By Eileen Wrobleski, ND, CNC, HHP – Abundant Life Wellness in Crabapple
The numbers are out on the effectiveness of last year’s flu vaccine, which is touted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health organizations as “the best way to prevent the flu.” According to a February 2015 CDC report, the effectiveness of the flu shot was just 18 percent overall, 15 percent among children ages two to eight, and nine percent for seniors ages 65 and older. The nasal spray flu vaccine showed almost no benefit for children ages two to eight.
Last year’s flu season was said to be one of the worst in years, and by January 2015, the CDC had warned that the flu vaccine was a poor match to the influenza A strain, which caused most cases of the flu, because it had mutated early in the season. Yet, health officials still urged everyone to get a flu shot, saying it would make symptoms less severe, without providing evidence to support this claim.
In addition to questions regarding the flu vaccine’s effectiveness are concerns about its safety. Side effects range from numbness and tingling of the skin, chest pain, shortness of breath, laryngitis and convulsions, to spinal cord inflammation (myelitis), optic nerve inflammation (optic neuritis), facial palsy and paralysis. Though recommended for pregnant women, the flu vaccine is categorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Pregnancy Category B or C Biological. This means adequate testing has not been done in humans to demonstrate safety for pregnant women and the fetus, or the effect on reproductive capability.
The best way to prevent the flu is to maintain a strong immune system through optimal lifestyle and nutrition. Avoid sugar and processed food (sugar immediately decreases immune system function), get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, and optimize your vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is important for proper immune function and is also an effective antimicrobial. Studies show that children who take just 1,200 IUs of vitamin D3 daily are 42 percent less likely to get the flu. Adults can supplement with 5,000 to 8,000 IUs daily during the winter months.
Other ways to support optimal immune health include proper hydration, regular exercise, stress-reduction techniques, hand washing and daily probiotic supplementation, as 80 percent of the immune system resides in the gut (see Importance of the Microbiome, Milton Magazine, July). Take homeopathic preparations and herbs for respiratory health, including sambucus, myrrh and echinacea. Also, supplement with oil of oregano, garlic, olive leaf and monolaurin, which are immune-system builders that provide potent antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial support, without the side effects associated with pharmaceutical antibiotics and vaccinations.