Once again there is a shortage of the flu vaccine. This time from a tainted supply in the UK. Now the government’s initial plan to have everyone, even healthy individuals, vaccinated is reverted to those who are most vulnerable – the elderly and young children. The fact that the flu vaccine impairs immune function in these individuals who are already thought to have weakened immune systems raises question.

Vaccines are being stolen from clinics; towns are having lotteries to see who gets a shot; doctors are being threatened with fines for administering the vaccines to those who are “healthy”.  Even travel agents are offering flu tours to Canada so you can get a shot in Canada. This is crazy. The scare tactic itself is enough to raise cortisol levels and suppress the immune system, making an individual more susceptible to any infection.

Each year, federal health agency officials try to guess which three flu strains are most likely to be prevalent in the U.S. the following year to determine which strains will be included in that following year’s flu vaccine. When the match between the vaccine and circulating viruses is close, the flu vaccine is thought to provide a 70-90% chance of temporary immunity to selected strains in healthy persons less than 65 years old. For those over 65 years old, which is usually one of the target groups, the efficacy rate drops to a mere 30-40%. Although it is considered to be 50-60% effective in preventing hospitalization or pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from flu caused by the covered strains.

·        Like all vaccines, the flu vaccine only gives temporary immunity to the virus strains or closely related virus strains contained in the vaccine. The only way to get natural and permanent immunity to a strain of flu is to recover naturally from the flu.

·        The flu shot, Fluvirin, contains: ethylene glycol (antifreeze), phenol (disinfectant), formaldehyde (a know cancer-causing agent), aluminum (a heavy metal associated with neurogenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s), Thimerosal (a mercury derivative that is now in “trace” amounts after much scrutiny and links to Autism and other nuerological disorders). The vaccine starts with 0.98mcg of mercury before it is reduced in processing. Neomycin and Streptomycin, used in antibiotics and known to cause allergic reactions in people, are also in the shots. The vaccines are prepared from fluids of chick embryos, so individuals with egg/chicken allergies are warned against possible allergic reaction.

·        The most common reactions to the killed flu vaccine are fever, fatigue, painful joints and headache. The most serious reported reaction, which usually occurs within two weeks of vaccination, is Guillain Barre Syndrome. GBS is an immune mediated nerve disorder characterized by muscle weakness, unsteady gait, numbness, tingling, pain and sometimes paralysis of one or more limbs or the face. Recovery lasts several months and can include residual disability. Less than 5 percent of GBS cases end in death.

·        The CDC says the flu shot is a “Non-infectious killed virus that cannot cause the flu.” This is true if the vaccine is the correct strain for the virus present. However, by impairing immune function, not only does it make the body more vulnerable to other strains, but also other infections.

·        FluMist contains live (attenuated) influenza viruses that replicate in the nasopharynx when administered. The most common side effects include cough, runny nose, nasal congestion, irritability, headaches, chills, muscle aches and fever >100° F.  Interestingly, these symptoms are nearly identical to those the flu vaccine is designed to prevent.

o       A cause for significant concern is the vaccine’s most prevalent side effects: “runny nose” and “nasal congestion.” It has been documented that the live viruses from the vaccine can be shed (and potentially spread into the community) from recipient children for up to 21 days, and even longer from adults. In addition to shedding from nasal secretions, the virus can be dispersed through sneezing. What is the normal physiological response when an irritant enters the nasal passages? A sneeze! Hmmm…..

o       Another  troubling concern of FluMist is the potential for the viruses to enter directly into the brain. At the top of the nasal passages is a paper-thin bone called the cribriform plate. The olfactory nerves pass through this bone and line the nasal passages. The olfactory tract has long been recognized as a direct pathway to the brain. Intranasal injection of certain viruses has resulted in a serious brain infection called encephalitis, presumably by direct infection of the olfactory neurons that carried the viruses to the brain. Time will tell whether the live viruses in FluMist will become linked to cases of encephalitis.

o       Package inserts recommend that FluMist recipients should avoid close contact with immunocompromised individuals for at least 21 days, due to the above concerns.

o       It is not known whether FluMist is excreted in breast milk.

o       FluMist contains egg fluids, sucrose (sugar), MSG, & potassium phosphate. Many people are MSG sensitive, (that’s the familiar stuff usually found in Chinese restaurants). Snorting this stuff up your nose may be a problem.

·        Flu vaccines weaken the immune system and many times make a person actually more predisposed to illnesses.

·        Vaccines can cause illnesses including autoimmune diseases, allergies, ear infections, and other diseases. Their link to Autism and developmental learning and behavioral disorders is strong.  Many ingredients and contaminants in vaccines have been proven to be detrimental to your health.

Some tips for staying healthy:

·        Avoid refined foods such as white sugars and flours which suppress the immune system

·        Avoid “bad” fats – partially hydrogenated oils, these are proven to dampen the immune system

·        Eat organic fresh fruits and vegetables

·        Drink plenty of  pure filtered water

·         Limit caffeine intake (coffee, tea, soda, chocolate)

·         Monitor your stress levels

·         Exercise daily, at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (see information under Athletes)

·        Wash your hands frequently, especially after visiting public places

·        Get plenty of sleep (check out my “Power of Sleep” article)

·        For more information on vaccines, click here.