Since the first confirmed case in March of this year, we have been inundated with media coverage about the H1N1 virus, otherwise known as the swine flu. We have been told that the swine flu is more pathogenic and more virulent than the seasonal flu. Is this true? Should we all be lining up to get the vaccinations they have told us would prevent us from getting this “pandemic”? I will provide you with scientific information and let you be the judge.

 

 

Swine flu vs. Seasonal flu

First of all, the swine flu is no more pathogenic than the seasonal flu. According to the CDC “The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.” Keep in mind that the CDC has told us that 36,000 people die every year from influenza and influenza-related complications. Thus far, we have seen (accepting their data) about 900 deaths and 21,829 cases of pneumonia.
This is far below the 36,000 figure. In fact, perhaps we should be breathing a sigh of relief that 35,000 fewer people have died this year from flu-related disorders. This would go down on record as the fewest flu-related deaths in recorded history.

 

Is it worth standing in line for an unproven, untested vaccine?

We are being told that this new fast tracked, poorly tested vaccine is very safe and effective. The results of the testing on this vaccine were reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. It is instructive to learn that the tests for safety and to assess complications lasted only 7 days after the vaccine, an incredibly short period of follow-up. Gullian Barre paralysis can occur even months after a vaccine as can seizures, behavioral problems and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

 
We have also been told that children and pregnant women are the ones most susceptible to the virus and these are who need the vaccine the most. First of all, when a pregnant woman gets a vaccination of any kind it increases the immune response. Studies have shown that stimulating a woman’s immune system during midterm and late term pregnancy significantly increases the risk that her baby will develop autism during childhood and schizophrenia sometime during the teenage years and afterward. There is compelling scientific evidence that shows there is an increased risk of seizures in the baby and later as an adult. In fact, a number of neurodevelopmental and behavioral problems can occur in babies born to women immunologically stimulated during pregnancy.

 
It is true that serious flu infections during pregnancy are a major risk for all these complications, but a woman’s risk of becoming infected is a very small fraction of 1 %, yet they are calling for all pregnant women to be vaccinated with at least three vaccines, two of which contain mercury. There is also evidence to show that a large number of these women will gain no protection from the vaccine.

 
It is interesting to note that small children respond poorly to either the seasonal flu vaccine or the H1N1 vaccine. One of the largest studies ever done, found that children below the age of 2 years received no protection at all from the seasonal flu vaccine. The recently completed study on the effectiveness of the new H1N1 vaccine reported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease found that 75% of small children below age 35 months received no protection from the H1N1 vaccine and that 65% of children between the ages of 3 years and 9 years received no protection from the vaccine.

 

Is There a Better Way to Treat and Prevent the Flu?

You already posses the best defense for the flu. It is your body’s immune system. There are things that can diminish its effectiveness such as toxins, poor diet, and neurological interference. To prevent this from occurring it is recommended to:

• Avoid smoking. Smoking damages the protective cells lining the lungs and nicotine is a very powerful immune suppressant. This is also true for nicotine patches and gums
• Eat a diet containing at least 5 servings of high-density fruits and vegetables, both raw and cooked. Avoid a high intake of breads and other high-glycemic foods. Avoid excessive red meats and eat more chicken and turkey that is organically raised.
• Avoid foods that suppress immunity, such as high sugar intake and consuming foods or cooking in oils that suppress immunity and increase inflammation—such as the omega-6 oils—corn, safflower, sunflower, canola, peanut and soybean oils
• Take a well balanced multivitamin/mineral complex that fuels the immune system. Vitamins A, D, E, C and Echinacea are all good immune system boosters.
• Get chiropractic adjustments to boost immunity. The nervous system controls the immune system and if there is interference in the spine there could be a decrease in immune response. Chiropractic Adjustments have been shown to increase T and B lymphocyte numbers, NK cell numbers, antibody levels, phagocytic activity and plasma beta-endorphin levels.