Flu Shot or Not? 
Drug Free Measures for Flu Prevention
By: John King
Well it’s that time of year again, flu season. As of late, vaccines in general have become a hot topic. A quick glance at some of the Facebook groups and blogs on the subject will yield widely varying and extremely passionate opinions on the topic. Whether or not you get a flu shot is a personal choice. Personally, I avoid vaccines whenever possible. Due to complications from Lyme disease my immune system is delicate and doesn’t need any additional challenges. Additionally, I cannot justify injecting myself with toxic heavy metals after spending considerable time, effort and money detoxifying myself from a large heavy metal burden I acquired while in the military.
My clients often ask what measures they can employ to reduce their chances of getting the flu should they not wish to receive the vaccine. The fact of the matter is nothing can protect you 100% from getting the flu, not even the flu vaccine! Even if the flu vaccine was 100% spot on with the current circulating flu strain, there are numerous factors that will influence whether or not you contract the virus. The chart below (taken directly from CDC data) shows just how effective the vaccine was in given years. From a low of 10% in 2004/5 and 19% in 2014/15 (totally missing the mark) to the highest of 60% in 2010/11, we can see from the CDC’s own data that the flu vaccine’s effectiveness rarely exceeds 50%. That means even if you get the flu shot, it is at best, about a 50/50 proposition as to whether or not you will be protected from the virus.
(2017-2018* flu season in progress at time of writing)
So how does one protect themselves from the flu should they elect not to risk the vaccine?
Drug Free Measures For Flu Prevention
Wash Your Hands
This may seem incredibly obvious but not enough people do it. The flu virus can survive on hard surfaces for 24 hours. It is estimated that we touch our faces up to 3,000 times per day! Touch your mouth, eyes or nose after touching something contaminated with the virus and you stand a good chance of getting the flu! Wash your hands often throughout the day and especially after shaking hands. You don’t need antibacterial soap, just be thorough. The rule of thumb is to soap up and wash for as long as it take to sing “Happy Birthday” in your head (if you don’t want to get strange looks in the restroom). If you are often in situations where you cannot wash your hands, carry some hand sanitizer in your pocket and use it!
Avoid Needless Exposure
Avoid exposing yourself to the flu needlessly. If your friends are sick with the flu or are just starting to recover, they will understand if you forgo the customary hello handshake or hug. If you must come in contact with people who are actively sick with the flu, there is no shame in wearing a surgical mask. During the peak flu season everyone in my doctors office is wearing masks! I would rather be teased a little for being “paranoid” than to risk spending a week in bed with the flu. If you are recovering from the flu avoid exposing others. Remember to stay home for at least 24 hours after your temperature has returned to normal.
Get Your Sleep
While this suggestion seems all too obvious, it is easier said then done given our busy lives. For optimal health adults need somewhere between 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep. For children (under 18 years of age) the recommendation is somewhat higher at 8 to 10 hours.
Eliminate Sugar
We live in a sugar laden society. Everything these days has to be sugar coated or has sugar in it. If you read labels you will be amazed at just how many things are spiked with sugar. Sugar literally puts your white blood cells into a coma. Your white blood cells need to stay active so they can gobble up pathogens in your body like bacteria and viruses. But it doesn’t stop there. Sugar also alters the hormone balance in your body, causes oxidative stress, contributes to depression and causes inflammation. If you already have the flu and continue to eat sugar the added inflammation it causes will make you all that much more uncomfortable.
Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels
In working with my clients over the last 18 years I have observed that at least 60% of them have been Vitamin D deficient. Of those who were deficient, half of them were severely deficient. The only way to be sure you are getting adequate Vitamin D is through blood testing. If you are an overall healthy person you should shoot for a blood level of about 50-60 ng/mL. If you are elderly, have a chronic illness or any other immune challenges you target should be in the 80 ng/mL range. Supplement only with Vitamin D3 in softgel form. The best time to take Vitamin D3 is with the largest meal of the day. In my experience, most people not taking a Vitamin D supplement can safely start with a dose of 5,000 iu per day. It takes 3 months for D3 levels to stabilize at a given dose, so test your levels at this interval until you reach your goal.
Take A Quality Multiple Vitamin Daily
Take a good quality multivitamin everyday. By quality I mean something you would obtain from a good health food store. Supplements like One-A-Day and Centrum are synthetically made and are just plain garbage. While these supplements may be cheap, they contain barely enough of any vitamin to be of benefit and what they do contain does not come from nature. Quality multiple vitamins are usually a “two per day” proposition as you simply cannot get all of what you need in a single pill. Take one with breakfast and dinner. If you are confused as to what to buy ask your health food store associate to help you or reach out to me for a recommendation.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the cheapest and most effective supplements for immune support. There are many specialized forms of Vitamin C whose manufacturers claim superiority over plain ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Whereas these forms may be beneficial in specific applications for certain people, most will do just fine with ascorbic acid. Look for a quality brand at your local health food store. Start by taking 1,000 mg at dinner working your way up to 1,000 mg with each meal. If you have an ulcer or suffer from GERD you may want to try a buffered form of Vitamin C such as calcium ascorbate or magnesium ascorbate.
Probiotics
Take a quality probiotic supplement every day. Probiotics should be taken on an empty stomach with a glass of water. I find the best time to do this is first thing upon awakening. Look for a supplement that contains a blend of at least 5 probiotic bacterial strains and a minimum of 20 billion live organisms per capsule. Enteric coated capsules are preferred but not necessarily required if you take them properly.
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is probiotic yeast sold under the brand name Epicor. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is unique in that it increases the body’s production of IgA. IgA (Immunoglobulin A) is an antibody produced by mucosal tissue such as in the mouth, nose and eyes. IgA is the body’s first line of defense against pathogens entering the body. It is the antibody pathogens first come in contact with when entering the body and is responsible for triggering an effective immune response. Take daily first thing upon arising with your other probiotics.
Oscillococcinum
If you have had a significant exposure to the flu or you feel like you are starting to develop symptoms pick up some Oscillococcinum. Oscillococcinum is a homeopathic remedy that can can reduce the length and severity of the flu. It is sold in most drug and grocery stores as well as your local health food store. For dosing, follow the label directions. Avoid caffeine when using this product to avoid neutralizing it’s affect.
While nothing is 100% guaranteed when it comes to health, the basic steps listed above will help give you a fighting chance against contracting the flu. Should you wish to explore more advanced or customized immune enhancement methods, feel free to contact me for a consultation.
Best in Health,
John