Guest guest Posted December 15, 2003 Report Share Posted December 15, 2003 " askbillsardi.com " Flu shots for your family? Mon, 15 Dec 2003 08:41:26 -0800 Flu shots for your family? By Bill Sardi, Knowledge of Health, Inc. You might want to pass up the flu shots this year.......... they protect against the wrong strain of the flu (3rd straight year). Despite the news reports of an impending flu outbreak, the Fujian strain of the flu which is now hitting the US was active in Australia last year but did not cause an epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control says the flu this year is arriving early and there is a shortage of flu vaccine. But that is always true. Only about 80 million doses of the flu vaccine are prepared each year. So out of a population of 280 million, most people go unvaccinated. But we don't experience widespread flu bug infection. Much of the hype to get flu shots is directed by commercial interests. This year there is an apparent push to get the public to use Flumist, a nasally-instilled flu vaccine (no needles needed), just recently approved by the FDA. Flumist costs about $50 whereas a standard flu shot is about $10. But Flumist is a live vaccine whereas the flu shot is a dead vaccine. Flumist actually increases the incidence of headache, runny nose, sore throat, muscle aches and cough over doing nothing at all. There are the very symptoms you were trying to avoid by taking the flu vaccine. A significant number of people who receive Flumist will spread the virus to close family members (watch out, pregnant moms, very young children, older adults, you are at higher risk). The best advice to prepare for the flu season is to make sure your immune system is up to par. VItamin C, vitamin E, selenium and zinc are helpful in this regard. When aches, sore or scratchy throats or fever starts, use natural anti-viral agents like crushed garlic cloves, oil of oregano, and quercetin + vitamin C (available at local health food stores). For kids, elderberry syrup is often helpful as are fizzy vitamin C tablets that kids drink (Alacer makes these, called Emergen-C). Don't forget to gargle when the throat feels scratchy. --Copyright 2003 View more reports at http://www.askbillsardi.com NEW WEB MESSAGE BOARDS - JOIN HERE. Alternative Medicine Message Boards.Info http://alternative-medicine-message-boards.info New Photos - easier uploading and sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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