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Colds & Flu
Should You Get The Flu Jab This Winter?
Date: 24/11/05
Keywords: Immunity
Should I get a flu shot? That question is a frequent one in e-mails from members at this time of year. And while each person has to make the flu shot decision on his/her own, here are three points to consider...Have you ever wondered why the government spends so much time and energy trying to convince you to get a flu vaccination every year?
Is it some sort of vague for our own good motivation? If so, then why dont we ever hear any government officials urging everyone to take vitamin C supplements?
I wonder what would happen if they put the same effort into educating the public on how to boost immunity the natural way?
Leading the way to flu vaccinations
Every year we get an official flu vaccine media blitz telling us we will lead healthier lives with the jab.
Healthy lives? Okay, so again: Why aren't these officials urging citizens to take vitamin C and other supplements that have been shown to help reduce the risk of picking up colds and influenza?
That job would be the responsibility of those who actually sell vitamin C.
In a February 2005 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers for the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases compared flu-related mortality among older people to rates of immunisation. Their finding: During the past quarter century, immunisation rates for the elderly have climbed substantially while the elderly flu-related mortality rate has stayed the same.
The authors of the research wrote: We conclude that observational studies substantially overestimate vaccination benefit.
The seasonal question
Should I get a flu shot? That question is a frequent one in e-mails from members at this time of year. And while each person has to make the flu shot decision on his/her own, here are three points to consider:
Point One: Flu shots are not reliably effective (see above).
Point Two: Flu shots can contain potentially harmful additives that you may not want in your body.
Point Three: The flu shot is designed to prepare the immune system to fight specific virus strains. But you can prepare and strengthen your immune system without an unreliable injection by taking these steps:
* Exercise regularly
* Eat a balanced diet of nutritious, fresh, whole foods
* Manage stress levels
* Get the right amount of sleep
I put the flu jab question to HSI nutritionist Martin Hum for his views:
Regarding your e-mail about the flu jab, I have never had one or recommended one. My view is that it is no substitute for ensuring you have a strong immune system through proper diet, supplements, exercise and sufficient sleep. The flu jab is no guarantee against catching flu. It has to be prepared from whatever strain of flu the experts think is likely to come around this winter and there is a good chance it will be a new strain against which the vaccine is useless.
And the panic about whether there will be enough 'bird flu' jabs to go round is pointless. Avian influenza hasn't yet mutated to a strain that can be passed from human to human. If it does, the current vaccine (based on a strain that on rare occasions can be passed from bird to human) won't work against it and it will be months before a new vaccine can be produced and marketed. So my message would be: look after your immune system, don't rely on the jab.
You can prepare with proven immune system enhancers such as echinacea, vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene; all of which have been shown to help fight colds and flu. Selenium is also an effective flu fighter, as is zinc and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an amino acid that stimulates your body to produce the powerful antioxidant enzyme glutathione.
Back to topIs it some sort of vague for our own good motivation? If so, then why dont we ever hear any government officials urging everyone to take vitamin C supplements?
I wonder what would happen if they put the same effort into educating the public on how to boost immunity the natural way?
Leading the way to flu vaccinations
Every year we get an official flu vaccine media blitz telling us we will lead healthier lives with the jab.
Healthy lives? Okay, so again: Why aren't these officials urging citizens to take vitamin C and other supplements that have been shown to help reduce the risk of picking up colds and influenza?
That job would be the responsibility of those who actually sell vitamin C.
In a February 2005 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers for the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases compared flu-related mortality among older people to rates of immunisation. Their finding: During the past quarter century, immunisation rates for the elderly have climbed substantially while the elderly flu-related mortality rate has stayed the same.
The authors of the research wrote: We conclude that observational studies substantially overestimate vaccination benefit.
The seasonal question
Should I get a flu shot? That question is a frequent one in e-mails from members at this time of year. And while each person has to make the flu shot decision on his/her own, here are three points to consider:
Point One: Flu shots are not reliably effective (see above).
Point Two: Flu shots can contain potentially harmful additives that you may not want in your body.
Point Three: The flu shot is designed to prepare the immune system to fight specific virus strains. But you can prepare and strengthen your immune system without an unreliable injection by taking these steps:
* Exercise regularly
* Eat a balanced diet of nutritious, fresh, whole foods
* Manage stress levels
* Get the right amount of sleep
I put the flu jab question to HSI nutritionist Martin Hum for his views:
Regarding your e-mail about the flu jab, I have never had one or recommended one. My view is that it is no substitute for ensuring you have a strong immune system through proper diet, supplements, exercise and sufficient sleep. The flu jab is no guarantee against catching flu. It has to be prepared from whatever strain of flu the experts think is likely to come around this winter and there is a good chance it will be a new strain against which the vaccine is useless.
And the panic about whether there will be enough 'bird flu' jabs to go round is pointless. Avian influenza hasn't yet mutated to a strain that can be passed from human to human. If it does, the current vaccine (based on a strain that on rare occasions can be passed from bird to human) won't work against it and it will be months before a new vaccine can be produced and marketed. So my message would be: look after your immune system, don't rely on the jab.
You can prepare with proven immune system enhancers such as echinacea, vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene; all of which have been shown to help fight colds and flu. Selenium is also an effective flu fighter, as is zinc and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an amino acid that stimulates your body to produce the powerful antioxidant enzyme glutathione.
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