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PAGE 6A WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021 TIMES WEST VIRGINIAN ADVICE Dear Annie Mayo Clinic Minute: Catching up Annie Lane Syndicated on childhood vaccinations Columnist By Jason Howland Mayo Clinic News Network As students prepare to return to the Two isn’t always classroom, it’s important to ensure that they keep up with their immunization schedules. According to the Centers better than one for Disease Control and Prevention, Dear Annie: I am a 70-year-old retired man with the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in no children. My wife died in 2016, and we had a very a dramatic drop in routine childhood happy relationship together for more than 28 years. vaccinations. About three months after she died, I met a August is National Immunization wonderful lady, “Sarah,” who took my heart away. Month. And Mayo Clinic experts are However, she had very strong religious convictions reminding you that a part of the back- that I simply did not share. For a long time, she to-school routine is making sure your said that all we could be was friends because of kids are up to date on their shots. our differences. However, I was still madly in love It’s been a year of uncertainty, with her, despite her insisting that we could only be and that’s caused a lag in scheduled friends. childhood and adolescent vaccinations. In the meantime, I was introduced to another lady, “We know that with the challenges PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP with the pandemic last year that a lot A student receives a first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine during a City of “Jill,” and we also initially agreed to be friends only. Long Beach Public Health Covid-19 mobile vaccination clinic at the California So for several months, I would go out to movies, of kids fell behind on their routine vaccinations. So we are doing our best State University Long Beach (CSULB) campus on August 11, 2021 in Long Beach, sporting events and concerts with Sarah two or three California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images/TNS) times a week and with Jill on different days, also two to make sure our patients can get back or three times a week. in and get those vaccines up to date,” see lots of changes with mitigation “We are also taking the opportunity I did not tell Sarah or Jill about the friendly says Dr. Tina Ardon, a Mayo Clinic efforts and masking depending on to encourage our patients to receive the relationship I had with the other. In my mind, I told family physician. where someone lives, we’re going to COVID-19 vaccination if they are 12 myself that because we were only friends, I did not Chickenpox, tetanus, HPV, measles, encounter other potential viruses and and older, as this is a safe and effective need to tell Sarah and Jill that I was seeing both of mumps and rubella are a few of the illnesses as well. Prevention is always vaccine for those kids,” says Dr. Ardon. them. I knew this would be a recipe for disaster, but important immunization series that important to us in primary care,” says Talk to your health care provider to I continued to see both of them regularly. I am very prevent kids from getting sick. Dr. Ardon. learn more about what vaccinations embarrassed to say that I was not honest with either “I’m really thoughtful about the fact And that also applies to the your child needs. one of them. (OK, I will admit it: I told numerous that as you move into school and we COVID-19 vaccine for older kids. lies.) As you may guess, Jill and Sarah eventually found out about each other. Sarah said we could no longer Medical-grade honey is viable tool in wound care be just friends, and that I had to choose. Jill basically Dear Doctor: We used to tease our extracts moisture from microbes and said the same thing. The one I truly loved was Sarah, grandmother for putting a dab of honey on hinders their growth. Complex enzymatic although I cared for Jill. However, to not hurt either our scraped knees when we were kids. But Ask the interactions also inflict damage on one’s feelings, I did not commit to either one. now I’m hearing about something called microbes. Honey forms a protective Sarah has blocked my emails, texts and cellphone “medical-grade” honey. Does that actually Doctors barrier and keeps the wound moist. At calls. I did call her once on her landline, but she hung exist? How does it work? Maybe our the same time, micronutrients nourish the up on me immediately. Jill still tolerates me, but she granny was right all along? Dr. Ko and injured tissues and promote healing. expects so much more from me than I can give. She Dear Reader: When your grandmother Dr. Glazer But if you are tempted to reach for expects marriage, total commitment and no talking to treated your injuries with honey, she was a jar of honey in your pantry to rub on any other single women my age. following a curative practice that dates a burn or wound, hold off. Unlike the I hate myself for all the mistakes I made, and back at least to the ancient Egyptians. These are biologically active chemicals honey that Grandma used, medical-grade I simply cannot quit thinking about Sarah. She Not only did they use honey in wound honey is a sterile product that has been broke up with me over a year ago, and the pain still that are found in plants. Many of them care, but they harnessed its antimicrobial are antioxidants, which have anti- formulated and processed for safety and hurts badly. I currently have low self-esteem, stay properties to help embalm and preserve efficacy and is less likely to cause an depressed and find myself wondering how to grasp inflammatory properties. their dead. As researchers began to look more immune system reaction. The specific type for a reason to continue living. I have been seeing a Today, medical-grade honey has of honey matters, too. A variety known therapist and discussing my feelings. This does help closely at honey, they discovered that the emerged as an important tool in the fight antibacterial and antimicrobial properties as Manuca honey contains antibacterial some, but I am still in pain. against antimicrobial resistance, which agents in greater concentrations than I know that I cannot change the past, and I need to it had been credited with in folk medicine is a growing global health threat. Used were indeed real. Studies have shown other honeys, as well as several other move forward. I made many mistakes, but that was primarily for the treatment of wounds and distinct compounds that make it uniquely in the past and there is nothing I can do about them that honey has an inhibitory effect on burns, medical-grade honey harnesses scores of different kinds of bacteria and well-suited for healing. Various types of at this point. My question is: Can you recommend a the unique properties of what turns out medical-grade honey are used in healing book that will help me to become a better person and other microbes. This includes salmonella, to be a surprisingly complex substance. shigella, H. pylori and E. coli, which can wounds and burns, for managing skin recover from a broken heart? — Heartbroken Old And thanks to expanding research into conditions such as eczema and dermatitis, Man cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and its therapeutic uses, which had long been some of which can lead to serious illness for gastrointestinal infections and for Dear Heartbroken: Please try and let yourself off dismissed as a questionable alternative digestive health. With resistance to the hook. Sarah was clear with you that she could and even death. therapy, honey has entered the medical Honey’s antimicrobial properties antimicrobial medications becoming an only be friends. It’s not fair of her to then torture you mainstream. ever more serious problem, medical-grade the way she is. You deserve to be happy. The real work in several ways. It’s acidic, so its We think of honey as a sweetener, and low pH inhibits bacterial growth. And honey offers a viable alternative avenue of question is, have you properly grieved for your wife? it’s true that it’s composed primarily of treatment. While a good book is always helpful, finding a grief unlike antibiotics, which damage a fructose and glucose. In addition to those bacterium’s cell walls, honey deprives the Eve Glazier, M.D., MBA, is an internist support group for widows could help you. Also, find sugars, however, honey has been found to and associate professor of medicine at time to meet with your therapist more than once a microorganism of water. The low moisture contain up to 200 other unique bioactive content of honey starves bacteria of the UCLA Health. Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is week while you are healing. If it brings you comfort, compounds. These include vitamins, an internist and assistant professor of I would do that. water they require to survive and grow. minerals, enzymes, amino acids and fatty At the same time, its high sugar content medicine at UCLA Health. Send your questions for Annie Lane to acids. Honey is also rich in phytonutrients. [email protected]. induces osmosis, a process that physically ISAAC ASIMOV’S SUPER QUIZ Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. PH.D. LEVEL Score 1 point for each correct 7.

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