Do you plan on getting the flu shot this year? Pharmacies and Big-Box
Drugstores have been advertising availability (and ease) with fervor for
a few weeks now. One television commercial in particular shows an
“active” 60-something woman zooming around CVS (or is it Walgreens?) on
her Segway, ending at the pharmacist’s counter where she finds she
doesn’t even need an appointment to get her flu shot.
Boy, advertisers make everything look so easy and uncomplicated,
don’t they? And why wouldn’t you go ahead and get the
vaccine? It’s simple, affordable (as low as $5 in some locations),
and it will most certainly protect you from getting the flu . . . or
will it?
One guy who isn’t listening to the propaganda surrounding the flu
shot (and a personal hero of mine, by the way) is Michael Strahan,
former New York Giants football player. When asked by co-host Kelly Ripa
on Live with Kelly and Michael if he was ready for his flu shot this
year, he emphatically responded that he wasn’t going to get one.
Kelly seemed aghast that this was the case, and made it known to her
rookie co-host that they get their shots live on the air every year.
Strahan proceeded to tell her that he had always refused getting
pricked when the team’s medical professionals came in with the vaccine
every season. He said he never got sick, but that he saw many of
his teammates come down with flu-like symptoms after receiving the
vaccine.
Now, there is something to this . . . after all, vaccines can
actually suppress your immune system for weeks, or even months. So
it’s understandable that getting the vaccine could result in an illness
shortly thereafter. And if you’re an NFL football player, the last
thing you want to do is spend Sunday’s game on the sidelines.
Being sick in bed with a fever, chills, aches and all the other
symptoms that go along with the flu is bad enough . . . but are there
other dangers in getting a flu shot? And when it all comes down to
it, is it really necessary? We’ll explore those questions and more in
this two-part article.
Does the Flu Shot Really Work?
There’s been much debate over whether or not the flu shot is truly
effective, especially in the last few years. And that’s when we
turn to the research. One study in particular looked at the rate
of influenza (and pneumonia-linked deaths) in nursing homes where the
staff had been vaccinated. After reviewing studies conducted over
a 12-year time period (between 1997 and 2009), it was suggested that
vaccination efforts had no effect on the number of confirmed influenza
cases.
One of the study’s authors, Dr. Tom Jefferson, a British
epidemiologist, was actually quoted as saying he “can’t see any reason”
for vaccinating against the flu; and that most studies surrounding the
effectiveness of vaccines are “rubbish.” That’s a pretty bold
statement, especially from such a respected researcher. But other
research backs up his claims.
Study after study, published in some of the world’s most respected
medical and scientific journals, suggest that the flu shot is simply NOT
effective in warding off illness.
A study released in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine
showed that the vaccine had no impact on hospitalizations or doctor
visits. A study published both in the Lancet and The New England
Journal of Medicine found that the flu vaccine resulted in no reduced
risk of pneumonia in the elder population. These findings were
also highlighted in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical
Care Medicine . . . despite the fact that vaccinations in the elderly
have increased from a mere 15 percent in 1980 to over 65 percent today.
So . . . it seems like there’s plenty of evidence suggesting the flu
vaccine is not all it’s made out to be. But why not go ahead and get it
anyway? After all, it might work. And is there really any danger in
playing the odds?
The Flu Shot . . . to Prick or Not to Prick?
In part one of this series, we discussed research disputing the
effectiveness of the flu vaccine. But we also raised the
question “Is there really any harm in getting the flu shot?” After
all, it might just work; and why not play those odds? Not so
fast . . . it turns out that there are indeed risks to getting your
seasonal flu shot. (If you’d like to read part 1 of
this series, click
HERE)
What Are the Risks to Getting a Flu Shot?
Many seasonal flu vaccines contain a preservative called Thimerosal.
But what you may not know is that this preservative contains mercury
. . . in fact, it is 49 percent mercury by volume. Now, it’s
well-known that mercury is bad news . . . it’s a neurotoxin, and
particularly damaging to young brains (aka: kids, aka: one of the
segments of the population that routinely gets the flu shot).
What’s more, the mercury in a flu shot is injected directly into
your body, which makes it especially harmful because that method
bypasses your body’s entire natural “detoxification pathways.”
Besides killing brain cells, other complications that have been
reported from receiving the mercury-laden vaccine include fever,
vomiting and convulsions. This is not to be taken lightly, for
sure; and one government took notice. Australia actually
banned the flu shot for all children under the age of five after
several children suffered adverse side effects, and one toddler even
died.
There are, apparently, a few million doses of “thimerosal-free”
vaccine; specifically reserved for pregnant women and infants.
But not everyone knows the dangers of thimerosal, and even if you’re
pregnant, nursing, or have an infant, you may not know to ask for
such a dose. And unfortunately, many healthcare providers,
practitioners and pharmacists have little knowledge about the
dangers of thimerosal so it’s not likely that they would just offer
up that option.
Aside from the threat of mercury, there are other risks
associated with getting a flu shot. Any vaccine carries the chance
of side effects such as fainting or having a seizure . . . something
the pharmacist administering the shot may have no experience dealing
with. Not only that, but if you suffer one of these effects
after having left the clinic, pharmacy or drugstore (or in these
days supermarket), it could be very dangerous – especially if you’re
getting into a car, crossing a busy street, or caring for a young
child.
What Are Some Ways You Can Prevent the Flu Without the
Shot?
There are actually some really simple things you can do to help
prevent the flu for yourself and your family.
Number one rule: wash those hands! Hand sanitizer is
certainly an acceptable option as well, but if you can wash your
hands with anti-bacterial soap and hot water (as hot as you can
stand), then please do that. Aim for at least 20 seconds of
washing, or the amount of time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” two
times . . . in your head, of course. Singing out loud might
make for an awkward public restroom experience!
Second, make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D. In fact,
some experts agree that ensuring your vitamin D levels are at their
peak is even more effective than getting a flu shot! Given
that, it’s especially important that you take steps to avoid
becoming deficient in vitamin D . . . particularly in the winter
months when you’re exposure to sunlight is probably lacking.
If you’re not sure if you’re deficient in the vitamin your doctor
can perform an easy test to determine your levels. And if you
can’t get enough sunshine, make sure you’re taking some vitamin D
supplements.
A few other suggestions to ward off the flu include getting
enough exercise, getting enough sleep (and good sleep), eating
“clean” (avoiding bad fats, processed foods, sugar, etc.), and
avoiding stress as much as you can. Now those things aren’t so
easy in this day and age . . . but when you think about the risks of
getting a flu vaccine, isn’t it worth a shot? (Just a little
vaccine humor there!)
Well? What Do YOU Think?
Look, everyone is going to have his or her own opinion about whether
or not to get the flu shot. Disagreements might even occur
within your own household . . . as it does in highly respected Dr.
Oz’s household. While Dr. Oz is in favor of the flu vaccine,
and routinely gets it on his show, his wife and children have a
differing view. And that’s fine. We just want you to
know both sides of the story, so that you can form your own opinion
and hopefully choose what’s best for you.
