Originally published in the Hideaway Lake News, March 2020
One unfortunate consequence of aging is our decreasing ability to fight off infections. People over the age of 60 often have more severe symptoms, more serious complications, and a greater chance of dying from both bacterial and viral infections. With the coronavirus wreaking havoc and panic the world over, now is the time to take a closer look at keeping all nasty bugs at bay. If we didn’t know it before, we all know now to wash our hands frequently with soap and water, stay home when we are sick with respiratory symptoms, and sneeze or cough into a tissue and discard it promptly. But what else can we do to protect ourselves? We can get vaccinated. The coronavirus vaccine is likely still at least a year away, but we have effective defenses available right now for other infectious agents.
Pneumonia from bacteria and viruses is the leading cause of infectious death among the elderly. We have two vaccines that together prevent 36 strains of pneumonia causing bacteria. And we have the flu vaccine that reduces the risk of viral pneumonia. Unlike the flu vaccine which needs to be given yearly, the bacterial pneumonia vaccines are needed just once for the average person 65 years and older. Make sure to discuss with your doctor if you need one or both the pneumonia vaccines. Your doctor may also advise you to take the vaccine before 65 if you have certain chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). And remember, even if the flu vaccine is just a 40-50% match for the season, it still reduces the severity of symptoms, and the risks of hospitalizations and complications like viral pneumonia, so get the flu shot every year.
Another infectious agent that can cause significant pain and suffering is reactivation of the chickenpox virus which results in shingles. Shingles appears as a band of painful blisters that develops along nerve pathways. Common sites are the chest, back and face. If it occurs along the nerve close to your eye or ear, it can cause blindness or hearing loss. It can also cause inflammation of the brain and paralysis. After the rash heals up, you may also be left with weeks to months of debilitating pain. If you are 50 years or older, talk to your doctor about the shingles vaccine, which is given once in a lifetime as a two shot series.
Other ways to boost your immune system are to stop smoking, eat a healthy diet full of vegetables and whole foods, and get plenty of exercise. Minimizing stress and getting ample good quality sleep have also shown to improve your ability to ward off infections. You will see a pattern here – the same things that help you maintain a healthy heart, and a healthy brain, also help you maintain a healthy immune system. This is because healthy lifestyles reduce chronic
diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart and kidney disease, all of which suppress your immunity.
And finally, please stay home when you are sick. If you have a fever, body aches or fatigue with runny nose, itchy eyes, sore throat or cough, you do not have allergies, you have an infection. Don’t say you have allergies when you are infected and go to the gym or to a big party. Just because you feel well enough to go, doesn’t mean you should go. Please stay home so you can prevent it from spreading, be it the flu or the coronavirus.