If you are like most people at some stage this year someone has asked you if you have had your flu shot and if you were going to get one. Most people just assume that it is the done thing and that since it is so popular it must be good for you. So what are the facts?
Firstly what is in those vaccines? Well according to the data sheet provided by the New Zealand Government the vaccine is prepared from virus' grown in embryonic eggs and inactivated using formaldehyde and containing the antibiotic neomycin.
Now when you were recommended that vaccine you were informed of the side effects right? Well if not, here are a few. Obviously locally it can cause swelling, redness and pain, no big deal. It can also cause fever, tiredness, shivering, headache, sweating, muscle aches, painful joints and swollen lymph nodes, sounds like exactly what you were trying to avoid doesn't it? Then there are the more significant risks, anaphylactic shock, nerve pain, numbness, convulsions, blood disorders, inflammation of the brain and nervous system and Guillain Barr Syndrome have all been reported as have blood vessel inflammation and kidney damage. The data sheet further states that its safety during pregnancy has not been established.
So if you are going to risk all of that you would want there to be some pretty serious upside wouldn't you. Well one of the main concerns relating to the flu is that you might end up with pneumonia and a study just published in Lancet has shown that influenza vaccination was not associated with a reduced risk of community acquired pneumonia".
The fact is that the ultimate way to avoid suffering from the flu is proactive prevention. Eating, thinking and moving in a way that optimises your body's performance and maximises your bodies resistance really is the best prevention for the flu. In fact if you do these things you will not only be more resistant to the flu but you will be more resistant to pretty much every disease you can think of, now can a flu shot do that?
So here are some practical tips to help you reduce your flu risk.
1. Reduce your intake of sugar and processed carbohydrates (virus feed off of these)
2. Reduce your intake of junk foods
3. Get more Omega 3 fats (Fish, Flax seed oil, Grass fed meats or supplementation).
4. Eat more Vegetables.
5. Eat more healthy protein
6. Get plenty of rest
7. Get plenty of exercise
8. Reduce your stress levels
9. Wash your hands thoroughly
10. Reduce toxins (chemicals, preservatives and even if applicable medications, consult your health care provider first).
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