hello, everyone. i'm eric shawn. >> i'm arthel neville. welcome to "sunday housecall." joining us is dr. david samadi. >> and dr. mark seek el profess dr. marc siegel. doctors, welcome. >> good to see you. >> we'll get right to it because the cdc wants you to get your flu shot now before everyone starts traveling and sharing germs over the upcoming holidays. so is this year's vaccine a good match. and also, who should get it and why? >> arthel, cdc thinks sar s as

result of what happened last year, not a good match, this year we think we got it right. we still have to see what will happen over the coming year because these viruses are getting smarter. they mutate, shift and change as we are getting smarter with them. 200,000 people get hospitalized as a result of flu. and do you believe that 49,000 people die from influenza. you've got to be careful. if you're too young, too old, immunocompromised, your immune system isn't working well, pregnant women and if you have a chronic disease, asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, get the vaccine and if you're over 65, get the pneumococcal vaccine. the reason why you would get this flu vaccine and a lot of people tell me, i got the vaccine and i still got the cold. that's part of the problem, because you may have had the flu before you got the vaccine. this is a dead virus. it's not supposed to cause this

kind of influenza. it's recommended for everyone. >> marc, i've been going in and waiting. i go into the drugstore and they say, you want your flu shot? i say, not yet, because i'm waiting for the season to come. i'm waiting for the season to start. is it too early? >> now is a good time because of what arthel said at the beginning. you'll be traveling for the holidays, meeting a lot of people. the actual flu eric doesn't usually peak until the end of january or february. you know why? flu experts believe it's because the flu virus travels really well in low humidity. so earlier while it's still humid, earlier in the season, it's not traveling. there's a 1 out of 4 attack rate with the flu, meaning of the four pex here, if one of us had the flu, maybe one other person would get it. that's pretty contagious. so i'm all for getting as many people vaccinated as possible because you know why? david talked about the people you have to protect like pregnant women, young children, the chronically ill. what if you have one in your household? how bad would you feel if you're

healthy and young, got the flu, and then transmitted it, god forbid, to a pregnant woman. then uf get early determine deliver 88s, miscarriages, even a problem with the fetus later on. you want to protect young children. children cannot get the flu vaccine until they're 6 months old. i'm a big believer in creating what we call a ring of immunity. meaning get into the household and get as many vaccinated as possible. it's been a tough sell this year because ever the fact there isn't a lot of flu around yet. david's point, it looks like a good match. last year, the thing mute tated in the middle of everything and it didn't fit. this year it looks like decreasing the risks of going to the doctor by 60%. you could get the flu by a mild case. >> that's another good reason to get it this year. if you got it last year, people say, i got it last year, why do i need to do it again, because the immunity won't last and the viruses change. people who should not get the flu vaccines, younger than

months, if you have a severe allergic reaction, or some neurologic issues like guillain-bar guillain-barre, weakness of the muscles. talk to your doctor. that's important. >> you talk about the ring of immunity and you just said that even at the age of 6 months and above you can get the flu shot. but we don't know how it's going to react in the body and of course i'm not a parent but parents are concerned about putting too much medication into their body. >> mercury, you mean. >> no, i wasn't going there. just vaccinations in general. >> is mercury in it? >> there is some mercury. there's also some formaldehyde. a lot of parents say, why do i put the poison in my kids? forget about the autism. are there other effects? the bottom line is, there's no real science to say one way or another. we know that the autism story is done. it doesn't cause it. but because of the amount of

formaldehyde is so small and the amount of mercury is so small, basically if you have stammen three, four times a week you may get the same amount of mercury. it doesn't really need to any kind of problem for your children. >> it's really been well stud yesterday and found not to be associated with autism. but we still have less thain 50% compliance rate in this country. >> flu shots in. >> right. not enough people are getting it within the first 24 hours by the way. if you get a sniffle or a fever or muscle ache, that's not the flu. that's a little bit of an allergy to the flu vaccine. it's totally different. we can't seem to dispel that myth. you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. >> don't you feel horribly, though? >> yes. some people get fluish. you take a tylenol, aspirin. the next day you're okay. again, a 70% chance -- again, i call it the great enabler. the biggest problem with the flu is not the flu itself. it's the pneumonia or bronchitis you get along with it, or if you have heart disease you can have a heart attack when the flu

hits. >> also, you can boost your immune system starting now. i always do this for myself. taking vitamin d is a great asset for you because it can boost you immune system. taking probiotics starting december onward is a good idea because your immune system is connected to your good bacteria. those are very important. we have talked about tu merek, a lot of other things. >> what about loading up on -- >> we've talked about zinc. vitamin c is good, but the data is mixed. i have no problem with it. get enough rest and drink a lot of water. you're absolutely right because the flu vaccine is not just for yourself but for the entire society. >> after you shake my hand, eric, wash that hand. >> great point. wash hand as lot, especially with the doorknobs and all that. bottom line, get the flu shot. >> and please kocough in your sleeve. >> yes. this is the way to cough. you've got it. >> not into your hand. >> get the flu shot. hopefully it will be an easier

season. we know americans are enjoying extra cocktails this time of year because of the holidays. how booze may affect your snooze. plus, new studies out showing a lot of people with high cholesterol, they're not taking their medicines. >> can't wait to talk about this. >> man, oh, man, are they going to go off on this. well tell you about that in a minute.

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iand quit a lot,t but ended up nowhere. now i use this. the nicoderm cq patch, with unique extended release technology, helps prevent the urge to smoke all day. i want this time to be my last time. that's why i choose nicoderm cq. we're back now with "sunday housecall" and the doctors. over a third of americans suffer from high levels of the bad cholesterol, ldl, and they could take medicine if they want like statins to lower the numbers. but in who 0 could benefit from the medications, about half, are opting not to take them according to a study by the cdc.

dr. siegel, why is this? if you have high cholesterols and you have great medicines, you'd think you'd take that. >> i'll get there. they're also not doing lifestyle changes, exercising, eating right, losing weight. in term of the statin drugs, number one, there are three groups, you have heart disease, angina, you should be on a statin drug. that's the first group. second group, you're at high risk, you had a calcium scoring test that shows your coronaries are blocked or you have a family history of heart disease and high cholesterol. i have a very low threshold for starting those people on statin drugs. third group -- >> low threshold? you mean what? >> i'm going to offer it to it. get your lifestyle in order. i probably want you on the drug. they'll say, i'm afraid of muscle aches. i'll say try it. we'll see if you get it. there are side effects, musz el aches being number one. the second group i like to treat

also. the third group, if you have a very, very high cholesterol, no family history but your ldl, bad any other way,s over 160 and i with diet, exercise, no matter what, i would consider a statin drug for those people, too. those are the three groups. again, that's not everybody. but in the study it looks like many people aren't taking it that should be. that's bad. >> david, do you think it's easy to go to your statin as opposed to losing weight and eat better? >> the reason they're not taking it is because, number one, they're asim matic. if you don't have a heart attack and you're fine, anyone's cholesterol could be high and they don't know about it. the other thing is side effects. these medications can increase the risk of diabetes. yes, you can take the arnt tie-cholesterol medication, end up with memory loss, confusion, diabetes, muscle pain and to some very small degree liver function problems, which if you

reverse and stop taking it, it may go back to normal. and the third is cost. a lot of people cannot afford it. they say, leave me alone. if they go ahead and take care of their health and behavioral changes, exercise, diet, i have no problem with that. but look, let me get one thing out. american heart association has new guidelines, and instead of concentrating on the numbers -- i have to admit that marc deals with this all the time and he's the expert in this field. as a urologist i study a lot of this. if your ldl, the bad cholesterol, should be less than 100, if it's over 190, you should be -- you're in trouble and should be taking these. if you have a history of heart disease, stroke or type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you should be taking them. if you're also between 45 and 75 and you have high risk of heart attack, over the next ten years, those are the four criteria, i think you would agree, that you should be taking these cholesterol medications.

>> for a urologist he got every part of that right. i only contest one thing, the issue of memory loss with the statin drug sz controversial. a study show that's anything that lower cholesterol may affect short-term memory loss. it hasn't been proven. i've got to aadmit, though, patients complain about it. the risk diabetes, also. >> compliance is a big problem because of muscle pain. >> quick, quick question. if you told me, i had to take the statin, i also change my diet in the process and i lowered my cholesterol number, would you take me off the statin? >> i'm the kind of doctor that i don't want you to be on medications unless we really have to. if i feel like you're on the way to, god forbid, a heart attack, i want you to be on it. we have to look at janetgenetic factors, a lot of people who can exercise, eat healthy, their try klis rides are high, they have a genetic problems.

those guys -- >> family history plays a big role. thanks, doctors. >> thank you. >> if you have a cholesterol problem, call dr. siegel, for your psa, call me. >> clear that up. thank you very much. >> here is a question. having trouble kicking the habit? research revealing a potential culprit on why some people find it harder than others to quit smoking. ♪ ♪ it's the final countdown! ♪ ♪ the final countdown! if you're the band europe, you love a final countdown. it's what you do. if you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance, you switch to geico.

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a new study revealing that a specific gene in some people's dna may explain why kicking that nasty smoking habit is actually more difficult compared to other people without the gene. doct doctor, is there something to this? >> this is very interesting because the question is why some people continue to smoke their entire life and they never get lung cancer. they never have emphysema or copd. some people may smoke a little bit and they can die from this. we're starting to find out there's a specific gene on chromosome 15 that would make you more reactive. the big message is if you haven't started, please, please don't smoke, and you can also go to 800-quit-now to get a lot of help. smoking affects your entire body. not just your lungs, your

kidney, your bladder and the entire system. this is still evolving. this study still evolving. we're getting closer. that part of the brain, just like alcohol addiction, sex, the reward center of the body, food, smoking has also the occupied part of that, but you can desensitize and build up tolerance on smoking, so don't start. >> you're not a smoker. >> i've ner a smoker. occasional cigar. smoking increases dopamine in your brain. that's why it's addictive. this gene looks at how it affects dopamine. we're not there yet for a treatment. but this study makes me understand why some people can't quit at all. other people do it cold turkey. some people need the nicotine products like the patch and the gum. other people use chantix which is problematic sometimes. the point is everybody quits different ways. and i think it's related to how much dopamine cigarettes release in your brain. we're starting down that road with this gene. >> interesting. >> don't smoke. there's the message.

>> heart disease, even lipitor won't save you. >> i know, we talked about that before. receptors and drinks, you know if you have too much to drink, you can get a hangover. the doctors are here to talk about how it can affect your sleep. we'll be back on that in a moment. i accept i'm not 22. i accept i'm not the rower i used to be. i even accept i have a higher risk of stroke due to afib, a type of irregular heartbeat not caused by a heart valve problem. but i won't accept is getting out there with less than my best. so if i can go for something better than warfarin, i will. eliquis. eliquis reduced the risk of stroke better than warfarin, plus it had significantly less major bleeding than warfarin. eliquis had both. that really mattered to me. don't stop taking eliquis unless your doctor tells you to, as stopping increases your risk of having a stroke. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding.

while taking eliquis, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop. seek immediate medical care for sudden signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. eliquis may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. i accept i don't have to set records. but i'm still going for my personal best. and for eliquis. reduced risk of stroke plus less major bleeding. ask your doctor if switching to eliquis is right for you.

his day of coaching begins with knee pain, when... this is brad. hey brad, wanna trade the all day relief of two aleve for six tylenol? what's the catch? there's no catch. you want me to give up my two aleve for six tylenol? no. for my knee pain, nothing beats my aleve. drinking too much could lead to a restless night.

researchers say too many cocktails before bed could cause you to toss and turn and wake up in the middle of the night. dr. siegle, a few drinks, you're wide awake like it's 2:00 in the afternoon. >> first of all, one drink has not been associated with this. and women are especially susceptible, arthel. you fall asleep. you go into deep dream sleep, but then, bam, the alcohol wears off, and you come right awake. you go -- you come right out of recomme rem sleep and then you feel restless. you're withdrawing from the alcohol, you can't go back to sleep. maybe have a banana, some cherries, something to give you melatonin or tryptophan, put you back to sleep. alcohol gives you initially the ability to go to sleep, but then it wears off. >> how about the sugar? the sugar levels. >> obviously if you're diabetic, you want to be careful about that. but alcohol could be die you ur. load up on water. whatware finding out is that alcohol, it's almost like the

way the plane lands. you can get into deep sleep, but the good caught sleep which is the rem sleep where you have the dream, it's going to really destroy that. and it almost mimics what we call sleep apnea. you know how some people can't breathe and they're waking up. if you're not getting enough sleep, that's when you have heart disease and diabetes and obesity. it's the time of the year where we have christmas, new year, tonight is the first night of hanukkah. i think having some drink is perfectly fine. our liver has been rested since thanksgiving. so i wish everyone a happy and healthy hanukkah. it's perfectly fine once in a while. >> sleep in a dark room, lights down, turn off those iphones. do it the same way every night. whereas alcohol is a problem, sex will get you to sleep. >> chamomile tea. >> sex releases the hormone that you they'd to put you to sleep. >> i just want to know, one glass of wine is okay, right? >> yes, perfectly fine. >> perfectly good. >> but no more than two. >> no more than two.

depends on the calories. >> pinot grigio and cabernet. >> it's like being in the locker room. that's going to do it for us. i'm arthel neville. >> i'm eric shaw. we're back at 5:00 with the latest news. stay with us. as families, friends and coworkers plan funerals for the 14 victims of wednesday's terror attack in san bernardino, the president is preparing to speak to the nation tonight from the oval office. only the third time he's done that since his presidency began. we're live at the white house and in redlands, california. plus, a brutal attack of terror caught on tape in london's subway system. the knife-wielding attacker yelling out, quote, "this is for syria" before injuring two people. we're going to have all the details. and we will go live to a rally at ground zero where supporters of 9/11 first responders and survivors are urging congress to extend health and compensation benefits to those who are made