FORGET THE FLU SHOT: Boost natural immunity with these 6 lifestyle changes

This article was published in The Mindful Word journal of engaged living (http://www.themindfulword.org)

For those 65 and older the influenza vaccine helped in just 9 per cent of cases, a number too low to be statistically significant, according to a report in the CDC’s Weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report released Thursday. The study was based on a survey of 2,697 children and adults by the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network from Dec. 3, 2012, through Jan. 19, 2013.

While this year’s flu season has been moderately severe for the general population, ”in people over 65 we’re seeing a pretty severe year,” said Joe Bresee, chief of the epidemiology and prevention branch in the CDC’s influenza division.

Why vaccinate when it doesn’t help?

Researchers don’t know why the vaccine was unhelpful for older people. In reality their immune systems are less responsive to initiating an immune response. ”We know that any vaccine, including flu vaccines, is less effective as you get older,” Bresee said. So why do we continue with vaccinations when there are many other important lifestyle changes to make?

Overall, the vaccine’s effectiveness for everyone older than 6 months was 56 per cent, just slightly lower than the 62 per cent that had been estimated earlier in the season. This season’s vaccine contains protection against three flu strains: H3N2, influenza B and H1N1. The vaccine was 67 per cent effective against influenza B in adults over 65 but only 9 per cent effective against H3N2, the CDC found.

Despite the feeble protection, the CDC is still urging the elderly to get vaccinated. They’re among those most vulnerable to life-threatening complications from the flu, and some protection is better than none.

When you dig into the literature you will find a number of studies that evaluate the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine. Cochrane Database Systems Review; 2010 July 7; “Influenza vaccines have a modest effect in reducing influenza symptoms and working days lost. There is no evidence that they affect complications, such as pneumonia, or transmission.”

Lifestyle changes to boost natural immunity

Lifestyle factors that can depress your immune system, alone or in combination, include:

Eating too much sugar, particularly fructose, and too many grains – The average person is consuming about 75 grams of fructose per day. Fructose, especially in the form of fruit drinks can devastate your immune system.

Gastrointestinal system – Your gut is where 80 per cent of your immune system lies. When you have a bad diet you’re compromising your gut and in turn, your immune system. Sugar is “fertilizer” for pathogenic bacteria, yeast and fungi that can set your immune system up for an assault by a virus. Reducing your sugar intake is CRUCIAL for optimizing your immune system. Also, reducing your fruit intake will reduce your sugar load.

Vitamin D deficiency, as a result of insufficient sun exposure – In 2010 The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition did a randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren and found: “That vitamin D3 supplementation during the winter may reduce the incidence of influenza A, especially in specific subgroups of schoolchildren.” Direct sunlight is an even better way of getting vitamin D.

Not getting enough rest – Rest and sleep is paramount to healing. Rest is needed for the anabolic system of healing and repair.

Insufficient exercise – Movement enhances brain function. Vigorous exercise as in high intensity interval training will improve your oxygenation and vascular efficiency of your body.

Emotional stressors – Reducing stress will take your body out of sympathetic stress. Stress is known to alter immune function.

There are many other strategies other than taking a vaccine to bolster your immune system. When you focus on improving your health with diet, rest and activity, your overall health improves.

Still not convinced? Do some more research on the flu shot by reading BODY INVADERS: How to avoid the flu shot

The post FORGET THE FLU SHOT: Boost natural immunity with these 6 lifestyle changes appeared first on The Mindful Word.

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