{"id":6421,"date":"2014-10-05T17:24:55","date_gmt":"2014-10-05T22:24:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wholehealthchicago.com\/?p=6421"},"modified":"2021-08-23T13:15:52","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T18:15:52","slug":"should-i-get-the-flu-shot-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wholehealthchicago.com\/blog\/2014\/10\/05\/should-i-get-the-flu-shot-2","title":{"rendered":"Should I Get The Flu Shot?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>It\u2019s time again to ponder the flu immunization. When it comes to <a href=\"https:\/\/wholehealthchicago.com\/blog\/2010\/10\/25\/should-i-get-the-flu-shot\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">flu shots<\/a>, I take a far more conventional approach than many patients at WholeHealth Chicago expect of a doctor who considers himself alternative\/integrative. After reviewing some of the popular online alternative medicine newsletters warning people away from flu shots, it\u2019s my sense that the most frequent piece of advice seems to be \u201c\u2026and here\u2019s MY product you can buy instead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I became a major advocate of the flu vaccine in 1974, when there was a flu epidemic and my wife and I forgot to get immunized. Being in health care, I got the flu quickly from one of my patients and brought it home to share. Illness-wise, we look back on that March as the most wretched month of our lives: four solid weeks housebound with fever, headaches, exhaustion, and body aches that seemed to never go away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019d awaken in bed wondering if we were still sick before coughing deeply and gasping for breath, muttering \u201cYep, still sick.\u201d We staggered around the house. Friends left groceries at the front door. It won\u2019t surprise you to know that since 1974, neither of us has ever missed a flu shot. And while we\u2019ve had the occasional light case of flu despite being immunized, we\u2019ve never been that sick again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s review some of the arguments made by people who choose not to get a flu shot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>I had the shot and got the flu anyway.<\/strong> This is possible. You may have had your shot too late in the season and thus your immune system didn\u2019t have enough time to make antibodies. Maybe the vaccine didn\u2019t target the exact flu strain that year. But at least with immunization you have a chance at protection.<\/li><li><strong>I\u2019m allergic to eggs.<\/strong> Very few people have a true allergic reaction to eggs (sudden onset of hives and wheezing). This isn\u2019t the same as not digesting eggs well or being egg-sensitive, which can appear as a positive result on food sensitivity testing.<\/li><li><strong>I don\u2019t want the mercury.<\/strong> It\u2019s true Thimerosal, which contains 25 micrograms of mercury, is used as a flu vaccine preservative. A microgram is a millionth of a gram, such a minute amount that it\u2019s cleared out by your liver and is harmless. I wrote at length about mercury and the flu shot issue in a Health Tip a few years ago. It includes this personal story:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I clearly remember that my medical group realized we&#8217;d been signing one death certificate an hour for three straight days\u2013almost 70 deaths\u2013for nursing home patients dying of flu complications. The victims were mainly older adults whose families, for one reason or another, refused to allow their parents to submit to the \u201cdangers\u201d of a flu shot. I assure you that experiencing this many patients dying before your eyes can alter your perspective about flu immunization.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>I never get a flu shot and I\u2019ve never had the flu.<\/strong> You\u2019ve apparently got an immune system like a long-range missile protection program. Since there\u2019s no government mandate to be immunized, you can continue as-is. Here\u2019s hoping your luck holds.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What about Tamiflu?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I once recommended my patients take the prescription antiviral Tamiflu, but enough research has now been completed to show that the risks of Tamiflu&#8211;including nausea, headaches, and mental confusion&#8211;and related antiviral Relenza don\u2019t outweigh the benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To this day, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using Tamiflu during outbreaks, although there have been virtually no studies documenting effectiveness. At very best, Tamiflu reduces the duration of symptoms by anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. However, using Tamiflu does not seem to thwart the spread of flu among family members, prevent complications (like pneumonia), or reduce hospitalizations. When researchers wanted to review the clinical trials conducted by Roche Labs, Tamiflu\u2019s manufacturer, they were denied access to the data. Clearly, this does not inspire confidence in Tamiflu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cochrane.org\/features\/tamiflu-and-relenza-getting-full-evidence-picture\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Here\u2019s a link discussing the recent problems<\/a> with Tamiflu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Preventing and treating the flu<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that all strains of the flu virus are airborne, spread by the invisible droplets people shower onto you and nearby surfaces when they cough, sneeze, and touch. As flu season approaches, here are some tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Step away from coughers\/sneezers<\/strong> One reason elementary school teachers get frequent colds is that their moist, drippy little charges lovingly cough right into their faces. If you\u2019re at a movie and the person behind you is coughing mightily, change seats. Avoiding crowded spaces like buses, planes, and elevators also helps.<\/li><li><strong>Wash your hands and don\u2019t touch mucous membranes <\/strong>Viruses also spread from surfaces, including skin, health club equipment, remote controls, and keyboards. If you see someone covering her mouth with her hand when she coughs, it\u2019s best not to shake that hand or use her keyboard, mouse, remote, or StairMaster and then inadvertently rub the mucous membranes of your nose or your eyes with your own hand.<\/li><li><strong>When you cough, do so into the crook of your arm<\/strong> rather than into your hand. A few years back, billboards throughout Toronto taught their citizenry this helpful technique.<\/li><li><strong>Clean with isopropyl alcohol<\/strong> Purchase an inexpensive bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol from the drugstore and regularly wipe down remotes, keyboards, laptops, and desks.<\/li><li><strong>Boost your immune system by taking these two supplements <\/strong>throughout the flu season:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/whcstore.vitogenix.com\/s\/search?q=Host%20Defense\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Host Defense<\/a>, an extraordinarily popular and effective blend of immune-stimulant mushrooms. Clinical mycology is the study of the medical benefits of mushrooms, used for more than 5,000 years to prevent and treat disease. Weighty textbooks and medical journals are devoted to this topic. Host Defense, formulated by well-known mycologist Paul Stamets, is a blend of about 15 immune-boosting mushrooms. Take one capsule twice daily for the rest of the flu season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.wholehealthchicago.com\/product-manufacturers\/thorne\/d-1000.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vitamin D<\/a>. Ideally, you want blood levels of around 40-60 ng\/ml (nanograms per milliliter). You could ask your doctor to measure your level, but it\u2019s not necessary. The days are getting shorter here in the northern hemisphere and I haven\u2019t seen a full day\u2019s sunlight for a week, so it\u2019s safe to assume your vitamin D is low. We know that low levels of D affect your immune system\u2019s ability to fight anything&#8211;from viruses to cancer&#8211;so just take 2,000 IU of D daily. There\u2019s no danger of overdose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>If you feel you\u2019re coming down with any viral respiratory infection<\/strong>, start&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/whcstore.vitogenix.com\/s\/search?q=ViraClear%20EPs%207630\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ViraClear EPs 7630<\/a>, a homeopathic remedy licensed in the US from one of Europe\u2019s largest nutritional and herbal companies. EPs 7630 is obtained from the roots of the South African pelargonium sidoides plant and in a post-marketing survey of more than 9,000 patients was shown to reduce the severity and duration of a wide variety of viral respiratory illnesses. One published study of 103 patients showed significant symptom improvement using EPs 7360 when compared to placebo. Other useful natural treatments for flu include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blackelderberry.info\/clinical-summary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">black elderberry<\/a> (sold as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sambucolusa.com\/store\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Sambucol<\/a>) and the homeopathic Oscillococcinum. Personally, were I coming down with flu, I\u2019d use them.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If we have an epidemic here in Chicago, WholeHealth Chicago patients shouldn\u2019t bother making an office appointment. You\u2019ll just infect everyone around you. Rest at home, push fluids, take ibuprofen, and start Sambucol and\/or Oscillococcinum. Expect to feel really crummy for a few days before slowly improving. Keep in touch with your primary doc by e-mail through the Portal System. If after a week you suddenly worsen dramatically (high fever, deep cough), check into an immediate care center or emergency room as you may have developed a bacterial infection like pneumonia, the most common complication of flu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oh, and if you need a flu shot, simply call the office (773-296-6700) and schedule a \u201cflu shot only.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be well,<br><em>David Edelberg, MD<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s time again to ponder the flu immunization. When it comes to flu shots, I take a far more conventional approach than many patients at WholeHealth Chicago expect of a doctor who considers himself alternative\/integrative. After reviewing some of the popular online alternative medicine newsletters warning people away from flu shots, it\u2019s my sense that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2087,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,195,45,50,3,70],"tags":[475,1677,1214,564],"class_list":["post-6421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-diseases","category-f","category-healthy-lifestyle","category-knowledge-base","category-s","tag-flu-shot","tag-immunization","tag-mercury","tag-tamiflu"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\r\n<title>Should I Get The Flu Shot?<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Friends left groceries at the front door. 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