Actress Tia Mowry Takes on Flu Prevention
When she isn’t running after her precious 2-year old son Cree, she's storming the big and small screens with her Style Network reality show Tia and Tamara, the Nickelodeon comedy Instant Mom and the new film Baggage Claim.
Most recently, Mowry lent her face to the “I Insist” campaign, which boasts the importance of a new nasal flu vaccine, FluMist Quadrivalent. It's the first and only FDA-approved nasal-spray flu vaccine that protects against four strains of influenza contained in the vaccine – two strains of influenza A and two strains of influenza B.
With flu season right around the corner, this campaign is especially important given the 2012-2013 flu season was the worst we’ve seen in 10 years. Not to mention, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is clear: The best way to protect yourself from the flu is to get vaccinated.
BET.com sits down with Mowry to discuss her involvement with this new campaign, why we all need a flu shot and what she does to stay healthy.
Why is the “I Insist” campaign important to you?
First, living a healthy lifestyle is really important to me and the health of my family is a top priority, so teaming up with them was really a no-brainer.
I am an entrepreneur, an author, an actress and a mom, so I know what it’s like to have a hectic lifestyle, like so many other moms. But one way we can protect our health is to get vaccinated. And for me, FluMist Quadrivalent works perfectly for my family and me because it’s a mist. You inhale it and you’re done.
Does having a needle-free option appeal to you?
Yes! I am not a fan of needles. [Laughs] I know that with myself and other people, we just wouldn’t get vaccinated because of our fear of needles. But what’s also great about FluMist Quadrivalent is that it protects you from four different influenza strains, so for me I feel extra protected.
Why should young people especially be concerned about being vaccinated for the flu?
First, the flu is not just a severe cold, it’s a potentially dangerous respiratory disease that can develop into other illnesses such as bronchitis. Also, the flu doesn’t just affect you — it can affect your entire family. So getting vaccinated is also about protecting your loved ones too and other people around you.
Switching gears: You have so much on your plate, how do you stay emotionally and physically healthy?
For my mental health, I keep myself surrounded by people who I love and who have my back: my husband, my son and my best friends. It’s also important to slow down and de-stress! So I do things that make me feel great like yoga, I meditate, cook and read. I also make sure to take my long candlelit baths while listening to Sade.
For my physical health, I love dance cardio, so I will take all kinds of classes like Zumba to stay in shape. When I am on the road, I will take some exercise DVDs to make sure I don’t miss a workout.
Watch Mowry talk about the benefits of FluMist Quadrivalent here.
BET Health News - We go beyond the music and entertainment world to bring you important medical information and health-related tips of special relevance to Blacks in the U.S. and around the world. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
(Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for FluMist Quadrivalent)
