Fever wards at the division hospital: Jacksonville, Florida (1898)

The symptoms of a mini stroke can be quite similar to those of a full stroke, and as such it is important to seek medical attention right away to determine the extent of the condition. It is a fact if you have suffered a mini stroke you are at risk of having another stroke (mini or full) in the future. More accurately a mini stroke is called a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, it occurs when the supply of oxygen to a specific area of the brain is cut off. It usually lasts less than ten minutes, and symptoms are temporary, as opposed to a stroke where the effects can be permanent. Depending on the blood system and area of the brain affected, symptoms of a transient ischemic attack can include:

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  Vision problems in one or both eyes, including double vision.
  
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  Dizziness, clumsiness and weakness.
  
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  Speech problems, including slurring.
  
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  Inability to walk, known as ataxia.
  
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  Sudden amnesia and/or loss of consciousness.
  

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  Limit intake of trans fats and hydrogenated oils found in margarine, fast food, fried food, etc.
  
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  Limit refined sugar intake from cakes, cookies, candy, etc.
  
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  Use extra virgin olive oil and garlic in cooking - they can lower cholesterol.
  
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  Add Omega 3 Fatty Acids to your diet - the best source is Fish Oil
  

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  Try to exercise 3-4 times per week, for at least a half hour at a time.
  
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  Keep your routine going, and start off slow.
  
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  Always stretch before and after training.
  
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  Keep yourself hydrated and rest between sets.
  

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  Stop smoking and avoid second hand smoke - both are major causes of heart disease.
  
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  Limit your intake of alcohol - excessive alcohol can deplete your body's supply of vitamins and other nutrients.
  
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  Try to reduce stress and anxiety - they can lead to high blood pressure and other health conditions.
  
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  Keep your weight within recommended limits - obesity is a leading cause of heart disease.
  

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  If your cholesterol is high, you can lower cholesterol naturally with policosanol, guggulipid and other herbal extracts as well as Fish Oil. Remember, only 20% of your cholesterol comes from what you eat, the other 80% is manufactured by your liver.
  
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  If your triglyceride (fat) levels are too high, lower your carbohydrate and sugar intake. Also, fish oil, Vitamin C, guggulipid and green tea are safe natural ways to lower triglyceride levels.
  
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  If your homocysteine levels are high, you can easily normalize the situation by including B Vitamins in your diet, particularly Folic Acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
  
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  If your C Reactive Protein levels are high, this indicates inflammation in the blood. Fish oil, ginger and MSM will help decrease inflammation naturally. Read more about lowering C Reactive Protein here.
  

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  Cold water fish is often contaminated or devoid of essential Omega 3's due to poor manufacturing and handling practices. Therefore you might want to consider a pure molecularly distilled fish oil supplement.
  
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  Many people are vitamin deficient, due to poor diets, or if they are elderly or sick. Therefore, supplementing vitamins is important. Specifically for the heart, the B Vitamins as well as the antioxidants Vitamin C and Vitamin E are important.
  
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  If you have high cholesterol or other heart disease precursors supplementing policosanol, CoQ10, guggulipid, green tea and other important minerals and herbal extracts is important.
  
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  There are many important nutrients for maintaining heart health as well as general health and wellbeing. There are many amino acids, minerals, enzymes and other nutrients that your body needs to function properly and efficiently, that you might not be getting enough of in your diet.
  

But that's only one of an unprecedented number of flu vaccine options available this year. Allergic to eggs? Egg-free shots are hitting the market, too. Plus there's growing interest in shots brewed just for the 65-and-older crowd, and a brand that targets the needle-phobic with just a skin-deep prick.

A: For more than 30 years, the vaccine has offered protection against three influenza strains - two common Type A strains called H1N1 and H3N2, and one strain of Type B. Flu strains continually evolve, and the recipe for each year's vaccine includes the subtypes of those strains that experts consider most likely to cause illness that winter. Type A flu causes more serious disease and deaths, especially the H3N2 form that made last year such a nasty flu season. But the milder Type B flu does sicken people every year as well, and can kill. Two distinct Type B families circulate the globe, making it difficult to know which to include in each year's vaccine. Adding both solves the guesswork, and a CDC model estimates it could prevent as many as 485 deaths a year depending on how much Type B flu is spreading.

A: All of the nasal spray version sold in the U.S. this year will be this new variety, called FluMist Quadrivalent. The catch is that the nasal vaccine is only for healthy people ages 2 to 49 who aren't pregnant. If you prefer a flu shot, ask the doctor or pharmacist if the four-strain kind is available. Younger children, older adults, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions all can use flu shots. Four-strain versions are sold under the names Fluzone Quadrivalent, Fluarix Quadrivalent and FluLaval Quadrivalent. Manufacturers anticipate producing between 135 million and 139 million doses of flu vaccine this year. Only about 30 million doses will offer the four-strain protection.

A: Type B flu tends to strike children more than the middle-aged, Poland noted. And he said it's not a bad idea for seniors, who are more vulnerable to influenza in general. But the CDC doesn't recommend one vaccine variety over another, and the American Academy of Pediatrics said either kind is fine - just get vaccinated.

A: Fluzone High-Dose protects against the traditional three strains of flu, but it quadruples the standard vaccine dose in an effort to rev up age-weakened immune systems don't respond as actively to regular flu shots. The government calls the high-dose shot an option for seniors, not one that's proved better. Last week, Sanofi Pasteur said initial results from a study of 30,000 seniors vaccinated over the past two flu seasons suggest the high-dose shot is about 24 percent more effective. Federal health officials will have to review the full study results to see if they agree.

A: Traditional flu vaccine is made from viruses grown in eggs, and specialists say it's usually not a problem unless someone has a serious egg allergy. But the new FluBlok vaccine eliminates that concern because it is made with cell technology, like many other nonflu vaccines. So far, it's only for use in people ages 18 to 49.

A: If you don't qualify for the ouchless nasal spray vaccine, there is one shot made with a teeny-tiny needle that pricks the skin instead of muscle. Called Fluzone Intradermal, it's available for 18- to 64-year-olds, and protects against the usual three strains.

A: Early fall is ideal, as it's impossible to predict when flu will start spreading and it takes about two weeks for protection to kick in. But later isn't too late; flu season typically peaks in January or February.

A: The vaccine is covered by insurance, and Medicare and some plans don't require a copay. Drugstore vaccination programs tend to charge about $30; expect the quadrivalent versions to be slightly more expensive.

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  You are part of a religion opposed to acceptance of benefits from a health insurance policy.
  
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  You are an undocumented immigrant.
  
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  You are incarcerated.
  
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  You are a member of an Indian tribe.
  
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  Your family income is below the threshold for filing an income tax return ($10,000 for an individual & $20,000 for a family in 2013).
  
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  You have to pay more than 8% of your income for health insurance, after taking into account any employer contributions or tax credits.