Anti-Flu Vaccine For Swine Flu A(H1N1)

Everyone's trying to get a hold of an anti-flu vaccine which already includes protection against the swine flu A(H1N1). I've been following a prominent showbiz family who claims they already had their shots, but when asked of the brand and where they got it, they wouldn't answer explicitly. The latest word from the World Health Organization website is dated May 27, 2009, and they said that creating the said vaccine is still in the works. It may take five to six months to develop and mass produce it.

What is available at hand for the meantime however, is a viral strain that the manufacturers could work with to begin their production and for further studies in laboratories (Source: BBC News). Baxter and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) are the two leading manufacturing companies which are both up to their necks already to make these commercially available at the soonest time possible. Baxter could hopefully release theirs by July. The trial 10 liter batch of GSK, on the other hand, is now undergoing clinical tests before being mass produced.

Probably the cause of alarm was triggered when WHO officially declared a pandemic, and people started looking for anti-flu vaccines that cover the A(H1N1) strain already. But for the meantime, your best arm is still prevention. Don't even think of going to Acapulco now.

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Cervarix: Protection Against Cervical Cancer

I already had two shots of Cervarix, an anti-cervical cancer vaccine. My third and last vaccination to complete it is due on September. I did not fully understand it yet when friends prodded me to have this vaccine. The advertisements of Joey Albert, Pia and Maxene Magalona were not flooding the TV screens yet that time. I just went for it because my friends sounded very convincing.

I cringed at the amount I will have to spend per session because I'm really such a cheapo. But then again, I figured that I'm in my thirties already, and therefore the risks of being infected with cervical cancer is only getting higher. The hospital bills will definitely be fifty times more than the cost of the vaccinations if I do catch the disease.

I learned that cervical cancer is the second highest leading cause of death in women. That's enough to scare me. So as cliche as it may sound, I told myself that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

What is cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the cervix caused by HPV. Cervix is the organ that connects the uterus and vagina. The cancer usually develops slowly and hardly shows any symptoms such that it is not easily detected unless a woman goes through a pap smear test.

What is HPV?

Human Papillomavirus or HPV is a viral infection that could be passed on through sexual contact. However, there are recent studies that show it could be transmitted through non-sexual means also. There are about 100 different HPV viruses but some of these are harmless. 30 strains are identified to cause cancer. There is still no cure to HPV, but thanks to medical science, it could now be prevented.

What is Cervarix?

Cervarix HPV Vaccine is a recent medical breakthrough of GlaxoSmithKline. It protects women against 2 strains of HPV (16 and 18). Cervarix boosts a woman's immune system to fight the HPV strains. You only need three vaccinations and after that, as my doctor-friend said, you are practically protected for life . The first and second shots are given in one month interval. The third shot is given six months after the second session.

From my personal experience so far (after two shots), there are no side effects except for the normal after-pains of an injection. Your arm will feel a bit heavy for about two days. You could try applying ice a few minutes before and after the injection to lessen the pain. However, it may also depend on the tolerance level for pain of the patient.

It is also important to note that Cervarix could only protect against HPV16 and HPV18, two strains that cause 70% of cervical cancer cases. Women are still advised to undergo regular pap smear tests even after vaccination.

Women aged 18 to 45 years old are highly advised to be vaccinated. For more information and clarification, consult your doctor.

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Losing Weight

I have a month left to achieve that perfect figure before I slip into my bridesmaid gown. I've been gyming (an invented term I'm fond of using to mean working out in the gym) for two months now yet my body seems uncooperative. I lost two pounds since I last weighed. But now I think I gained a pound back. My weight's as swingy as my mood. I lose one or two pounds, then gain it back easily before I can even jump in ecstasy. Trimming down for my friend's upcoming wedding is just a small thing though. I just want to feel good and feel pretty on that day :) But more importantly than that, I'm gyming because I'd like to take care of my health. I want to feel good about myself. I hate the feeling of getting tired easily, or feeling heavy. I want to stay fit for as long as I can.

Sadly, I think it's in my genetic makeup to get fat. I look at my mom and her sisters (my aunts) and it always brushes my head that I'll grow older to be like them (size-wise). I haven't even been to child labor yet I'm having a hard time trimming my tummy now. I've complained endlessly of exhausting all means of abdominal exercises available in the gym. I guess some of us are just not born to be sexy babes. Maybe some fats are more stubborn than the others. Wearing a two-piece suit in the beach may forever remain a dream.

I don't sweat easily, and I think this poses as one hindrance in losing weight. Sometimes I envy the people around me who could easily break into a sweat during a physical activity. During cold, rainy days, I can get tired from playing badminton without sweating that much. When gyming or jogging, I still have to wear a sweater. I have read conflicting information in the internet about sweating and I don't know what to believe anymore. There's one saying that people who don't sweat easily are not healthy people. Haller?? I'm healthy, excuse me. My gym instructor adds that fats are burned only through sweat, so it's a must to perspire to burn those calories. Still, there's another I've read that says it doesn't matter if I don't sweat much for as long as I feel body tiredness from a workout. Whatever. I'm still in the game of losing weight. Even if I never attain that va-va-voom figure, I'll be happy to merely lose 5lbs. There are no signs of bailing out.

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