It seems there are two safety issues this flu season: the flu itself and the vaccine currently being manufactured. The H1N1 influenza virus has thus far proven to be less dangerous than officials originally predicted. It resembles a regular flu with common symptoms of fever, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, coughing, sore throat and stomach disturbances in some people. Like the seasonal flu, it is a viral infection of the respiratory track. For most people, symptoms are mild and clear up after several days or rest and proper hydration. In most cases, those who experience further complications already suffer from an immune compromising condition or have actually contracted bacterial pneumonia, a much more dangerous illness.

Ironically, while pregnant women, elderly, small children and medical workers are the high risk candidates for contracting the H1N1 virus, the majority of the documented cases so far have been in young adults under 30. Factors like obesity and underlying  conditions such as diabetes or heart disease proved to  increase risk for complications from the virus.

The vaccine itself is manufactured like the seasonal flu vaccine in an egg substance with certain adjuvents (additives) to elicit an immune response. Thimerosal, a mercury based adjuvent, will be present in multi-dose vials of this vaccine, though some single dose vaccines may be made without it. Thimerosal has long been suspected to be tied to autism, though it has only actually been proven to be related in one case. Other additives that might be present in the seasonal or swine flu vaccines are:

• Aluminum — a neurotoxin that has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease
• Triton X-100 — a detergent
• Phenol (carbolic acid)
• Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)
• Betapropiolactone – a disinfectant
• Nonoxynol – used to kill or stop growth of STDs
• Octoxinol 9 – a vaginal spermicide
• Sodium phosphate

(Taken from Mercola.com. Read the full article here)

The H1N1 vaccine will be tested for up to three weeks before being released for public use, according to FDA documents. Additionally, any testing would be on the H1N1 vaccine alone, and not in combination with the seasonal flu vaccine, which could mean as many as four doses of flu vaccine for some. According to the official website about the flu put out by the government, “The CDC is encouraging people to get both vaccinations (swine and seasonal).”

No testing has been done on the effects of these vaccines, alone or in combination, on the unborn children of pregnant women who receive them, though:

A recent study showed exposure flu viruses among women during pregnancy provoke a similar gene expression pattern in the fetus as that seen in autistic children. (Full article)

Another important point to consider when weighing the risks and benefits of the flu vaccine(s) is their effectiveness. There are no controlled studies that demonstrate any decrease in cases of the flu among those who have gotten the vaccine. The insert in the FLUVAL vaccine for the 2009-2010 formula specifically states:

” FLULAVAL is an influenza virus vaccine indicated for active immunization of adults 18 years of age and older against influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and type B contained in the vaccine. This indication is based on immune response elicited by FLULAVAL, and there have been no controlled trials demonstrating a decrease in influenza disease after vaccination with FLULAVAL.”

From my perspective as a mom and nutritional consultant, and after the limited research I have done, my family and I will not be getting either of the flu vaccines this year. I am yet to see any evidence that the benefits outweigh the risks, especially to small children. Obviously this is a highly controversial issue, but that is my take on it. I have some other links on vaccine safety and effectiveness on my Resources page.

Some of the more informative sources I found while researching were the National Vaccine Information Center, Mercola.com, and Dr. Tenpenny.

More posts on seasonal vaccines and flu prevention to follow.

Here’s to a healthy home!

Related posts:

1. Gardasil Vaccine May Not Be Effective and Could be Dangerous
2. At Home Flu Prevention and Treatment
3. Swine Flu Paranoia

1. Drink water. A good starting benchmark for water consumption is to take half of your body weight and add twenty. That is the minimum number of ounces you should consumer, per day. If you exercise, add 8-16 ounces for each thirty minutes of exercise. Also, add 16 ounces for every caffeinated or carbonated beverage you consume. Statistics show that many Americans are clinically dehydrated and do not even know it. The effects of this dehydration can lead to things as small as headache and as devastating as early death.

2. Exercise. You have heard it before, but exercise has so many positive benefits, and is necessary for optimal body function. Recent statistics show that about 65 percent of all Americans do not get any exercise at all. The CDC also reported that about 65 percent of all Americans are overweight or obese. Coincidence? Exercise lowers your risk of several types of cancer, increases the flow of endorphins and good chemicals throughout your body and reduces stress, just to name a few of the main benefits. Even small amounts of exercises are good, so try to fit in any amount that you can. A good benchmark is to try to exercise for 30 minutes at least on 3-5 days of the week. Your exercise level should be enough that it is difficult to carry on a conversation, but you should still be able to talk. Even working in this small amount of exercise can dramatically improve many aspects of your life.

3. Supplement your diet. In today’s society, it is virtually impossible to consume enough pure, whole foods to give your body the structures it needs to function properly. Though the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables cannot be ignored, even nine servings of each per day is not enough to provide your body proper nutrition.

4. Proper diet. It is no secret that fast food is not good for you, but there are many other common foods that are just as bad. Any kind of soda is bad, even diet. Carbonated beverages deplete your bones of necessary calcium and magnesium and can lead to problems such as osteoporosis. Diet beverages are even worse than their sugar-heavy counterparts, because they contain dangerous sweeteners, many which can never be removed from your body. Any food that has been fried is basically devoid of nutrients and does nothing for your body. Diets too rich in artificial carbohydrates can lead to many problems. As a general rule, it is good to avoid foods that contain refined sugar or starches or bleached flour.

5. Sleep. This is one of the hardest elements of health to accomplish in today’s high demand society, but as you know, an average person needs 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Not getting enough sleep can lower your mental abilities, lead to fatigue and cause physical pain such as headaches.

Related posts:

1. How to Lose Weight while Preventing the Flu this Season
2. Ten Reasons to Avoid Drinking Soda
3. Baking Soda as A Natural Antacid