CNN had a feature this morning about a 7-year-old boy, Brenden Foster, who has died of leukemia. He was on camera, a little philosopher, brave beyond belief, so sorry he couldn’t physically help the homeless any more. I bawled. What a man he might have been.

About health … a lot of info comes to me in E mails about health issues. I just got one on recognizing the signs of stroke and that immediate treatment can totally reverse any effects if you are only alert enough to get help and not wait.

These are the signs -- remember the acronym -- STRS:

Ask the individual to

SMILE (crooked or can’t)

TALK and speak a simple sentence coherently – i.e., it is sunny out today

RAISE BOTH ARMS

STICK OUT TONGUE – if the tongue is crooked or goes to one side or the other

If the person has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call the emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

A neurologist says if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke.

So, people, spread this around. You could help save a life.

ABOUT FLU SHOTS.

Dr. Mercola (Mercola.com) has a video in which he explains why getting a flu shot is not only a bad idea but can be harmful. In a nutshell, flu shots contain mercury and other deleterious substances. The statistics regarding flu deaths each year are spurious – most of the deaths classified as flu are from pneumonia in the elderly whose immune systems are compromised. A flu shot has no effect on pneumonia, and Dr. Mercola claims it is also ineffective against flu. He states the massive propaganda encouraging flu shots comes from drug companies and is directly related to profit.

My elderly mom used to get them and each time she got sick. The year she stopped, she no longer had a problem.

Mercola says sunlight (a tanning bed if you can’t get any the regular way), or massive doses of vitamin D in the first 3 days of an onset, will prevent the flu. Check him out.

This is my public service blog for the week.

xx, Teal