There is mounting evidence on why you should avoid the flu vaccine. In addition to the fact it may not be nearly as effective as advertised, there are more effective natural solutions that do not have the same potential for causing harm. This is the case with at least one manufacturer of the flu vaccine that currently includes mercury as an adjuvant (ingredient within the vaccine). Mercury is a known neurotoxin that can cause serious health issues.

Most deaths related to influenza are due to bacterial pneumonia, and bacterial pneumonia can be effectively treated with advanced medical care and therapies like parenteral antibiotics (administering antibiotics other than via mouth) and respirators.

Let's look at the actual studies, not the hype, that show just how ineffective the flu vaccine is in both adults and children, and why there is a better choice:

• In seniors aged 65 and over, the flu vaccine was only 9% effective. In a review of 64 studies of the elderly over 98 flu seasons, flu shots were non-significant for preventing influenza, ILI, or pneumonia.(1)
• During the 2012-2013 flu season, the flu vaccine's effectiveness was found to be just 56% across ALL age groups reviewed by the CDC - in essence, the statistical equivalent of a coin toss.
• In a review of 48 reports, including 66,000 adults, “Vaccination of healthy adults only reduced risk of influenza by 6%, and reduced the number of missed work days by less than one day (0.16) days. It did not change the number of people needing to go to the hospital or take time off work.”(2)
• Vaccinating against one strain of influenza may actually increase your risk of exposure to related but different strains.
• In a review of over 51 studies involving 294,000 children, there was no evidence that injecting children 6-24 months of age with a flu vaccine was more effective than the placebo, and it was found to be only effective 33% of the time in children over 2 yrs. of age.(3)
• Children with asthma who receive the flu vaccine are more at risk for hospitalization than children who do not receive the vaccine.(4)

Randomized controlled trials found a reduced incidence of influenza for those taking high doses of vitamin D.

• A study involving African-American post-menopausal women in New York found a 60% reduced risk of colds and influenza for those taking 800 IUs vitamin D3, and a 90% reduced risk for those taking 2,000 IUs.
• A 2010 study demonstrated the effectiveness of vitamin D as a preventive strategy against influenza. Children taking just 1,200 IUs of vitamin D3 per day (considered a low dose) were shown to be 42% less likely to come down with the flu.(5)
• A study in Japan involving school children taking 1,200 IUs of vitamin D3 vs. 200 IUs, found a 67% reduction in Type A influenza. Type A influenza includes H1N1 varieties, which were the type involved in the 1918-19 pandemic influenza, and the 2009 “swine flu” infections. The Japanese scientists concluded that the anti-viral drugs "zanamivir" and "oseltamivir" reduced risk of flu infection by only 8% in children exposed to infection, compared with a 50% or greater reduction with vitamin D.(6)

Many doctors throughout Europe and Canada routinely prescribe high doses of vitamin D not only for the flu, but for a long list of chronic diseases.

For disease to take hold of the body, the immune system has in some way become compromised or overwhelmed. The key to flu prevention is to ensure that your immune system is both strong and uncompromised, and the health of the immune system can be significantly affected by different lifestyle factors.

• • Eat the right diet...
  Make sure your diet is rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, especially those high in antioxidants and natural immune boosters such as high vibrational foods. Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, natural immune boosters in food have no dangerous side effects, and do not destroy the intestinal flora needed for a healthy gut.
  What are high vibrational foods...
  The dirty dozen & why you should avoid them...
• • Get enough of these 2 nutrients...
  Vitamin D3: 2,000 IUs per day of vitamin D3 has been found to reduce influenza risk by 90%.
  Vitamin C has been shown to both relieve and prevent cold and flu symptoms. Increase your intake of fruits and veggies high in vitamin C, rather than from artificial supplementation. Studies show that the protective qualities from vitamin C are substantially higher and much more effective in natural form compared to in supplements
• • Stay hydrated...
  Dehydration is typical on the standard American diet devoid of high-water content foods such as fruits and vegetables. Hydration is the key to transporting nutrients to our cells and removing toxic waste from our cells and out of the body.
• • Get enough rest & relaxation...
  Sleep is a very important factor in disease prevention. Just like it becomes harder to concentrate when you are tired, if your body is overly fatigued, it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Sleep is the time our system rebuilds and cleans house.
• • Exercise regularly...
  When you exercise, you increase the circulation of blood and lymph throughout your body. This means your body is more efficiently able to carry nutrients to the cells and remove waste from them. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of destroying an illness before it spreads.
• • Reduce your stress...
  Stress can very seriously damage your immune system. Learn why stress is considered a silent killer, and what you can do to reduce and eliminate stress from your life. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes chronic, your body will be compromised when it comes to fighting off the flu and other more serious conditions.
  14 tips on how to reduce stress...
• • Quit smoking, drugs & excessive alcohol...
  Smoking, and the 4,000+ chemicals they contain, all serve to weaken the immune system. Excessive alcohol and drugs also lower the functioning of immune cells and their ability to fight disease.
  Walk away from your addictions...
• • Understand the impact of medications...
  Medications, especially immune-suppressant drugs, can seriously compromise the immune system. Excessive use of antibiotics can increase the likelihood of coming in contact with bacteria that is resistant to the effects of the immune system, as well as destroying the beneficial flora within the gastrointestinal tract..

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