Sponsored: Why get a flu shot?

Ask Leah! The Ingles Dietitian

Sponsored: Why get a flu shot?

Years ago... I got the flu (influenza). It wasn’t fun. I was miserably sick and ran a high fever for about 3 days. I ached all over, had no energy, no appetite, nothing tasted good and I couldn’t sleep.

I was lucky. Some people who get the flu need to be hospitalized and some even die. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that influenza-related deaths from 2012-2013 were from 12,000-56,000. (It is often difficult to get an accurate number because the cause of death on the death certificate may be listed as pneumonia or other complications of seasonal influenza and not specifically listed as influenza.) For more information on this please check out: www.cdc.gov/flu

I get the flu vaccine every year so I reduce my risk of getting sick with the flu again. I also get a flu shot so I don’t pass the flu virus to others who may be more vulnerable like:

• Someone with a chronic disease

• Individuals with auto-immune diseases like Type 1 diabetes

• Infants, children, and the elderly

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• Someone going through treatment for cancer whose immune system is compromised

Geting the flu shot is not just about me, it’s about protecting other members of my community.

Please get a flu shot today!

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN

Ingles Markets Corporate Dietitian

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800-334-4936

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