Every Fall, we are urged to get our flu shot, with good reason since the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919, was responsible for between 20-40 million deaths.  So what is the flu exactly?  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) the flu is defined as influenza and a contagious respiratory illness caused by the Influenza virus.  There are two main types of the virus.  Types A and B are what mostly spread in people and are responsible for the seasonal flu epidemic each year.  Influenza A virus is broken up into multiple subtypes and can be broken down into different strains.  There are new strains of flu that crop up from time to time. Influenza B viruses are not divided into subtypes, but do have several different strains.

Symptoms of the Flu

• Fever or Chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or Stuffy Nose
• Muscle or Body Aches
• Headaches
• Extreme Fatigue
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, but this is more common in children.

How the Flu Spreads

The flu can be spread to others up to about 6 feet away.  Some experts believe that it can be spread by droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, which can land into the mouths or noses of people nearby, or could be inhaled into their lungs.  The least likely way to catch the flu is to touch a surface or object that has the flu virus on it, and then touch their own mouth or nose.

How to Avoid Catching the Flu

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub. Never share linens, eating utensils, and dishes of those who are sick unless you wash them first.

2. Get the flu shot.

When the Flu Is Contagious

Influenza is contagious one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick, and children may pass the virus for longer than seven days. Symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body.  Some persons can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms and could still spread the virus to others.

So here’s the big question.  Since the flu is spread so easily, how do you protect yourself from catching it?  Should you get a flu shot?  According to CDC recent findings, aluminum, (brain toxin) antibiotics, egg protein, formaldehyde (now listed as carcinogenic), MSG or monosodium glutamate (a known neurotoxin), and thimerosal (neurotoxic mercury) are found in flu shot vaccines. Though not all of these toxins are in every flu shot, they are in most, and some flu vaccines contain other toxins not mentioned, such as Triton X 100, which is a detergent.  There have been known documented cases of people having severe adverse reactions to the flu shot.

Babies older than six months and senior adults are strongly urged to get a flu shot every season.  But is this really the best option?  Most people aged 50 and up are not told that these shots are toxic and actually may do more harm than good.  One example I witnessed first hand happened a couple of years ago.  My housekeeper, a woman in her late 60s, became violently ill, throwing up repeatedly until she had to be rushed to the hospital.  They told her that had she not gone to the emergency room when she did, she would have died.  She had a severe allergic reaction to the flu shot.

Flu shots can’t guarantee protection from the flu either because they may not have the right viral strain for that year’s flu bug.  Many people I know have talked about how their annual flu shots left them flu free year after year, but I am curious about the recent information about the reported relationship to Alzheimer’s disease and the flu shot.  World renowned immunogeneticist Dr. Hugh Fudenberg announced there was an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s after receiving five flu shots. And those people who have had more than five vaccinations are 10 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those who had never received a flu shot.  Dr. Fudenberg’s study was conducted from 1970 through 1980.  Along with other researchers, Dr. Fudenberg blames this risk on the combination of aluminum and mercury (thimerosal), that builds up over time in the brain. It may not seem obvious to everybody, but Alzhemer’s has been on the rise over the last few decades.  Is it just a coincidence that the increased push for seniors to get a flu shot has coincided with the overwhelming rate of Alzheimer’s Disease during that same period?

Questions about the safety of influenza vaccines are not new.  It was documented in 1973 (by Rabin), that between 1966 and 1970 almost all USA-made influenza vaccines were toxic.

On the flip side, there are benefits to getting a flu shot, and you could be the 9 in 10 people who suffer absolutely no side effects.

Quoted from the Center for Disease Control and Protection website.

“About one person per 100,000 people per year will develop Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an illness characterized by fever, nerve damage, and muscle weakness.  In 1976, vaccination with the swine flu vaccine was associated with getting GBS. Several studies have been done to evaluate if other flu vaccines since 1976 were associated with GBS. Only one of the studies showed an association. That study suggested that one person out of 1 million vaccinated persons may be at risk of GBS associated with the vaccine. The ability of a flu vaccine to protect a person depends on the age and health status of the person getting the vaccine, and the similarity or “match” between the viruses or virus in the vaccine and those in circulation.”

Whether you decide to get a flu shot or not, know that some risks could occur from getting the vaccine; but if your health is already compromised because of a lowered immune system, consult a physician about the risks.  Keeping in mind that millions have died from the flu before there was ever a vaccine.  So don’t put your own health in danger if you are in one of the high-risk groups for increased exposure.  Bottom line, do your research before making your decision whether to get a flue shot or not.

Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
http://www.naturalnews.com/033891_vaccines_delayed_injury.html#ixzz2CdWh0o5V
http://www.naturalnews.com/033891_vaccines_delayed_injury.html#ixzz2CdW269tA
http://www.naturalnews.com/033891_vaccines_delayed_injury.html#ixzz2CdbwFQ7u
http://saveourbones.com/flu-shot/
http://archneur.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=784047