Alternative methods to the Flu Shot
Marlene McKee, N.E., D.Hom.
www.bodyiqonline.com
With so much controversy surrounding flu shots we should not make quick decisions and get one as soon as the flu and cold season starts. We may not get the flu after all, but we submitted to a vaccine that holds potential harm and its worth has not yet been proven. It is assumed that it works if the virus strains from the vaccine will match the strains of the one expected to hit. The research regarding what strains of viruses is mostly guesswork. It also seems contradictory to put a health hazard into your body for protection since flu and other vaccines contain mercury, aluminum and formaldehyde as preservatives that can cause neurological problems, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
There are people who could perhaps benefit from this prophylactic; children under two years of age whose immune system is not fully developed, the elderly and sick in nursing homes who cannot make decisions in the best interest of their health. Recent studies have shown, however, that children under the age of two who had been vaccinated still got the flu. The same happened to the elderly. In their case it was assumed that the immune response had failed due to their age.
It seems that whether you get vaccinated or not, you may or may not get the flu.
So what can one do in these situations?
A more benign method would be to check out the alternatives used in other healing modalities.
What are the alternatives?
- Diet: First of all and most importantly, we should keep the immune system well serviced by avoiding foods that are detrimental to health. This has to be a life-long mission not just the occasional surge when the flu season starts.
- To nourish the body and to keep especially the immune system in optimal health, one should eat an organic diet consisting of varieties of different colored vegetables supplying a full spectrum of antioxidants, nuts, seeds, fruits, grass-fed animal proteins and fish. Unfortunately, one has to be careful as to which fish to chose. The reason is that many contain large amounts of mercury and therefore are unsafe for human consumption
- Very important is to choose good fats, meaning pure, organic, cold-pressed oils and not oils that are highly processed through chemicals and subjected to heat that change smell, color and provide a long shelf-life and, at the same time, destroying valuable nutrients. Extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil should always come in dark bottles. Olive oil should not be heated too much. If used in cooking, use medium heat only or use coconut oil instead, if necessary.
- DO NOT USE MICROWAVE OVENS! High heat produced by this method destroys enzymes vital to health. Enzymes break down food into chemicals the body uses for its defense, repair and to renew cells. Enzymes are in fresh, organic fruits and vegetables not subjected to processing. Their life force is intact and is nourishing. Besides the destruction of enzymes and vitamins, microwaves change food molecules into substances foreign to the human body. Humans did not evolve on denatured microwave cooking methods. Foods prepared like this or babies’ milk heated this way will not contribute to healthy immune functions.
- DON’T EAT PROCESSED FOOD.
- AVOID PRESERVATIVES AND FOOD COLORINGS.
- AVOID SUGAR AND SUGAR SUBSTITUTES LIKE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS. Use Stevia or Maple Syrup instead. These natural sweeteners are metabolized more slowly and are insulin efficient.
- Breastfeeding: Mother’s milk provides important antibodies and natural antibiotics to strengthen the baby’s immune system from the very start. Colostrum is a defense for bacteria and viruses. To continue building a baby’s immune system it is also very important that it receives whole foods with nutrients intact and not food processed into baby food and sold in jars. The diet for a child should be as varied as possible to avoid allergies. The immune system has to fight very hard to ward off allergens and becomes quickly depleted.
- Supplements: Supplement the diet with a good quality vitamin/mineral supplement. If there is a need of targeting a health issue, use food based supplements like green foods, nutritional yeast and specialized vitamins. During the flu season, use homeopathic remedies in addition to Echinacea, Astragalus, Elderberry syrups and combinations of western or Chinese herbs.
- Homeopathy: To keep immune defenses in high gear, homeopathy is probably one of the best alternative healing systems. In homeopathy, the entire person is treated not the disease. Remedies are made from plants, minerals, animals, animal and bacterial tissue in high dilutions. The more diluted the remedy, the more potent it is. Homeopathy induces the body to heal itself by supporting its innate healing potential. One can treat flu symptoms with homeopathy very effectively with truly astonishing results. For prevention, the remedy Influenzinum has been used in previous years. Each year anticipated viral strains are made into the remedy. It is supposed to trigger the body’s defense mechanism to make antibodies just like a vaccine.
Another effective homeopathic remedy for the flu is Oscillococcinum. When taken at the very beginning of flu symptoms it can stop them from turning into a full-fledged flu.
- Exercise: Choose an exercise program that easily fits into your schedule. At least twenty minutes a day are necessary for a cardio workout. Two quick walks around the block will do it. Make sure to have a speed to make you breathe hard. Yoga exercises several times a week will keep you stretched and supple. Deep breathing opens lungs and provides more oxygen. Germs don’t like it in a well-exercised body. Less than one hour of exercise per day is shown to be equal to smoking a pack of cigarettes per week. You know what that can do to your lungs and how hard the immune system has to work to repair this damage!
- Environment: Make your environment into a haven of peace. Use organization and simplicity. It provides tranquility, which is important for a well functioning immune system. Avoid household toxins. Use cleansers that are biodegradable, one cleanser for cleaning and one for washing dishes and a safe laundry detergent are enough.
- Sunshine and fresh air: Heliotherapy is healing with sunlight. Sunshine can kill germs even through glass. It is said that the sun causes cancer, but it has been shown that it can also help in some cases of cancer. Heliotherapy is recommended for tuberculosis and infections. . The following is a quote from a book called “the Healing Sun” by Richard Hobday MSc PhD. “Sunlight may cause skin cancer, but there is also evidence that it could prevent a number of very common and often fatal diseases: breast cancer; colon cancer; prostate cancer; ovarian cancer; heart disease; multiple sclerosis; and osteoporosis.” An excellent article on fresh air was written some years ago by Dr. Bernell Baldwin, entitled, "Why is Fresh Air Fresh?" Baldwin pointed out that fresh air is chemically different than the circulated indoor air that most Americans breathe. High quality fresh air is actually electrified. The life-giving oxygen molecule is negatively charged or "negatively ionized." This negatively charged oxygen gives rise to a number of benefits listed below:
- Improved sense of well being
- Increased rate and quality of growth in plants and animals
- Improved function of the lung's protective cilia
- Tranquilization and relaxation (decreased anxiety)
- Lowered body temperature
- Lowered resting heart rate
- Decreased survival of bacteria and viruses in the air
- Improved learning in mammals
- Decreased severity in stomach ulcers
- Spirituality: Every aspect of your existence contributes to health and a well functioning immune system. The way you treat others, your ability to forgive and forget and what you hold as truth. Meditation is a way to strengthen these aspects. Prayers give hope and visualization will manifest what you need, a healthy immune defense to ward off the flu each year as well as many other debilitating diseases. Prayers and meditation are very effective in reducing daily stress.
Other alternative medicine methods, like Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Ayurveda, Chiropractic and Massage Therapy have their own ways to heal the body and to maintain its immune integrity. We should make use of all these modalities to ensure ongoing health and well-being.
The bottom line is, let your own body’s defense mechanism do its job before you hit it with a poison. After all, it is its job. But make sure you supply it with the best raw material – clean, fresh, pure food, exercise and a good attitude.
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