This year’s flu season has claimed the lives of at least 6 children and many more adults. It’s widespread in many states, and we are told to brace ourselves for yet another severe flu season as we enter the peak. CDC However, the number one cause of death when it comes to the flu is pneumonia. And the respiratory depression that appears to come on with these otherwise healthy individuals, appears to affect them within hours. Which raises the question…. Should we be entertaining the possibility that a severe pneumonia strain is affecting us this “flu season” and should we…

Medicare for All (M4A) retained its prominent place on the stage at the latest Democratic debate. In its purest Bernie Sanders form, concurrent with abolishing private health insurance, U.S. residents would be enrolled in “Medicare.” The program would pay for unlimited “medically necessary” health expenses, including pharmaceuticals, mental health and substance abuse treatment, vision, dental, and hearing services, and long-term care with no out-of-pocket costs. Some supporters were scared off by the $32 trillion over 10 years price tag. Not to be outdone, Elizabeth Warren’s “I’m with Bernie” plan comes with a $52 trillion over 10 years price tag including…

Among the various health issues that plague us during the festive holiday season; flu, colds, heart disease, hypothermia, pneumonia ...we add one more to the list ...Christmas Tree Syndrome. Christmas Tree Syndrome occurs when one feels ill when they are in close proximity to their Christmas Tree. True the average Christmas tree is a spruce or fir, which rarely should be allergenic, but researchers have found they still carry allergens such as pollen, picked up by nearby plants, and may house mold. Researchers from State University in New York analyzed the bark and needles of multiple Christmas trees and found…

Tis the season!! Unfortunately not for our hearts. A study back in 2004 found a 5% increase in heart attacks during the Christmas season. Then last year, a study published in the British Medical Journal found Christmas Eve to be especially risky for those who are prone to heart disease. Let’s dissect why…. Baby it's cold outside….. The cold has long been associated with heart stress. Cold weather causes blood vessel constriction and this adds extra work for the heart. Moreover, it causes less oxygen to reach vital organs, including the heart. Snow shoveling has been infamous for inciting heart…

This week the CDC reports a 5th pediatric flu death as we face a season, many have predicted, to be “severe.” And in previous years, once healthy children and young adults fell victim to severe circulating flu strains prompting parents this year to fear the worse when it comes to theirs or their child’s flu symptoms. Who can blame them. Flu symptoms can last up to 2 weeks, and most patients are told to go home and rest as antibiotics do not help fight the flu and symptoms will usually “resolve on their own.” This is true, but then why…