**DISCLAIMER**
I am writing this blog post as an "FYI", no to be confused as a "You must NOT get the flu shot!!"-kind-of-article. If you choose not to receive the flu shot based on the contents of the article, I cannot be held responsible if you or anyone in your family catches the flu and/or suffers any adverse reactions because of the flu virus.
Ok, now that I've got that out of the way...
Dangers of the Flu Shot
It's becoming increasingly difficult to separate facts from the hype created by the media and government. In order to make an informed decision of whether or not to get the flu shot, it is of utmost importance to do your homework. This involves doing thorough research of the safety issues surrounding the flu vaccination and then learning the preventative measures against getting the flu in the first place.
Like diehard fans camping out overnight to be the first in line for concert tickets to their favorite performer, people are waiting in long lines hoping to get the flu vaccine. Yes, it's that time of year -- flu season and the media and the government have stirred the public into a complete frenzied panic! Headlines flood newspapers reading, "Vaccine shortage leads public crisis" and radio broadcasts are bombarding the public with reports that the flu epidemic is coming and there aren't enough vaccines to fight it.
All I am suggesting is...
Before You Run Out to Get the Flu Shot ... Do Your Homework!
Flu vaccines are available as an injection of a dead flu virus, or as a nasal spray of the live virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that the best way to protect oneself from seasonal influenza is with an annual flu shot. However, there are many concerns regarding the safety and effectiveness of annual flu vaccines...
1. Potentially Dangerous Ingredients
One of the major risks of flu shots are the potentially dangerous ingredients they contain. Flu shots often have ingredients like formaldehyde, Triton X-100, and Thimerisol (a mercury derivative).
Formaldehyde has been classified as a human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency. Research done by the International Agency for Research on Cancer has shown links between formaldehyde exposure and cancers of the brain, nasal tissues, and even leukemia.
Triton X-100 is a chemical found in flu shots that is considered to be a probable human carcinogen by the EPA. Triton X-100 is known to be harmful if swallowed, and may cause severe eye irritation.
Thimerisol is a mercury derivative, an element widely known to be dangerous to humans. Some cases of acute Thimerisol poisoning have been seen when as little as 3 mg/kg was ingested. These studies reported necrosis, central nervous system injury, coma, and death as results of acute Thimerisol poisoning. Many flu vaccines given in recent years contain this ingredient, according to manufacturers of flu shots like GlaxoSmithKline and Aventis-Pasteur.
2. Viral Vaccine Issues
All vaccines meant to block viruses contain trace elements of leukemia virus, and multiple types of cancer producing viruses. According to Dr. Eva Snead, a physician and public health activist from New York, these cannot be completely removed, because they exist in the chicken eggs where vaccine is grown.
3. Alzheimer's disease
According to renowned immunogeneticist Dr. Hugh Fudenberg, the Director of research at the NeuroImmuno Therapeutics Research Foundation (NITRF), a non-profit research organization in South Carolina, someone who has had five consecutive flu shots raises his/her risk of getting Alzheimer's disease by 10 times. The reason behind this, according to Dr. Fundenberg, is because of the gradual mercury buildup in the brain, which eventually leads to cognitive dysfunction.
4. Guillian-Barre Syndrome
According to the CDC, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a major neurological disorder, is believed to be triggered by an infection -- most commonly by a bacteria called Campylobacter jejuni, often found in animal feces. A 1976 study showed that about 1 in 1 million people getting the flu vaccine will develop Guillain-Barre syndrome because of trace elements of bacteria found in chicken eggs.
5. Effectiveness
One major problem with flu vaccines is that medical experts can rarely tell which strain of the influenza virus will be predominant in the coming flu season. Flu vaccines are made from the previous year's strains, and can only protect against the types contained within vaccine. In 2003, U.S. government health officials and the companies that make flu vaccine omitted a strain of the virus known as Fujian A, which became the most common cause of the infection in the 2003-2004 flu season. In research done by the Department of Health and Human Services' National Vaccine Program Office in 2004, studies showed that vaccines were 60 percent effective, at best. Currently there is no system that tracks the effectiveness of flu vaccines on a yearly basis.
6. Allergic Reaction
A severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis is a potential danger of treatment with the flu shot. People who are allergic to eggs are at the highest risk of developing an allergic reaction following flu vaccination, as this medication can contain egg products. Allergic reaction symptoms can include throat or facial swelling, itchy skin or hives, dizziness, headache, breathing difficulties or heart rate changes. Without prompt medical intervention, allergic reaction symptoms can be fatal. People with a known allergy to eggs should consult a doctor before being immunized with the flu shot, Discovery Health advises.
The Target Markets for the Flu Vaccine: Elderly and Children
Generally, the flu vaccine is recommended for people ages 65 and older and to those with serious medical conditions that could quickly worsen as a result of serious complications from the flu. Reports from medical journals widely vary in the effectiveness for the elderly, ranging from 0 to 85 percent.
The CDC reports that 90 percent of deaths from influenza occur among the elderly. These kinds of statistics make it nearly impossible to credit the flu vaccine for prolonging lives in this age group, as 65 percent of all deaths (regardless of the cause) happen among the elderly.
Recommendations to give flu vaccinations to children were adopted on March 1, 2003. These recommendations include vaccinating children between 2 and 18 years who live in households containing children younger than 2 years of age. The most common type of flu vaccine given to children is called Fluzone, a trivalent vaccine grown in chicken eggs and harvested with formaldehyde, with each dose containing 25 ug of mercury. CDC recommendations include administering the flu vaccine to children beginning at six months of age and then on an annual basis, for the rest of their lives.
The Dangers You Need to Know About FluMist
First, it is important to familiarize yourself with the side effects of FluMist, which include cough, runny nose/nasal congestion, irritability, headaches, chills, muscle aches and fever. Ironically, all of these symptoms bear striking similarities to the symptoms of the flu.
In addition, research has shown an increased risk of Bell palsy following intranasal flu vaccination, according to the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS). The makers of the nasal flu vaccine in the study decided not to market it the following season due to the risk. According to GACVS, the greater risk of Bell palsy following immunization with this vaccine may have been due to specific vaccine components, or simply to use of the intranasal administration route. It is therefore possible that such complications of vaccine administration may also apply to other nasal vaccines.
FLUMIST's vaccine live virus is shed after vaccination so the vaccinated are advised to avoid close contact with immune-compromised individuals for at least 21 days. Some hospital personnel are asking those recently vaccinated with FLUMIST to avoid visiting patients in hospitals to prevent the risk of transmitting the vaccine strain virus to sick patients.
So what can I do to protect my family and I from the seasonal flu?
If you choose not to receive the flu shot, there are some simple and possibly quite effective things you can do for yourself to prevent the flu:
1) avoid white sugar
2) exercise regularly
3) get adequate sleep
4) eat a healthy diet, omitting trans-fats
5) drink plenty of purified water daily
6) wash your hands.
A common way people contract viral illnesses is by rubbing their nose or their eyes after their hands have been contaminated with a virus. The CDC states, “the most important thing you can do to keep from getting sick is to wash your hands.”
**We are so used to taking medications—for prevention and treatment—that it is difficult to comprehend that these modest recommendations are really the most powerful ways to minimize the likelihood of getting the flu.**
The flu vaccine can actually weaken the immune system and make you more predisposed to the illness.
The flu vaccine, whether in the shot or nasal form, is worthless at best and should be avoided. Not only are they loaded with toxic chemicals including mercury and aluminum, but many people come down with the flu shortly after receiving the shot. This is because it actually weakens the immune system, making the person more predisposed to the illness.
So there you have my two cents on why not to get the flu shot for you or anyone in your family!
