Here & There Column 10-16-12

Are Flu Shots A Sure Thing?

  Government health agencies, medical facilities and even drug store chains are telling us to line up for our flu shots.

  Dr. Julian Whitaker, MD, founder and director of The Whitaker Wellness Institute, the largest alternative medicine clinic in the United States located in Newport Beach, California,  says "you may think immunization is your only hope against a bad case of the flu ...nothing could be further from the truth."

  There is indeed a lot of hard sell from doctors and government agencies and Dr. Whitaker notes, "while immunization may reduce your risk, it's far from a sure thing."

  Flu shots, according to Dr. Whitaker, "certainly don't protect the numerous other bugs that cause the majority of respiratory infections  and a study in "The Lancet" found that flu shots do not reduce risk of pneumonia in people over age 65, in fact during peak flu season pneumonia rates were actually higher in vaccinated individuals."

  Reseachers concluded that this lack of benefit means one of two things......either influenza is not a primary cause of pneumonia or the vaccine is ineffective, 

  The study involved people over 65 living on their own and previous research suggests that flu shots may be advisable for frail older people in assisted living facilities.        

  As a world renowned doctor in the nutritional field Dr. Whitaker pointed out that "for the most of us--and that includes children--the current scientific research doesn't even come close to supporting the wildly overblown claims about the value of flu shots."

  In support of his nutritional values and research Julian offers his opinion "that this doesn't mean you should go through flu season unarmed and that the most important step you can take it to increase your daily dose of vitamin D3 as this has a profound effect on the immune system.

  After hearing and reading interesting alternatives offered by medical experts the best advise we offer is to discuss this information with your physician and decide for yourself whether or not you're an appropriate candidate for vaccination.