Your health.

As if it weren’t bad enough that you have Parkinson’s, there’s all sorts of other health risks we all face. The weekly reports from the US Center for Disease Control are showing a lot of us are getting infected and sick from influenza. I can't help but focus on influenza because I am slowly recovering from a bad week and a half with it - despite having taken the vaccine late last fall.

I’m not going to get into a vaccine debate. Although I believe people are entitled to their opinions, the data show that many vaccines undoubtedly save lives. Look up the annual deaths from polio before and after the introduction of vaccines. And even when vaccines do not offer 100% protection from getting sick, they generally make the illness less severe.

My experience with fevers, body aches, fatigue and a hacking cough that doesn’t seem to go away reminded me that we need to consider health generally, and not only focus on Parkinson’s. One way that people die with Parkinson’s (particularly with more severe PD) is as a result of a pneumonia. There are many causes of pneumonia, and one vaccine that is particularly effective against pneumonia caused by the bacteria called pneumococcus. That vaccine is called Pneumovax^TM and is recommended for everyone over 50 years old as a one-time shot. That’s one time now and then never again, which is a pretty efficient vaccine.

There is a government task force composed of leading public health experts call the US Preventive Services Task Force. Their recommendations include important tests we should all consider (and get as a function of our individual risk) to stay alive, avoid disability and prevent needless suffering. These include screening for cancer and assessing the risks of heart attack and strokes. Discuss these with your doctor.

With Parkinson’s you will suffer enough. Don’t ignore opportunities to reduce your risks of the other age-related diseases exemplified by cancers, heart attacks and strokes. Take care of yourselves so you’ll be ready when we prove RB-190 is beneficial.