As the winter months roll around we are exposed to a constant bombardment of advertisements promoting the influenza “flu” vaccine. The strain of influenza viruses is always changing; therefore, the Center of Disease Control (CDC) recommends annual flu shots. But are these shots safe? Are they effective? It’s vital as adults and parents that we take a look at the circulating evidence of the allocation of vaccination and the safety measures executed by our health care system.
Most don’t know that the “benefits” of recommending universal vaccination started as a belief rather than solid scientific evidence. Each year, health officials make educated guesses on which flu strains to include in the vaccine. Based on findings in Asia, officials assume the same strains of viruses will spread to the U.S. In 2007, two of three strains chosen did not match dominant strains circulating the public.(1) If viral strains in the U.S. are not identical to those in Asia, the vaccine you receive is completely ineffective. Alan Cassels, a pharmaceutical policy researcher at the University of Victoria, BC, explains, “There are over 200 viruses that cause influenza and influenza-like illness and can produce symptoms similar to the everyday flu. It is estimated that 80 percent of flu-like illness reported during the “flu season” are not caused by influenza.” (2)
According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, 55-65% of doctors don’t get the annual flu shot.(12) Yet the CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older (including pregnant women) get a flu vaccine each year. Interestingly, flu shots have not been studied for safety when simultaneously given with other vaccines because the strains used change every year. Parents should especially take this information under advisement since infants could receive as many as six other vaccines at a checkup. A recent study published in the October 2012 Human & Experimental Toxicology found that the more vaccines an infant or child receives, the higher the rate of hospitalization and death.(10)
A study published in the September 2011 issue of Human & Experimental Toxicology noted, “The US childhood immunization schedule specifies 26 vaccine doses for infants aged less than 1 year—the most in the world—yet 33 nations have lower infant mortality rates.”(11) The study went further to show a high, statistically significant correlation between the increasing number of vaccine doses and increasing infant mortality rates.
Noted side effects of the influenza vaccine are Guillain-Barre Syndrome (severe paralytic disease – fatal in about 1 in 20 cases)(3), encephalitis (brain inflammation), neurological disorders and thrombocytopenia (serious blood disorder). Life-threatening allergic reactions may also occur due to ingredients used in the vaccine. One particular toxic additive, thimerosal, is composed of 50% mercury, which is linked to causing permanent neurological damage. Many believe vaccine manufacturers no longer use thimerosal as a preservative, but a recent federal case involving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that thimerosal is actually still present in many vaccines.(4) In addition to mercury, flu vaccines also contain other toxic or hazardous ingredients like:
- Aluminum (neurotoxin linked to Alzheimer’s)
- Triton X-100 (a detergent)
- Nonoxynol (kills/stops growth of STDs)
- Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)
- Octoxinol 9 (vaginal spermicide )
- Betapropiolactone (a disinfectant)
Aside from dangerous side effects of the influenza vaccine, their effectiveness is also in question, even by the CDC. A large-scale, systematic review of 51 studies published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2006 found no evidence the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo in children <2 years old.(5) A study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine reported two consecutive seasons of unmatched viral strains demonstrating less than optimal effectiveness in preventing influenza related visits in children <5 years old.(6) Another Cochrane review concluded the advantages of vaccinating healthy adults is virtually nonexistent saying the flu vaccine…(7, 8)
- was effective in only 1 out of 100 people
- did not reduce the number of days lost from work
- did not reduce the number of people hospitalized
- did not reduce the number of complications from secondary infection (pneumonia, etc)
- paralyzed 1 out of every 1,000,000 people who were vaccinated
Large amounts of expired and unused vaccines cost the government and thus American tax payers millions of dollars. In 2010, more than 43% of the supply for the U.S. public went to waste.(9) According to an Associated Press calculation, 40 million expired doses of H1N1 cost us about $261 million.(9) Is the abundance of the influenza vaccine a reason for all the promotional advice for every American to get vaccinated? Dr. Ulrich Keil, a professor at University of Muenster, Germany and a World Health Organization adviser stated, “The death toll from influenza epidemics is much smaller than the number killed annually by chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.” (9)
There are different categories of vaccine requirements in the workplace. Some states have vaccine requirements and exemptions for healthcare workers, childcare employees, teachers, and students. Check to see if your state has medical exemptions, religious and or philosophical exemptions. The CDC posts this information on their website under State Vaccination Requirements here: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/laws/state-reqs.htm
To Prevent Colds & Flu (Adults 120+lbs)
- Wash your hands! Good sanitary habits are important.
- Strictly avoid all dairy products: review our March 2008 and April 2008 newsletters on Dairy.
- Stay hydrated: drink 1 qt of water per 50lbs of body weight not to go over 3 qts per day.
- Get adequate protein: 1 in 4 bites should be good protein sources like seeds, nuts, sprouts, quinoa, chicken, eggs, fish, etc.
- Reduce/eliminate non-nutritive and refined foods.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes, 3 days per week.
- Supplementation (spread dosages throughout the day & take with meals)
- Take a quality high potency multiple: review our May 2008 and Dec 2010 newsletters
- Lauricidin: one scoop each day
- Vitamin C: 3000 mg each day
- Vitamin D3: 5000 IU (cholecalciferol) daily…especially in winter months
- Zinc lozenge: one 15 mg lozenge per day
Prevention for kids (40-100lbs)
First 6 bullet points are the same as above.
Supplementation (spread dosages throughout the day & take with meals)
- Take a high potency multiple for kids: review our May 2008 and Dec 2010 newsletters
- Lauricidin: ½-1 scoop each day
- Vitamin C: 500-1000 mg daily; try Emergen-C or ChildLife Vitamin C for kids
- Vitamin D3: 1000 IU (cholecalciferol) each day; try Child Life Vitamin D
- Zinc lozenge: ¼-½ of a 15mg lozenge per day; watch for hidden artificial colors and sweeteners
Cold and Flu Relief (Adults 120+lbs)
- Strictly avoid all dairy
- Hydration: drink 1qt of water per 50lbs of body weight not to go over 3qts per day
- Supplementation (spread dosages throughout the day & take with meals)
- Take a high potency multiple
- Lauricidin: 3 scoops per day
- Vitamin C: 6000mg per day or to bowel tolerance
- Vitamin D3: 10000IU (cholecalciferol) for 3 days then drop to 5000IU each day
- Echinacea: 150mg, 6 times per day
- Zinc Lozenges: Take 4-6, 15mg zinc lozenges for a few days.
- If you have no appetite or nausea/vomiting, sip Green’s First or Nanogreens throughout the day. They’re both very nutritious and help to settle the stomach. Try them cold or warm.
- Do you have upper respiratory symptoms or a phlegmy cough? Add Elderberry syrup in a product called “Sambucal” per label instructions.
Relief for kids (40-100lbs)
1 and 2 are the same as above.
Supplementation (spread dosages throughout the day & take with meals)
- Take a high potency multiple vitamin
- Lauricidin: 1-2 scoops per day
- Vitamin C: 500-1000mg daily; try Emergen-C or ChildLife Vitamin C for kids
- Vitamin D3: take 1000IU (cholecalciferol) each day
- Echinacea: Find a children’s version at your health food store and take as recommended on the bottle; watch for hidden artificial colors and sweeteners
- Zinc Lozenges: Take 1-2, 15mg lozenges for a few days; watch for hidden artificial colors and sweeteners
- If no appetite or nausea/vomiting, sip on Green’s First or Nanogreens throughout the day. They’re both very nutritious and help to settle the stomach. Try them cold or warm.
- Are there upper respiratory symptoms or a phlegmy cough? Add Elderberry syrup in a product called “Sambucal” per label instructions.
References:
1. Zwillich, Todd. Flu Vaccine Recommended for More Children. WebMD Health News. September 24, 2008
2. Alliance for Human Resource Protection. Flu Vaccines Are A Waste of Money. October 11, 2012. http://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/879/9/ accessed on October 30, 2012
3. Dr. Mercola, Joseph. Flu Vaccine Exposed. September 26,2009. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/26/flu-vaccine-exposed.aspx
4. Huff, Ethan. FDA admits in court case that vaccines still contain mercury. Natural News. April 1, 2012
5. Smith, S., Demicheli V., et.al Cochrane Database Syst Review: Vaccine for preventing influenza in healthy children. Oxford University. Jan 25 2006
6. Szilagyi, PG., Fairbrother, G., Griffin, MR., et.al. Influenza vaccine effectiveness among children 6 to 59 months of age during 2 influenza seasons: a case-cohort study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008 Oct;162(10):943-51.
7. Dr. Jenkins, Avery. Time for your flu vaccine? No. DocAltMed. October 6, 2011.
8. Jefferson T, Di Pietrantonj C, Rivetti A, Bawazeer GA, Al-Ansary LA, Ferroni E. Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD001269. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001269.pub4.
9. 40 Million Doses of H1N1 Vaccine Will Be Burned. Fox News July 1, 2010. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,595724,00.html
10. GS Goldman, NZ Miller, Relative trends in hospitalizations and mortality among infants by the number of vaccine doses and age, based on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 1990–2010, Hum Exp Toxicol October 2012 vol. 31 no. 10 1012-1021
11 Neil Z Miller, Gary S Goldman, Infant mortality rates regressed against number of vaccine doses routinely given: Is there a biochemical or synergistic toxicity?, Hum Exp Toxicol September 2011 vol. 30 no. 9 1420-1428
12. CBC.ca Mandate Flu Vaccines For Health-Care Workers, Journal Says. Huffington Post. October 29, 2012