Thinking of getting your flu vaccination in preparation for the winter season? Think again! Every year, millions of Americans are being urged (practically herded) to get vaccinated against the flu. You cannot go near a pharmacy, hospital, or just about any health care facility without being bombarded with the recurring message to get your flu vaccine. All of this hype is resulting in a large segment of the population lining up at their doctors’ offices or their pharmacy for their chance to prevent the flu. The analogy of a game of chance is fitting because the probability that the pharmaceutical companies that make and market the flu vaccine being correct in predicting which strain of flu to immunize you from is not very high. Choosing the few correct flu strains to use in developing this year’s flu vaccine out of thousands of possible strains of flu is comparable to your chances of winning at your local casino.
The Flu Vaccine Doesn’t Work Very Well!
The flu vaccine is made up of several strains of flu which serves to activate your immune system so that you mount an immune system response and create antibodies against these specific flu strains. The goal is for your body to build these very targeted antibodies so that when you are exposed to the flu, you will already have immunity against these strains of flu and you won’t get sick. However, one of the biggest problems with the flu is that it mutates every year. Therefore, pharmaceutical companies can only give their best guesses from the previous year as to which strains will be prevalent. Furthermore, each vaccine contains only a small percentage of the many possible flu strains that are circulating in your environment. Consequently, if you are exposed to one of the strains you weren’t vaccinated for, you will not be immunized against the flu.
Can the Flu Shot Do More Harm Than Good?
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that the most common side effects of the flu vaccine include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, and soreness. It appears that the CDC is actually describing symptoms of the flu itself! So the CDC is telling us that we should get a vaccine to protect us from a viral illness whose symptoms are quite similar to the side effects of the vaccine! Therefore getting vaccinated for the flu is almost like going out of your way to step in doggie poops. I have seen countless number of patients that arrive in the Emergency Department complaining of flu like symptoms shortly after getting their flu vaccine and many patients who eventually suffer from the flu despite getting vaccinated.
To Make Matters Worse…
Annual flu shots are even more highly recommended if you have some sort of chronic disease state such as asthma, COPD, or suffer from diabetes or cardiovascular disease. However, if you do have some sort of chronic disease this means you already have a dysfunctional immune system and may be at higher risk to suffer from adverse reactions to the vaccine. So while it is true that sicker people can suffer worse consequences from getting the flu, these same chronically ill people are more likely to suffer from getting vaccinated.
The Flu Vaccine contains Toxic Substances!
Besides the flu strain itself, which is considered to be “dead” or “weakened”, the cocktail of potentially poisonous substances that make up the flu shot should alarm you. One of the additives included to preserve the flu strain is called Thimerosal, which is a mercury based preservative used to prevent the growth of bacteria, viruses, and fungi which could contaminate and compromise the vaccine. Mercury, if you are not aware is one of the most toxic substances on planet Earth.
Mercury has been shown to cause a variety of serious health conditions such as brain damage, heart disease, autism, seizures, etc. Worse yet, once mercury gets into the tissues of your body, it can remain there for the rest of your life. Clearly, the less mercury exposure you have, the better off you are. A slew of other toxic substances ranging from aluminum, formaldehyde, and antibiotics are also added to the flu vaccine – for “safety reasons”. I would rather not inject these poisonous, health-sapping substances into my body and I would bet you would prefer to avoid them as well!
So What are some Healthy and Natural Ways to Prevent the Flu?
The best way to prevent yourself from getting the flu is to become as healthy as possible, by following some basic principles of healthy living First you must get proper sleep on a regular basis ; 7-8 hours each night in a darkened, quiet environment. Secondly, you must expose yourself to plenty of good old sunlight allowing this wonderful gift from the heavens to hit your skin or get into the optic nerves of your eyes. Thirdly, you must eat properly. When you eat fried foods, poisonous take out foods, sugary sweets, and other junk your body is working so hard to combat the stress from these toxins that your immunity is already compromised when you come in contact with the flu. Adhere to a diet full of fresh, minimally processed (organic is best) vegetables and meats and avoid sugar filled, fried, or preserved foods. Also make sure to eat in a relaxed, nourishing, healthy environment, not “on the run” or in the car or while multitasking. Lastly, keep your stress levels down, by not overworking, making time for relaxation and recreation and avoiding exposure to extreme temperatures, and moldy, damp and dirty environments. The best defense against the flu and other illnesses is healthy living!
When you are looking for answers to health related questions look for a source that provides common sense and holistically oriented advice. Contact Dr. Rothman (732) 268-7663, a New Jersey based medical doctor for a consultation and a review of your health and get on the road to natural wellness.
