Tim Schnettler: The Federal Government released new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans this week. This is only the second edition of the guidelines, which were originally released in 2008. Two of the biggest changes: First, there is no longer a requirement that people exercise in bouts of at least ten minutes. Even very short bursts of exercise throughout the day can help.

Second, there are now recommendations for children aged 3 to 5. Preschool-aged children should be physically active throughout the day, for at least three hours total, to enhance growth and development.

If you have questions about how much exercise you or your child should be getting each week, talk to your primary care provider.

Mary Leigh Meyer: Howdy, this is Mary Leigh Meyer.

Sam Craft: And I’m her co-host, Sam Craft.

Mary Leigh Meyer: And welcome to Sounds Like Health. We are here with the wonderful, Dr. Cindy Weston. Not only is she a family nurse practitioner, but she’s also an assistant professor and the associate dean for Political and Outreach Affairs at the Texas A&M College of Nursing. She’s going to speak with us today about the flu. Welcome.

Cindy Weston: Thank you. I’m glad to be here.

Sam Craft: We’re very happy to have you. Thanks for taking time out to come and see us.

Cindy Weston: It’s my pleasure. I’m always willing to talk about a topic that has to do with health and promoting health.

Sam Craft: Great.

Mary Leigh Meyer: Is it too late to do this podcast? Are we still in primetime flu season?

Cindy Weston: Yes, actually flu season has not fully hit our area yet. We’re seeing a few sporadic cases, but the big season is still yet to come. So it’s still a great topic.

Sam Craft: How long is the flu season, I guess? I’m doing air quotes. But I’ve always heard it’s October to March. Is that the main time? Can you get flu in the summer? Cause it’s a disease that’s floating around, right?

Cindy Weston: Yeah.

Mary Leigh Meyer: I always think it’s a winter.

Sam Craft: Is it, it’s like a cold thing?

Cindy Weston: Yeah, everybody’s right. The peak season is October to March, if you look at Texas data and really U.S. data. We usually peak right around the Christmas holiday season. Sometimes we’ll peak again around spring break, but you can get flu all year long. And in fact, we typically see cases in the summer, a few cases. It seems like it’s more influenza B that we see in the summer. And it’s influenza A predominantly in the winter. But we see both really all year long. They just become more epidemic during that October to March time frame.

Sam Craft: Is that because people are coughing and sharing germs more or because it’s cold and their getting colds? Why do you think that it’s more winter based than it is summer based?

Cindy Weston: Seasonal patterns. It seems to start in the east, the new flu strand viruses and they move from east to west. They typically will hit in our winter with new mutations of the virus. So that’s why our season seems to peak in the winter, October to March time frame. The northern hemisphere, you know that’s our winter. The southern hemisphere will experience that usually in the months that is typically our summer.

Mary Leigh Meyer: So, when is the ideal time for the flu shot?

Cindy Weston: As soon as it’s available (everyone laughing) is really when you should get it. It’s going to take two weeks to become fully effective and to have the antibodies. And it’s going to last for about six months. So knowing that we often times peak again in March, October in our area is generally the recommended month to get the vaccine. But you should get it at any time that it’s available.

Sam Craft: How do you know, you talk about strands of the flu, how do you know that this flu shot will protect me against this strand? Someone who is not medically based, like myself, I don’t understand the different strands. Is there a different strand every year? How does that work in the disease world?

Cindy Weston: Yeah, that’s a great question. The flu, you’ll hear this said. The only thing predictable about influenza is that it is unpredictable. (laughing) It continues to mutate, and it changes. It’s a virus that continues to evolve. They base our current vaccine for our season. The decision is made around January of the year knowing that the flu season is not going to come, or the vaccine’s not going to b

Tim Schnettler: It’s that time of year again—time to get your annual flu shot. Everyone six months of age or older should get one before the end of October, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And yes, it’s important to do so even though the vaccine isn’t completely protective—meaning it’s possible to get the flu even after you’ve gotten the shot. Last year, 900,000 people were hospitalized and more than 80,000 people died from flu, but getting vaccinated can help lower the risk of both. Flu vaccines are readily available this year, so visit your local pharmacy or primary care provider to get one.

Tim Schnettler: It’s October, and that means pink everywhere for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Each year, more than 240,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 die from the disease. To lower that stat, regular mammograms are essential. If you are a woman between 50 and 74 years old, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends a screening mammogram every two years. If you don’t have insurance or can’t afford a mammogram, there may be options in your community to get one for little to no cost.

If you are younger than 50, it may be worth talking to your health care provider about when to get your first mammogram, which may be earlier if you have certain risk factors.

Men, although this month you’re often reminded to talk to your partners and the other women in your life about getting screened, it is possible for you to get breast cancer as well.