SWINE FLU PREVENTION

By Douglas Haddad, Ph.D.

When it comes to swine flu, the public predictions are all over the map.  The big question that I’ve been asked is…should people get the H1N1 vaccine?  There are best case and worst case scenarios to everything.  Best case scenario is that everyone gets the vaccine and no one has any ill effects from the vaccine and no one get the swine flu this upcoming fall/winter seasons.  Worst case scenario…many people are adversely affected by the actual inoculation and their bodies don’t react well to it.  The flu quickly mutates and the vaccine becomes ineffective and useless.  It is a strain that the human body has never seen before.  The virus ramps up in the winter months where the flu is the worst and most people are vitamin D deficient so their immune systems are lowest and billions of people are infected and millions of people die. 

 

What will be the case is obviously unknown for certain, but knowing that testing is very limited and no long-term studies have been conducted on the effect of getting the H1N1 vaccine, a good hypothesis would be that there may be some unfortunate short-term deaths (within a 48 hour span of getting the vaccine) from people with immunocompromised systems ---those less capable of fighting infections due to a weakened immune system in the body. 

 

The real risk here is what does the vaccine do over time to you (after the 48 hours)?  Vaccines can be given as dead viruses injected into your body or as weakened, attenuated viruses in other forms (such as nasal sprays).  There is concern among many people about whether a vaccine is dangerous or helpful.  Many opponents of the flu vaccine address that the danger isn’t so much in the virus entering your body, but the other agents such as formaldehyde, aluminum, phenol, ethylene glycol – antifreeze that are introduced.  Additionally, there is a compound called squalene that is used to increase potency so less vaccine is needed, but reduces immune function. 

 

The body naturally fights an invader when it enters through a portal of entry such as the eyes, nose, or mouth.  Your body’s IgA immune system recognizes an invasion, summons troops to the battlefield (a variety of T cells) and then B cells produce antibodies that are specific for attaching and paralyzing the virus.  In the end a memory cell recognizes this virus and if it comes back to attack again, it will be stopped during one of the earlier lines of defense.

Public advice that has been given from the CDC (Prevention, 2009):

  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Make sure your kids know to do the same.
  • If you can't get to a sink to wash your hands, use an alcohol-based hand gel such as Purell to zap germs.
  • Minimize contact with infected people.
  • If you get sick—with swine flu or anything else—stay home from work or school.  Don’t go out in public places and if you have to, wear a face mask.

Of the health advice presented by the CDC, WHO, FDA, White House, and other health care facilities, there is an absence of any mention of how to fortify your body nutritionally and with exercise to become super healthy.  If there is one major vitamin to take to help prevent from getting infected with the flu, it’s vitamin D.  Vitamin D deficiency is the primary reason for the seasonality of human flu.  Vitamin D or other natural remedies offer tremendous protections from influenza infection.

Natural means to prevent from getting the swine flu:

  • Get at least 15 minutes of sun a day.  Ultraviolet light stimulates the production of vitamin D, which plays a crucial role in the absorption and assimilation of calcium.  It helps support the overall immune system.
  • Exercise regularly getting 30-60 minutes of cardiovascular activity a day.
  • Drink plenty of fluids a day (6-8 glasses of water).
  • Do healthy activities that reduce stress levels (sports, music, dance, art, reading, meditation, Yoga, Pilates, volunteer work, etc.).
  • Get 7-8 hours of regular sleep a day---help keep all bodily functions operating at high levels.
  • Consume foods high in vitamin D:  mushrooms, cod liver oil, herring, sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna (contaminant-free).