However, the numbers reported suggest otherwise. There is just 3.2 percent of Americans that visited doctors with flu-like symptoms, according to a recent CDC report. Going by the stats, more than 80 percent of them won't actually have the flu. But let's assume for a moment all 3.2 percent did have the flu. If they had gotten the shot, their risk would have fallen down to 1.5 percent - an absolute difference of just 1.7 percent. Bottom line, there was marginal protection against the flu.
There is also the
Cochrane Study that claims there is
no value in the flu vaccine based on the effects of flu vaccines in healthy adults aged 18-65.
What about the safety of the Flu Vaccine? The CDC openly admits the flu shots all contain ingredients such as aluminum, mercury, MSG and formaldehyde. In particular, we know that aluminum and mercury cause neurological damage which may contribute to Alzheimer's and dementia. Keep in mind that there are always risks associated with any vaccine.
In 2009, I got swept up in the swine flu panic. My family had never gotten the flu before, but my daughter had a weak immune system from an autoimmune disease. At that point I was convinced to be prudent and have her vaccinated with such a "pandemic" looming.
In previous years, my biggest concerns with the flu vaccines were the
toxic preservatives (neurotoxins which suppress the immune system!) used in the vaccines such as
thimerosol (mercury) and
formaldehyde. Please see
ingredients of flu vaccine listed by CDC. In addition, I was concerned with the actual
effectiveness. Lancet's study in July 2012 shows that only
1.5 out of 100 adults were protected from the flu as opposed to the 60% that we hear about, as mentioned above.
However, the hype back then still made me nervous enough to pursue the vaccine. In order to find the "safest" flu vaccine, I spoke with the makers of the vaccine that year at Sanofi Pasteur and discovered the type of vaccine with the least amount of preservative was a single dose vaccine as opposed to the multiple dose vials regularly administered. Even more difficult was finding a doctor's office who had the single dose available. I finally located an office in a very depressed area where the office had gates on the windows and locks on the door. We even had to be buzzed in to get inside and were surprised when they told us they had a huge excess of the single dose vaccines.
At any rate, after all of the hoopla, we finally felt a little more secure knowing that my daughter was at least protected from the dreaded swine flu. WRONG. Rachel ended up getting a full blown case of the swine flu and was out of commission for 2 weeks.
That's just our story, but I keep hearing over and over again cases where people are still getting the flu despite getting their flu vaccine. While everyone needs to make a decision that's best for their own families, the most important defense is a good offense--whether you get the flu shot or not.
There is no question that you are more likely to be able to fend off viruses if your immune system is good and strong. Therefore, I recommend that my clients (and my family) take lots of vitamin D3 (about 8,000 i.u.s/day) along with lots of vitamin C (4g or more a day). It's not just about supplements, though, it's about nourishing our bodies every day with lots of lean, quality protein along with fruits and vegetables. Stay away from processed food and sugar as it just suppresses your immune system and can lessen the benefits of the supplements. Exercising regularly will also help build up your immune system.
If you do find yourself succumbing to the flu, stick to non-processed foods (chicken soup really is a great remedy!), clean protein and veggies, lots of Vit D3 and Vit C. Add Elderberry as it has been shown in many cases to dramatically reduce the length of the flu.
In the end, education is your best weapon to protect you and your family.
