As we set out to examine influenza on "Take Care," we wanted to start out with the basics. Flu is one of those illnesses that carries with it a lot of baggage in the form of myths and tall tales. After all, hasn't anyone ever told you that you can get the flu from the vaccine? (You can't.) Dr. Angela Campbell , medical officer in the influenza division of the CDC , joined us to share her insight into this year's flu virus and how to prevent contracting it.

As the current fatal flu season winds down, how to handle the next is on many public health officials’ minds. Pediatrician Dr. Howard Markel is a social and cultural historian of medicine, public health and epidemics and director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan . He spoke with "Take Care" to discuss his research and how it can be used to prevent future flu outbreaks as bad as this season’s.

The worst flu season in nearly a decade has taken a toll on the nation's hospitals. The facilities have been on the front lines, dealing with a flood of patients that in some areas has reached crisis levels. In New Jersey and Alabama, some hospitals have needed triage tents just to process the surge of patients. That hasn't been the case in Syracuse, but the rise in flu cases has swamped some local emergency departments, causing a ripple effect. When patients seek refuge from the flu at the

This statement, and others, dot the website of Smile Train -- a charitable organization treating cleft lip and cleft palate in the developing world. These conditions can cause complications in speech, eating and even breathing. To get a better idea of the causes, complications and treatment of cleft lip and palate, we’re joined by Dr. Christopher Viozzi on “Take Care.” Viozzi is an oral surgeon with The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He specializes in pediatric and adolescent medicine,

It’s not easy to keep up with the latest in health and wellness. Each day, new studies, research and developments in health make it difficult to pick out the most important information for you. We’ll be sharing a few of the latest developments in health at the end of each episode of “Take Care” this year. As the year goes on, we may even revisit some earlier news to see where things stand months later. Today we’re covering a couple of interesting ways that health is intersecting technology and

Not all pink ribbons are created equal, according to the "Take Care" guest we're speaking to today. Dr. Mara Einstein is a researcher, author and professor at Queens College, CUNY, who dissects the effects of marketing on society and on ourselves. Her latest book is “ Black Ops Advertising: Native Ads, Content Marketing and the Covert World of the Digital Sell .” Remember Livestrong bracelets? What about Project RED? Years of yellow rubber bracelets and t-shirts worn by Bono seem like they may

For decades, the Red Cross has been encouraging people to give blood, especially during times of hardship. When Jerry Ball was in his teens, he heard that call and he’s been giving ever since. Jerry has donated blood over 200 times -- 268 times, to be exact. “You can donate whole blood every 56 days, so I just sign up every 56 days,” Jerry says. When Jerry was growing up, it was the 1970s. There was a war going on. The need was there. That’s why he started his commitment to donating. “We were at

Resources for families with young children can be scarce, from diapers to milk. Often, there is no government assistance to help struggling families with these necessities. But there are grassroots organizations that step up at the local level to help new families. Allison Brooks of the Salvation Army in Syracuse said the need for diapers hit home for her a few years ago when she was working at a food pantry. “And a family walked in looking for diapers, and the child was wrapped in a Wegmans bag

Pets give you love and affection but can they be good for your health? Not only do pets bring people together but they can prolong your life and fill the need people have to take care of something, according to this week's guest. Studies have shown that pets can be a driving force in patients doing better and living longer. Mayo Clinic Oncologist Dr. Edward Creagan joins us on "Take Care" to discuss how pets impact our lives -- potentially more than we impact theirs.

Pets give you love and affection but can they be good for your health? Not only do pets bring people together but they can prolong your life and fill the need people have to take care of something, according to this week's guest. Studies have shown that pets can be a driving force in patients doing better and living longer. Mayo Clinic Oncologist Dr. Edward Creagan joins us on "Take Care" to discuss how pets impact our lives -- potentially more than we impact theirs.