T.J. Samson | Destination Health | October 2020

October 2020 7 6 DESTINATION HEALTH Family health Nutrition Even during COVID-19, don’t skip your child’s shots Families are focused on staying healthy during the pandemic. And that’s the right thing to do. But health experts have an important reminder for parents. COVID-19 prevention shouldn’t mean skipping your child’s vaccines. Vaccines help protect kids of all ages from serious diseases.Those include dis- eases like whooping cough and measles. The Centers for Disease Control and Pre- vention recommends children get many of their shots by age 2. Despite that recommendation, it seems that fewer kids have been getting their shots during the coronavirus crisis. SCHEDULE YOUR CHILD’S SHOTS Doctors’ offices are taking steps to keep their patients safe during checkups and vaccine visits. If you think you may have fallen behind on your child’s shots, talk to their doctor. They can fill you in on vaccine recommen- dations for your child. Here are some shots that kids of differ- ent ages may need. INFANTS AND TODDLERS (BIRTH TO AGE 2 YEARS) ■ DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis). ■ MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). ■ Chickenpox. ■ Pneumonia. ■ Hepatitis A and B. ■ Polio. PRESCHOOLERS AND SCHOOL-AGED KIDS (AGES 3 TO 10) ■ DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis). ■ MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). ■ Chickenpox. ■ Polio. PRETEENS AND TEENS (AGES 11 TO 18) ■ HPV. ■ Meningitis. ■ Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis). If you've delayed well-child care during the pandemic, your provider can help you get back on track. Expecting? Mind your meds You’re achy, sneezing or feverish—and pregnant. You want relief. But before you take any medicine, play it 100% safe and get a green light from your health care provider. This includes herbal supplements and vitamins. Not all medicines are safe when you’re sporting a baby bump. Some drugs—even seemingly harm- less over-the-counter ones—might harm your baby at certain times in your pregnancy. For example, the pain reliever ibuprofen could cause serious blood flow prob- lems to your baby in the last trimester. Also important: Don’t stop taking any prescription medicine without first talking to your provider. Some un- treated health problems may actually be more harmful during pregnancy than the medicines used to control them. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; March of Dimes: U.S. Food and Drug Administration You can add blood donation to the list of ways you can help our nation get through this pandemic. Fears about COVID-19 have been keeping people from giving blood. And the American Red Cross says the result is an urgent need for blood and platelet donors. The Red Cross estimates that someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds. Donated blood is used to help people who have:    ● Cancer.    ● Sickle cell disease.    ● Chronic diseases.    ● Injuries from accidents or fires. It’s used in lifesaving procedures, such as heart sur- geries and organ transplants. And blood donors who have fully recovered from COVID-19 may have anti- bodies in their blood plasma. Their blood could help seriously ill COVID-19 patients. There’s no evidence that the coronavirus can be spread by blood transfusion. And blood centers are taking extra steps to protect donors and staff from the virus. Are you healthy and interested in giving blood? You can contact these groups to ask about an appointment:    ● AABB: aabb.org    ● American Red Cross: redcross.org    ● America’s Blood Centers: americasblood.org    ● Armed Services Blood Program: https://militaryblood.dod.mil    ● Blood Centers of America: bca.coop Additional source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration B y now, chances are you know the advice on protecting yourself and others from the coronavirus: Keep your distance. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. And so on. But here’s one bit of advice to think about too: Eat healthy foods. Eating nutritiously has always been a way to stay healthy. A healthy diet strengthens your immune system, and a strong immune system helps protect you from illness. And while no one food or diet can prevent illness, eating healthy can help your body prevent, fight and recover from infections during the COVID-19 pandemic. FOCUS ON THESE FOODS Of course, it’s best to keep your immune sys- tem healthy all the time, not just when a virus is going around.That means focusing on a well-balanced diet filled with nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. According to the Academy of Nutri- tion and Dietetics, these nutrients can help strengthen your immune system: Probiotics. These good bacteria can be found in cultured dairy products like yogurt. Protein. This may be especially helpful in healing and recovery. You can find this in plant and animal products, such as milk, eggs, beef, chicken, fish, nuts, beans and seeds. Vitamin A. This helps regulate the im- mune system and protect against infections. Look for it in sweet potatoes, carrots, broc- coli, spinach, eggs, or milk and cereal fortified with vitamin A. Vitamin C. Look for this in citrus fruits. It helps the immune system by increasing the amount of antibodies in your system. Vitamin D. Find it in fatty fish and eggs, as well as drinks fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin E. This works as an antioxidant. Antioxidants decrease inflammation. Find vitamin E in fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, vegetable oils and peanut butter. Zinc. This may help wounds heal. You can find it in wheat germ, beans and tofu. But zinc is best absorbed from animal sources like beef and fish. The best way to get the nutrients your immune system needs is to include a wide variety of healthy foods in your diet.That’s usually a better option than a supplement. Overloading on specific nutrients won’t give your immune system a super boost. And taking too much of some of them can actually do more harm than good. TAKE AN ALL-AROUND APPROACH Eating nutritious foods is just one way to strengthen your immune system. Other good habits include:    ● Getting enough sleep.    ● Being active every day.    ● Maintaining a healthy weight.    ● Coping with stress and anxiety in healthy ways, like deep breathing or exercise. And of course, a healthy diet isn’t a re- placement for other steps to protect yourself from COVID-19. It’s still essential to:    ● Stay at least 6 feet away from others in public.    ● Wash your hands often.    ● Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.    ● Keep away from sick people.    ● Clean and disinfect shared surfaces daily.    ● Wear a cloth face mask in public. Eat well to keep your immune system strong Blood donations are urgently needed now