A couple readers have emailed me privately to ask my opinion about flu shots or to ask that I write something about the subject. Wow…what an important topic. I congratulate anyone that takes a second to inquire about the dangers and side effects of the flu shot before making a decision that almost certainly impacts health. Unlike the scenario your doctor or the media presents, getting a flu shot is a major medical decision. Since this is the flu season I thought I would share just a few of the important things you need to know.
The number one thing I think that people need to know is that 80% of the flu shots contain mercury and not just trace amounts like many other vaccines, although trace amounts are still no good in my opinion. Here are a few alarming facts regarding mercury in flu shots from the Organic Consumers Association.
FACT: A typical flu shot contains 50,000 parts per billion of mercury.
FACT: The EPA classifies a liquid with 200 parts per billion of mercury as hazardous waste.
FACT: The legal “safe” limit for mercury in drinking water is 2 parts per billion
FACT: For each flu-shot, a 22-pound baby gets more than 25 times the amount of mercury considered safe. And doctors are recommending that many babies and children get two flu shots this season.
FACT: A material safety data sheet from Eli Lilly and Co., a former producer of flu vaccines, says exposure to thimerosal may include “fetal changes, decreased offspring survival and lung tissue changes. Exposure in utero and in children may cause mild to severe mental retardation and mild to severe motor coordination impairment.”
Mercury is among the most toxic heavy metals and is known to poison the central nervous system, liver, gastrointestinal tract and other systems in the body. Does that sound like something you want in your body your children’s body? The answer for me is a resounding NO.
If you decide that you do want to get the flu shot…ask for a mercury free version. They cost about $4.00 more than the shots with mercury so most doctors will not carry them….tell YOUR doctor that you insist he order a mercury free flu shot for you and your family or find another doctor. My father is asthmatic and he gets his flu shot religiously. I can only hope that he listened to my advice about getting a mercury free shot.
And don’t forget some of the other ingredients in a flu shot like embalming fluid (formaldehyde). There is no data to available to show that the benefit of avoiding the big bad flu outweighs the potential side effects of injecting yourself with dangerous chemicals. Remember my post about the flu remedy Tamiflu inciting teenagers to commit suicide? Scary stuff…
Second, please keep in mind that a flu vaccination is based upon the strain of flu going around last year. The vaccine created for the flu is based upon guesswork using data and flu samples from the previous year. A flu shot is not guaranteed to protect you from the flu at all and MANY times it doesn’t. How many stories have you heard about someone getting the worst flu ever…right after an inoculation? ;)
Third, there are NO safety studies done before these vaccines are given to the American public. We are guinea pigs. They are treating a common illness like it is a disease. What is next…a vaccine for cold, cough, headache, upset stomach or diarrhea?
A book I recommend everyone read is What You Must Do To Escape the Bird Flu. Of course the common flu is not pandemic influenza but it has good information about staying healthy and avoiding illness in general. The information about vitamins, health supplements, and healthy lifestyle practices is great to have. And one of my web sites is referenced in the book (shameless plug). :) I need to pull this book off the shelf and read it again….it is THAT good. Read my review here.
Another book I recommend is Never Get Another Cold by Thomas Appell. It also talks about something better than a cure…prevention.
Don’t buy into industry and media hype that you need the flu shot. And if you do decide to get the flu shot make sure to ask for a mercury free shot and give your immune suppressed system some TLC for awhile afterwards. To your health!
To close I just wanted to share one of my all time favorite YouTube videos..it is about the flu vaccine.
