By Lori Alton
(NaturalHealth365) As surely as the calendar signals the change of seasons, the annual onslaught of warnings to get the flu shot comes around each and every fall. From physicians to pharmacists to the media, the admonishment of anyone hesitant about getting the flu shot continues till the first signs of spring.
The implication is that those who refuse the flu shot are not only putting their own health at risk, but also contributing to a potential epidemic. But the flu shot is more dangerous than you are being led to believe. Rather than subjecting your health to the vaccination, rely on natural ways to boost immunity against the flu.
It’s time to tell the truth about your annual flu shot
Many in the medical community and other proponents of the flu vaccine would have you believe it is absolutely necessary for sustaining health. However, a closer look at the long list of vaccine dangers associated with the shot reveals it is more about dollars spent on pharmaceuticals than it is about public health.
If you still need convincing to help you avoid the vaccine, here are 10 critical reasons you should skip the flu shot:
- Ineffectiveness is well documented: Each year, a flu vaccination is created months ahead of time, based on a “best guess” of what strains are going to give the most trouble when flu season arrives. Even public health officials have voiced doubt about effectiveness. If you come into contact with a different strain of the flu, you will have put yourself at risk of side effects, yet become ill anyway.
- It’s all about the money: The same officials pushing the flu vaccine – specifically, members of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) – stand to make billions of dollars from successful sale of the pharmaceuticals. The ability these officials have to work objectively in the best interests of public health is highly compromised, to say the very least.
- Immunization is a fallacy: It is no coincidence that when a child is vaccinated, he or she develops a number of symptoms, including runny nose, ear infection, and bronchitis – even pneumonia. The flu vaccine introduces the flu virus to the bodies, sensitizing the body to the virus, lowering immunity and creating symptoms.
- No benefits for infants and children: Scientific review of over 50 studies involving 260,000 children ages 6 to 23 months did not uncover any evidence that young children benefit from the flu vaccine. In fact, results showed the flu shot was no more effective than a placebo. Yet, at the same time, research has shown that the injection itself can lead to serious health complications in patients of any age. Problems have included infection, adverse immunological response and even death.
- Increased threat to those at risk: Flu vaccines introduce live virus to the human body. For patients already suffering from a suppressed immune system and reduced ability to fight off viruses, the shot can increase risk of the full effects of flu, as well as increase susceptibility to pneumonia and other contagious diseases.
- Hazard of mercury toxicity: The flu vaccine contains mercury, a heavy metal known to cause memory loss, respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease, attention deficiency disorder, digestive imbalances, oral health issues and other health concerns. The amount of mercury contained in a multi-dose flu shot far exceeds the maximum allowable daily exposure limit.
- Evidence of neurological disorders: There is evidence that ingredients used in flu vaccines can cause serious neurological disorders. Many receiving flu shots during the 1976 swine flu outbreak suffered permanent nerve damage. This is not surprising, considering flu vaccines can contain a number of hazardous materials, including formaldehyde, detergent and mercury, in addition to strains of the live virus.
- Greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease: The elderly are frequent targets in the push for the flu shot, yet there is evidence that those receiving the flu vaccine for three to five consecutive years runs a 10-fold increase for developing Alzheimer’s disease than those who did not have any flu shots. In addition, aging tends to bring with it a weakened immune system (under ‘normal’ living habits), increasing the risk of dangerous symptoms when the flu virus is introduced to the body.
- Multiple strains bring multiple risks: In recent years, particularly since the arrival of the H1N1 strain, it has become increasingly difficult to pinpoint which strains to vaccinate against. Moreover, receiving shots for multiple strains increases the health risk as greater numbers of viruses and harmful vaccines are introduced into your body.
- Vitamin C is a better option: Studies have shown that overuse of the flu vaccine, along with drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza, can cause flu viruses to mutate, potentially resulting in more deadly strains. Rather than reducing susceptibility to the flu, the flu vaccine leads to even greater risks.
Rather than risk your health with the flu vaccine, why not opt for some vitamin C benefits such as warding off viruses without the risky side effects of a vaccine. This natural antioxidant has multiple advantages to your health, all without the risk of toxins and their side effects.