I’m a big fan of those alcohol-based gel hand sanitizers. I’m already a bit of a hypochondriac so I didn’t feel as weird this year when everyone started to use them during the H1N1 pandemic. After all, everyone knows they kill 99.9% of germs. Right? Well, um, sort of. The Wall Street Journal has a …

It’s almost like a tidal wave, this outpouring of fear and misinformation regarding flu vaccines. I hope to provide evidence-based data for people to review and provide a basis for a well-informed discussion. Here’s an update: regarding pregnant women, every reputable public health agency is not just recommending but strongly recommending that all pregnant women …

There is now even more good news about the seasonal flu vaccine and how it can prevent severe infections in pregnant women. As I’ve said before, pregnant women and infants are at most risk of complications from the flu (even more from H1N1), and both groups are strongly recommended to get the annual flu shot. …

So typical of modern medicine: one day a study says “try this”, the next week a new study says, “no, try that!” I am now guilty of the same thing. A month ago I quoted a study that said regular surgical masks didn’t work well against viruses. Well…now, of course there’s a new study which …

So was your mother actually correct in telling you to finish your chicken soup because it’s good for you? Perhaps. Chicken soup has been considered an aid to the common cold and flu for centuries, by many cultures. In 2001 an interesting research paper (link at bottom of post) showed that chicken soup actually slowed …

Here’s a warning shot across the bow for those workaholics and students who are chronically sleep deprived. I’ve mentioned in my slide show about the common cold, as well as my accompanying article, that there are a lot of preventive things you can do to fight off colds and flu viruses. And it may seem …

Now that we are in the midst of flu season, there’s a lot of anxiety about vaccines and treatments. So it’s always good to be reminded of good old common sense practices to prevent infection in the first place. This week, esteemed British Medical Journal has published an excellent review article (link at bottom) which looks …

The flu season has arrived; mostly H1N1 now, we should soon start to see more seasonal flu as well. There are a lot of healthy approaches to fight this infection. I have made a link below to an article from the Natural Medicines Database, an outstanding physician-oriented website. This article reviews evidence-based research as to …

It’s definitely the start of a new wave of H1N1 flu right now; and in a few weeks we will also start to see the “regular” seasonal flu as well. Many people recommend wearing a mask. A new study (review below) suggests that the cheaper surgical mask is not effective in stopping the flu virus. …

The flu season is definitely heating up, as some local schools are already seeing partial closures due to cases of the flu. The local government has started a massive campaign to vaccinate the most needy Beijingers (see article below). Note that this is the regular flu vaccine, not the H1N1 vaccine, which is not yet …

By now, most Beijingers know that the expat clinics have received their supplies of seasonal flu (not H1N1) vaccine. But how effective is it, and who really needs it? Many people are wary of this vaccine, and even in America only about 40% of adults get it annually. The annual flu virus, for most people, …