More flu info.

Also from ICPA4kids.com

There is no doubt that many thousands of the people who receive flu shots this season will make it from Labor Day to Memorial Day without coming down with a case of influenza. So taken at face value: if it works, it works - enough said. But you should stop reading now if you'd like to remain unaware of the complete contents of a flu shot. I'll tell you this: it's not pretty.

Each year the flu vaccine is newly redesigned, using several strains from different types of flu that were common the season before. So basically you're getting a vaccine that is, in theory, ideal for protecting you from last year's primary flu types. Meanwhile, vaccine developers cross their fingers and hope that whatever new flu mutation comes our way this season is not much different than last year's flu.

But that shot at your doctor's office contains much more than just flu strains. The vaccine is prepared with chicken embryo fluid, inoculated with the living flu strains. The fluid is then treated with formaldehyde to inactivate the virus.

Thimerosal, a mercury derivative, is injected to help preserve the mixture. Ethylene glycol (better known as antifreeze) and another chemical called phenol are added to disinfect. And because animal cells are used for this process, animal viruses are sometimes introduced into the vaccine, undetected. This has happened as recently as 1995.

Now ask yourself: If you were intending to purchase a dietary supplement, and the label offered this warning: "May contain traces of formaldehyde, thimerosal, phenol, ethylene glycol, and animal cells," would you buy it?

A "shot" of antioxidant

There are a number of supplements that may help elevate antioxidant levels.. Vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene have all been shown to help fight colds and flu. Selenium - a naturally occurring mineral with antioxidant properties is another. Selenium may actually stop viruses from mutating and becoming more potent.

And finally, we have echinacea - the herb that's become so well known in recent years for its apparent ability to help reduce the length and severity of colds and flu. How this is done is not yet known, although some studies have indicated that echinacea may stimulate the production of white blood cells that are necessary to effectively manage viruses. Just last week I found a new study on echinacea from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona. Purported to be one of the first human studies of this herb, the researchers concluded that the effectiveness of echinacea may lie in its ability to strengthen a specific part of the immune system that is known to attack viruses.

So if the idea of getting a flu shot is reassuring to you, don't let me stop you. But there's a very good chance that all the flu protection you need can be achieved by getting the right amount of sleep, eating a balanced diet, maintaining a light to moderate exercise regimen, and supplementing with a few proven helpers in the yearly fight between us and the flu bug.
Access references and contact info about Jenny Thompson and HSI at:
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