The Controversial Flu Vaccine

"During the 2012-2013 flu season, the flu vaccine's effectiveness was found to be just 56% across all age groups reviewed by the CDC - in essence, the statistical equivalent of a coin toss."

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

There is mounting evidence on why you should avoid the flu vaccine. Unfortunately, in addition to the fact it may not be nearly as effective as advertised, flu vaccines can and do cause harm.

Most deaths related to influenza are actually due to bacterial pneumonia, and bacterial pneumonia can be effectively treated with advanced medical care and therapies like parenteral antibiotics and respirators.

Does It Work?

Let's look at the actual studies, not the hype, that show just how ineffective the flu vaccine is in both adults and children:

In seniors aged 65 and over, the flu vaccine was only 9% effective. In a review of 64 studies of the elderly over 98 flu seasons, flu shots were non-significant for preventing influenza, ILI, or pneumonia.⁽¹⁾
During the 2012-2013 flu season, the flu vaccine's effectiveness was found to be just 56% across ALL age groups reviewed by the CDC - in essence, the statistical equivalent of a coin toss.
In a review of 48 reports, including 66,000 adults, “Vaccination of healthy adults only reduced risk of influenza by 6%, and reduced the number of missed work days by less than one day (0.16) days. It did not change the number of people needing to go to the hospital or take time off work.”⁽²⁾
Vaccinating against one strain of influenza may actually increase your risk of exposure to related but different strains.
In a review of over 51 studies involving 294,000 children, there was no evidence that injecting children 6-24 months of age with a flu vaccine was more effective than the placebo, and it was found to be only effective 33% of the time in children over 2 yrs. of age.⁽³⁾
Children with asthma who receive the flu vaccine are more at risk for hospitalization than children who do not receive the vaccine.⁽⁴⁾

Vitamin D - Natural Flu Prevention

Randomized controlled trials found a reduced incidence of influenza for those taking high doses of vitamin D.

A study involving African-American postmenopausal women in New York found a 60% reduced risk of colds and influenza for those taking 800 IUs vitamin D₃, and a 90% reduced risk for those taking 2,000 IUs.
A 2010 study demonstrated the effectiveness of vitamin D as a preventive strategy against influenza. Children taking just 1,200 IUs of vitamin D3 per day (considered a low dose) were shown to be 42% less likely to come down with the flu.(5)
A study in Japan involving school children taking 1,200 IUs of vitamin D₃ vs. 200 IUs, found a 67% reduction in Type A influenza. Type A influenza includes H1N1 varieties, which were the type involved in the 1918-19 pandemic influenza, and the 2009 “swine flu” infections. The Japanese scientists concluded that the anti-viral drugs "zanamivir" and "oseltamivir" reduced risk of flu infection by only 8% in children exposed to infection, compared with a 50% or greater reduction with vitamin D.⁽⁶⁾

Many doctors throughout Europe and Canada routinely prescribe high doses of vitamin D not only for the flu, but for a long list of chronic diseases.

Natural Strategies to Protect Yourself Against the Flu

For disease to take hold of the body, the immune system has in some way become compromised or overwhelmed. The key to flu prevention is to ensure that your immune system is both strong and uncompromised, and the health of the immune system can be significantly affected by different lifestyle factors.

Here are 9 simple measures you can take to protect yourself from the flu:

Eat the right diet...