FLU SHOT – IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE?
Flu Season is upon us. In fact, as of October 1st, my office reported one of the first cases of flu in Ocean County. As usual, not only are physicians preparing for the potential “epidemic”, pharmacists, grocery clerks and Wal-Mart greeters are all encouraging you to get your flu shot!
For those of you who are seasoned readers of the OCW Magazine, you know my take on this and other Conventional Mainstream Medical Myths. For you novices, my prior history in conventional medicine resulted in my existence as a frustrated Family Physician. Having had the fortitude to break away from the “conventional wisdom” taught to me in medical school, it is appalling how much of that instruction I later found to be misguided, if not completely inaccurate. Today in my practice, it is my personal and professional goal to thoroughly research the most cutting-edge solutions for the medical problems that are brought before me. I assure you that anything I ever write or say is not based solely on my opinion but rather on factual evidence-based medical literature.
Most of you know that I am not a fan of any vaccination with perhaps the exception of the rabies vaccine for those at very high risk since the death rate of rabies once contracted is not less than 100%. Although the discussion of general immunization practices in America is not the purpose of this article, it will soon be available to you once I launch my new website. I hope that it will give parents more information and guidance in making an informed decision as to how to approach options for their own as well as their children’s immunization schedule.
The Flu Vaccine Is “Lacking”
Do you remember reading about the 1918 flu pandemic involving H1N1 influenza virus that killed 5 percent of the world’s population? Fear of this recurrence has brought about the multitude of vaccines given to our children and adults in America today (which has also provided a fat payday for Big Pharma). Once again: a great idea by man but a bad idea for mankind. This is because the flu shot is ineffective in protecting those most vulnerable from the life threatening effects of the flu, namely the very young and the elderly above age 65.1
In a 2012 study conducted by the Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy at the University of Minnesota, the authors concluded that evidence for “consistent high- level protection is elusive.” Although vaccination was found to provide modest protection from infection in young healthy adults who rarely have complications of flu, the authors found that “evidence for protection in adults 65 years of age and older [who represent over 90% of deaths from flu] . . . is lacking.2”
The same has been concluded in dozens of similar studies in infants and toddlers. Yet, in spite of the evidence disputing the benefits of the flu vaccines, hospitals and state legislators around the nation have been implementing flu vaccine mandates for employees, under threat of termination. This includes everyone working for the hospital, whether they have patient contact or not. This is only the tip of the iceberg. The CDC plans to revaccinate all children and adults; hospital workers just have the misfortune of being at the top of the list.
What are the options?
There are multiple preventive things you can do such as hand washing, and covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Eating healthy and getting adequate sleep is also very helpful, as are many herbs and supplements. But none are as effective as vitamin D. It has been well established that obtaining and maintaining high optimal levels of vitamin D will prevent the flu far better than the flu shot with literally no risks attached to its use. In fact if you develop the flu you should take excessive amounts to combat the symptoms and length of disability associated with it.
Dr. Bartiss’ Daily Vitamin D
Recommendations for this season’s Flu
- Get a blood test for Vitamin D (OH-25)
- Make sure your whole family has adequate blood levels of Vitamin D this flu season (>65-80ng/ml). Most children and adults vitamin D blood level is <30ng/ml.
- Adult (and children >100lbs) maintenance……………………………… 10,000 IU daily.
- Children’s maintenance: 5. At the first symptoms of a cold or flu ………….1,000IU/ lb. daily for 7 days.
Examples:
- 50 lbs …………………………………… 50,000 IU daily as a single dose for seven (7) days.
- 100 lbs………………………………100,000 IU daily as a single dose for seven (7) days.
- 150 lbs………………………… 150,000 IU daily as a single dose for seven (7) days.
- 200 lbs…………………….. 200,000 IU daily as a single dose for seven (7) days.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FLU SHOT ALTERNATIVE AND HOW TO GET TREATED, CALL 609-978-9002
