The Flu Shot: Everything You Need To Know - Save Our Bones

Most of us love the change of seasons, and if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, chances are you are enjoying the cool autumn air and the lovely shades of gold and auburn taking over the landscape.

Undoubtedly, you can’t help but notice the widespread media coverage on the dangers of the “flu season”, especially now with the ongoing swine flu pandemic, urging everyone to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu. Local pharmacies, doctor’s offices and hospitals are pitching the flu shot as the only and best solution to prevent infection. But there is no mention of the ONE most important thing you can do to stay healthy during flu season, and it has to do with having a strong immune system.

Shhhh… This Subject is a Big Taboo…

It seems that any relevant discussion about the state of your immunity is a huge taboo, and this most critical component of health is NEVER discussed. But what if I told you that getting vaccinated could actually INCREASE your chances of catching the flu? If you asked my mother, she would wholeheartedly agree with this statement because that’s exactly what happened to her.

My mother and I are very close, and we often have conversations about different topics, including health issues. Of course, it is one of my priorities to stay on top of everything she does to stay healthy, and thankfully, she is incredibly healthy and looks (and acts) many years younger than her age.

A couple of years ago she called me on her way back from the supermarket where a lady in a booth convinced her to take the seasonal flu shot. I was very disturbed by this, not only because it is so unethical to prey on the elderly with scare tactics about the flu, but also because I knew that these shots are toxic and actually may do more harm than good.

Sure enough, approximately 10 days later, my mother fell ill with a terrible flu and was in bed for more than a week, with high fever and an awful chest cough. She had to take antibiotics and the cough lasted a few weeks until fortunately it all cleared up. Now bear in mind that my mother had never caught the flu for at least the last 20 years, and that one time when she actually got vaccinated, she suffered the worst flu case she could remember.

Can the Flu Shot do More Harm than Good?

Because I want to help you stay healthy – as our bone health more often than not reflects our overall health – I will go over the myths and the scientific truths about the flu and the flu shots. With this information in hand, you’ll have the tools to make an educated decision about getting the flu shot or not. So let’s get started with…

Myth # 1: The flu needlessly claims tens of thousands of lives every year

The truth: In order to convince you to take the flu shot, your doctor might try to scare you saying that influenza is the most frequent cause of death from vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S. Your health practitioner is most probably using the information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claiming that from 1990 through 1998, an average of 36,000 flu-related pulmonary and circulatory deaths occurred each season in the United States.

What the CDC fails to disclose is that there is no way of knowing how many people who died from underlying respiratory and circulatory problems actually had the influenza infection. Records simply do not disclose that information, making this an inaccurate number of deaths related to the flu and a monumental scare tactic.

Myth # 2: Getting the flu shot protects you from catching the flu

The truth: Scientists agree that what gets you sick is not the actual virus but the condition of your immune system. In other words, a weak immune system is what may let you catch the flu.

As in my mother’s case, many people catch the flu after getting vaccinated. How can that be? The common sense answer is that vaccines actually compromise the immune system. In other words, the flu shot keeps the immune system “busy” fighting what most of the time ends up being the wrong type of viruses.

The sad truth rarely mentioned in the mainstream media and by health practitioners is that the vaccines are manufactured one year in advance. So, aided by researchers, vaccine manufacturers have to guess one year in advance which viruses will strike the next flu season. That is why more often than not, the flu outbreaks involve strains that do not match the current flu shot (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/96913.php). But the public is not informed of this mishap… Even so (and against all logic), the CDC still maintains that the shot could provide cross-protection against the new variant.

Myth # 3: Flu shots contain safe ingredients

The truth: Flu shots have many toxic and potentially dangerous chemicals. Because the virus strains are bred in eggs, sheep guts, monkey brains or fetal diploid tissue, manufacturers have to use potent preservatives to prevent bacteria or fungus from contaminating the vaccine. Most of the preservatives used are known to be toxic and some are even recognized carcinogens listed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Additionally, some flu shots contain live “attenuated” viruses, capable of actually causing side-effects identical to the flu.

Would You Put these Toxic Chemicals in Your Body?

I randomly chose two popular flu shots and came up with a scary list of stabilizers and preservatives used in them. Antibiotics also act as preservatives in the shots, and I marked them with an asterisk (*).

Below are the brand names and the preservatives used in each:

Fluvirin by Medeva Pharmaceuticals

Contains influenza virus, neomycin*, polymyxin*, beta-propiolactone, chick embryonic fluid.

Beta-propiolactone is a potent and toxic disinfectant used to sterilize blood plasma, shots, tissue grafts, surgical instruments, and enzymes. It is also “reasonably expected to be a human carcinogen”, especially when injected into the bloodstream (International Agency for Research on Cancer, 1999).

Flushield by Wyeth-Ayerst

Contains trivalent influenza virus, types A&B gentamicin sulphate*, formaldehyde, thimerosal, and polysorbate 80 (Tween-80), chick embryonic fluid.

Formaldehyde: please refer to Formalin.

Thimerosal is a mercury derivative and a highly toxic heavy metal that attacks every organ and system in the body. Thimerosal is made of thiosalicylic acid and a form of mercury called ethyl mercury. When all is said and done, mercury is 49.59% of the weight of thimerosal. Researchers have confirmed that it's unsafe to touch or swallow the mercury from a broken thermometer, yet health practitioners recommend that you inject the same poison directly into your body through a shot. Additionally, some studies have linked high levels of mercury to Alzheimer’s disease. Thimerosal is a registered pesticide with the Department of Pesticide Registration of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Polysorbate 80 (also known as Tween 80): Generally contaminated with the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane, it has been shown to have estrogenic alterative effects and cause reproductive disturbances in rats.

The Baffling Shot Paradox

If vaccinations are really effective, then those who choose to get the flu shot should be immune to the disease. So why is there such a strong push to vaccinate as many people as possible? Aren't those who get the shot protected anyways? And if this is true, we should ask doctors why, as statistics show, only 40% of health practitioners take the shot while practically 100% of doctors recommend the flu shot to their patients. Maybe they know something we don’t…until now.

Breaking News: Six Canadian Provinces Halt Flu Vaccinations

In an unprecedented move, the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia have stopped their seasonal flu vaccinations, as reported in The Globe and Mail on 9/29/2009 (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/more-flu-programs-suspended/article1304958/). This is due to a controversial yet unpublished study indicating that those who took the flu shot were twice as likely to catch the swine flu.

Quoting from the article, “For those people still on the fence, this could very easily put them into the no-vaccine side of things,” said Donald Low, chief microbiologist at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital.” And Ethan Rubinstein, head of adult infectious diseases at the University of Manitoba, agreed that the study “complicates” the situation, evidently not aware of the clear indication that shots actually distract the immune system and thus, greatly impair the ability to fight a full-fledged viral attack.

Ten Ways to Naturally Boost Your Immune System

The human body is fully equipped with mechanisms to stave off viruses and germs, so the key to preventing flu viruses is to maintain those systems operating at their peak. The good news is that you can strengthen your immune system with natural supplements, beneficial immune-specific foods, and by paying attention to a few simple lifestyle habits.

So whether you decide to get vaccinated or not, here are ten suggestions to naturally boost your immune system.

1. Vitamin D

We all know that flu season hits in the winter, when – especially in cold climates – we typically get very little or no sun exposure. You might be surprised to know that we carry a variety of influenza viruses throughout the year, so something must happen in the winter. Realizing this, researches searched for the connection, and found a strong correlation between Vitamin D levels and immunity (Source: Cannell et.al., On the Epidemiology of Influenza. Virology Journal, 2008;5:29). Good levels of Vitamin D are crucial to help you fight against viruses and to keep you healthy year round. Make sure you take at least 1,000 IU of Vitamin D3 during the winter, regardless of sun exposure.

2. Aloe Vera

This multi-tasking plant believed to originate in Northern Africa, has long and thick leaves that contain a liquid gel, rich in valuable nutrients. Among other things, aloe gel contains high amounts of a long chain sugar called mucopolysaccharides which boost the immune modulators to fight off viruses and bacteria. They also penetrate all cell membranes and increase their fluidity and permeability, allowing toxins to flow out of the cell and nutrients to enter the cells. Drink 2 to 4 oz. of Aloe Vera juice, preferably cold-processed.

3. Mushroom Extracts (Shiitake, Reishi, Maitake)

these mushrooms have excellent immune-boosting properties. Shiitake mushrooms are an excellent source of lentinan, a polysaccharide that increases T-cell function and can be used for cooking. Reishi mushrooms contain immunologically active polysaccharides, mainly beta-D-glucan, that have potent immune-stimulating qualities. Maitake mushrooms are delicious and rich in a potent immune stimulant that enhances the activity of key immune cells. Try to incorporate these mushrooms in your daily menu and during the winter, take mushroom extract supplements.

4. Reduce Your Sugar Consumption

Table sugar and high fructose corn syrup raise your blood insulin levels, which in turn decreases the release of growth hormone and weakens your immune system. Glucose also competes with Vitamin C needed by white blood cells to kill viruses and bacteria. Scientific studies have shown that consuming 100 grams of sugar reduces the immune function by 50 percent within an hour. To give you an idea of what this measurement means, a level teaspoon of white sugar is 5 grams and about 20 teaspoons of sugar would amount to 100 grams. Sounds like a lot? Let’s do the math: one can of soda has the equivalent of 9 teaspoons of sugar, and a 20 oz. bottle of regular soda has the equivalent of 15 teaspoons. Stay away from foods or drinks that contain large amounts of sugar and instead, whenever possible, use stevia, a natural plant-derived sweetener.

5. Vitamin C

The “Old Faithful” of antioxidants, Vitamin C plays an important role in the prevention of colds and the flu. A study involving marathon runners, skiers and soldiers training in the Arctic showed that taking an average of 625 mg of Vitamin C a day decreased the incidence of colds by 50% (Source: Douglas RM, Hemila H, D'Souza R, Chalker EB, Treacy B. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004). Take 500 mg. of Vitamin C a day throughout the entire year to keep your immune system at optimum levels.

6. Garlic

This delicious culinary ingredient has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiseptic properties, and has long been used to fight off and prevent colds and infections. The active ingredient is allicin, and it is present in both raw and cooked garlic. Try to eat two garlic cloves a day, and if you don’t want to have “garlic breath”, add two crushed cloves to your favorite recipe or take a garlic supplement.

7. Probiotics

Friendly intestinal bacteria play a key role in keeping the immune system functioning at optimal levels. They compete with pathogens for cellular nutrients, thereby inhibiting the “invader’s” growth. One type of probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, prevents allergens and pathogens from entering the bloodstream. An article published in Nutrition Research (2001) shows that taking L. rhamnosus results in increased levels of leucocyte phagocytosis, a marker of immune activity. My recommendation: eat at least 8 oz. of unsweetened plain yogurt each day as a natural source of probiotics. You can use stevia or honey as a sweetener, and sprinkle with granola for crunch. If you have taken antibiotics in the past, you should take a supplement for at least six months to bring your intestinal flora up to par, and then continue with the yogurt.

8. Zinc

This essential yet often ignored trace element helps support the immune system. A study in men and women aged 65 and over found that taking 25 mg/day of zinc a day for only three months increased levels of circulating immune cells known as CD4 T and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (Source: Fortes C, Forastiere F, Agabiti N, et al. The effect of zinc and vitamin A supplementation on immune response in an older population. Journal of the American Geriatric Society. 1998). Make sure you take 25 mg. of zinc every day year-round, as it is also very important to your bone health. Chelated zinc is the best and most absorb-able form.

9. Vitamin E

This potent antioxidant is made up of four tocopherols (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-) and four tocotrienols (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-). However, alpha-tocopherol is the most commonly form of vitamin E found in the blood and tissues. In fact, even though the main function of Vitamin E is that of an antioxidant, alpha-tocopherol in particular appears to have a beneficial effect on the molecules and enzymes in immune cells. Scientific studies show that as little as 200 IU of alpha-tocopherol can significantly increase immunity against a variety of respiratory infections (Source: Meydani SN, Leka LS, Fine BC, et al. Vitamin E and respiratory tract infections in elderly nursing home residents: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2004). Since the flu typically attacks the respiratory tract, it is wise to take at least 200 IU of Vitamin E, and make sure that your supplement has alpha-tocopherol in it, should you decide to take a mixed tocopherol formula, which is also fine.

10. Rest

It’s especially important during the cold and flu season to keep from getting run down. Try to get at least 6 hours of quality sleep a night. Here’s one hint: if you are physically active during the day, you’ll be tired at bedtime. So avoid long hours of inactivity and keep moving as much as possible.

Do you have any flu shot stories you’d like to share? Join the conversation and share them with the community below.

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Comments on this article are closed.

  1. Wenders

    Please update your literature. I am from Ontario, Canada and flu shots ARE pushed by the medical community. As in the States, advertisements are everywhere telling people they MUST get the shot! In fact, several years ago our provincial government made all shots free to every resident in Ontario. Your article states that back in 2009 the shots were stopped in several provinces in Canada. NOT true!

  2. Possumlove

    Im 54 years never had a flu and NEVER will i put that rubbish into my HEALTHY body they can go F themselves god knows what they are putting in those vaccines no thankyou and if im a carrier too bad and if they are old and die of it then its their time anyway

  3. Arthur

    Very poor information in this article. Antibiotics would not help with a viral infection or an auto-immune illness. Science will alway prevail over fear-mongering or hypothetical ideas!

    • noelle

      A viral infection CAN turn into a bacterial infection

      A virus and when it persists for long enough can turn into a bacterial infection.

  4. Lvo

    About 20 years ago, I agreed to get a flu shot on my doctor’s advice. While I was very healthy at that time, rarely got ill other than a few sniffles now and then, I have a history of allergies and asthma, so I’m in the set of people that gets pressured by all my doctors every year to get a flu shot every year. I’m 62 now and am currently getting pneumonia almost every time I get sick, and so my doctors are pressuring even harder now. Part of me wonders if I should just have a shot and see what happens. But part of me wonders if the flu shot will just result in my death. This is why I am afraid to get a shot:
    1. when I was super healthy 20 years ago, I got my first flu shot. I had just finished a big project at work that had required long hours for months. But it had been a great success, I felt great, and had few days off. So I got the shot at 10 am and then met a friend for lunch at 11:30. About half way through lunch, I started to feel like I was getting a cold – sniffles, vague headache, etc. Buy the time I got home around 1:00 pm, I felt awful. I was so sick (sinus infection, chest congestion, high fever, exhaustion), I missed two full weeks of work.
    2. The next year, I again followed doctor advice, and got a flu shot. The doctors and nurses I talked to insisted there is no way I got the flu the previous year from the shot – the flu shot virus is a dead virus, etc,etc. so I thought, well, maybe I was run down the previous year and just didn’t know it, and was already infected before I got the flu shot. So yeah, I got another flu shot. I made sure I was feeling great and well-rested before I got this shot. Within a couple hours, same thing as last time – major illness, missed two weeks of work.
    3. Still, the next year, I decided to try a flu shot one more time. But I asked my doctor if I could have only 1/2 dose and then if no bad effects, I’d get the other 1/2 the next week. She agreed. So I got 1/2 dose… same thing as the other two years, but not quite as bad. This time, I’d say I got 1/2 sick – missed one week of work. (And obviously, I did not take the second 1/2 dose.)
    I have not had a flu shot since then. Now when my doctors tell me to get a flu shot, I tell them of my three year “experiment” with flu shots, and they frankly don’t know what to say… but they stop pressuring (until the next year when I have to remind them again). Who am I to argue with the medical community regarding whether the flu shot can cause the flu? Maybe I didn’t get the flu from the shots, but I certainly had a bad reaction each time – that is a fact. The reaction was as bad or worse than just getting the flu. If I get a flu shot, it seems to me, I’m just choosing the time I’ll get sick and guaranteeing that I will get seriously ill. Getting seriously ill is getting life threatening for me now as it always morphs to pneumonia. So if I get a flu shot, perhaps I’m just choosing the day of my death. It’s really hard to decide what to do or not do, especially with all the doctors advice to get the shot, the pressure all over the news right now (you can’t get away from it) and all the conflicting articles on the internet. All I know is what happened to me… and I think I’d be stupid to try the same thing and expect different results. Isn’t that the definition of insanity or at least stupidity?

    • Bob

      You might just be allergic.

    • Mary Herrmann

      I would go with your gut if I were you.

    • Anonobun

      Have you considered getting the pneumonia shot instead? It’s not the flu itself that causes most of the life-threatening complications, it’s the pneumonia that sets in as a secondary infection.

      • Corine Moore

        Don’t do it! My son got the pneumonia shot, and got pneumonia, just as you did! NOT worth it! I wonder how many people GET what the shots are supposed to prevent, and don’t report it. We didn’t. I should. The numbers are high, even without all of us reporting it. And a virus can live in the body for YEARS, and attack whenever you are weak. Not worth it!

  5. Kelsey

    I stoped taking the flu shot once I moved out of my mother’s house at 17. I then found the love of my life from the Mediterranean who has never had a flu shot in his life and never had the flu.

    Well we were both fine but he had to have a flu shot his first year here for immigration. He got the flu… and it was the worst Man flu I’ve ever seen. Maybe this had to do with also a weakened immune system from moving too a Humid sub-tropical environment vs his arid too semiarid climate.

    Regardless, I didn’t get the flu and I was pulling 12 hour shifts 7 days a week. Which I find super strange also because I actually have pre Hashimoto’s which is a genetic autoimmune disorder which I didn’t know at the time. Being 100% honest I had never had the flu in my life.

    Fast forward three years later…having been married for almost a solid 3 years and together for 4 years we both have not gotten the flu. We both didn’t take flu shots I never even got a cold. I’ve literally only had allergies which I treated with allergy shots due too the severity the first year we were together. Even with my pre Hashi AI and the immune response from my body too the allergy shots and the 12 hr 7 days a week shifts, I never got the flu. Until… I got the flu shot 4 months ago. Not only have I gotten the flu once but twice both within 3 mo of each other and only after being vaccinated. May I remind You i have never had the flu a day I’m my life.

    I write all of this too You interpret in Your own way and make Your own decision. Right now I am laying in bed with a temp of 102.8 I can’t get rid of with anything. Seriously I’ve called my mother at least 4x today and text her more than 50 because she is a nurse.

    I hope You make Your decision unbiasly and based on what is best for Your family. For me I will not be getting the flu vaccine because 102.8 temps for a prolonged period of time isn’t good when You’re trying to have a baby. And my immune system was fine even with pre Hashi AI. I also take 2,000-3,000 IU of Vitamin D every single day. And I still got the flu.

    Thank You for taking the time to read my personal experience!

  6. Sherri

    PLEASE! Do Not Get These Flu Vaccines! And PLEASE Do Not Get Your Children Vaccinated! Just LOOK at what is in these vaccines: Glycerol & phenoxyethanol (antifreeze); sucrose thimersol (mercury); formaldehyde (embalming fluid); formalin gelatin (gelatin of 40% formaldehyde); aluminum phosphate (fertilizer); ammonlum sulfate (fertilizer); potassium monophosphate (fertilizer); tributyl phosphate (aircraft hydraulic fluid); amphotericin B (fungus killer); sorbitol (Aspartame-which is the feces of E-coli); monosodium glutamate (MSG-fast food flavor enhancer); neomycin (surgical antiseptic); neomycin sulfate (a topical antibiotic for skin rashes); phenol red indicator (estrogen mimic); aluminum hydroxide (a water-insoluable antacid); potassium diphosphate (laxative); polymyxin B (detergent that leads to cell death); polysorbate 20 (Clorox-made cleaning solution); polysorbate 80 (food additive in ice cream to prevent milk proteins from coating the fat droplets); beta proplolactone (disinfectant that is ‘reasonably expected to be a human carcinogen); human tissues- human diploid cells (originating from aborted fetal tissue used as protein to feed the live viruses in the serum); animal tissues- pig, horse & sheep blood, rabbit brain, dog kidney, chicken embryo, chicken egg, duck egg, African Green Monkey kidney cells, porcine pancreatic hydrolysate of casein (amino acids pulled from hog organs); squalene (shark liver oil that is linked to autoimmune diseases in vaccinated Gulf War vets); fetal bovine serum (plasma extruded from clotted blood collected from cattle slaughterhouses); hydrolyzed gelatin (extracted from the bones & the skin from pig, cow & fish origin). The U.S. is placed in 38th place by the World Health Organization in terms of Lie Expectancy & 37th worldwide in terms of quality of care. Back in the 1940’s, Mahatma Gandhi quoted “Vaccination is a barbarous practice, it is one of the most fatal of all the delusions current in our time. The vaccine is a filthy substance & it is foolish to expect that one kind of filth can be removed by another. conscientious objectors to vaccination should stand alone, if need be, against the whole world, in defense of their conviction”. FACT: The U.S. gives children most vaccines & has worst under 5 mortality rate / high infant mortality rates. Look at the increase in Autism (diagnosed AFTER vaccinations). Do you know WHO creates our vaccinations? BILL GATES. Do Not Get Vaccinated! Research & Investigate the facts for yourself~ stop believing what you’re told.

    • Nassor Ade

      The Flu Shot is getting us sick, God made our bodies strong and healthy capable of defending itself from infection!!!!

  7. Shane

    I have some info for you people that have never gotten sick from the flu or gotten a flu shot and a scientifically proven answere as to why ( you can look up the massive studies conducted). You are a very lucky few 43% of the population lucky. A four-year study of 1,414 unvaccinated people found that 43 per cent of them had immune cells that protected them from symptoms of both seasonal and pandemic influenza. T cells produced by certain people target a core part of the influenza virus called the nucleoprotein. Experts say all strains of flu A, including those that cross over from animals such as swine flu, have a very similar nucleoprotein structure making them vulnerable to the T cells. So dont get that nasty flu shot you have no idea how it could alter your immune defence against the flu.

  8. Jason

    I have had the flu shot since it was first administrated over a decade ago and have not had the flu since. Having the flu shot does build up immunity to all strains of the flu. I had to got without it one year when there was a shortage and just kids and seniors got it. Still didn’t get the flu that year.

    Those trying so hard to trick people into not getting the flu shot are the same ones that are killing their children by not giving them the necessary vaccines when they are babies.

    • Angie

      Just because we choose to not take a flu shot doesn’t mean we don’t vaccinate our children. My children received all of their necessary vaccines spaced out, not jumbled all together. They never had a bad reaction and they are well protected. They will never receive a risky or unnecessary vaccine. We all eat very healthy. We take vitamins, probiotics and exercise. I have an 18 year old and a 6 year old. No one in my house has ever had the flu, actually no one has been sick in years. It really is all about your own immune system. You’re either building it up or breaking it down.

  9. Traci

    Me: “May I please have the package insert for the flu vaccine?”
    Pharmacist: “Why?”
    Me: “So I can read it.”
    Pharmacist: “Which one?”
    Me: “The one advertised with the little banners on every aisle.”
    Pharmacist: “I will print you the information sheet.”
    Me: “No, that’s not the same thing.”
    Pharmacist: “What do you want to know? I can tell you.”
    Me: “I would just like to read the whole thing before I consider getting one…side effects,…contraindications,…effectiveness,… ingredients, like…thimerosal,…mercury….”
    Pharmacist: “I don’t think I have any. Let me check. (checks) Sorry, I can’t give you one until the box is empty, because it has to stay in the box. And there isn’t any thimerosal in the single dose flu shot any more. I can print you the information sheet.”
    Pharmacy co-worker with big smile at me: “Hi, I found one.” (hands insert to Pharmacist, hands one to me)

    Here are some things listed in the insert that are not on the store’s sheet:

    1. The single dose vial contains mercury at ≤1mcg (This is called a “trace amount” by the industry.) (The multi-vial contains 25 mcg.)

    2. People with egg allergies are contraindicated.

    3. “Safety and effectiveness have not been established in pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under four. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. This vaccine should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. It is not known whether fluvirin is excreted in human milk.”

    4. “Fluvirin has not been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or for impairment of fertility.”

    5. “Antibody response is low in the geriatric population.”

    6. “Serious reactions, including anaphylactic shock, have been observed.”

    7. “There are no data to assess the concomitant administration of flu vaccine with other vaccines.”

    8. “The vaccine has been associated with an increased frequency of Guillain-Barre syndrome.”

    9. “In some studies, fluvirin protected up to 50% of subjects.”

    And that, folks, is why I remain a firm believer in naturopathic herbal medicines. #elderberryboostsimmunity #gingerfightscongestion #garlicisanaturalantibiotic #chamomileisasleepaid #NettleLeafDetoxifies

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Incredible, Traci!

      • Denise

        I’m a huge believer in elderberry. I brew my own concoction with ginger cinnamon and raw honey and it has kept me healthy and my children healthy. Just took my mom to the doctors and she was diagnosed with influenza A and she had a flu shot. None of us get a flu shot and so far we are all good with our elderberry. I have a 14 year old and 11 year old and we may have had the flu last winter but we were never tested and it really just was a very annoying virus.

  10. Ed

    My son and I both got sore throats and cough 10 days after getting our flu shot. We don’t live in the same household and didn’t get our shots on the same date. I haven’t had a common cold in so many years that I can’t even remember. I attribute this to my high vitamin C intake. I had colds every season before I began the vitamin C regimen.

    I Googled and found someone with the same experience in 2009 that was given the non-live virus brush-off. I changed my keywords and got some more hits all with the same brush-off. I am afraid the Government and big pharma are too deep in the money trail to give an honest answer, so what is one to do other than not to do it next season?

    I am not a doctor but I am a retired NASA engineer with a very logical thought process (which many in the medical profession do not have).

    • Ed

      I propose a mechanism linking the flu shot to my son and me getting the flu. Scientists warn that there are some pretty nasty germs lurking in public places but not in sufficient populations that they can colonize in our bodies before a normal immune system destroys them. Now consider that this year the flu shot prediction wasn’t on target. So while my immune system was marginalized busily making the wrong antibodies the flu viruses that I may have picked up even in the area where the shot was administered were quietly colonizing in my body. Then 10 days later colonization wass sufficient to overcome my degraded immune system and I come down with the flu. The government and big pharma won’t like my theory as it links my malady to the shortcomings of their system. Maybe many, even a majority, are not adversely affected by the shots but don’t waste time telling us that we are not.

  11. Sawyer

    I disagree with your opinion on taking a flu shot yearly. I’m sure you’d disagree with your typed up logic if you lost your 12 yr old niece to complications related to the flu.
    My niece had strep & the flu she became sepsis causing her organs start failing she was in Richland PICU for almost 3 weeks where my family watched her slip away a little more each day until she couldn’t get air due to mucus that was blocking her air way & several branches go to her lungs. She was without oxygen for ten minutes 5 days later she was pronounced brain dead.
    It’s a fact had her mother got her the flu vaccination she’d still be with us. We watched her slip away day by day it was horrible she had blood come to the top of her skin in several places that required being treat just like she’d got burned.
    It’s easy to voice you thoughts on rather someone should receive the vaccine when you’ve never sat in the hall of the hospital withi you brother praying to God to help 2 doctors & 8 nurses to help a 12 yr old child to get oxygen while you feel like your on the set of Greys Anatomy doctors ordering the nurses to give every medication under the sun while they seat on her performing CPR shoving tubes into her lungs praying it would help her body get the oxygen it needed desperately.
    I can say there was one thing worse than all the things above I listed that’s decided to remove all forms of life support then seating with her from 8:00 pm until 8:15 am struggling to breathe because he brain stem was still functioning. My brother held the baby he watched be born until she took her last breath.
    Yes I think everyone should receive the flu vaccine every year & you would as well if this tragedy had happened to your family instead of mine!

    • Ed

      “It’s a fact had her mother got her the flu vaccination she’d still be with us. ” Even government hype doesn’t claim that a flu shot is a 100% deterrent.

  12. Margaret Green

    I have been nursing or 18 years and each year have take the flu shot. No one ever suggested to me that it might damage my eyesight. I have been diagnosed with Retinal bleeding for the past 3 years. I have taken the flu shots as recommended by my RHA but never thought it could be possible that these vaccines might cause my eye problems. Is it not the responsibility of those administering the vaccine to provide all the possible information to those who receive it? I will wonder forever if I would have saved my eyesight if I had not take these vaccines. I am angry that no one suggested the possibility and that I did not search the information myself.

  13. Janet Henderson

    While all of you make valid points, in actuality, the flu is not induced by the administration of the flu shot. The shot has no validity until the 2 to 3 week period in which your body has become adapted to the conditions. For such reasons, that period of time allows for the contraction of the flu or another virus because 1) you have not developed the necessary immunity and 2) your immune system is working towards fighting the weakened virus injected into the body, so it is possible to contract another disease. This is why it is recommended that the flu shot be received before the commencement of the flu season. Once you receive the shot, there is no certainty that you will be immune to every strain, but scientists analyze the environment and establish a vaccine that should be most beneficial. The only negative is the possible contraction of another virus while in the waiting period, so the flu shot, in a scientifical standpoint, is helpful for the human body.

  14. madhu

    I am 33 yrs old, never got a flu shot and never caught a flu, last year at my work they were handing out free flu shots and i thought may be i should take it because all my co-workers were recommending it. I got one, last year was okay, but this year i did not get one and i have fallen sick twice already.
    It seems like the body does not naturally produce the antibodies once you have taken a flu shot.

  15. Miguel

    Everyone brings up great, and valid points and concerns– however it important to be mindful that correlation does not equal causation. What do I mean by that? Well there are plenty of stories all over the internet regarding how ‘after I got the flu shot, I got the flu’. Certainly many of us reached this page by searching for similar phrases or keywords.

    So who’s to say that your average person who’s just received the flu shot is not feeling a bit invincible and protected– after all that’s why most of us believe we’re getting the flu shot in the first place–to avoid getting the flu. So they’re not washing their hands as often or they’re not washing their hands before eating a chip or reaching for a chocolate out of the shared box at work? Little things that one does not realize they’re doing but nonetheless increasing their exposure to possible contamination points.

    The flu shot does work– protects against and lessens the severity of the flu– but like the article mentions and many have echoed, the scientists don’t know which strain will be the problem strain in any given year. So yes, they do begin production months in advance– to supply the world’s population– and yes, there is money to be made, but there are plenty of intelligent and independent minds out there that would love to be the one to blow the whistle that the flu shot gets you sick and it’s a conspiracy by the drug companies. There have been no such legitimate findings.

    If you recall a few years back scientists and pharma companies waited* to see which strain(s) were spreading that year– what happened?
    A lot more people got sick and they were even recommending your average healthy person skip the flu shot and leave the vaccine for high-risk patients or those in the healthcare field. It was effective because it protected against the right strain but it was simply not scalable.

    *waiting was forced iirc, due to he avian flu scare. (Yes, the flu cultures are grown in and administered with egg white.– there are printed warnings if you have an allergy or sensitivity to eggs before you revive your shot).

    I got my flu shot this year and so did my MIL. My daughter and wife opted out– yet I’m he only one that got the flu– sick in bed as I write this.

    However easy it would be to say I got sick because of the flu shot is just silly– truth be told I’d been running on all cylinders at work, commuting over two hours back and forth, cooking breakfast for my daughter, bathing her, reading to her, and playing with her– all while helping with household chores, home maintenance, holidays, and life in general– I simply had not gotten enough rest recently. I believe this is what ultimately compromised my immune system to the influenza virus.

    Please someone conduct a research study in a bio-dome where the flu shot is administered and the person or people are isolated– do they still get the flu? Do they all get the flu?

    With that said, it was a great article and I will start with getting more restful sleep–taking better care of myself, take a multivitamin that contains most of the suggested vitamins/supplements.

    Will I get the flu shot next year? Not certain– I am concerned about the toxins and carcinogens mentioned so will need to research it more

    Thank you!

    • Jolene

      I would love to hear what you found out about the toxins and carcinogens that are in the shot itself.
      Thanks

  16. Beht

    I work in healthcare, so I am constantly surrounded by sick patients. I get the flu shot every year without problems, and I never get the flu. My arm is a little sore a day after, but that’s about it.

    Just because you get the flu shot, it doesn’t make you ‘invincible’ to all illness. You still have to practice proper hygiene – washing hands, covering your coughs, ect. It also only protects against certain strains. With the huge number of inconsiderate sick patients who refuse to wear a mask at the hospital, and then cough right in my face (I wear mask, but still – EWW!), or cough in their hands, not clean them and touch every surface of the hospital, you would think I would get sick more often.

    I fully stand behind the flu shot.

  17. Robin

    I agree wholeheartedly with this article. My MIL gets the flu shot every year and every year gets the flu. I have a 5 and 9 year old, I choose to not vax. Sure they both have gotten the sniffles a time or two. But my 9 year old has never had to be on antibiotics or any other meds and my 5 year old just had to do a round of antibiotics for the first time because of a slight ear infection. I am not against doctors. I just believe there is so much we can to with our eating habits and lifestyle to keep us healthy. I also believe that the risks of chemicals going into the body out weigh the rewards. I’m not about to judge other families for their decisions and what works for them, so my hope is that I am not judged for what works for our family.

  18. Nina

    I was also convinced to get it Today. 39 at 4:00 pm i got the flu shot. It tingled and my arm felt funny kind of like someone pressed ice to my arm and it was starting to go numb and now at 10:30 pm I am shaking extremely hard and I’m very very cold despite being covered In blankets. My head is pounding and my body aches so bad, it was very hard to me to go downstairs to get some medicine. I’ve been looking at google to see if this is normal. I am never ever getting the flu shot again. In the past it was never this bad for me, I assumed since My hands are pretty much cold all the time the that’s all it was but I’ve just been getting colder and colder. 🙁 has any one else been like this ? What helped ? When did it go away? I can’t sleep like this

    • Nina

      I meant to put so not 39 I’m sorry guys!

  19. Trisha

    I never get sick and I never had a flu shot. This year, they were giving them out at work and I was convinced I should get one. Two weeks later, I am lying here with body aches and a 101 degree temperature. I truly believe flu shots are just easy money for big Pharma..I will never get another flu shot.

    • wendy

      i totally agree…. i think the doctors are brainwashed by the pharma to believe there crap…..the pharma built the collages for the doctors told them what to learn its all meds meds…..when do you ever hear a doctor talk about nutrution…..i had flu jab and have never been so ill in my life and am convinced it was the jab chemicals etc i will NEVER have another and advise everyone not too it is poision.

  20. Lisa

    All I know is that I have been in and and out of the hospital for the last 8 months. ( Endocrine system,kidney and liver problems,SCA) and my primary care doctor said I absolutely needed the flu shot. Never had one before. ( I’m 51) And 4-5 days later I was coughing up handfuls of phlegm. Blowing out tons of stuff from my nose. Then it got worse. I didn’t know if I was cold or hot. For five minutes I was under covers because I was so cold . Five minutes afterwards I was throwing off the blankets because of the heat. sweating buckets,had to put towels down ,and one around my head to absorb it all.(it was so bad that my ears filled up with all the sweat.) Didnt have a thermometer, but sure it was really high. The the vomiting began. 4 days of laying on the couch and throwing up in a bucket every 5 minutes and the phlegm and the nose junk, hallucinations THE WORST COLD/FLU EVER!!!!!!! I’m 3 days of feeling better. can FINALLY sleep. (YAY!!). Almost called an ambulance twice, but felt I could fight it without going to prison(hospital). NO ONE CAN TELL ME THAT THE FLU SHOT DOESN’T MAKE YOU SICK !!!!!!!!!! I will never have another one. My vision still has not come back to normal, and the same with my brain.

  21. Thank you!

    Terrific feedback, much appreciated. I too noticed the years i had a flu shot i was sicker, my doctor denying the coincidence then i conducted my own study with my kids. I vaccinated my healthiest kid, eats/sleeps well, and not my other two. Oddly the vaccinated kid had a terrible year, chronic congestion, fevers etc., cold after cold. The other two, unvaccinated? Fine not a sniffle the entire winter!

  22. Kris

    Stories don’t have a place in a scientific discussion. This article is bunk. Pseudoscience at its finest. Waste of space. Worse.

    • nate

      Its not Pseudoscience dipshit when you have people who take the flue shot and still become as ill as someone who hasn’t received the shot lol you wouldn’t last 5 minutes in a room with me in a real debate its called viral evolution once 3 to 4 people have had a spread the virus to one another such as in a work place environment imbecile the virus has now mutated and the vaccination has little to no effect and you God damn well know it

    • MikeA

      What I want to know is why there are no unbiased (not sponsored by flu people) double blind studies done on the flu shot. I’m in the medical research profession and I’ve yet to find one. I’m still on the fence about the flu shot. I didn’t take it when I was younger and after a bout with the flu started taking it. I still get the occasional bout with the flu. In my experience, it has neither helped or hurt. As a medical professional, I do believe in vaccines. However, in my opinion, the very fact that the flu vaccine uses strains from the prior year, pretty much makes the flu vaccine useless.

    • Jan

      Actually pretty much everything in above article is true. I did my own research for year and here it is https://flushotcanada.blogspot.ca You want science, everything I say is linked to a top notch source. The flu shot is stupid, and before you “rapid vaxers” get all excited, I am for the other vaccines, the risk/benefit ratio is it their favour,(I think) not so for the silly flu shot.
      And about science, you might want to read thishttps://www.nogracias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/deben-las-revistas-dejar-de-publicar-articulos-de-la-industria-bmj.pdf This is one of a hundred links I could show you like this. There is little good science left.

  23. Amanda

    I had to stop reading after the opening. Your mother fell ill with a flu after getting the flu shot and was treated with antibiotics? That’s odd…the flu is a virus and viruses do not respond to antibiotic treatment. NO actual scientific evidence in this article…garbage!

    • MikeA

      As the other commenters have said, the antibiotics were probably for a secondary infection. I just got over the flu two weeks ago and am now on antibiotics for bacterial bronchitis. That being said, some years back a study showed that antibiotics did have an effect on lessening the severity of viral infections. Funny how the study was immediately buried. I can’t even find references to it today.

    • Jan

      What you say is partly true, BUT, flu’s often become pneumonia, especially in the elderly, and then they use antibiotics to treat, which is probably what happened to this mother.
      https://www.webmd.com/lung/tc/pneumonia-treatment-overview Says “antibiotics to treat pneumonia.”

      • wendy

        totally agree the flu shot attacks all the systems i was lucky not to have pnemonia and end up in hospital…i had antibiotics as my sinuses and upper respiratory were infected, my sinuses were so conjested my eye was swollen and my vision affected i had diaoreoah and felt sick every time i ate. it was horrendous i have never had a flu that bad or like it before.
        IT WAS THE FLU JAB THAT INFECTED ME OR GAVE ME A VERY SEVERE BAD REACTION NO MISTAKE IT IS POISION.

  24. Christina

    No real evidence in this article.

    • MikeA

      True. The problem is there is no real evidence backing the flu vaccine either.

      • noelle

        Great responses Mike 🙂

  25. Concerned

    Not that I agree with getting the Flu vaccine for most, there is an error in your information. Your mother receiving antibiotics for the flu is incorrect. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections and have no effect on viruses. The flu is a virus. Now they may have treated her with antibiotics just in case it was a different bacterial infection. This brings up the other point of overuse of antibiotics and development of super-bugs because of it…

    • Charles E Knowles

      Hi concerned, u have u are right about the antibiotics my DR told be that again Friday, have u heard of a 10 yr flue shot or more? I hear they do in in Canada and maybe a Pneumonia shot also if u know for sure let me know, I have a friend who lives in Canada and visits me every year In Nassau Bahamas she says she took it and she is in her 13 years I think will check with her to make sure it was her 13 year. Take care. Bronson.

  26. debbie

    I feel like I am living in a nightmare being forced to get the flu shot. My body is not the same since I was mandated to receive the flu shot. I live in a state of inflammation and slowing feeling my body decline. (which I did not have prior to shot) Can never prove, too many like causes. But I know when it started! I haven’t had the flu 40 yrs. Wake up educated citizens. This is a crazy and dangerous law that seems to be self-serving to people/companies making money. This shot is like comparing apples and oranges with other vaccines

    • wendy

      HERE HERE YOU ARE AWAKE UNLIKE THE MASSES WHO DONT HAVE A CLUE WHATS GOING ON…..PHARMA ARE POISIONING THE PUBLIC THEY WANT US SICK IT MAKES THEM RICH.

  27. Mickey

    Spreading ignorance… disgusting.

    • MikeA

      Not having an open debate is ignorance.

  28. Kay Cantey

    The only time I have had the flu was just after having a flu shot…It was terrible and I will never have another one.

    • Christina

      U dont get the flu from the shot iys a dead virus that triggers your body to make memory cells so if yoi encounter that strain your immune system will respond faster. You either had an allergy response, the flu was already incubating when u received the shot or you comtracted a different strain.

  29. RoseMarie Davies

    The chilling thing for me is that the doctors and nurses when I and my friends said we had had a bad reaction after the jabs they all said rubbish and got very angry. Now it seems to me if no one is investigating all those people who do have reactions how do they know as they so forcefully even angrily say it’s not the flu jab. And those people who say that the scientists, who say it can’t harm you, are right can I ask you do you really have such a confidence in scientists who follow research outcomes until it is proven otherwise. And they don’t listen to you or me. The World is square today oh dearie me its really round but it isn’t is it! I will also mention thalidomide.!

    • wendy

      Well daid rosemarie

    • Christina

      Conspiracy much

  30. RoseMarie Davies

    The pressure put on you by doctors and nurses to have the flu jab is enormous. I have 2 jabs over 12 years ago and I was not well for two days after. The nurses shouted at ne you can’t get flu from the jab. I wasn’t saying I had flu I was saying I felt really ill after them for what ever reason. The first jab I had was when they first became available. The second 3 years later was given by a doctor before I realised what was happening even though in my records it said I didn’t want one. Several of my friends have had adverse affects after a jab. My question is how much money do the medical centres make out of giving the flu jabs.? Its criminal how much money it’s costing the NHS.

  31. Mike

    BREAKING NEWS: This says it all. Vaxxed.com Leading CDC scientist dr. William Thompson confesses they’ve been lying about the MMR vaccine. It is harming people and they have known it for a long time. I don’t blame the medical professionals. The student only knows what the teacher has told them, unfortunately the teachers are corrupt and money hungry; the Pharmaceutical companies who fund medical colleges, the FDA and the CDC and they have one agenda; to convince everyone that patent drugs are the only health solution. Please support Vaxxed movie and organize on FB to bring it to a city near you. WE HAVE BEEN DECEIVED AND FINALLY A CDC LEADING DOCTOR WITH A CONSCIOUS HAS DONE THE RIGHT THING AND CONFESSED.

    • wendy

      horroah someone who understands and is covering the truth. they are poisioning people so are immune systems break down especially the kids. by the way i work in the NHS JOKE

  32. NJ

    This shows why you have an MA and not MD next to your name. You are shit-stirrer and nothing else. I recommend reading Immunology 101 before trying to explain the role of immune system. People like have never seen real patients and live in a fantasy world in the comforts of their living room. They should be forced to care for patients who have contracted diseases due to missed immunization. Do what you want with your life, but please don’t spread the ignorance. Some naive people might actually believe in your fallacies. And yes! the next time you have fever or muscle ache, please don’t take paracetamol or ibuprofen or any pain killer for that matter as they are known to cause adverse effects- some even serious.

    • MikeA

      I don’t think you’re being fair. I’ve been in medical research for thirty years. Currently, I give educational lectures regarding HIV and AIDs to MDs (did you get that – I educate MDs about the role of the immunity) at University Hospitals throughout the country. My knowledge of the immune system goes far beyond Immunity-101. That being said, this article is simply posing an alternate point of view. With so little credible science behind the flu vaccine, I believe people have the right to hear both sides of this story. The flu vaccine may be effective, but I’ve yet to see any credible research behind it. Until that time, I’ll continue to keep an open mind. Remember they laughed at Marshall and Warren when they first proposed that H.Pylori may cause ulcers, Now H.Pylori is one of the most common tests performed in the laboratory.

    • Christina

      I am in nursing school and we are covering the immune system right now. I had to roll my eyes at this article. I came apon it bc my 11 yr old daughter received her flu shot today, she has astma so its important. 5 hours after receiving the vaccine her face is swollen, she has a rash near injection site, sore throat, HA, and 99.1 temp. Ive hiven her tylenol and benadrll. Trying to decide if its a new allergy or if she is she was coming down with a different bug anyway.

    • Lala1221

      You missed the point. There are natural ways to boost the immune system. If you studied Immunity 101 you would know this can be accomplished. I haven’t had a flu shot for 10 years and I routinely work with school age children. Well, if it’s like you say, why aren’t I dead? Oh wait, I’m never sick either and the natural preventatives don’t come with a boat load of toxic hazards.

    • Wanda

      You must work for the cdc, or medicare.

  33. Jim

    This is blatant misinformation and you completely disregard the fact that people with healthy immune systems avoiding the shots endangers those with weaker immune systems and those who can’t get the flu shot by effectively becoming a carrier.

    People blatantly misinforming people should be prosecuted for the harm and lives lost do to their misinformation. I am actively campaigning for such prosecution for anti-vaxers who cause this kind of harm.

    • Wanda

      Someone’s weaker immune system is not the responsibility of the stronger…if thats the case then ONLY the weaker should get vaccinations…since they “need it so badly.”

  34. Mike C.

    I am an RN working with critical care patients. RN’s are not allowed to work on my floor, or in this hospital in fact. And they shouldn’t be allowed to. If you don’t believe in vaccinations, so be it. But to infect another human because of a weak knowledge base is arrogant, selfish and downright deadly. Thank G*d for reason and intellect!

    • MikeA

      I think you mean RNs are not allowed to work if they do not get the flu vaccine. You are correct. Up until recently, a healthcare worker could sign a waiver to refuse the vaccine. That is no longer an option. However, how does it protect patients for your hospital to require you to be vaccinated and not require visitors to be vaccinated? It doesn’t. If your hospital was really concerned about patient safety, then they would have the same requirement for visitors. However, if they did that, then people would choose to be treated at another hospital where their relatives and friends can still visit. The behavior of your hospital would indicate that they care more about the bottom line than patient safety. The simple truth is they force you to be vaccinated, because they can.

  35. Mona Wright

    Vivian,

    What is the power book?

    Is your osteoporosis normal now following your advice that you give us?

    When ever I ask a question I never do get an answer. Please tell me why.
    How can I ask questions that I will get an answer?
    Thanks
    Mona

  36. Maverick

    Personally, I don’t like to take anything that is being pushed so aggressively by drug stores, schools institutions, etc. History had taught us to question things. I agree that many doctors themselves quietly don’t take it. At the end, to reach their own. Pretty soon, we won’t have a chance to decline anything. This goes into another issue, I’ll stop here. oh and yes, people know their bodies when something doesn’t feel right.

  37. Sue

    Why is it…that the flu only goes around when the flu shots are given out?
    Give it to the sick and elderly….yeah right…population control?
    I will never have a flu shot again.
    The last one I had was in 1996 and I became so ill, I thought I am on the death bed.
    Haven’t had a shot since and no flu either. What does that tell you?

    • Christina

      It tells me you got your shot too late. The vaccine is a dead virus and cant give you flu

  38. Nursing Student

    I see no evidence-based research from academic journals backing your position. It doesn’t even need to be from the CDC or the FDA. Seek out medicine and nursing journals. Did you know anecdotal elements of “research” are the lowest of the low on the research chain? People shouldn’t be reading casual articles like this.

    • MikeA

      One other thing regarding research. Many years ago, I attended a workshop on medical statistics. The person running the workshop was a statistical expert who worked for Baxter healthcare at the time. We were given a formula to calculate comparison of results in a study. The formula showed the study to be positive. Then he gave us another formula (equally as legal and acceptable as the first) that showed the study to be negative. He concluded by saying that you can use the formula that is appropriate to have the study turn out the way you wish. This is why you actually must read the research itself and not go by CDC, FDA, or media headlines and conclusions. I’ll give you an example: We all know driving while talking on a cell phone will increase the chance of an accident. The study that proved this had three sets of drivers. The first was a control (not impaired or speaking on a cell phone). The second was someone who was legally intoxicated. The third was someone speaking on a cell phone. The control group knocked down one cone. The cell phone group knocked down three cones. The intoxicated drivers didn’t knock down any cones. The study should have been published to say that intoxicated drivers are the safest on the road, or (more accurately) the study should have been invalidated. Instead, it made the headlines as saying that cell phone drivers were proven to be the most dangerous, without saying anything about the intoxicated drivers. It is only by reading the actual studies that you will know the truth.

    • MikeA

      Please provide valid research backing the flu vaccine. I’ve been searching for years and am yet to find it.

    • Nursing Student with experience.

      It’s because your only focusing on the CDC and the FDA…they control the information..duh! Listen my mom who has been an RN for YEEEEARSS!!! first was diagnosed with cancer when I was 12 years old (Breast), she had a redical mestectomy and began Chemo. Her cancer returned her chest wall, which was inoperable, so she began radiation and chemo..this circus went on with 2 more occurrences. What saved my moms life was an Onocologist who also practiced homeopathic and experiemental treatments. We changed how we sourced our food, our milk was delivered by a dairy and she began a cycle of proper vitamins, minerals and herbs, excercised and her spirituality was included in her therapy..She has been inremission since 1998! Dont tell me this is false. What the CDC and FDA who are wildly connected to the big drug companies and large donors to Big medical programs. Open your Ears, Eyes and mind if you want to be a good nurse. That’s exactly why I chose a university that will give me my BSN and a Holistic Nursing Certificate. GO Western Michigan University! Do your Homework and check out Functional Medicine.

      • jennie

        Thank you for your post. I too am an RN BSN but so much of what I have learned is by experience and research. I now have 2 gluten free children and 1 dairy free, all of which solved multiple medical problems, all of which the medical Dr’s prescribed plenty of med and suggested surgeries but went away with a change of the diet. We have been to multiple Dr’s who are STILL not supportive, despite the evidence since there is no “research” to prove it. If only they’d take the 1000’s of peoples’ stories and STUDY tgat! Thank you for your insight and willingness to have an open mind despite your “training!” Well done!!!!

        • Ninja

          I had the flu shot 2 years ago, that was my first and last one…hearing about the side effects of the shot, makes me worried now if it will continue to do harm to my body or eventually stops working and I wont be facing any harm in the future as a result of that? I wish I didn’t do it, I was healthy to begin with but my doc convinced me to…

  39. Eric Patterson

    On 10/9/15 my daughter was asked to have the flu shot; against the personal feelings of my own i agreed to her having it. Today is 10/28/15 and she is having diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, cough, body aches and pains, and fevers. These are the same symptoms from when she had the flu last season. I have done research and I have seen proof that sometimes this so called “dead” virus has caused flu symptoms and even some people have tested positive for the flu strain thatbis in the vaccine. So my opinion amp up your vitamin C, use sanitation solutions, and safeguard yourself and leave the experimental notions to the people who also okay medicine that have deadly side effects to take it. My daughter will never have another one.

  40. Darlene

    Vivian states his/her mother was so sick after getting the Flu shot that she had to have antibiotics. Influenza is a virus and antibiotics are not prescribed for it. I find it hard to believe that her mother had Influenza from the dead virus in the shot. The shot takes two weeks to take affect in your system and doesn’t always prevent you from getting one of many,many respiratory flu strains, because it only covers 3-4, but it can reduce your symptoms and prevent you from hospitalization or deadly complications affiliated with it. A person should know medicine and medical microbiology before stating facts about viruses or bacteria. . Vivian’s simply aren’t true. These little monsters are complicated!

    • Stephanie

      Hi
      So I got the flu shot last year two days later I got sick with influenza they did give me antibiotics and they had me hospitalized because I couldn’t eat I was also pregnant I could stand I couldn’t drink water I was very ill

  41. Amy

    If your mother was prescribed antibiotics, she wasn’t sick with a flu virus. Antibiotics are for bacterial infections, not vital infections. Your mother coincidentally caught something else at the same time she got her flu vaccine.

  42. Bob

    It is absurd to cite one incident about your mother as proof that a vaccine does not work! No vaccine confers protection to 100% of the recipients for every virus in existence. If you want to base your decision on individual reports then I would like to report that I contracted the flu the one year I did not get a flu vaccination. So, according to the standards of this site, that should be accepted as 100% proof FLU VACCINATIONS DO WORK! Instead of spreading unconfirmed reports, rare exceptions to the case and myths on how to protect oneself against the common cold and other viruses, try reading medical journals and use logic. Have you ever heard of polio and small pox? Were the stories of preventing illness, injury and death through those vaccination all lies? Seat belts save lives too but people can die in a car crash even if they wear a seat belt. A vaccination is not a guarantee… it’s a means of providing a degree of protection that varies with each individual. The author of this site would provide a greater service to the public if they told us about their alien abduction. 🙁

  43. Camille

    Every single time I have gotten the flu shot, I have gotten the flu 6-8 times in one flu season. Any time I hace opted out of the flu shot, I have not gotten sick from the flu. I have 2 children. One is 5 and the other under 1. Any time I got my 5 year old vaccinated, which was twice, she was sick several times in the one flu season as well. I opt out, and completely refuse to allow anyone in my household to be “vaccinated”. Infected is the way I see it. To each there own, but I definitely believe these shots are making every body sick. Period.

    • Darlene

      The reason why some people get sick when they get the shot, may be that they are picking up germs from where they are getting the shot. I for one do not like to go to the emergency or After Hours type clinic, simply because I’m afraid of catching something else. I see little kids playing on the floor and sucking on books in the waiting rooms. I’m not saying you as a parent do this, but there are crazy germs in those places. Yikes! I sanitize my hands when I get there and depending on my stay, a couple more times…and especially when I leave. I do not touch the door handle when I go out. I use a kleenix or my sleeve. I’m a RN and have swabbed these places for germs and wow….dirty, dirty, dirty!

      • Hele

        I received my flu shot last October from a pharmacist that came to the office I work at. I had not been sick from anything for years before. In March I had the swine flu and this past week, the end of May, I am suffering with a strange virus where vertigo is a symptom. I have never had vertigo in all my 55 healthy years. I have a very healthy diet and am active. VERY weird year virus-wise. Result of the flu shot??? Who really knows. But I can tell you all that I will never get the flu shot again!!! Just my uneducated opinion.

  44. Harpo

    I have been getting a flu shot yearly since 12 yrs. of age, and am now 66. The only times I have gotten the flu is on the few years I decided to skip the shot due to these scare tactics of those who disbelieve in any shot for any reason. Go figure!!1!1

  45. Sabrina

    I started working at a hospital last year and received the flu shot. Two days later I woke up feeling “off” and about 30-45 minutes later suffered the worst pain on the left side of my head, severe nausea and vomiting, the shakes, light sensitivity, numbness in my arms, inability to think clearly, and being unable to speak properly. Thought I was having a stroke but doing some research I’m pretty sure I had a migraine with aura. I’ve only ever had a migraine once before and it was YEARS ago so this episode was very rare for me. I ended up going to my doctor the next day and asked if it was common to feel this way after getting the flu shot, he stated that it wasn’t and he’s never had any of his patients experience this after receiving the shot. (Keep in mind, I haven’t received the shot for YEARS before this so I found it very ironic that this happens to me all of a sudden after getting the shot and I am not allergic to eggs.) After explaining everything that happened, my doctor said he was concerned about the fact that my arms went numb and said that I should get an MRI on my brain. I got the MRI a few days later and they found nothing besides minor swelling in my sinuses. Although I can’t prove that what happened to me was due to the flu shot, I know my body very well and know that this happened due to getting the shot. I most definitely do not want to get the shot ever again so now I’m trying to figure out how to go about that with my job. I’m assuming I will need a doctors note which I don’t mind getting because I have a feeling my job will try and push it on me to get the shot. I refuse to go through what I did again. I have a right to decide what is injected in my body and I will never support and think that it is okay to have chemicals and toxins be injected into your body.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      You do indeed have a right to decide what is injected into your body, Sabrina – your choice, your experience, your body. Stick with your convictions!

      • Gsd

        I wish that were true, Vivian. I work for a healthcare conglomerate. We were emailed a notice saying EVERY employee will get a flu vaccine by 12-15-15 or be fired, never available for rehire. If you believe you are allergic, you must provide written proof from your GP by 12-15-15 or be fired. We have no rights if we want to retain employment.

        • julie

          Sabrina, I can’t believe I just read your post! I have been home all weekend, in bed yesterday with a splitting headache going up and down the left side of my face. I have had headaches for 20 years, but they have been under control for the past year and a half with a very low dose pill once a day. I woke up Sat. am with a headache so bad I thought I would have to go to the ER. I doubled my headache pill dose Sat/Sun, not really helping, then realized a few hours ago I had a flu shot on my left arm Friday afternoon… It’s all making sense now – when do these symptoms go away?? Thanks.

          • Maya

            I had a fly shot 8 days ago and at the same day I took a half of tablet of antidepressant what my GP have gave me as a new one. Two hours after, I started to fill dizzy, shake my body, started to be extremely cold and vomit and finally I have hardly called an ambulance. They said it has been a side effect of fly and new tbl. It was so terrible I been thinking I’m going to die. I will never ever take the fly shot, I did not know it has so many harming chemicals that could destroyed your body. So 8 days already passed by, but I’m still very weak and some times dizzy with a strong headache every day. How long it can stay and could I take any painkiller for my headache, because I’m still afraid of some side effect, I have 76 years. Please help me.
            !

  46. TH

    My daughter at 19 years was given the flu jab against my consent she was at a residential college for students with learning difficulties she has learning difficulties and epilepsy hence why she was always recieving letters to have the jab I told the college from day one she was not to have the flu jab unfortunately they did not communicate this enough to all staff and when her letter came for the jab they took her to have it well this is when things started slowly changing for her neurologically she had the jab Nov 2012 by June 2013 things crechendo and she was diagnosed with psychosis she had never suffered this before never showed any signs 3years on and things aren’t back to normal for me I always had my fears about the jab and never agreed with it I would never have it myself some of my family members have it and that’s their choice I think each to their own I just wanted to share my experience and yes I have no proof it was the flu jab and yet I have no proof it was not that effected my daughter in that way.

  47. HannahE

    I assume people who read this post will actually do some real research about vaccines. I’ve been advised many times to take the flu shot (here in Singapore I don’t have to pay for it) but I kept putting it off. When you live in a populated city-state, you should get vaccinated. I didn’t and earlier this year I was hit with a nasty bout of flu that progressed into pneumonia and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), and ultimately heart failure. Biopsy tests show the influenza virus (one of the strains that the flu shots protect against) attacked both my lungs and my heart. Now I wish I had my flu shot. I eventually got the flu shot (as well as the pneumoccocal shot) as it is advised for heart failure patients. The vaccines didn’t make me more ill. In fact, it’s been lifesaving. Recently, I was at a gathering and someone’s child was ill with the flu. I later learnt that 2 others (who weren’t vaccinated) caught the bug and were ill and miserable for more than a week. If I had caught the bug, I would be in serious trouble (my heart function is still very poor so any infection may be fatal). So the shots saved my life – I just wished I got myself vaccinated much earlier. It is your prerogative, of course, to choose which to believe, and do. I am just sharing my story, i.e. that of a victim of the influenza virus and someone with heart failure in my 30s – I would not ever wish that on anyone else. I now have a long journey to heart function recovery (assuming my heart will recover – many do not). Whatever you choose to do, I wish you the best of health.

    • Peta Supervielle

      I have been having the Flu Vaccine,every year, for at least 10 years and have never had any bad reaction or the Flu!
      What I did have,a couple of months ago, was Bacterial Pneumonia, no previous warning, and ended up in Hospital for two weeks! Two weeks ago I had my usual Flu vaccine and also a Pneumoccocol vaccine,I am not taking any chances! I might add that I live in Spain.

  48. Tom

    I have been getting the shot for years with no ill effect until 2013 when for the first time I felt a bit under the weather for a few days. Then in in November ’14, ten days after the shot and a couple of days of feeling a bit odd I had a seizure. I was also running a slight fever but all the blood tests, EEG, ECG and MRI scan came up with nothing.
    Nine months later I am still waiting to get my driving license back despite no recurrence. Doubt if I will be risking the flu shot again!

  49. Barrie Smith

    I have been having Flu Jabs since 1996 without side effects since 1996 because of 54 years of diabetes , I had it on OCT 3rd 2014 by the time I got home was starving cold, blood sugar was high, had get to in bed was there for 2 days did not eat anything . I still have not recovered , my blood pressure has rocketed , my blood sugars are so unstable , all GP can say is we cannot take the vaccine out which is not helping me.
    This either an attempted Cull by the practice or the CCG and Prof Weetman who do not like the prescription of Natural Thyroid I got last Autumn .

  50. Sandra

    Dont worry about the mercury bit
    Edward! The other stuff the vaccine
    does is worse.These vaccines
    actually lower ones immunity to
    other viruses and diseases. This is
    a known fact. In parts of Canada
    they stopped giving the flu vaccine
    because it actually increased the
    amount of people who contracted
    swine flu….while “maybe” giving
    some protection against one
    virus it increased susceptibility to
    a more dangerous one.
    WHY WOULD WE WANT TO PUMP
    POISON INTO OUR BODIES!

    • Sandra

      Sorry Edward, my last comment
      should have been addressed to
      CHEMIST. Got name wrong. I agree
      with your comments.

  51. Edward

    Whoknows,
    Maybe GMO’s, are destroying our immune systems . . . . .

    • Sandra

      Thank you for your information.
      I have proved that by not having
      the flu vaccine I don’t get the
      colds and infections I get when I do
      have it. Doctors DO get “benefits”
      for promoting certain medications!!

  52. fattyZ

    I see the pro vaccinne forces dominate this site. Don’t let them inject you with that monkey juice under any circumstances! Why do Walgreens and CVS push flu and MORE shots year round now? Look at the Autism rates! Wake up people. The day they make the shots required by law I leave the country.

  53. Lilliana

    I got the flu shot yesterday. About 30 minutes after I have been having breathing troubles where I needed my inhaler about 4 times yesterday and so far once today, then I started vomiting with a really nasty tasting burp it is like a rotten egg taste, I also got dizzy, and my heart rate would shoot up to over 140 BPM anytime I tried to sleep. I have been shivering, I have body aches everywhere, and a low grade fever. No one around me is sick only me. I am adding this thing to a list of my allergies. I will be doing my student teaching and the doctor tried to scare me saying I’d get sick with the flu from the children. Heck no, I got sick from their quackery!

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      I am so sorry you had that experience, Lilliana! I hope your student teaching goes well and you stay healthy. 🙂

  54. Concern

    Actually, antibiotics do not treat the flu since the flu is a virus. Many of your examples are incorrect.

    • Edward

      I understand that antibiotics do not treat the Flu, however,
      It appears that the Virus attacks your lungs, which turns into a bacterial infection, Bronchitis, pneumonia, yucky phlegm, and then Doctors prescribe the famous Z-Pak (anti-biotic).
      How ironically moronic, ( just joking….)

  55. Chemist

    Using scare tactics like this is upsetting to me, especially when you aren’t explaining things accurately at all. For example, the mercury in thermometers is in its elemental form, and is not the “same poison” as the chemicals that are present in vaccines like you claim. That’s like saying that you shouldn’t eat table salt because sodium metal or chlorine gas is toxic to the human body.

    Also, if you look at the link I provided, the World Health Organization reports that based on scientific evidence from the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety that it is “biologically implausible any relation between thiomersal in vaccines and neurological toxicity” because “the levels of ethyl mercury attained in the blood and brain from cumulative doses of vaccines do not reach toxic levels”.

    https://www.who.int/vaccine_safety/committee/topics/thiomersal/Jun_2012/en/

    • Edward

      Hello Chemist,
      Didn’t Iodized Salt ( table salt ) lead to an increase in IQ ?
      Table Salt good !

    • Jb

      Chemist you should have your head examined. Your examples were crap and so is your logic. I’d rebut your ignorant statements but you seemed to have already drunk the kool-aid. If you don’t think ethyl mercury injected into the blood stream poses a neurological risk, I have a continent to sell you.

  56. your guide

    certainly like your web site however you have to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I to find it very bothersome to tell the truth however I

  57. Sam

    This is a completely irresponsible post. One does not get the flu from the flu shot. A dead strain of the virus is introduced to your body (which is completely harmless- dead viruses can do no harm) and your body responds and makes antibodies. Therefore, you will not be a carrier for the virus. If your mother got sick, she was going to get sick anyways before the flu shot.
    As another point, not getting the flu shot if you are able is completely selfish. You may be able to handle getting the flu, but think about others. Babies, extremely elderly, and immunocompromised people such as those with cancer are those who can not get sick. There bodies often can not fight off the flu as a normal, healthy person. This is when the flu can cause death. Essentially, you do not get the flu shot so that you do not die from the flu. You get the flu shot because you do not want to be a carrier of the virus and cause someone else to get sick. If you are unvaccinated I hope you do not have babies in your family or ever run into a cancer patient at a grocery store.

    Spreading false information and lies is so harmful to society. This article is so inaccurate, and it scares me to think about the undereducated people in society that will read this and believe it. As well, it is clear you are trying to make money off these false claims by selling “health products”. Some of these products may help boost immunity, but people will still be carriers of the virus. They need to be vaccinated in order to protect the weak people in our society.

    Please be more responsible and find more reputable sources before spreading your opinion on the internet.

    • MikeA

      First of all, I don’t think the author of this post is saying that the flu shot gives you the flu. I think she is saying that the flu shot causes your immunity to focus on the wrong antigens, thus making you more susceptible to the flu. As stated in my prior posts, I am neither for nor against the flu shot. I take one every year, because I speak at University Hospitals and it is a requirement for me to enter these facilities. That being said, I have contracted the flu on and off regardless of whether I took the flu shot or not. To me the very fact that the flu shot is based on the past year’s flu would logically make it ineffective.

      Now to my point, everyone here calling the author ignorant has yet to provide proof or research in favor of the flu vaccine. Instead, you call the author ignorant because everyone else is saying that the flu vaccine works. This is not science my friend. If you are going to make those statements, then back them up with something. If you do, and I find the research credible, then I’ll agree with you.

    • Jeff

      The man who made this post is just like 60% of the people in the United States who do not get the vaccine. You, the CDC and the WHO fail to adequately explain why some people get sick when they receive the vaccine. It’s because it distracts the immune system, leaving the person susceptible to getting either the flu or the common cold. That is fact! I guess 60% of the people in the US are stupid.

      • wendy

        agree or they work for pharma

    • Danny

      Sam you hit it right on the nail. Bam!! This is an inactive trivalent vaccine which means it carries 3 of the most common strands predicted by CDC, and if I’m correct, this years it is 4 strands in the vaccine. It is not medically possible to get sick from a inactive, dead virus. The ,main reason for flu shot is the fear of the mutation of a deadly strand like seen in “Spanish flu” which killed millions. That’s the reason for the vaccine. You suggest we wait until millions die?? Very poor knowledge by whomever this blogger is.

      • Jeff

        Do your research Danny. They have discovered that MANY of the deaths during the 1918-1919 Spanish flu epidemic were caused by aspirin overdose, because little was know about the effects of taking too much of it. FACT!

  58. Sandy

    I got a flu shot because I was pregnant and my ob recommended it. No one else in my family did.
    6 months later, the new baby and I both stayed healthy while both of my other kids, my husband and my mom got the flu.
    It worked for me. I wish I would have done it for my kids too. Just watching them shiver through high fevers, severe body aches, nausea, chest pains and a nasty cough is enough to sell me on future flu shots.

  59. Crystalpelt

    Personally, I would get the shot just for a precaution.

  60. james afghan

    The whole anecdotal “someone I knew got sick after receiving the flu shot” is simply not compelling evidence. How do you know your mother-in-law didn’t get sick because she did one of countless factors in the weeks before her illness (i.e.: drinking alcohol, missed sleep, stressed, etc.)?

    To assume your body cannot handle antibody production without becoming significantly weakened is ridiculous.

    • Daisygurl456

      There also isn’t compelling evidence that the flu shot doesn’t cause the flu or adverse symptoms in certain individuals. I think that we need to look at several facts here in regards to the flu shot:

      1. It’s a fact that there are harmful antigens found within the flu vaccines. And there hasn’t been enough clinical evidence to rule out what effects these chemicals actually have on the body, when injected directly into the blood stream.

      2. Not all immune systems are created equal. What helps one person, may very well harm another. Not to mention certain individuals are known to have chemical sensitivities. So why isn’t this being acknowledged within the medical community?

      3. If the flu shot helps, great. If not, don’t take it. Quit judging others for making choices that they feel are best. Isn’t it out most basic right as human beings to decide what is best for our individual bodies?

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    • nona courtney

      I missed getting my husband his flu shot on time in sept, here it is dec.18th and I was taking him to get his shot in the morning. too late, iv been up with him all nite giving him breathing treatments and cough med, and a antibiotic. so its a bad mistake that I didn’t get his shot on time. my husband has crohns, and gets sick easy. he hasn’t been sick with any kind of lung infection or even a cold in 6yrs until now. so get the shot!

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  63. Ross

    I’m 56 and most of my life I used to get sick several times per year catching flu from other people which last about a week. 5 years ago I decided to get the flu shot and that year I didn’t get sick at all. Since then I’m taking it each year and I don’t get sick as much as before. In these 5 years, I’ve been sick only 3 times from what I think was cold and sinus infections . I’m aware that the vaccine doesn’t protect form all viruses but only those known at the time of the flu shot so, it could have been a virus, but it wasn’t obvious who gave it to me. Before taking flu shot almost every time I got in contact with a sick person I get it too. Except for that, in general, I consider myself as a healthy person. I live a healthy life, exercise regularly, eat healthy organic food, and I don’t have any chronic diseases and major health problems.

    After reading the comments here from other people who got sick or more sick after getting flu shots, I’m thinking that may be for some people it works and for some it makes things worse. My advice is if you don’t get often sick you don’t have to get it, but if you often get sick from other people, it is worth trying it.

  64. DEDE NONEYA

    This post is completely inaccurate and scary no person that is NOT a competant medical health professional shoudl make just dangerous and false staements. DO NOT BELEIVE THIS!!!

    • Maryena

      How do you know it’s inaccurate and false. At the end of a day if you want flu shot get it if not don’t, my doctor told me that he doesn’t recommend it so it who knows anyway I wouldn’t like to have embryonic fluid injected in my bloodstream. It’s your personal choice so stop acting like know it all Mrs./Mr. Noneya!

      • No

        Actually, many of the points brought up are factually incorrect. Antibiotics do not fight viruses. Flu shots are dead irises and cannot give you the flu.

        • Jeff

          Read the original post! The vaccine distracts your immune system which compromises your immune system, and subjects you to getting either the flu virus or the the cold virus.

      • cathy

        I wish it was a choice, my workplace is making us get them or wear a mask for 4 months

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  68. Christina

    You said your mother received antibiotics for an infection she contracted. That was for a bacterial infection, not a viral infection. Flu vaccines are for viruses, and have nothing to do with bacterial infections. A vaccine is a dead virus that tricks your body into creating antigens, to fend off that particular viral attack. A bacteria is a completely different animal. And yes, the elderly are more susceptible to both as their immune systems weaken with age. However, even a healthy young person with a strong immune system can fall ill to either type of infection. It’s basic biology. Please inform yourself before spreading your misinformation to others.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      You’re right Christina. Here’s what happened to my mother: she developed a secondary bacterial complication after she contracted the virus. She has a tendency to develop bronchitis with a terrible chest cough, and the virus unleashed that…

      • Sarah

        You stated in your opinion piece that “What the CDC fails to disclose is that there is no way of knowing how many people who died from underlying respiratory and circulatory problems actually had the influenza infection” but now you’re claiming that your mother definitely had influenza. You can’t have it both ways.

        It really saddens me to read “information” like this. There is no doubt that a healthy immune system is important for maintaining health and wellbeing but to spread misinformation to discourage the use of vaccines is irresponsible.

        • MikeA

          I think, more accurately, the CDC should state how many of those people who died received the flu vaccine.

  69. tpl

    Hi, thanks. I’m trying to work out what this means? –

    ‘if vaccinations are really effective, then those who choose to get the flu shot should be immune to the disease. So why is there such a strong push to vaccinate as many people as possible? Aren’t those who get the shot protected anyways?’

    I don’t see the paradox, please explain! Thanks

    • Doesn'tMatter

      Strains of the flu constantly mutate. The vaccines only help against flu of that particular strain. Once the flu virus has mutated, it’s no longer specific to that vaccine; they need new vaccines. It’s a constant battle.

      The more scientific explanation: The process that the flu virus goes through to reproduce is to use host cells to reproduce in large numbers. It’s not an accurate process in comparison to the way a human cell would reproduce. So when it reproduces, its DNA (or RNA, depending on the virus) can be accidentally altered. This creates a mutated version that can change some aspects of the virus. Also, viruses can sometimes exchange DNA with other viruses, expanding their genetic information to include new components. These factors cause the mutated virus to be different than it was before, and they advise annual flu shots because each flu shot has to be changed to keep up with this change.

      Also, not related to your question, but… The author’s writing that the flu shot “keeps your immune system busy” is wrong. I won’t argue the rest, as I’ve not researched that, but the flu shot is not meant to keep the body’s immune system busy. It’s meant to further develop your immune system and tell it what signs to look for. Each virus has identifying feature. The vaccine contains dead pieces of these viruses (repeatedly tested and proven not to actually harm you) so that the immune system knows what they are and how to fight them. What people sometimes see as getting sick after a flu shot is the immune system over-reacting to what was originally not dangerous. Like an allergy, almost.

  70. Nicole

    This site is interesting in that you are talking about the government and money and how that’s the only reason they promote the shot, but YOU are selling supplements on this site.

    • Mark

      Once I saw the link for where I could buy supplements, I became really discouraged about this information.

  71. Carly

    Hi Vivian,
    I came across your article on a friend’s facebook page. I am an advocate for vaccinations and a health care provider; however, I respect that everyone has a choice and the right to an opinion regarding vaccinations. I enjoy reading alternative viewpoints for the sole purpose of understanding every side of the argument. While I understand you want to inform people, I am very concerned that you are giving your readers very inaccurate information. Not only has Alberta never halted flu vaccinations your facts surrounding the actual chemistry of the vaccine is wrong.

    Now I am not trying to be a naysayer but please provide the resources you used to make this article. Where are the scholarly resources? I am talking about the Medical Peer Reviewed Journals. Not the random websites that state one thing then another. There is so much information on the internet and it is important when creating articles such as these to provide a solid resource. You have statistics in this article but no source of where these came from. My issue is not that you are against vaccines. It is that you are not providing readers with accurate information.

    Some Medical Databases you can use are CINAL and MedPub or Medline but if you want an internet article you can go here:
    https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/top-13-flu-myths

  72. Wendy

    I was finding this read interesting until I came across this: Breaking News: Six Canadian Provinces Halt Flu Vaccinations – this is false information. You stated Alberta is one of the provinces that no longer holds flu vaccination clinics. Untrue, every year Alberta holds mass flu vaccination clinics so those who wish to be vaccinated can do so for free. The other provinces you mentioned all still hold seasonal vaccination clinics. Just an FYI.

  73. Andrea

    I am sooo thankful to everyone for your comments. I haven’t felt this bad in a long time. Got jabbed Nov. 26th. I was Forced to take the flu shot for a new job I’m starting next month in the health field. I was told take it, or refuse and go around all day with a mask on my face. The symptoms I have include a sore throat, watery/itchy eyes, sty on both eyes, fatigue, sneezing, body aches, joint swelling and pain, headaches, rash on face & foggy brain. I am sorry I didn’t research this vaccine and learn of the toxins and effects before allowing my employer to inject me. Does anyone know of anything a person could do have the vaccine leave the body quicker? Take care all and stay healthy — NATURALLY!

  74. Questioner

    I’m just thinking “out loud” here and I could be wrong, but since “the flu shot does contain “dead viruses” it isn’t possible for it to give you the flu.” BUT, is it possible that while your body is fighting these fake viruses, the real virus intrudes your body to cause the real flu? Your immune system is working to fight off the already “dead virus”, so it is more susceptible to other illnesses.

    Moreover, if these shots did protect you from the flu, why would it matter if other people haven’t gotten the flu shot? You got the flu shot, you’re good, right?

    If these shots actually help your body fight against illnesses, why is there not shots for other, more dangers illnesses, like cancer, or things of the same sort.

    Is this just “survival of the fittest”?

    I don’t want to put unnecessary chemicals into my body more than what already is. It’s my body, and my choice. You can do what you believe works to protect your body. For me, there isn’t enough evidence to prove getting the flu shot benefits anyone, so I will continue to not have someone inject a mystery concoction into my body. I don’t think me not getting the flu shot will harm anyone else, and I’m not “selfish” for not getting the flu shot.

    You may continue to think what you want, I don’t believe I am nor do I want to push my views on anyone. I am only trying to pose questions, which may or may not have a definite answer.

    • Rita

      “I don’t think me not getting the flu shot will harm anyone else, and I’m not “selfish” for not getting the flu shot.”

      Amen.

      Nobody has the right to tell anyone else what they should put into their body.

  75. Sienna

    I am a health care worker and am being forced to take the flu vaccine or end result is termination. I have always opted out of the flu vaccine even during pregnancies d/t the preservatives and the guessing game at the suspected flu. My thought was that maybe i would do the nasal spray but now I find out that health care workers should not get that d/t working with pts with weakened immune systems. Any suggestions? I obviously need my job and all health care seems to be turning this way so it wouldnt help to even employee with a different company. I am so frusterated and feel like this is against freedom of choice.

    • anthony

      sienna thats ridiculous. so much for your rights. my company offers it for free, but i say they should pay me not to get it. are you in ny, they are pushing it here in hospitals

    • Quietradical

      I am sympathetic to your situation due to the fact I was actually fired for not taking the shot. Lets Talk legalities 1st. Did your employer have a manditory policy in place as a condition of your employment at the time you were hired? If not you may have a case. Additionally, your strongly held beliefs are protected under the 1st amendment just as your relgious rights and freedom of speech. These are the reasons you may have a case if you stand your ground. And if you are fired file for your unemployment and apply for Cobra health insurance.Their are advocacy lawyers and groups that support you. When I was fired I did not have any savings or help. I just prayed a lot. I did not ask advice from anyone because in the end this was about my body and my decision. I just knew what they were doing was wrong. I recieved my unemployment almost until the case was resolved. I fell on hard times before and after the case but I never regretted taking a stand.

      • A.

        I sympathize with the poster’s plight, but “strongly held beliefs” are in fact not protected under the first amendment, unless the are a direct result of her rekigious persuasion. Since she did not cite religious beliefs as one of her concerns, it’s a safe bet that is not what she is worried about. We really don’t need still more failure in this country to understand the first amendment, the Duck Dynasty weirdos do a bad enough job as it is. Good luck to the commenter and never ever take legal advice from a commenter on the internet.

        • A

          And, by the way, you don’t have first amendment rights at work. Human resources law is not the same as constitutional law. Your work can’t put you in jail, but they can sure as hell fire you.

  76. MrsSmith

    I haven’t taken the flu shot for several years due to a bad allergic reaction from one, but now I will have to wear a face mask at work if I don’t. One coworker is urging (almost harassing) me to take the shot because she did and I “shouldn’t be such a baby about it”. I need a brief and to-the-point response for the upcoming four months of wearing the mask. Any suggestions short of being rude to her and others that made comments?

    • Rebelwithacause

      I work in health care as well, and was given a directive to take the flu shot, or wear a mask.

      I’m wearing the mask. I’ve gotten some looks, a comment here and there, and have watched other hold-outs succumb to the shot, as the health authority knew they would, but I haven’t changed my view.

      First, it astounds me how people just go along with something like this. There’s no proof, other than hearsay, that the flu vaccine works. It’s also loaded with a pretty ugly laundry list of toxic ingredients, including carcinogens. No thanks. I had breast cancer in the spring of this year, and will not submit to this, and should not be asked to do so.

      Keep something in mind: There’s a possibility that you’ll lose your job at some point. If you can get your mind around this, you’ll be able to blow off any rude comments or looks you might get. I’ve decided I’m willing to work in another field, even if it’s less money, if it means having freedom from the coercion used by the health authority.

      And, the face mask is not that bad. Some people caved within a few hours of wearing it, but I’ve found that once I’m busy, which is all of my shift, I don’t think much about it. The worst thing was the pressure of the elastic behind the ears. This, I found out, can be easily remedied with a strip of that white adhesive tape behind each ear. You won’t even feel the elastic. Keep in mind, the discomfort and claustrophobic feeling reported by a number of people, is what the health authorities are banking on. Then there are the financial hits: Being sent home for 96 hours, without pay, to make sure there are no symptoms. Used to be 48 hours. Additionally, my health authority permits (symptom-free) unvaccinated workers to work at sites that are not experiencing outbreaks. Trouble is, when I called for work, the supervisor of staffing denied me shifts to make an example out of me. I grieved this February last, and still haven’t heard one way or the other.

      Another telling point: It’s written into our collective agreement, that should the health authority make it policy, then they can, and will, terminate staff who don’t comply. They haven’t actually made it policy, but if it weren’t going to become policy, they wouldn’t have gotten it in there. The only out, would be medical contraindication, and it would have to be backed up with a letter from a doctor of conventional medicine. On top of that, the health authority wants access to all of your medical records, so they can make certain your doctor isn’t lying.

      Another interesting point is the health authority has said that all doctors, vendors, contractors, volunteers, students, and visiting family members of residents are covered by the same policy. But while the staff are required to submit proof of vaccination, the other ‘covered’ individuals aren’t. Apparently, they are subject to the same policy, but the health authority permits the ‘Honour System’ among everyone except their own staff.

      Stand your ground, MrsSmith. You’re being thrown under the bus for reasons that have nothing to do with the health and wellness of the general population.

      Follow the money.

  77. Cmander

    Last year was the first time I have not had my flu shot in about 7 years. Lo and behold, I caught the flu – interestingly, one of the strains that WAS included in last year’s vaccination (as confirmed in lab tests). I became so ill that I was hospitalized and nearly died from the secondary bronchitis and pneumonia. At the time, my daughter was 6 months old. I credit her flu shots (and my husband’s flu shot) with saving them the misery, and possibly their lives.

    And by the way, for all those who are referring to Vivian Goldschmidt as a doctor, she is not. She has a master of arts degree. Nothing to shrug about, certainly, but I wanted to correct everyone that she does NOT hold a doctor of medicine (MD) degree.

    It’s so dangerous to assume that everything a doctor or the government recommends is a conspiracy to keep you sick. If some of you are as intelligent as you claim, then you really WILL do the research. Nearly everything in our lives is risk vs. reward. If you as an adult choose not to receive a vaccination, that’s your business. But those who do not vaccinate their children (referring to all vaccines, not only the flu vaccine) are endangering their children’s lives and quite possibly the lives of others who are vulnerable and not able to receive vaccinations (newborns/infants, the very elderly, individuals with other conditions which preclude them from receiving certain vaccines).

    • Rebelwithacause

      I’ve seen co-worker after co-worker get ill, including being hospitalized, after getting the shot. And I’ve listened to the health authority launch a campaign to deny such claims as myth. I’m there, in the extended residential care facilities, working alongside these people year after year, and the claims are not myths.

      And casting aspersions on parents who prefer to actually let their children’s bodies develop natural immunity to flu, measles, chickenpox and the like, is hardly endangerment.

      And a little food for thought: If a product, any product, were really good, bullying tactics wouldn’t be necessary to get people to use it.

      • Rita

        “And casting aspersions on parents who prefer to actually let their children’s bodies develop natural immunity to flu, measles, chickenpox and the like, is hardly endangerment.

        And a little food for thought: If a product, any product, were really good, bullying tactics wouldn’t be necessary to get people to use it.”

        I couldn’t agree more. Only a bully would tell another person they are bad for not subscribing to their medical religion.

        Vaccines aren’t necessary to enjoy a healthy life.

    • Quietradical

      I always find it interesting when people are gun ho about telling others what to do about themselves and their families. What if someone took your advice and their child became terribly ill or worse? Would you take responsibility? Or would you coward behind some statistic and state that dosen’t usuallly happen? Everyone and their families have a right to live as they believe.

  78. taty tavarez

    I would like to share these amazing facts with others

  79. Banda

    I’ve never had the flu and have never bothered getting a flu shot. I still won’t bother.

    So I just wanted to ask: did your mother suffer from a secondary bacterial infection while she had the flu? If not, then whoever gave her the antibiotics is a dumbass.

  80. kim

    yes,
    I have a question. If forced to take flu shot,is their anyway to rid your body of the vacine? thanks KIM

  81. JoAnn

    In the military, we don’t have a choice whether we get the flu shot or not and most military people do get sick after the flu shot. Sometimes women that just had a baby are given the LIVE virus (mist) KNOWING they have a baby under 6 months at home!! Which is potentially putting the baby in harms way-health wise! Those are the terrible medical health facts about being government property and fighting for our country. We have no say in what shots or medicine to make mandatory for us, and I know that is not right! We’ve become more of a lab rat it seems.

    • Mark

      “and most military people do get sick after the flu shot”
      Really?

    • kazooga1234

      Yes, the government doesn’t care about you at this moment. The government only cares about money. If we get money out of politics then the pointless wars will also stop. A good way to hopefully stop the flu shot would be to have more people help out with wolf-pac.com. That is a website to get money out of politics and help out any way you can please.

    • Beth

      I am so sorry you are put in this position…I only came on to read the article but then saw your comment. Might I say a heartfelt thanks for the sacrifices you and other service members make for our safety? I am appalled at what you must go through but am thankful that so many still count the cost and are willing to pay a very high price to protect our country. Thank you!

  82. Sharon

    Keep me posted, cause I have osteopenia and osteoporosis in my right femoral neck.

  83. Charolette

    I got a flu shot in September of 2001 and that summer I had the worst case of flu I have ever had.

  84. devider

    For those of you that are blaming the author of this article for the reason of so many getting the Flu because of not getting the Flu shot, and also creating paranoia about the flu shot is the reason this year’s flu is already claiming so many lives, you people are severely brainwashed by your Government and only believe what you want to believe you are all like cattle, you don’t have a mind of your own or even the intelligence to research these things on your own, The Flu shot is a highly toxic chemical injection that can injure, cause more illnesses and even kill, just because the CDC and your doctor and Gov. state that you need this to prevent the Flu are ludicrous. Do you not understand that the medical/drug companies are a business, it’s in there best interest to keep you sick and coming back, It’s all about money wake up already and quit saying that’s not true they would never do that, open your eyes you will be disgusted with what you find out, This doctor is simply stating that if you take care of yourself and use common sense and self maintenance you will probably be fine, if you have underlying issues don’t blame it on Flu prevention. Did you ever wonder why so many say, I don’t get the Flu shot cause when I did I got sick? Yeah idiot, the chemicals in it are toxic, or you probably were getting sick already. wash your hands keep them away from your face and mouth, take generally good care of yourself and do things to maintain good health, quit abusing and taking your body for granted. you get out of it what you put into it. Flu shots are Bullshit and “snake oil” do the research yourself.

    • Mark

      I get the flu shot every year, and I don’t get the flu. Why don’t you use that as some of your “evidence?” My friend, who refuses to get the “toxic” flu shot and eats well and exercises daily, just got the flu! There’s some more “evidence” you can use, which you won’t, because it doesn’t support your crazy rant. Where does one do proper research? Surely not the internet, look where it lead me!

  85. Scott

    Great and much needed article. The incessant government promotion of the flu vaccine is at an all time high. Thank you for educating people on the real story. Thanks.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      You’re welcome, Scott!

  86. Laura

    You should not try to stop people from getting the flu shot,we have an epidemic out there and the flu shot is not live and does not give you the flu,it takes two weeks for it to become effective,this article is deceiving and could cause some one not to get the flu shot! I have spoken to dr’s who recommend the shot!!!!

    • Rebelwithacause

      The flu shot makes a lot of people sick. Sorry, but it does.

      In addition, interesting that you brought up the period of time for it to become effective. Once the flu shot is taken, staff are allowed to work on the floor, unmasked, immediately afterward.

      Odd, dontcha’ think?

    • Beth

      And I know a ton of Doctors and nurses and people in the medical profession who do not get it for themselves and their families. Including their young children. There is always two sides to every story. Anyone on each side needs to do their own research and make and educated decision of what is best for them self and their family. And!!! Respect everyone else’s decisions in the matter. Be that if its what they decided and believe or the opposite.

    • misaoaki olivier

      I can’t believe some of the utter bullshit some people believe from doctors and tge governmrnt. I’ve never had the flu and the one time I did was about a few days after getting the flu shot. This was about 4 years ago. Since then I have never gotten another flu shot and never had flu again. That is all the proof I need. it’s my body and no one else is going to tell me what to put into it. BY THE WAY I live in the northeast in connecticut, and last year all my friends miraculously got flu even though they took the flu shot, and for some reason I didnt, hmmn let me think about whats going on here for a second. Maybe its complete utter bullshit.

      • anthony

        ya i been saying it for years, the flu shot is a government/pharmaudical money scam. too funny earlier post said about these brainwashed people being like cattle to the government ive said it for years. think for yourself, the government is all about corruption and money. seriously how can you believe a gov’t telling you take the shot or keel over.

    • Donna

      Haha! This comment about doctors recommending the shot just tickled me! If the doctor recommends it, then by all means do it, right? I know I am being rather sarcastic but seriously people, do some research that supports your belief!

    • Sunny

      I disagree with you on this one. I honestly haven’t had a cold for about 5 years. I got pregnant in autumn last year. Around 20 week of pregnancy I was told by my GP to have this flu injection. I thought ok,to protect my baby,I will,and believe or not, a few weeks later I got the worst flu I ever had. Funny enough,after 28 weeks I was offered whooping cough vaccine and sure enough,weeks later I was sick as dog.I mean,honestly,why? I should have protected me,not making me sick. Shame I didn’t do more research on this one earlier. Because we believe in our GP too much.

    • Jsy H

      I still remember how the medical profession was encouraging us to smoke cigarettes to expand lung capacity. They have not yet apologized for that “advice”.

    • Florence

      Sure! Let’s blindly trust doctors and their recommendations. You know what? I was prescribed bisphosphonates by my doctor, whom I trusted, and ended up in the emergency room because I could barely breath from the pain! Vivian’s article on the dangers of the flu shot is spot on.

  87. Dee

    Your paranoia about the flu shot is the reason this year’s flu is already claiming so many live. I have been getting a flu shot since 1998 and so does my son and elderly mother. We are still fine.

    • anthony

      you will have Alzheimer’s 10 years before everyone else, good luck with that. i bet obamer doesnt get the flu shot.

    • Tina

      WRONG! They can only put a few strains of the flu into the vaccine. Each year, scientists try to predict what strains will be out there and hope for the best. This year they have admitted that they missed by a long shot. There was absolutely NO benefit to this year’s shot.

    • Ann Stuetzer

      Many people have different reactions to flu shots. I’ve never had the flu in my entire life but I ended up sicker than a dog within a couple weeks after receiving my first ever flu shot. I will never have a flu shot again.

      • batyahann

        I got the vaccine yesterday at work. They made it mandatory. I work in a health care facility in Atlanta. I hardly ever get sick. missed one day from work with a stiff neck. I am so sick today I can bearly hold my head up.

  88. Choeying Tashishar

    Thank yo so much for the article on flu shot. I hate to take flu shot and I have avoided several times. Now that I have 15 months old son, I am even more concern about the shot and after reading your article I feel so much better. Finally I can say no to the shots, without any second thoughts.
    I have shared your article on facebook, hopefully more people will know about it. Thanks so much.

  89. Potonian

    I see you warn against the shingle vaccine , but I think it’s a good thing. I’ve seen family members suffer the long term debilitating pain from shingles, and met several people in their 50s and 60s who were left partially paralyzed from shingles. Please don’t use scare tactics the same as the people you talk about

  90. juvy

    Dear Vivian and all our Community Members,

    I have enjoyed reading all the stories in these community.I also learn alot.Most importantly about the vaccine.I am 72 years old I have only tried to have a Flu Vaccine the other year, because our Nure when I visit her for yearly checked up.So I tried to have one. Luckily I have no reaction.

    That was all. I have never have a Flu in my life.These Flu is a big business from the company, so they will always encourage our Doctor to frighten people to have flu,specially when you are old.Also I think almost all medicine are made not to cure, only to maintain, so that the company will always supply hospital of medicines.This is the reasons. Then the medicines have all the sides effects, so that you will buy non stop of medicines. Of cource you go back to the Doctors and say, Doctor I have a swollen ankles, or what ever, then Doctor right away give us another prescriptions, then another again, the liver, is damage, kidney is damage all is malfunction already then people die in no time. This is what I understand.

    I am always watching people get medicines in the Pharmacy, I am very scared looking at the big bags and bags of different kinds of medicines.

    Few of my friends, I could not help, but asked.I said, how will you manage to take all those medicines you got. She should me the Plastic container, has a partitions, this is daily, squares, designed for the medicines. Some live only because of the medicines. Some 12, 18, 40, tablets a day.

    My husbands late wife died of too many medicines. She has High Blood, then, kidney,damage, thenPanrias, swollen legs, bloated, until the body surrender of all the bombardments of different kinds of chemicals.

    The medicines are not designed to cure, just to let people hang on and hang on to consume more medicine to make the manufacturer very rich. This is what I am psychologizing.

    So I will urge all the peopels in this community to just eat the right kind of foods, do not drink too much alcohol and stop smoking, have a good life style have holiday to make you hear happy then all of us will be alright, and keep aways from prescriptions. Walk, play tennis even just 20 to 30 minute thats already a great help.

    thank you,

    juvy

    • Julia

      That’s right Juvy, I totally agree with you & Vivian. I am from Singapore and doctors here never ask us to get flu shots. Foolish me, heard about flu epidemic around the world so i panicked & thought i’d better get the injection to protect me from flu. So I took the flu shot end of last year. Amazingly shortly after the shot, I got flu every month for a period of 3-5 days each time. Half of that many times, the flu got so bad that I had to be bedridden for few days because my whole body & eyes got so weak & tired, my muscles & joints would hurt badly too. Lucky for me that my employer never fire me because I had taken too many sick leaves. Before the flu shot, I only contracted flu or cold only every 3-4 months.

      I arrived at this article because I was researching about natural food that can strengthen immune system & prevent cold/flu. I will never take the flu shot again, and will try to eat very healthy food instead.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Wise words, Juvy. Thank you for your contribution!

      • John Vino

        The most inane portion of your story was telling of all the antibiotict your mother took to combat the symptoms induced by a shot composed of VIRAL components. Sounds kind of like fighting a fire with a screw driver.

        • Shannon

          She may have simply left out that her mother developed a bacterial infection secondary to the flu. It happens.

  91. Kendra Green

    I recently had my 15 month old vaccinated with first flu shot The next day she had sniffles & by two days she was coughing all night & I took her to Dr. My child has never been sick but now running fever & miserable with congestion & ear infection I’m at home mother so she didn’t get this from daycare or other children I honestly feel that her body was working on flu shot & it was to much for her immune system to take care of other bacteria in her little body I’m definitely not considering the second vaccination

    • kazooga1234

      My mom never vaccinated us with the flu shot. I am never going to let anybody give pointless vaccines to my baby that is the pneumonia shot, flu shot, and chicken pox shot. Those are all 100% bullshit.

  92. Sherry

    Thanks for the great information! I’ve only gotten the flu shot once and my arm was sore for over a week and I got the flu the next day, something I’d only had twice in my life, both times when my immunity was low. Needless to say, I don’t plan on getting the shot again.

  93. Mary Burrell

    Could you go further on the subject of probiotics. My daughter got C-Diff after surgery and is now clear of it but we are holding our breath that she doesn’t get a UTI infection because Dr. said an antibiotic will bring the C-diff back again and she should take a probiotic with the Bactrium DS if she gets an infection. There are a million probiotics on the shelf, so what should you take with Bactrim DS to prevent C-diff and do you have any list of antibiotics that are more prone to cause C-diff and you should warn the doctor. They don’t know, I have asked them. I tried the internet and all I found was Cipro and penicillin are bad for causing C-diff.

    • kazooga1234

      I don’t know much about infections but with infections they can also go away on their own. Also what that doctor told you if there isn’t anything online about it is a lie then. Just trying to make it so you end up having a sicker child so they can profiteer off of you.

      • Jbell

        Cdiff can kill you. My dad got it 3 times in the hosp after month of antibiotic use. Its usually fought with more antibiotics, but you can add probiotics and there is also a healthy family fecal matter introduction therapy- he did not have. I’ve never had a flu shot either but I am not out in public much – and I pay attn at work. I have no kids and wash my hands everytime I come into my house and my diet is good.

        The flu pandemic killed 50 million people last century. That’s a lot of people. Our populations are so much higher and more jammed together now, imagine what it coud do.
        I don’t believe people catch the flu from the vaccine. They “catch” side effects. Pretty soon we’ll have one vaccine that will last years. Good luck to all and I hope none of you naysayers give it to me.

  94. Carolyn

    I wished I wouldn’t have had the flu shot. I think this is my last year for it. Five days after receiving it, I fainted. This was a first time in my life for me, and I am 71. Of course, the medical profession doesn’t think it could be related to the flu shot. My arm still hurts in the shoulder joint since receiving this three weeks ago. Unfortunately I received the one that is 3x stronger, because of my age. I react to many medicines, and I am sure that something in the vaccine caused me to feel bad.

  95. Katharine Garrett

    Great informations on the flu shot. Great ideas and replacements for the flu shot. I used to get the flu shot a couple of times before a few years ago only because of my sister used to bug me about it. I have’nt had any problems afterwards of getting sick or anything yet. I always waited until the last part of the sections to get it done in December before. For some reason, it just seems like it was safer to go then near the end of the flu season. Anyways, I am not getting it done this year either. Thank you for everything Vivian. I don’t have facebook, that’s why I don’t send anything in the other part to be able to interact with anybody. Thanks again. Katharine

  96. intelligent person

    I think that you posted some very good supplements to help build your immune system.
    Now I would have to strongly disagree with your so called “facts” on the flu shot.
    First of all the companies that develop the influenza shot, spend millions of dollars on research every year developing it. That being said , they are also highly trained and very well educated individuals in these labs, not random writers on some website.
    I mean your only real “evidence” here is the time your mother got the flu after receiving the influenza shot. That does not prove anything!
    As everyone already knows the flu shot does not protect against every strain of the virus, as you also pointed out in your article. Now you say doctors and health care professionals are always trying to push people into getting the flu shot, did you ever think it’s because they know what they are talking about??? That’s exactly why they are called health care professionals. Now it’s because of stories like these that nobodyggets the flu shot and people continue to get sick and die. Now don’t go reviewing influenza shots, especially when your not a specialist in that field.

    • kazooga1234

      Then how come all of the websites that have studies with placebos and flu shots the placebos do just as well if not better at protecting against the flu. Also every website does say it’s random.

      https://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/10/30/statistics-vaccines-and-viral-evolution/

      That link proves it

    • Lorraine

      In response to “intelligent person” I would like to mention a few things:

      1. In 2005, 2.8 billion dollars of taxpayer money was spent subsidizing the rapid development of cell-based technology for making the flu vaccine. In 2007, the US Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, awarded Sanofi Pasteur a 77.4 million dollar contract to retrofit its existing Swiftwater, PA influenza vaccine manufacturing facility (the largest flu vaccine plant in the US). Sanofi Pasteur contributed approximately 25 million dollars toward this retrofit project.

      2. Big Pharma = BIG MONEY. As publicly traded companies, pharmaceutical companies have shareholders who are these companies’ number one priority (because they are the biggest holders), whether they say so on their websites, or not. In our capitalist society, money is top dog and worth keeping in mind.

      3. I agree with your concern over Vivian’s reference to her mother getting the flu following a flu shot as not being enough “evidence” against getting the vaccine.

      Theoretically, flu vaccines have “dead” versions of the chosen virus(es) and the makers claim it’s impossible to “get” the flu from a flu shot. In addition, the flu is a virus and antibiotics are used for bacterial infections, so the added reference to her mother needing to take antibiotics to clear up her illness appears to translate to her not having the “flu” in the first place.

      Regardless of this confusing statement, if you are interested in real evidence, check out the National Vaccine Information Center website which posts documented reactions to all vaccinations: https://medalerts.org/
      (When using the search function, you don’t need to fill in all the data options, just choose a vaccine in section 3. and click FIND.)

      The FLU search shows people between 44-65 have reported 19,994 cases of reactions, the largest group to experience adverse effects from the flu vaccine. The 17-44 age range is next with 16,492 cases.

      There are many people who choose to get an annual flu shot and don’t question the “health professionals” like you suggest. But there are others who need more than this. It is unfortunate for those who are (or will be) forced to get a flu shot due to changing legislation, as they have to decide what’s more important, their job or their beliefs on the matter.

      The bottom line is that I think we are our own best advocates for making wise choices for ourselves and our families, so it is important to learn all we can about these decisions. This article has some very useful points and suggestions for staying healthy (in spite of the confusion over her mother’s experience).

      Your suggestion that she not review influenza shots since she isn’t a specialist in that field reminds me of Monsanto (the agricultural biotechnology corporation) and others who don’t want us to know if GMO ingredients are in our food. They expect us to believe their own science which claims genetically engineered foods are perfectly safe. I’m no expert, but I have learned that “genetically engineered” means pesticides are injected into the plant’s DNA so they MAKE their own poison as they grow. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of money to be made on this, too.

      Greed has a strange way of messing with things. It makes sense to learn as much as possible – without attacking the messengers who are doing just this, even if there is room for improvement, which there almost always is. This is how we learn, change, and hopefully stay as healthy as possible.

      • sajha eden

        Yes, thanks Lorraine, for your very balanced and respectful reply. We all want everyone to be healthy, and you provided facts without insults. I appreciate the information.

      • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

        Lorraine, thank you for taking the time to research and present this information!

  97. Shirley Gekler

    Thank you for this article which is very informative. I have used quality supplements for many years. My work requires that I be on my feet for 6-7 hours per day worked, thus when xrayed to check for arthritis, none was found. I have not taken flu vaccines or anti-biotics for approximately five years. I have used, however, a product called Silver Sol which you can research and which was patented in the U.S. in 2006. You can google Silver Sol (The New Silver Solution Video) with Gordon Pederson or you can go to the website https://www.healthyagain.ca where you can find technical information presented in terms that we (the lay people) can understand.

    My bones seem to be in good shape perhaps because of being physically active. I have used the Silver Sol when I felt an infection starting, with good results. I have also read of cases where the vaccine went amiss, which was not a pretty picture.

    With best wishes to all.
    Shirley Gekler
    In years gone by I was plagued with sinus infections and anti-biotics were no longer working for me, however, the Silver Sol has worked for me. I don’t use it on a daily basis, but as I feel that I need it.

    Currently I use a blood pressure medication and metformin for diabetes.

  98. Avelina

    Thanks again, Vivian…I learned a lot from you. Thanks God I wasn’t able to have a flu shot that was given free by the city government. Health Personnel came to the City Hall to give shots to the employees. However, it was announced that those who have allergies can’t avail. I have an allergy to some foods, so I wasn’t injected.

  99. weibo bloging

    hi!,I love your writing very so much! share we keep up a correspondence extra about your post on AOL? I need a specialist on this house to unravel my problem. May be that’s you! Taking a look ahead to see you.

  100. Jon T

    Interesting points, I have had a flu jab every year for the last few years as I’m asthmatic & diabetic; every single time, I’ve been ill afterwards, last time for 3 months, I’m currently in my 4th week of fighting off another cold, I don’t remember being like this before the jabs. My doctor said I would be 5 to 6 times worse off not having it – very scientific, not sure what he based that on, I’ll be giving it a miss this year, I have friends & relatives who’ve stopped having it & they’ve been fine.

    • Laura

      I got my flu shot about a week ago and I got sick I ended up with stomach ache whole week and awful gas I watch what I ate just to calm my stomach down I am finally feeling well I don’t think I will get it next year I ended up last year the same outcome laura

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