New information to prevent flu and other diseases....

Today's Post: Wednesday, 9-22-2010

Some preventive health experts who prefer natural methods and can often show they are superior – as I do – also argue against getting virtually all vaccines.

For most vaccines, this is dangerously wrong in my book.

It may be that new vaccines for which there is not yet adequate data or which vaccinate against things that are inconvenient rather than deadly, they may have a point.

And, it may be wise to get vaccines without aluminum based boosters or adjuvants if you can get the kind that has more of the vaccine main ingredient instead of stretching the supply of that with the cheaper adjuvant.

But for vaccines where the side effect rate per 100,000 is like 50 and the death or disability rate prevented is about 450, I think they are simply nuts.

To quote Arnold Schwarzenegger’s film line from Pumping Iron,
they “are giving the wrong advices.”

Not only that, but things like flu and bacterial pneumonia for which we have effective vaccines, prevent direct and indirect bacterial infections, often serious and life threatening ones.

So, it has long been a very good idea to get a flu shot every fall -- and a pneumonia vaccine every 7 to 10 years, starting THIS fall or right away if you’ve never had one.

News item #1:

Similarly, just this year, with many cases popping up just this year, it has been a good idea to get the DtaP vaccine right away or get it every 7 to 10 years. This year, this may prevent you from getting the P in the name, pertussis, or whooping cough, because you may well be exposed to it. This may not kill many adults; but it does kill children; and in adults, the coughs can be so violent they break ribs or create abdominal hernias.

It also can keep you coughing too much to work or even have the energy to work if you can work from home.

This can be extremely expensive and inconvenient besides being nasty to live through.

Why go there? Get the vaccine! Or have it updated if it has been more than 9 or 10 years ago since you got it last.

News item #2

Remember that things like flu and bacterial pneumonia for which we have effective vaccines, prevent direct and indirect bacterial infections, often serious and life threatening ones?

That has made those vaccines extremely important before.

But there is now a gene spreading world wide that is beginning to shut down the effectiveness of almost all our antibiotics. So far, though deadly, it only has reached diarrhea bacteria. But I see no reason that it won’t make it to other kinds of bacteria soon.

Because of heavy agricultural use of antibiotics to make meat cheaper, antibiotics were already beginning to stop working. And that cause, unfortunately, is not yet stopped. It should have been banned world-wide for the last 10 years at least. And, it’s still mostly not banned and heavily used.

Flu and pneumonia vaccines may now or soon prevent deaths from these direct and secondary infections that we have been able until now to cure with antibiotics in most cases. Soon people who get these may often die when they don’t now. Why not be sure you are protected before that happens?

Now or soon, it may save your life, not just spare you from being sick, to get these vaccines.

News item #3

I just saw a study reported that found that close to eliminating sugars from your diet for at least two or three weeks before surgery or getting a vaccine to doing so for two or three weeks after will sharply cut the infection rate from the surgery or during recovery AND for vaccines it will make them much more likely to work!

It seems that ingesting the large daily amounts of sugar and high fructose corn syrup most American routinely eat and drink does more than fatten, it considerably impairs their immune system.

Doing this all the time can prevent or help you remove excess fat. So, that’s what I try to do and my recommendation.

But if even you are young and trim now, it may pay you to do it before and after you get a vaccination at least.

News item #4

From a month before you get vaccinated to two or three weeks after—and all the time, if you can manage it, it will also boost the effectiveness of your immune system to take enough vitamin D3.

The new research found that without D3, your immune system often doesn’t activate its killer cells when it should. Apparently, D3 is necessary to arm or activate them as it should. If D3 is not there in large enough amounts too few of your killer immune cells activate to be as effective as they should be.

The real minimum daily requirement of D3 is between about 2,000 to 3,000 iu a day new research has found – NOT 400 to 600 iu a day which only prevents severe deficiency in people who spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun.

So, you’d be well advised to take that much year round; and this time of year when kids are bringing colds and flu home from school and you may be getting a flu shot, it may make sense to take an extra 5,000 iu of D3 for a total of up to 10,000 iu of D3 each day.

This does double duty. You are less likely to get such colds and flu even before you get vaccinated. And, when you do get vaccinated, it’s far more likely to protect you.

News item #5

People who get their flu shot each fall are less likely to get heart attacks and those who get their flu shot early each fall are twice as likely to miss getting a heart attack.

This effect may be because these are informed, health-oriented and proactive people who do other things that prevent heart attacks. In fact, there is some evidence this is the case at least in part.

But on the chance part of this effect is the lower stress on the hearts and blood vessels in the people who miss the most cases of the flu by getting vaccinated before they get sick, this is an excellent new reason to get the vaccine. And, since gum disease bacteria DO cause heart disease, I suspect that part of this effect is that if you get vaccinated early enough each fall, you probably DO get extra heart protection.

News item #6

Lastly, there is a preventive for colds and flu that works like a vaccine in that it is preventive; but it works very differently.

It was tested to provide substantial protection from colds in children. But since it acts as a barrier to viruses reaching the inside of your nose, I suspect strongly that it works in adults too – AND that it also prevents airborne flu viruses from infecting you as well.

Nasaleze is an organic powdered plant extract that creates a mucus-like gel when it's sniffed into the nose.

For those with allergies, this blocks and give them protection from pollen, ragweed, and pet dander and the allergic reactions they would otherwise get.

Apparently it produces no side effects because the cellulose powder in Nasaleze is inert, so it's never absorbed by the body, which makes it safe for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and even very young children.

Their new product, Nasaleze Travel, is designed to provide extra defense against airborne and viruses.

Not only does its physical barrier prevent some colds and flu due to blocking them from reaching your mucous membranes in your nose, Nasaleze Travel contains wild garlic extract, which has biologically active components that are antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial.

You can find more information about Nasaleze and Nasaleze Travel at www.nasaleze.com .

Since I rarely get colds and always get my flu shot, I suspect I’d not have used this product had I known about it last fall.

You do have to take extra time each day to spray it into your nose.

But if we do get a flu virus pandemic that tends to kill people, I think I may try it!!

Similarly, if I got tons of colds each year or a really bad heart that could cause me to die if I got a bad case of the flu I might use it.

Either way though, it’s nice to know it exists and likely works too.