Maintaining a healthy lifestyle does not only begin with exercise and healthy eating, but immunization is also an important cycle in life to keep yourself safe from harmful disease that spread easily from water, air, or even from your lover. We highly recommend that our readers keep track of their immunization history, and ensure that you get these vaccines as soon as possible.
1. HPV
HPV vaccines are given as a series of three shots over 6 months to help protect against from the human pappiloma virus (HPV). HPV can cause genital warts and cancers in the vagina and vulva, so take precaution and seek the assistance of a medical professional if you’re already sexually active. It is also recommended if you’ve yet to be sexually active.
2. Tetanus
Tetanus is a serious disease caused by bacteria and it can enter the body through cuts and wounds. It causes extremely painful muscle cramps, spasms in the jaw muscles, difficulty swallowing which could potentially deadly. Tetanus shots should be taken as early as childhood, but if you’ve yet to get vaccinated against tetanus, you should receive a Tdap vaccine, followed by a Td booster every 10 years.
3. Influenza
Also known as the flu shot, the influenza vaccination should be taken annually to protect against the influenza virus, and to prevent it from spreading throughout the community. It can also reduce the severity of your flu compared compared to someone who hasn’t been vaccinated.
4. Hepatitis A
Heptatitis A is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). The virus is commonly spread by close personal contact and even through drinking water or eating food containing HAV. The symptoms include a flu-like illness, and darker urine. It’s important to get a Hepatitis A vaccination if one is traveling or even have chronic liver disease. It’s also highly recommended for children to get their shots as early as 2 years old.
5. Measles
Measles is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the paramyxovirus, causing symptoms like high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and even rashes. The measles vaccine should be taken by adults as the vaccine acts by a stimulating the innate immune response and provides long term protection against the disease.
