In November 2005, President
Bush unveiled a $7.1 billion emergency plan to prepare for an influenza pandemic.
In October, the Bush Administration told us that in the best case scenario 200,000
people might die from the bird flu, and as many as two million could die in the
worst case scenario. The virus has already killed millions of birds and has also
infected 121 people and killed 62 worldwide, although there are as yet no reported
cases of bird flu in the US.
Frequent references to the
influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 are made to justify the projections, as somewhere
between 20 and 40 million people died from the flu during that period. This
is more than were killed in all of World War I.
Less Likely to Die With Modern Medical Care
Although nearly 1/5 of the
world population was affected by the flu in 1918, only 2.5% of those affected
with the disease died. The primary cause of death was pneumonia resulting from
bacterial infection of lungs injured as a result of the flu.1
Current medical care has developed
many effective strategies to treat pneumonia. This includes antibiotics and intensive
care units in which intravenous fluid replacement and respiratory support can
be provided. So, the Bush administration death projections seem unrealistic in
light of these contemporary advances.
How Many People Will Really Die From the Flu?
However, let us assume their
estimates are indeed accurate. The minimum 200,000 deaths would be nearly a seven-fold
increase in flu deaths, as the CDC estimates about 35,000 people typically die
from the flu in the US every year. However, careful analysis shows that nearly
all of these deaths, just as in 1918, are actually related to pneumonia, not the
flu. The CDC’s own web site shows that only 257 people actually died from
the flu in 2001 (see
CDC Website. The statistic is on page 31 of this
116 page, 7 megabyte PDF.) This is 99.5% less than the number they elsewhere claim
die from the flu.
Contrary to Popular Belief Flu Virus is NOT Transmitted Between People
One of the world’s pioneering
epidemiologists was R. Edward Hope-Simpson. He was the researcher that discovered
that the chickenpox virus was reactivated in adults, causing shingles.2
In 1979, he turned his attention
to influenza A. He studied two remote populations, one in Wales and the other
in England, and found that most affected households had only one case of influenza.
Furthermore, he found that
different families didn’t get sick one after another, but all got sick around
the same time. He discovered other facts that just didn’t fit with the theory
that influenza A is primarily spread by person-to-person transmission. 3
The
accepted theory of flu pandemics is that the virus first spreads in birds, perhaps
jumps to a mammal (pigs in 1918), then jumps to humans already infected with a
common influenza strain. There it combines and mutates to form a hybrid virus
that infects someone, and then that single person spreads it to others who spread
it to others in turn.
It is typically thought that
people typically acquire flu by inhaling the virus or by being in direct contact
with the respiratory tract secretions of people who are infected. The potential
to infect others lasts as long as viruses are being shed from the respiratory
tract. Healthy adults shed viruses from about one day before the onset of symptoms
and continue to do so for about five more days. Children shed viruses for about
two days longer, and people who are immunocompromised shed viruses for longer
still.4 Unfortunately,
the science of epidemiology does not support this theory.
Hope-Simpson also examined
the burial records for the last 500 years in English counties and found evidence
of repeated influenza epidemics. He discovered that influenza deaths coincided
with the date of the relevant influenza epidemic as recorded from widely different
parts of Britain. So long before modern rapid transit, everyone in Britain got
the flu around the same time! How could it be one person coming down with
the flu, infecting others, and so on, when everyone in Britain got sick at the
same time, long before modern rapid transit?5
Hope-Simpson rejected the
theory that the virus is only transmitted from actively infected persons to well
persons, concluding instead the facts were more consistent with transmission by
symptomless carriers who become contagious when the sunlight is either weaker
because it is winter, or is obscured by the rainy season.
He theorized that annual movement
of the sun caused a "seasonal stimulus that reactivates latent virus in the
innumerable carriers who are everywhere present, so creating the opportunity for
epidemics to occur in the wake of its passage." And thus, the celebrated
scientist committed heresy.
Even CDC Experts Tell Us Flu is NOT Spread Person to Person
Although the widely accepted current theory holds that influenza is spread between
people just like measles, not all experts agree with this. One of the CDC’s
own researchers, Dr. Carolyn Buxton Bridges, published a review on the transmission
of influenza which found no human experimental studies published in the English-language
literature supporting this theory.6
Other experts from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology recently wrote, "it
is important to recognize that the mechanisms by which pandemic strains originate
have not been explained yet."7
Furthermore, there is a persistent theory that influenza lies dormant in humans,
not birds or swine, until it mutates into a killer strain.8
You Get Influenza in Winter or With Decreased Sun Exposure
Hope-Simpson spent the rest
of his life trying to alert you to one of the basic facts of influenza. It
is distinctly seasonal. All theories about its transmission must take
into account its seasonality.
Looking at data going back
to 1945, he discovered that influenza epidemics above 30 degrees latitude in both
hemispheres occurred during the six months of least solar radiation, while outbreaks
in the tropics almost always occur during the rainy season.9More recently, other researchers also confirmed that influenza epidemics
in the tropics occur, with few exceptions, during the rainy season.10
In 1990, researchers confirmed
a relative lack of country-to-country transmission, by looking at two countries
with heavy tourist traffic between them.11
Your Vitamin D Levels Plummet in the Flu Season
Yes, as regularly as the flu
season, you vitamin D levels plummet in the fall and winter. Since vitamin D has
such a profound effect on your immune system, it appears highly likely that vitamin
D is involved in the epidemiology of influenza. But, is there any direct evidence?
Contemporary vitamin D research
experts like Dr. Colleen Hayes and her colleagues from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
reviewed and confirmed the profound effect vitamin D has on your immune system,
including the role vitamin D plays in fighting infections.12
Additionally, German researchers
recently discovered that vitamin D is intimately involved in improving white blood
cell function.13
Healthy Vitamin D Levels
There seems to be a preponderance
of evidence suggesting that decreased sun exposure and subsequently lower vitamin
D levels are closely related to your risk of acquiring the flu. This is consistent
with the fact that vitamin D deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency
in the US.
Even though vitamin D is an
oil soluble vitamin and is stored in your fat, it does decrease over time. It
would be as much of a mistake to rely on vitamin D levels left over from summer
sun exposure as it would be to eat enough food to satisfy your appetite and expect
not to require any more food for a few weeks.
For those with reduced sun
exposure in the winter, the only practical option is to take oral vitamin D. Ideally
it would be best to monitor your blood levels of vitamin D to optimize
the value close to 50 ng/ml and reduce the risk for any potential overdose. It
has been my clinical experience that well over 90% of the patients that I see
in the Chicago area have a vitamin D deficiency in the winter.
Since there is virtually no
down side to making sure you obtain adequate vitamin D levels, and a large variety
of additional health benefits as documented in the recent prestigious American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it would seem prudent to optimize vitamin D
in the winter.
The available evidence suggests
that this may be one of the most powerful lifestyle changes you can make to prevent
the flu during the winter. For those who are not fortunate enough to be able to
escape to a regular source of sunshine, the most effective way to improve vitamin
D levels, oral supplements, are an appropriate source.
A high quality cod liver oil
that contains beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A would be the most practical
alternative for most. You require several thousand units of vitamin D to normalize
levels during the winter. This is best achieved with 1-3 teaspoons of the liquid
or 5-15 capsules of cod liver oil daily.
Other Measures to Strengthen Your Immune System and Prevent the Flu
Flu Vaccines Will NOT Work
The recent White House request
to Congress for emergency funding includes $1.2 billion for 20 million doses of
an experimental vaccine for H5N1 bird flu, and $2.8 billion to speed development
of new flu vaccines. However, there are multiple flaws in this strategy. The most
important one is that the flu vaccine’s effectiveness is highly questionable.
Flu vaccines have been proven
to be ineffective even in populations for which they have been highly promoted,
such as those with cystic fibrosis and those with asthma.
But, what about healthy adults?
One study found that when healthy people are vaccinated for the flu, only six
percent fewer vaccinated people get the flu, as compared to the unvaccinated.
So it may only work 25 percent of the time anyway. However the key point is that
the observed benefit even then was only one half day less of flu symptoms.
Because of this weak benefit, the researchers could not support universal vaccination.
Toxic Vaccines
Let’s assume you believe
that the flu vaccine is effective and you will fall into the “lucky”
25% that will see some benefit. Then the question becomes: Is the risk of the
vaccine worth the benefit?
Would your decision change
if you knew that mercury, which is a proven neurotoxin, is in the vast majority
of flu vaccines, in the form of thimerosal?
This is despite a strong recommendation
six years from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Public Health Service
requesting (but alas, not mandating) the removal of the mercury-containing preservative
from all vaccines.
In addition to mercury, most
flu vaccines include the additional toxic substances:
Five Additional Lifestyle Factors That Reduce Your Risk of the Flu
1. Foods to Avoid.
You will want to be particularly careful to avoid the following foods, as they
have a well documented history of immune system impairment:
• Fast foods •
Sugars • Soda • Trans-fats
Additionally, if you are overweight,
or struggle with diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, you would
also likely benefit from avoiding grains. Grains can increase insulin and leptin
levels, which can in turn impair your immune response and make you more susceptible
to the flu.
2. Foods to Add
• Fish and cod liver
oil. Increasing the amount of animal-based essential fats like the omega-3 fats
found in fish and cod liver oil will also decrease your risk of getting the flu.
• Good carbohydrates
like those in fresh raw vegetables will provide essential nutrients that are simply
unavailable in processed foods. The micronutrients found in these foods will catalyze
and support many important immune functions.
3. Exercise Regularly.
Regular moderate physical activity enhances your immune responses, reducing susceptibility
to viral infections. A number of mechanisms are involved, such as improved lymphatic
circulation, and a raised body temperature, which can abort early viral infections.
4. Get Enough Sleep.
Optimal sleep and rest is crucial to the proper function of your immune system.
It is very common for sleep deprived individuals to come down with an infection.
5. Have an Effective Tool
to Address Stressors. This is perhaps one of the most important factors in
your susceptibility to infection.
Six Questions You NEED to Know the Answer to About Flu Shots
1. What are flu shots are
supposed to do? How are they designed to fight different flus?
Flu vaccines contain various
strains of flu virus, either as killed viruses or as weakened live viruses. The
intent is to cause antibodies to the flu strains to develop in the body, which
will provide protection against influenza virus infection.
The killed flu vaccine, which
is injected, has historically been used in individuals over 60 years old who are
at high risk for dying or becoming seriously ill during a bout with the flu. However,
in recent years, the CDC has been asking all age groups to get an annual flu shot
and now recommends that all healthy children older than 6 months of age get an
annual flu shot.
Live-virus vaccine (FluMist),
which is squirted up the nose, was licensed by the FDA in June 2003 for use in
healthy individuals between the ages of five and 50. FluMist's live virus is shed
after vaccination, so the vaccinated are advised to avoid close contact with immune-compromised
individuals for at least 21 days.
Flu vaccine only protects
against the three specific viruses that are included in any given year's flu vaccine
formulation, and it does not protect against throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal,
and ear infections caused by bacteria and other kinds of viruses, or any other
strains of flu.
2. What are in flu shots?
Why are the ingredients, especially thimeresol, so controversial?
Along with the viruses themselves,
flu vaccine ingredients include:
• Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)
• Phenol, also known as carbolic acid (this is used as a disinfectant
and a dye) • Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent •
Aluminum, which is associated with seizures, and also produces cancer in laboratory
mice (it is used as an additive to promote antibody response) • Neomycin
and Streptomycin (used as antibiotics), which have caused allergic reactions in
some people • Thimerosal (a mercury disinfectant/preservative), which
can result in brain injury and autoimmune disease.
Thimerosal is particularly
controversial because of its mercury content. Childhood vaccines contain doses
of mercury that are in excess of the Federal Safety Guidelines, and evidence shows
a link between the mercury found in thimerosal-containing vaccines and neurodevelopment
disorders such as autism and speech disorders, as well as heart disease. Since
the introduction of thimerosal to vaccines, rates of autism have drastically increased.
In the mid-1980s, one in 2,500 children had autism compared with one in about
300 children in 1996 -- an increase of over 800 percent in 20 years. Studies have
shown a two- to six-fold increased occurrence of neurodevelopment disorders after
an additional 75- to 100-microgram dosage of mercury from thimerosal-containing
vaccines as compared to thimerosal-free vaccines.
Many are horrified by the
evidence that childhood vaccinations may be behind the rise in autism, and thimerosal
has become an extremely hot-button topic as a result.
3. How can flu shots and
other vaccinations be hazardous?
In addition to the risk of
autism and other developmental disorders listed above, mercury has been implicated
as a possible cause of Alzheimer’s Disease; this is further supported by
the fact that the neurological damage caused by mercury poisoning and that caused
by Alzheimer’s Disease seems to be identical.
There are short-term problems
as well: the most common reactions to killed flu vaccine are fever, fatigue, painful
joints, and headache. A more severe reaction, which usually occurs within two
weeks of vaccination, is Guillain Barre syndrome, an immune-mediated nerve disorder
characterized by muscle weakness, numbness, pain, and paralysis.
The most common short-term
reactions to the live flu vaccine are similar to the flu: runny nose, nasal congestion,
cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, fever, chills, and weakness.
4. What immunological problems
may be linked to flu shots?
One of the effects of getting
what is basically a slurry of toxic chemicals injected into your system is that
it temporarily weakens your immune system; this in fact makes you more likely
to catch the flu than if you had never taken a shot in the first place. Not to
mention that, frankly, the side effects of live-virus flu vaccines sound just
like the symptoms of the flu anyway.
Thimerosal has also been linked
to autoimmune disorders.
5. Are there links between
flu shots and other health problems?
Research has shown an increased
risk of Bell palsy following intranasal flu vaccination, according to the Global
Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS). According to GACVS, the greater
risk of Bell palsy following immunization with this vaccine may be due either
to specific vaccine components, or simply the use of the intranasal administration
route.
6. What is the best way
to stay healthy and avoid the flu by boosting your immune system?
a) Avoid sugar.
Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and a strong
immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness, including the
flu.
b) Get enough rest.
Just as it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you’re
tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu.
c) Consume high quality
animal based omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats are the most common and serious nutritional
deficiency for nearly everyone reading this. They perform vital functions for
your immune system and are necessary for it to provide an optimal response to
nearly all viral infections. While omega-3 from plants (like flax) are useful
and should certainly be consumed, they are in no way shape or from an acceptable
substitute from animal based omega-3 fats. Those who consume a vegan based diet
that avoids all seafood will likely develop severe deficiencies in this important
fat and expose themselves to all infections, not only flu, in addition to nearly
every chronic degenerative disease we know of.
d) Have effective tools
to address stress. We all face some stress everyday, but if stress becomes
overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illnesses.
It has been estimated that up to 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related.
e) Exercise regularly.
When you exercise you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout
your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which
means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it has
a chance to spread. Interestingly, exercise is also an effective way to address
the stress in your life.
f) Wash Your Hands.
Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your
nose, mouth, or other people. Be sure you don’t use antibacterial soap for
this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more
harm than good.
You may have noticed that
I didn’t mention getting a flu shot. This is because the flu shot, and the
FluMist nasal vaccine, are not the answer to avoiding the flu. The flu vaccine,
whether in the shot or nasal form, is worthless at best and should be avoided.
REFERENCES
1
Wall Street Journal Little Reason to Fear Repeat of 1918 Pandemic. November 1,
2005 page A17
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Greenville, TX 75402 1-888-834-9811
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The
accepted theory of flu pandemics is that the virus first spreads in birds, perhaps
jumps to a mammal (pigs in 1918), then jumps to humans already infected with a
common influenza strain. There it combines and mutates to form a hybrid virus
that infects someone, and then that single person spreads it to others who spread
it to others in turn.