Katelyn Jetelina, PhD, MPH, is our kind of public well being skilled.
As an epidemiologist, she research patterns and causes of illness in public well being (e.g., Covid), and he or she’s tremendous enthusiastic about sharing evidence-based info with anybody who’s .
Her free weekly e-newsletter, Your Local Epidemiologist, breaks down sophisticated public well being information in a pleasant, simple to know manner. She began the e-newsletter throughout Covid, and it rapidly grew to become the go-to useful resource for dependable info in the course of the pandemic. Immediately, about 230,000 individuals in 100 nations subscribe to Your Native Epidemiologist, and Time journal named Jetelina one of many 100 most influential people in health in 2024.
Since Covid, Jetelina’s e-newsletter has advanced to incorporate totally different public well being matters, together with diet and new analysis. Right here’s our interview with Jetelina and her ideas on the chicken flu and the brand new tips for what’s thought of a “wholesome” meals.
Our interview follows, edited for readability and size.
HealthyWomen: Your web site says, “Through the day, I put on many hats, together with scientific guide to quite a few organizations, together with the CDC. At evening, I write this article.” Why is it vital to you to place this article out?
Dr. Jetelina: I stumbled upon doing this article in the course of the pandemic — and I did not assume it might be wanted to be accomplished for very lengthy, however right here I’m 5 years into it, and it is nonetheless alive and properly — and it’s filling a large hole.
I imply, there’s not sufficient individuals being attentive to considerations on the bottom, and there’s lots of confusion and questions that should be answered in a well timed and comprehensible method. And so, I am exploring that house.
Read: 15 Minutes With: Kizzmekia S Corbett, Ph.D., Talks About Omicron >>
HealthyWomen: We all know that you just’re working to get the information on the market about why vaccines are so vital. What do you wish to say to individuals who nonetheless have considerations in regards to the Covid vaccine?
Dr. Jetelina: I believe that there’s going to be much more questions on vaccines — even past Covid — as we enter this new period in U.S. politics, and I believe it’s OK to have questions. I would like individuals to have questions. However what I am most involved about is individuals getting evidence-based info. What we all know from the vaccines in the marketplace is that they’re far safer than getting the illness themselves — whether or not it is Covid or measles or whooping cough — you identify it. Vaccines are the perfect software now we have in our toolkit to stay a wholesome and affluent life.
HealthyWomen: We’re in the course of flu, RSV and Covid season. Is it too late to get vaccinated now (asking for a pal)?
Dr. Jetelina: We’re within the peak of respiratory season proper now, and it is truly not too late to get vaccinated. If we’re peaking now or subsequent week, that also means now we have to go down the wave as properly, and flu is infamous for being drawn out as a result of totally different strains turn out to be dominant later in spring.
So, no, it’s not too late to get vaccinated — particularly for flu and Covid.
Read: Is it Covid, RSV or the Flu? >>
HealthyWomen: Earlier this 12 months, an individual in Louisiana died from the H5N1 chicken flu. How involved ought to we be in regards to the chicken flu?
Dr. Jetelina: To the typical American, that is one thing that try to be taking note of, however it’s not a five-alarm emergency prefer it was with Covid. And there is not a lot individuals can do, proper? Don’t drink unpasteurized milk. Don’t contact wild birds and animals that look sick. Proper now, it isn’t an emergency and danger is definitely not uniform. [Editor’s Note: People who come in contact with birds, poultry and livestock have the most risk of exposure.]
HealthyWomen: Are you able to discuss a little bit bit in regards to the position the American eating regimen performs in persistent illness, particularly for ladies?
Dr. Jetelina: Weight loss program is extremely vital to maintain us wholesome. It is one of many issues that assist with our immune methods and having a dietary, balanced eating regimen is among the issues we will do for our well being.
HealthyWomen: In a current e-newsletter, you talked about that beginning in February, if an organization desires to say their meals product is “wholesome,” it should show two issues: The meals comprises a certain quantity of one of many 5 meals teams, and the meals cannot exceed added sugar, sodium or saturated fats limits based mostly on the meals and its usually consumed quantities. What are your ideas on the change, and do you assume it’s going to have an effect on what individuals assume is wholesome to eat?
Dr. Jetelina: It might. I believe that there is lots of totally different levers that may be pulled. For instance behavioral levers, like having a warning system on meals similar to now we have for cigarette packs might definitely assist with the training round what’s nutrient-dense meals and what’s not.
It’s extremely complicated for lots of people on the market. I believe what I am most enthusiastic about although, is the oblique levers that we’ll have on firms: to do higher at creating and distributing wholesome meals. And so, I believe it will likely be an oblique software to maintain firms and business accountable.
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