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Swine Flu (H1N1) – Part 3: How Should You Protect Yourself?

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August 24, 2009
	Dr. Gary Huber : Head Medical Ego

(Part 3 in a 3 part series)

So will you likely die from Influenza A or one of its subtypes like H1N1? Depends on who YOU are. Under the age of 5, the immune system has not matured and these kids are at risk to some degree. If you are very old or have debilitating chronic disease then yes, your odds are higher. But the fact is influenza virus does not cause death in and of itself. The flu is not typically deadly all by itself. The flu puts a stress on your immune system and cardiovascular system and other components of your body. If you are strong and have a good immune system then you should not live in fear of influenza. But if you have diabetes or a weak heart, or a history of lung disease, suffer from AIDS or have HIV, cancer or other immune system issue then caution is advised and you may want to consider a vaccine.

Flu Shots:  They Don’t Work
That’s the title of section three in chapter seven of Dr. Sherri Tenpenny’s book, “Just Say No To Vaccines – A Resource Guide For All Ages.” This book offers a very thorough and well researched discussion of vaccine use. Despite the title Dr. Tenpenny is not totally opposed to all vaccines and does offer a more rational approach to vaccination with regard to the type of vaccine and appropriate schedules. In the section regarding influenza I want to share with you some research done by the Cochrane Collaboration in 2005 that highlights the most current information we have involving the largest studies to date.

In a review of 51 studies involving more than 260,000 children, researchers concluded that there was “no evidence that injecting children 6 to 23 months of age with flu vaccines is any more effective than placebo.” There was no evidence to support claims that influenza vaccines prevent death or other complications in this age group. The researchers go on to say, “We were astonished to find only one safety study of inactivated [standard influenza A] vaccine in children under two years of age and that was carried out nearly 30 years ago and only in 35 children.” as reported by Dr. Jefferson, head of the Cochrane review panel. Translation: we haven’t studied these typical vaccines in enough kids to know how safe they are.

They also reviewed 25 studies involving 60,000 healthy adults and found that the vaccine reduced the risk of getting influenza by a meager 6% and reduced the number of days missed from work by less than one day. The number was actually 16/100ths of a day. “Universal immunization of healthy adults was not supported by the results of this review” (2006).

How about the elderly? This is the population most at risk for death from influenza. The Cochrane Group reviewed 64 studies over 96 flu seasons and reported, “The effectiveness of the flu shot, particularly in the elderly, was wildly overstated and the runaway 100% effectiveness touted by proponents of the flu shot for the elderly was nowhere to be seen.” Dr. Jefferson concludes, “Vaccines may have a role but they appear to have a modest effect. The best strategy to prevent illness is to wash your hands.”

The Experience of a 20 Year Emergency Room Physician
I worked in emergency medicine for 20 years and was exposed to hundreds of cases of influenza over the course of my career. I never received a flu vaccine despite having hundreds of influenza patients coughing and sneezing all around me for 20 years. I got the flu ONCE. I felt bad for a week and that was it. So why didn’t I die of influenza or at least get it every year? Common sense and clean living. Wash your hands, don’t kiss sick people, eat your vegetables and support your immune system.

How Can You Protect Yourself from Swine Flu – H1N1?
Here’s a radical idea . . . stay healthy.  But really be “healthy,” take an active role in supporting your immune system. Did you know that a dose of refined sugar will suppress your immune system for 5 to 6 hours? A high sugar diet will decrease the activity of your white cells and they will not be active in defending you from viral assaults so eat vegetables, nuts, seeds, meat and other low glycemic foods.  I see many people who say they don’t eat a high sugar diet, but a diet of bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta is a high sugar diet. These high glycemic foods release tons of sugar into the blood stream in a very rapid fashion. These are also the very foods leading to obesity in many people.

Stay away from processed foods as they are typically devoid of good nutrition, lack fiber and often have added high fructose corn syrup and sugars. Vegetables contain phytonutrients that support a healthy immune system. If it wasn’t on the planet 100 years ago then don’t eat it.

Omega 6 oils such as vegetable oils (corn, sunflower, soybean, peanut, canola, and safflower) also suppress the immune system. Stick with omega 3 oils such as olive oil. Vitamin C, zinc, vitamin E, and carotenoids are strong supports for the immune system so eat foods high in these nutrients. If you don’t know which foods these are I will give you a hint: they don’t come in boxes, bags or cans. Whole foods, produce section, clean meats, nuts and seeds, and some fruit.

Vitamin D is a very strong and valuable adjunct in supporting your immune function. Get your vitamin D level measured and keep it around 50 ng/ml. Most people do well on 2000 to 5000 units but it is a fat soluble vitamin so checking your blood level is recommended. Your doctor can do this or you can order your own test from ZRT laboratories and do the test at home. I have no affiliation with ZRT, it’s just a good lab that I trust.

Exercise is a must. To have a healthy immune system you must move and create some sweat.  Exercise has a multitude of benefits for your body and one of these is to support healthy immune function. The act of sweating is your body’s way of riding itself of toxins that can suppress your immune function so sweat yourself to a healthy body that is resistant to H1N1. For more information read my article: Exercise is Not an Option, It’s a Requirement.

These are the healthy habits that allowed me to work in an influenza riddled environment and walk away without a problem.

Do not let me make your decision for you. Do not let the government make your decision for you. Our government made the banking laws for this country and look how well that turned out. When you don’t think for yourself, the government tends to think for you. Educate yourself and do what feels right for you.

For many of you, I am sure that the idea of wading through all of this medical jargon and detailed information is a daunting task and you may not feel qualified to make your own decision. But at the very least take some of the questions and issues raised here to your own doctor and discuss it with him/her. That discussion may lead you in the right direction.

My Plans for My Family
While I cannot offer you specific advice to your own personal situation, I can share what I have planned for my family. I am a healthy adult male with 2 kids (8 and 10 years old), and a healthy wife. I will continue to read information regarding this developing H1N1 issue but at this time I have no intention of getting a vaccine for H1N1 or influenza A. I will not vaccinate my wife or kids because I love them and wish to keep them out of harm’s way. I apologize if this series of articles appears one-sided but I have presented the facts and the studies and this is what I have discovered. 

I will admit that I am very skeptical of the entire vaccination machine that exists in this country. When people tell me lies and try to poison my children I get a little irritated. You should also know that in the state of Ohio and Kentucky, you are not required to vaccinate your child in order to send them to public school. I am not familiar with all of the laws in all 50 states but some information regarding this can be found in Dr. Tenpenny’s book. I wish you well in your own personal journey to answer these questions for yourself and I encourage you to stand up for your rights and not allow the bullies to get the best of you.

Speak Your Mind
We’d love to hear from you. What plans or actions have you made in light of all the H1N1 coverage? How does that differ from other flu seasons? 

Related:
Read Swine Flu – Part 1: What Is It and How Worried Should You Be?
Read Swine Flu – Part 2: Should We be Rushing an H1N1 Vaccine?
H1N1 Flu Update – How Are We Doing?
H1N1 Flu Update No. 2: Surprising Numbers