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This month’s question comes from MA in New York.

Q. “My doctor recommends that I have a flu shot. What do you think of these?”

A. Rather than give my opinion on this one, as many of you know I am personally opposed to vaccinations in general, I offer this quote from THE FLU AND THE FLU VACCINE (by the National Vaccine Information Center) . I have italicized for emphasis. 

Natural flu remedies follow at the end of the quote. 

“What is the flu vaccine? The flu vaccine is prepared from the fluids of chick embryos inoculated with a specific type(s) of influenza virus. The strains of flu virus in the vaccine are inactivated with formaldehyde and preserved with thimerosal, which is a mercury derivative.

Every 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 next year's flu vaccine. If they guess right, the vaccine is thought to be 70 to 80 percent effective in temporarily preventing the flu of the season in healthy persons less than 65 years old (the efficacy rate drops to 30 to 40% in those over 65 years old but the vaccine is thought to be 50 to 60% effective in preventing hospitalization and pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from the flu in the over 65 age group). However, sometimes health officials do not correctly predict which flu strains will be most prevalent and the vaccine's effectiveness is much lower for that year.

Does the flu vaccine protect against all throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and ear infections? The flu vaccine only protects against the three specific viral strains which are included in any given year's flu vaccine. Throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and ear infections caused by bacteria or other kinds of viruses are not prevented by getting an annual flu shot.

Why do doctors say I have to get a flu vaccine every year? Like all vaccines, the flu vaccine only gives a 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. Natural immunity to a particular strain of flu can be protective if that strain or closely related strains come around again in the future. However, because the vaccine only provides a 70 to 80 percent chance of temporary immunity to selected strains and those strains may or may not be prevalent each year, doctors say you have to get a flu shot every year.

Are there reactions to the flu vaccine? The most common reactions, which begin with 12 hours of vaccination and can last several days are: fever, fatigue, painful joints and headache. The most serious reaction that has been associated with flu vaccine is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) which occurs most often within two to four weeks of vaccination. 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.

What are contraindications to the flu vaccine? Among high risk factors listed by the CDC and the vaccine manufacturers are anyone who:
(1) is sick with a fever;
(2) has an impaired immune system;
(3) has an egg allergy;
(4) has a mercury allergy;
(5) has a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome.
 
In years past, pregnancy was also a contraindication to flu vaccine but, today, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends flu vaccine for women more than 14 weeks pregnant.”

“Results for the 1989-1990 season were described as "mixed at best," with "Medicare payments . . . significantly higher for those who had been vaccinated," noted Kidder and Schmitz in the 1993 report Options for the Control of Influenza II.

Government agencies "calculated" an economic benefit of flu shots to Medicare by manipulating numbers in a computerized simulation until desirable results were obtained. The CDC reported in 1993 that its theoretical assumptions did not include all vaccine-related costs. In 1994 and 1995, The New England Journal of Medicine published medical studies with similar economic claims for flu shots that had been funded by a vaccine manufacturer.

Several studies and government projections from the Department of Human and Health Services confirm that, with or without a flu shot, pneumonia and influenza hospitalization rates for the elderly are less than 1 percent during the influenza season. This means that, regardless of vaccination status, more than 99 percent of people weather a bout of flu without requiring hospitalization. Even the past director of CDC's National Immunization Program, Dr. Walter Orenstein, reported at a 1981 influenza conference that the "at risk" population for influenza complications is small."

In my opinion the best defense is a good offense. My suggestion(s) are as follows: 1-2 capsules of colostrums taken well before flu season is almost miraculous in its ability to “teach” the body to ward off viral and bacterial infections. Olive leaf extract also has an antimicrobial effect being very helpful against viral and bacterial infections. My personal recommendation is Sambucol, a specific elderberry extract from Israel that I have found effective in preventing flu infections and incredibly effective during a flu attack. If Diana gets the flu she does the whole regimen; 1 olive leaf cap and Sovereign Silver every two hours, followed by probiotics half an hour later and a sublingual B12 morning and evening(for energy). I have seen her get right back on the job, smiling in 2 or 3 days!

During our last seminar at our office in Sorrento Valley, we discussed the importance of organic foods in helping keep hormones balanced and avoiding deadly pesticides and chemicals in our food supply. Everyone put down their local favorite organic growers and asked that I list these in the upcoming newsletter. Although these are locals to San Diego, I would encourage those of you in other parts of the country to patronize your local healthy organic growers. This is for you and especially your children’s health and well being.

So here is a partial local list at your request.

Tierra Miguel, www.tierramiguelfarm.org , 14910 Pauma Valley Dr.,Pauma Valley, CA 92061

Seabreeze Organics (offering home delivery). See them on the web at http://www.seabreezed.com/

Sun Organics Farm, http://www.sunorganic.com/, 411 S. Las Posas Road, San Marcos, CA 92078

Frazier Farms, www.frazierfarmsmarket.com, 225 Vista Village Drive. Vista, California 92083

There are many, many more and, although these people are local to San Diego, the organic green movement is growing, so seek out your local farmers and farmers markets for the best in food.

It was also suggested that women be aware of the dangers lurking in their cosmetics and this website was submitted; http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.org

Also, if you have any further questions about food, nutrition, diet please feel free to contact Janelle Deeds at www.janelledeeds.com

Keep the cards and letter coming! See you next month.

Dr. Hugh and Diana

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