Well, why didn’t they tell me that? Little known facts about the flu shot

As I was driving around my local area running errands over the weekend, I swear I counted 24 flu shot signs within a 5-mile radius of my house.
“Flu shots here every day!”
“Free flu shots!”
“Get your flu shot now-walk-ins welcome!”
“Get a flu shot and save 10% on any purchase.”
Countless droves of people flock to the pharmacy or their doctor’s office, roll up their sleeve and take the needle jab…

Because after all, flu shots will prevent you from getting the flu, right?
And lots of people die from the flu every year, right?
Plus flu shots are safe, right?

I’m sorry to say that the answer to all of the above questions is NO.
Here’s the scoop on why you should think twice before answering the beckoning call of the flu shots signs and getting in line with your sleeve rolled up.

Will flu shots prevent you from getting the flu?

The answer to that is: Maybe in some cases.

You see, there are several strains of flu in existence each year, and when the flu vaccines are designed for manufacturing, scientists guess which strains may be more prevalent in a given year when deciding which ones to put in your syringe.
If they guess right, maybe some cases of the flu can be prevented.
If they guess wrong, the shot is completely bloody ineffective.
Plus even if they guess right, vaccination does NOT mean immunization. That is, the flu shot’s period of effectiveness varies from person to person, so you CAN get the flu even AFTER getting a flu shot!
How’s that for a kicker?
Plus ALL vaccines depress your immune system functioning for up to several weeks, which means you are FAR more susceptible to flu varieties for which you have not been vaccinated, plus the other whole slew of colds, bugs and infections floating around!
So you might be looking at bronchitis, upper respiratory infection or a stomach bug…which you might NOT have contracted if you DIDN’Tget a flu shot.

Don’t lots of people die from the flu each year?

The answer to that is: NO. And here’s why:

First of all, many respiratory illnesses are simply diagnosed by doctors as “the flu” without any testing ever being done to see if an actual flu virus is present! So countless people suffering from various other illnesses have, in fact, been wrongly counted as “flu victims.”
Plus in many cases of death especially in the elderly, “flu” is cited as the cause, when in fact death was truly caused by pneumonia or a combination of illnesses.
And here’s the most telling fact of all—flu statistics are consistently overstated by the CDC each and every year.
You see, the CDC lumps deaths due to influenza and pneumonia together when they cite statistics. So right from the get-go the numbers are inflated.
Here’s the actual statistics for 2007 (the most recent year for which stats are shown on the CDC’s site):
Total deaths due to influenza and pneumonia: 52,717
But then when you drill down further into their report you see that a whopping 52,306 of those deaths were due to pneumonia and only 411 due to influenza!
And the vast majority of those flu cases (293 out of 411) were elderly people whose general state of health and immune system health are likely to already be compromised.

Flu shots are safe, right?

The answer to that is a resounding NO!

First of all, as I mentioned above ALL vaccinations depress your immune system functioning for up to several weeks, leaving you susceptible to a variety of other illnesses.
Plus vaccinations inject proteins directly into your bloodstream and this is not good.
You see, since your body is designed to break proteins down into their smaller individual amino acids in the digestive tract before they are absorbed into circulation, shooting full-blown proteins into your blood vessels with a vaccine (and bypassing the GI tract) puts your immune system on high alert and can eventually elicit inappropriate immune responses.
That’s why many people find themselves developing asthma or allergies when they never had a problem with them in the past!
And the flu shot ingredients themselves are the most unsafe thing of all. Hold on to your hat while we take a look at…

Ingredients in flu shots:

Thimerosal: Almost all flu shots, as well as other vaccines, contain Thimerosal, which is a mercury preservative. Mercury is extremely toxic to the human body which can affect your brain functioning, lead to autoimmune diseases and has been linked to autism.
Ethylene glycol: Another term for this is antifreeze. Ethylene glycol and its toxic byproducts can affect the central nervous system, as well as your heart and kidneys. Ingestion of sufficient amounts can be fatal.
Phenol: Also known as carbolic acid, this is used as a disinfectant and dye. Phenol was originally used as an antiseptic in surgery but it use was abandoned because it caused skin irritation. Before and during World War II, phenol injections were used by Nazi Germans as a means of fast execution!
Formaldehyde: This is the primary solution used for embalming, but in vaccines it’s a preservative. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen (cancer causer) and it can also cause allergic reactions
Aluminum: Aluminum is another toxic metal, and it’s used in flu shots to “promote antibody response.” It also happens to be linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that people who received 5 or more flu shots during a 10-year period have a 10 times higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, compared to those who had fewer than 2 flu shots.
Antibiotics: Antibiotics like Neomycin and Streptomycin are added to flu shots to kill any bacteria that may be present. But antibiotics also kill off your friendly flora, where 70% of your immune system resides, and can cause allergic reactions in many people.
And now for…
The flu strains themselves: In the US, a typical flu shot contains 3 viruses—2 “A” strains and 1 “B” strain. These strains are cultivated in animal proteins such as rabbit brain tissue, monkey kidney tissue, pig blood, chicken embryo, embryonic guinea pig cells and calf serum. Not only do these un-broken down proteins taunt your immune system like I mentioned above, but heaven help you if you’re allergic to any of them—the result could range from severe discomfort to death.
And let’s not forget this growing concern: Most pharmacies are very eager to administer flu shots, but VERY FEW are equipped to handle an emergency allergic reaction.

A safer approach—prevention is the key

When it comes to the flu as well as cold, bugs, infections, etc. prevention is the key, my friend.
When you help your body fight and prevent illness from within and enhance the health of your immune system, it is FAR less likely that you will have to worry about illness to begin with, let alone having to resort to depending on dangerous flu shots to “create health!”
Here are 7 strategies to help strengthen your immune system, prevent sickness and help fight any existing cold, flu or infection you may have now:
Sickness Fighting Strategy #1: Vitamin C
Vitamin C boosts your immune system by helping to increase the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies. It also increases your level of interferon, which is the antibody that coats cell surfaces, preventing the entry of viruses.
Good sources include parsley, broccoli, bell peppers, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens and Brussels sprouts. You can also buy Vitamin C supplements just about anywhere.
Sickness Fighting Strategy #2: Vitamin E
Although it’s not as popular as vitamin C, vitamin E plays an important role in the health of your immune system.
The main cells of your immune system are T cells and B cells. Helper T cells patrol your body, waiting to attack a dangerous invader. Regulatory T cells protect your healthy cells. And B cells create antibodies when you do get sick to help prevent that sickness from entering again. (Think: Chicken pox)
As you age, your T cells and B cells don’t work as well as they used to, so your immune system is weaker. But vitamin E has been shown in studies to significantly increase T cell and B cell activity, thereby making your immune system stronger.
Good sources are spinach, Swiss chard, turnip greens, mustard greens, cayenne pepper, almonds, sunflower seeds, asparagus and bell peppers. Vitamin E supplements are also readily available.
Sickness Fighting Strategy #3: Garlic
Garlic is a natural immune system booster. It stimulates the production of infection-fighting white cells and enhances the efficiency of antibody production.
There’s a catch, though: To get the full benefits of garlic, you have to eat it raw (or very lightly cooked).
Typical garlic pills, tablets, oils and capsules, especially the odorless ones, usually have had the active enzymes in the garlic that provide the health benefits processed out.
But never fear–there are a great many ways to enjoy garlic and get its full immune system charge (more on that below).
Sickness Fighting Strategy #4: Oregano
The oils in this delicious spice include thymol and carvacrol, both of which have been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria.
In addition to enjoying oregano in Italian and Mediterranean dishes, oil of oregano is also available at health food stores and many grocery stores.
Sickness Fighting Strategy #5: Zinc
Similar to garlic, this powerhouse mineral increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells, and helps white cells release more antibodies.
Good sources of zinc include beef, oysters, crab, turkey, scallops, oats, yogurt, venison and spinach.
Note that although zinc supplements and lozenges are available, too much zinc can backfire on you and inhibit your immune system. It’s best to aim for 15-25 milligrams a day which you can easily get from a healthy diet (more on that below).
Sickness Fighting Strategy #6: Probiotics
Nothing enhances your immune system like a healthy dose of the same beneficial bacteria that reside in your gut and make up about 70-80% of that immune system!
The key is taking a probiotic supplement that has a wide variety of bacteria strains (more strains = more ways to enhance your health) AND ensuring that those bacteria are actually alive when you take them. (Many supplements have been on warm store shelves for months and it’s very likely that some or all of the bacteria have died.)
Super Shield probiotic formula delivers on both of those important points.
Super Shield contains 13 potent strains of beneficial bacteria, each of which has its own specialty on how it enhances your health and helps strengthen your immune system to better fight colds, flu and many other illnesses.
And the Granddaddy of them all:
Sickness Fighting Strategy #7: Eating real foods
You can take all the immune-enhancing supplements in the world, but if your diet is poor, you’re cutting your own throat in these 3 ways:

A poor diet creates acid waste in your body, which makes is next to impossible for you to absorb nutrients you need. So supplements you do take can pass right through you.
A poor diet nourishes the harmful bacteria in your gut, while starving the helpful ones. This can make your immune system function practically non-existent.
A poor diet also encourages an acidic pH. When your body is in a state of acidity, it can’t effectively heal itself or fight illnesses.

Now, if having a healthy diet sounds about as interesting to you as watching paint dry, you’re in luck.
Because the Great Taste No Pain system will prove you wrong!
The Great Taste No Pain manuals will teach you how to structure delicious, low acid meals featuring real foods that not only taste good but are good FOR you.
And the recipe book is packed with 112 scrumptious dishes, many of which feature immune-enhancing oregano and garlic (including my outstanding spaghetti sauce!), as well as natural dietary sources of vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc.
Now if you’re gluten sensitive, not to worry. I have you covered with Great Taste No Gluten.
Put the 7 Sickness Fighting Strategies to work for you, and chances are excellent that you’ll eventually find yourself saying, “Gee, I can’t remember the last time I got sick!”
And more importantly, “Who needs dangerous flu shots anyway? Not me!”
To your health,
Sherry