Anne from Boise , ID , asked : Hi Julie ,
I wondered what you think about getting the flu shot ? I ' ve gotten one every year for the last 5 + years and haven ' t ever gotten the flu , but recently I ? ve been reading about their efficacy and potential ties to diseases .
One blog I read said : " According to the research of Hugh Fudenberg , MD , a leading immunogeneticist , an individual is ten times more likely to develop Alzheimer ? s disease if they have received 5 flu shots in their lives , as opposed to others who have have 0-1 flu shots . This is attributed to levels of aluminum and mercury . Most of the flu vaccine for this current season ( 2012-13 ) will contain Thimerosal , a mercury-based preservative as well as aluminum . The flu vaccine has also been linked with other serious health conditions such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome , vascular disorders , and narcolepsy . In addition to mercury and aluminum , the shots often contain known toxic additives such as polysorbate-80 and formaldehyde . Does the short term ( potential ) benefit of the vaccine outweigh the long term risks ? Not from where I stand ."
What are your thoughts ? Thank you as al ways , Anne in Idaho Hi Anne ,
Great question ! Flu shots and vaccines in general are a highly debated and oftentimes emotionally-charged topic . So , with that in mind , I suggest everyone needs to educate themselves on the risks and rewards before getting a vaccination needle stabbed into them or their children .
Fact is , there isn ? t one virus that causes the flu and there isn ? t one flu vaccine that will protect against all strains of the flu . Each year , a different flu vaccine is developed and is based on assumptions about which strains will materialize during that flu season .
By most accounts , in any given year , the flu vaccine is around 50 % effective . Recent data from the Center for Disease Control ( CDC ) shows the flu vaccine was 18 % effective in the 2014-2015 season and 56 % effective ( 9 % effective for senior citizens ) in 2012-2013 . Those aren ? t great odds .
Other concerns include the toxic chemicals and preservatives you mentioned above . One little known secret is , single dose vials of vaccines don ? t contain Thimerosol , a mercury-based preservative that seems to cause so many of the reported side effects . Only the multi-dose vials contain this toxin . If you or anyone in your family is being vaccinated for anything , demand vaccines from single-dose vials !
To answer your question , when I ask if it ' s in anyone ? s best interest to get a flu shot ? I get a ? yes ?. The CDC recommends health care workers and anyone with a chronic health condition get immunized .
When I ask if it ? s in the majority of the population ? s best interest to get a flu shot , I get ? no ?. That would be the rest of us .
Regardless of whether or not you decide to get a flu shot , here are some things we all can do to boost our immune systems and stay healthy :
1 ) Stay hydrated
2 ) Eat lots of colorful fruits and vegetables ( onions and garlic are natural antimicrobials )
3 ) Take vitamins and include Ester C , Zinc , and D3 4 ) Get your sleep
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