Flu Shots: Should you or shouldn't you.

[audioguy]

Just as a heads of, Dr. Mercola is well known in the Alternative Medical World and is not a big fan of Pharmaceutical companies. But I urge you to read and make your own decisions.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...-come-to-church.aspx?e_cid=20111206_DNL_art_1

 

[Steve Williams]

Interesting Chuck

I would dispute the lack of efficacy of flu vaccines as it is mentioned in the article. There are strong guidelines by the CDC as to who should be vaccinated each year.

 

[amirm]

He says the government is biased and such and then goes off to say this:

"The key to boosting your immune system, then, and making it a "lean, mean, disease-fighting machine" lies in your lifestyle habits -- healthy food, stress relief, exercise, sleep, and safe exposure to sunlight, among other things. Artificially manipulating your immune system with a vaccine to try to stay healthy is not the same thing, nor does it produce the same kind of immunity and sought-after, disease-fighting result. It may actually make you less healthy in the long run."

Is there a measurement of how well these things do?

 

[Grainger49]

I'm diabetic. That means I can't fight off infections as effectively as most of you. So I get one every year, as advised by my GP and Endocrinologist.

My wife is allergic to both wool and eggs. She gives me her shot every year since she should not take one.

 

[Steve Williams]

as I said there are strict CDC guidelines as to who should or should not be immunized

 

[Grainger49]

Sorry Steve! I got lazy. I should have read the very few posts in this thread. If it has over 4 pages I seldom read them all. Yes, the guidelines are a good thing to take into account.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I got a flu shot this year for the first time in quite a few years. A week later I caught the worst cold I've had in many years. It drug on for a couple of weeks, the post-cold cough for several weeks, then, just as I felt like I was about to get better, I caught another cold, and I still have the cough.

I don't know if any of that has anything to do with the flu shot. Probably not. I'm sure my doc would say no. But I'll sure think twice before I get another one. I'm just, well, you know...

Tim

 

[rbbert]

I got a flu shot this year for the first time in quite a few years. A week later I caught the worst cold I've had in many years. It drug on for a couple of weeks, the post-cold cough for several weeks, then, just as I felt like I was about to get better, I caught another cold, and I still have the cough.

I don't know if any of that has anything to do with the flu shot. Probably not. I'm sure my doc would say no. But I'll sure think twice before I get another one. I'm just, well, you know...

Tim

I've been getting nearly annual (probably have missed 3 or 4) flu shots for >20 yrs, and in that time have had exactly three respiratory infections ("colds"). In my younger adult years (I'm 58 now), I typically had the average 1-2 colds/yr. Anecdotal evidence is anecdotal and worth about that much too.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I've been getting nearly annual (probably have missed 3 or 4) flu shots for >20 yrs, and in that time have had exactly three respiratory infections ("colds"). In my younger adult years (I'm 58 now), I typically had the average 1-2 colds/yr. Anecdotal evidence is anecdotal and worth about that much too.

Fair enough. Maybe I'll get one again next year and see how it goes .

Tim

 

[billh]

I've been getting nearly annual (probably have missed 3 or 4) flu shots for >20 yrs, and in that time have had exactly three respiratory infections ("colds"). In my younger adult years (I'm 58 now), I typically had the average 1-2 colds/yr. Anecdotal evidence is anecdotal and worth about that much too.

This has been my experience tho for a much shorter period. I didn't believe in them for years (health and fitness nut here) and I got the customary cold and flu bug almost annually. Due to another illness that now requires me to have an annual physical, I started getting a flu shot at the same time as my physical. 3 years now and not a single cold, flu or other respiratory ailment. Here in the Atlanta area, you can get them at the local grocery store for free sometimes.....

 

[rbbert]

Really, though, these are just individual experiences with far too many dependent and independent variables to allow accurate extrapolation to others' potential experiences. Larger population studies show good overall effectiveness of the flu vaccines with relatively few (and minor and self-limited) side-effects. Using a vaccine is intended to give specific immunity, not boost one's immune system in general. One would expect that trying to do both is better than just one or the other.

 

[Steve Williams]

Really, though, these are just individual experiences with far too many dependent and independent variables to allow accurate extrapolation to others' potential experiences. Larger population studies show good overall effectiveness of the flu vaccines with relatively few (and minor and self-limited) side-effects. Using a vaccine is intended to give specific immunity, not boost one's immune system in general. One would expect that trying to do both is better than just one or the other.

You are dead on. A flu shot confers immunity only to that particular strain of influenza as predicted by the powers that be. It does nothing whatsoever to boost immunity or prevent colds.

Heck my mother would have said "eat chicken soup"

 

[amirm]

The best defense against colds is if you have children, force them to wash their hands. We did that, not allowing to eat otherwise, and it hugely cut back on the number of colds.

Now, if you want to have a cold all the time, have some toddlers and send them to daycare. Might as well call them germ factories. Parents can't afford to miss work so unless the kid is near death, he is sent to daycare. And your child nicely brings it all to your home .

 

[DaveyF]

The best defense against colds is if you have children, force them to wash their hands. We did that, not allowing to eat otherwise, and it hugely cut back on the number of colds.

Now, if you want to have a cold all the time, have some toddlers and send them to daycare. Might as well call them germ factories. Parents can't afford to miss work so unless the kid is near death, he is sent to daycare. And your child nicely brings it all to your home .

Amir you must have kids, LOL When my little one's were at pre-school and elementary school, they would bring home some seriously vicious little viruses that would make the kids cough a little bit and would make Dad feel like a ton of bricks had hit him for weeks on end..

 

[amirm]

We did. Those are old memories. Our kids are all in college and we don't miss any of that. On the other hand, Christmas is not Christmas without young kids anticipating it......

 

[DaveyF]

We did. Those are old memories. Our kids are all in college and we don't miss any of that. On the other hand, Christmas is not Christmas without young kids anticipating it......

That's very true..

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

You are dead on. A flu shot confers immunity only to that particular strain of influenza as predicted by the powers that be. It does nothing whatsoever to boost immunity or prevent colds.

Heck my mother would have said "eat chicken soup"

I pulled the leftover turkey (bones, skin and all) from the freezer last weekend, made stock, then turkey/curry/brown rice soup, with lots of veggies and a decent shot of crushed red pepper. If that doesn't cure my cold, I'm already dead.

Tim

 

[rblnr]

Now, if you want to have a cold all the time, have some toddlers and send them to daycare. Might as well call them germ factories. Parents can't afford to miss work so unless the kid is near death, he is sent to daycare. And your child nicely brings it all to your home .

We did OK fine with our two kids in daycare ( last one just out). We were vigilant about hand- washing which probably helped. We were probably just lucky.

My doctor has convinced me that a flu shot is worthwhile, so I've done it the last few years with no I'll effects. I think what's important when there's a debate on these things sometimes is to separate the interests of big pharma from the advice of a doctor you trust. For real fun, get a typhoid shot and try to get up the next morning.

I feel pretty certain after years of use that zinc lozenges, used correctly, really lessen the symptoms of a cold. I don't think it's placebo. I saw a study the British govt that confirmed same. Key is to catch it early, and for me, in two days the symptoms are largely gone.

I pulled the leftover turkey (bones, skin and all) from the freezer last weekend, made stock, then turkey/curry/brown rice soup, with lots of veggies and a decent shot of crushed red pepper. If that doesn't cure my cold, I'm already dead.

Sounds really good. Both of my Grandmother's would have approved.

 

[audioguy]

Zinc lozenges and nasal and throat spray do work!!

 

[Orb]

The best defense against colds is if you have children, force them to wash their hands. We did that, not allowing to eat otherwise, and it hugely cut back on the number of colds.

Now, if you want to have a cold all the time, have some toddlers and send them to daycare. Might as well call them germ factories. Parents can't afford to miss work so unless the kid is near death, he is sent to daycare. And your child nicely brings it all to your home .

Or another way to have a cold all the time, be with someone who does nursing or caring for a living
Cheers
Orb