung infections and flu. It lowers acute lung infection rates. Some articles suggest taking it each day to lower risk. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is an antioxidant. It boosts the immune system. It may guard against bird coronavirus. It may reduce weakness to viral lung infections and pneumonia. NAC helps with inflammation. It is changed to the antioxidant glutathione in the body. Glutathione can be used up from stress or inflammation. NAC helps for many lung diseases. This includes viral pneumonia.
-APPE Student Class of 2021
Avoiding the flu
- Get a flu vaccine. When more people get the flu vaccine, it lowers the spread of virus for everyone.
- Wash your hands at least 20 seconds regularly. Wash hand before and after every meal and snack. You can use sanitizer. Sanitizer can kill germs. But, wash your hand is the best. It gets things truly clean.
- Do not touch your face: Virus go to eyes, noses, and mouth. Avoid to touch your face will lower the spread of virus.
- Cough into your elbow. When you cough into your hands, the virus can be passed to other person’s hand. Cough into your elbow to prevent the spread of the virus.
- Eat fruits are rich in vitamin C. They are strawberry, blackberry, orange, cantaloupe. They improve your immune system.
- Drink hot tea to keep your body warm and fight again the infection.
- Get enough sleep will help the body fight infection. Recommend minimum of 8 hours each night over a 2 weeks period shows a greater protection against the cold, and the flu.
- Practice social distancing: if you do not feel well, stay inside.
- Take medication if prescribed by your doctors.
It is important to protect yourself and your beloved one from the cold and the flu.
Talk to your doctor or your pharmacist if you have any questions.
-APPE Student Class of 2021
- Published in Health, Immunizations, Wellness
Flu Shots
As COVID19 continues spreading throughout the world. It is important to protect yourself and your beloved one from getting sick. We haven’t found vaccine for COVID19 yet, but we have flu shot. Flu season is coming. Flu shot will be very important to reduce flu infections. It can help reduce how bad you get the flu.
You can catch the flu anytime around the year, but the peak is in the fall and winter. You should watch for symptoms, such as: fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, etc. They are similar to the common cold. Body aches and high fever are not common in colds. It is also important to know that not everyone with flu has a fever. The flu can become a serious infection and many people die each year from it.
There are misconceptions about flu shots. Some people believe flu shots can cause flu. The flu shot cannot give you flu. It contains virus parts that were killed. You might feel achy or slightly feverish. It is a normal reaction to the vaccine. It should only last a day or two. There are flu shots for people who are allergic to eggs.
Get a flu shot this year to lower your chances of getting the flu and passing it on to others.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about the flu vaccine.
APPE Student – Class of 2021
- Published in Health, Immunizations, Wellness
Brand vs Generic
It is easy to get confused when it comes to pick up an over the counter drugs at the drug store. You might hear about generic and brand name. Generic name is a name of the active ingredient. Brand name is the name given by the company that made the drugs.
You might ask yourself which one is better? Generic drugs work the same as brand name drugs.
The difference is the non-drug ingredients. They are used form into a pill, capsule, liquid, cream, etc. They are used to make the drugs taste better. They can add color to the drugs. They can help the body absorb the drugs. They can help you swallow the drugs easily.
These ingredients do not change how the drugs work on your body. Some people need to take brand name or certain generic. This could be because of an allergy to an ingredient.
Your friends and family might tell you to get the generic because it is cheaper. You might be worried the generic is cheaper because it is bad quality or will not work as good as the brand name. Generic drugs are safe to take and cheaper than brand name. The brand name drug is more expensive because it takes a long time to make. It also costs a lot of money to make the drugs for the first time.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions.
-APPE Class of 2021 Student.
Diabetes & Counting Carbs/Sugars and How it can help
Diabetic patients may have heard their doctor talk about their A1C test results. The patient may not understand what an A1C test is. And they may not know what lifestyle changes they can make to bring their A1C results into goal range.
What does an A1C tell me?
An A1C test helps tell you what your blood sugar levels have been like for the last 3 months. Blood sugar and blood glucose are often used to mean the same thing when talking about diabetes. An A1C test can help you and your doctor understand what your blood sugar levels are over a larger period of time. That larger period of time gives more information. That extra information allows the doctor to create a treatment plan that is better made for you.
How often do you need an A1C test?
When you are first found to have diabetes, your doctor will ask you to have an A1C test at least every 3 months until your A1C levels are within goal range. Once you and your doctor work together and reach the desired goal range you will be asked to have an A1C test at least every 6 months. For diabetic patients, the goal range for an A1C test is for it to be less than 6.5%, but this goal can be different based on other reasons your doctor may check for.
What does that goal of less than 6.5% mean?
That less than 6.5% goal is the amount of sugar present on your blood cells upon running the A1C test. The blood sample is looked at to see what number of blood cells are coated in glucose (sugar). If less than 6.5% of your blood cells are coated in sugar you have reached your A1C goal.
How do you reach an A1C goal of less than 6.5%?
One option is known as carb counting. Carb counting, carb is short for carbohydrate which is just the scientific category for sugar. Carbs are found in all types of food and drinks, even those you would not normally think to be sweet or have sugar in them like rice, bread, and potatoes. For example, when you eat potatoes, they don’t taste sweet, but when you eat them and they go into your stomach. From your stomach the pieces of potato get made smaller and smaller in your body until they are so small, they become sugar. That sugar can be found in your blood and be counted by the A1C test.
What is carb/sugar counting?
Carb counting sounds just as it is, counting carbs/sugars. You can look at food labels to see how many carbs/sugars there in your prepared foods. But for food like potatoes there’s no nutrition label. How do you find out how many carbs/sugars potatoes have? Well, you can look it up online. You can also ask your doctor for help. Find out how many carbs/sugars there are in the food you eat. Then you can keep a food diary of all the foods you ate that have carbs/sugars. At your next A1C test you and your doctor can look at your food diary. Your diary will help you see how the carbs/sugars you eat work with your A1C test. Changes to your diet or medicine can be made to help you reach your A1C goal.
How to monitor blood pressure at home?
Eating a healthy diet is a good way to control high blood pressure. It is important to check blood pressure at home often to lower the risk of heart attack and heart diseases. Many people think it is not easy to measure blood pressure at home. Here are three easy steps to keep your blood pressure on track.
Step 1: How to buy?
You can buy blood pressure machines at any drug stores. Ask for an automatic one because they are easier to use. There are two types of automatic blood pressure: wrist and upper arm cuffs. Wrist cuff is more convenient. You do not have to roll your sleeve up. But the readings are usually higher and less accurate because the blood vessels there are smaller and not as deep. Buy a wrist cuff if you need to check blood pressure once in a while. Buy an upper arm cuff if you need to check your blood pressure more often. Don’t forget to measure your upper arm’s circumference when buying an arm cuff.
Step 2: When is the best time to check?
Check your blood pressure in the morning after you get up, and before you go to bed. It is okay to check your blood pressure before or after you take your medications for high blood pressure. It is better to check at the same time every day. You should not drink coffee, tea, exercise or smoke tobacco 30 minutes before checking your blood pressure. They can make your blood pressure go up higher.
Step 3: How to check?
- Relax for 5 minutes
- Sit in a chair with your back straight
- Your feet should be flat on the floor.
- Your arm is placed on the table
- Do not move or talk when measuring
- After measuring, check the top and bottom readings on the machine.
- Write down the top and bottom readings each time you measure.
- Remember to bring your blood pressure record to your next doctor’s visit.
Talk to your doctor of pharmacist if you have questions about your readings.
-APPE Class of 2021 Student
Vitamins and supplements
Some supplements have different compounds of the same element. For example iron, calcium, and magnesium may come in different compounds. Vitamin D also comes in different strengths. These differences may not be easy to understand.
Why does this matter? We will use iron as an example. A large amount of iron can be toxic and cause harm. Some bottles of iron may say the strength is 325 mg of iron. The label on the back of the bottle may say 325 mg iron. But a ferrous sulfate iron tablet only has 65 mg of actual iron. Some bottles of iron may just say 65 mg of iron.
Why is there a difference? This has to do with the amount of elemental iron in the tablet. The label may list the iron compound rather than total amount of iron. Examples of iron compounds are Ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, and ferrous fumarate. The ferrous gluconate compound would only have 35 mg in a 300 mg tablet for example. That is close to half as much iron!
How can you choose the right supplement? A supplement is only needed when you are not getting enough of a vitamin or element in your food. The best way to tell if you need a supplement is if your doctor does a blood test and tells you. You can ask your doctor which kind of supplement you need. You should also ask how much to take a day. Lastly, be careful when using multivitamins to check what is included in them.
-Class of 2021 APPE Student
The World Isn’t Ending, Even Though You Think It Is
I hope this blog finds you well in these unprecedented, trying times.
Does this sound familiar? We have all seen or heard this phrase. No one likes to be scared, unsure, or confused. Just like a virus, we as a society need to adapt and change to our environment to do more than just survive. We need to thrive. I want to simplify what I’ve read from honest sources to help you learn.
Coronavirus
After getting this virus, a person starts to feel sick after 2 to 14 days. They are contagious for 10 days. A sick person can spread this virus by sneezing or coughing in the air. This is why it’s important to wear masks. Everyone should wear a mask.
If you don’t know if you are sick, look at this picture.
I hope this blog finds you well in these unprecedented, trying times.
Right now, more people are getting sick from this virus. Some states require you wear a mask. Some states let you choose if you want to wear it. But, everyone should wear a mask to stop germs from spreading. Look at this picture.
To not get sick, make sure you wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds to kill the germs. Hand sanitizer needs to be above 70% ethanol to kill the germs. Most important, keep 6 feet away from people. If you do these things, the virus can’t spread.
G4 EA H1N1 Virus
From 2011 to 2018, China found 179 different types of flu in pigs from China. Since 2016, one flu has shown up more and more. Like how a puzzle is made up of many pieces, this flu is made up of the 2009 Swine flu, 1918 flu, and more. The flu shots we have right now will not protect you from this flu. Lucky for us, it is not a threat right now because the virus can’t spread between humans. Right now, it can only travel from pigs to humans. This new swine flu is not a threat yet, but it can be more dangerous if it mutates.
Black Plague
There have been two recent cases of the plague. The plague was found in a Chinese marmot and a Coloradan squirrel. In the 1300s, the plague killed up to 200 million people. People were not clean in the past. Now, we have medicine called antibiotics that can kill the germs and stop the plague. The plague is not dangerous anymore and it can be treated if caught early.
Takeaway
Keep in mind, we are learning more and more about COVID-19 every day. We don’t know if G4EA H1N1 or the Black Plague will become a pandemic. Right now, as I am typing this, we are okay. Wash your hands and do not worry.
-IPPE Student Class of 2023
- Published in Health, Immunizations, News, Pharmacy, Wellness
Vaccines for people with HIV
Vaccines are very important to help stop illness. There are many vaccines. Some shots are for children, while other shots are for adults. HIV is a condition that leads to a weak immune system. For people with HIV, it becomes even more important to use vaccines to protect against illness. We will talk about which vaccines are good for people who have HIV. The main source on vaccines in the United States comes from the CDC. The CDC or Center for Disease Control and Prevention also lists what vaccines are good for many other types of conditions.
Some may worry that vaccines have chemicals in them, or cause harmful effects. One example is mercury, which is a toxic metal in large enough amounts. Some shots used to contain a very tiny amount of mercury, but not enough to cause harm. Today in Missouri there are no shots with mercury. There are some side effects from shots. They include redness, pain, and swelling at the part where the shot was given. Some shots like the Shingles shot can cause a fever that lasts a day or so.
You may even have most of these shots already! The shots that are good for people with HIV to get are listed here:
- The yearly flu shot – To lower the risk of getting the yearly flu
- Hepatitis B – To stop hepatitis B
- Pneumonia – To stop pneumonia
- Meningitis – To stop meningitis
- Tdap – To help against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. A booster is given every 10 years for this shot.
- HPV – For people under the age of 26 to be safe from human papillomavirus
- MMR* – For Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
- Varicella* – To help against Chicken pox and Shingles
Certain shots can be dangerous to some people with HIV. There is a test doctors will look at your blood to find a value they call CD4. If your most recent CD4 was below 200, the MMR and Varicella shots are not recommended.
Why do these shots matter? If a person gets sick, they are at a bigger risk of another illness. For people with HIV, this risk is even bigger. Another problem is that with a weak immune system, the body cannot heal from being sick as fast. By stopping the illness from ever happening, there is less chance of a serious illness.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about what is recommended for you.
-APPE Student Class of 2021
- Published in Health, Immunizations, Pharmacy
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