Safe and Natural Ways to Avoid the Winter Flu…and a Flu Shot Isn't One of Them

It's in the news again… the panic of the "lack of available flu shots". For so many people the truth of this situation remains completely unknown. Whether the "shortages" are intentionally orchestrated to boost the sales and demand of the vaccines, or if they are genuine shortages due to either misjudged projected sales/needs or the inability of the pharmaceutical companies to produce their product, the bottom line is that people go into panic mode and all of a sudden, everyone MUST get the shot.

#1-Get Adjusted

The primary cause of illness is a suppressed immune system. It has been shown in research at the New York Cancer Institute that routine Chiropractic spinal adjustments boost immune function by 400%! The primary reason for this is that a properly functioning nervous system ensures a properly functioning body. If the organs responsible for immune function/support are functioning below par due to impaired nerve input, the defenses of the body as a whole are significantly suppressed. Routine spinal adjustments ensure proper communication from the brain to the body and thereby offer that particular person optimal potential for total health.

#2-Avoid Sugar

Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness, including the flu. It is especially imperative to avoid sugar if you feel you are coming down with something, but keeping sugar out of your diet for the long haul will do wonders for your health and make your body stronger, which will make it harder for the flu to bother you.

Be aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect like ketchup and fruit juice. For all the steps to building your immune system to its peak levels, which is by far the most effective way to avoid the flu (and chronic disease).

#3-Get Enough Rest

Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Regular rest will keep you strong and ensure that your body has the strength to fight off any potential invaders. It has been determined that men need at least 7 hours of sleep per night and women need 8 hours of sleep. Failure to obtain these totals leads to decreased immune function and increased chance of illness.

#4-Eat Garlic Regularly

Garlic is a triple-threat: it's antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal. Garlic is one food that you should be eating every day. The beneficial component of Garlic, which is Allicin, is most potent approximately 15-30 minutes AFTER you have just diced the clove. Cooking tends to destroy the potential of Allicin so IF you can tolerate it raw that is the best thing for you. It is important to note that the garlic should be fresh to give you optimal health benefits.

One problem with garlic, of course, is the smell, but generally a few cloves a day are tolerated by most people. If you develop a socially offensive odor then all you need to do is slightly decrease the amount of garlic you're consuming until there is no odor present. Garlic is an herb, however, so if you do not like it or it makes you feel sick, this is your body's way of telling you that you should avoid it. Another alternative to eating raw garlic is to purchase, and take regularly, Garlicin. This supplement is packaged by Nature's Way, and is both strong and effective.    Benefits of taking Garlicin is that the bottle on the shelf is much more readily available and more time efficient than preparing fresh garlic. In addition, they produce it with an enteric coating, which means it breaks down and is digested in the small intestine, thereby reducing the potential for that "familiar" garlic odor.

#5-Don't Let Stress Become Overwhelming

We all face some stress everyday, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness. It has been estimated that up to 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related. Learning to identify the stress causing agents in your life and in turn, working to reduce their affects on yourself, will add years to your heart and circulatory systems.

#6-Exercise

When you exercise you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it has a chance to spread. In a sense, exercising helps your immune system to be more efficient in weeding out and acting upon viruses and diseases.

#7-Wash Your Hands

Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. If your immune system is strong, it should be able to fight off the virus if it does enter your body, but washing your hands provides a bit of extra protection.

Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this--antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good.   Your body has natural bacteria which are beneficial for your health. Instead of antibacterial soap, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.  Local health food stores typically carry a variety of natural soaps.

If you do feel the symptoms coming on, there is still a last resort…

For many years now, the people of France have used a homeopathic agent known as Oscillococcinum. Marketed by Boiron, this homeopathic "medicine" is intended for use as soon as flu symptoms are noted.   Independent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Oscillococcinum.

Have you noted… that I didn't mention getting a flu shot. This is because the flu shot, and the newly released FluMist nasal vaccine, are not the answer to avoiding the flu.

The "experts" unfortunately use fear to motivate people to get a flu vaccine, and this is yet another health care illusion. Let's be clear, the flu can definitely be a killer disease and is not something that should be easily dismissed. But, remember that flu shots don't prevent illness. They never have and they never will.

The flu vaccine can actually weaken the immune system and make you more predisposed to the illness. And the side effects of FluMist, cough, runny nose/nasal congestion, irritability, headaches, chills, muscle aches and fever, sound just like the symptoms of the flu.  If you decide to get the nasal flu vaccine, you will get not only a live flu virus in each dose but also table sugar and MSG, which are fraught with their own problems.

Plus, research has shown an increased risk of Bell's Palsy following intranasal flu vaccination, according to the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS). The makers of the nasal flu vaccine in the study decided not to market it the following season due to the risk.

According to GACVS, the greater risk of Bell's Palsy following immunization with this vaccine may have been due to specific vaccine components, or simply to use of the intranasal administration route. It is therefore possible that such complications of vaccine administration may also apply to other nasal vaccines.

The flu vaccine, whether in the shot or nasal form, is worthless at best and should be avoided. Not only are they loaded with toxic chemicals including mercury and aluminum, but many people come down with the flu shortly after receiving the shot. This is because it actually weakens the immune system, making the person more predisposed to the illness.

Another very important, and life altering fact regarding the flu vaccines is that those people who routinely get the flu shot run the risk of increased chances of Alzheimer's disease. Research has shown that due to the heavy metal base of mercury in the vaccines, your chances of getting Alzheimer's disease is increased by 10 fold if you get 5 consecutive flu vaccinations.

The bottom line is to lead a healthy lifestyle, which includes ensuring a healthy and properly functioning nervous system through Chiropractic spinal adjustments, eating right, exercising, getting adequate sleep, and addressing stressors on a consistent basis!