Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Flu - Are you going to let it get you?

It's on its way again. After last year's flop of an H1N1 threat and the accompanying scandal, I hope I stop seeing advertisements of "free" (e.g. paid for using extorted tax dollars) shots for it!

In deciding how one is going to deal with the dreaded "flu season" this year, there is always the decision to vaccinate in the young, the old, and everyone in between.

I find health care and government recommendations to vaccinate every man, woman, and child (over 6 months) in America quite odd in light of the research. A recent review of the literature failed to show that vaccinating children under 5 for flu was any better than placebo and yet we continue the recommendations - who's running this thing?

So, with all the hype and fear-mongering on the news, internet, magazines, etc, how does one decide what to do concerning flu? Let's apply the two most important questions you could ever ask yourself concerning long-term health and wellness:

Question #1 - Why do Americans suffer so much flu-related illness?

Answer #1 - Simple: Toxicity and Deficiency.

Americans by and large are toxic with most or all of the following: sugar, omega-6 fats, refined carbohydrates and trans-fats, gut bacteria imbalance, sedentary lifestyles, subluxation, anger, stress, and more. All of these things are stressors which reduce the short- and long-term immune system function designed to respond to invaders.

Photo from Flickr.com
Americans at the same time also suffer from epidemic levels of deficiency in: fresh, whole vegetables and fruits, high-quality meat, high-quality fish and omega-3 fats, good bacteria in the gut, sun and Vitamin D, exercise, properly functioning spines, feelings of love and appreciation for self and others, feeling of belonging and life purpose, gratitude . . . the list could go on.

How could we possibly expect to be well when all this is the case?

Should we really expect one shot to be able to take away the problems associated with weak immune systems we created by living toxic and deficient lifestyles?

So, how about. . .

Question #2 - How can we get and stay well?

The answer to this one is SO simple! Supply your body with what it requires (sufficiency) and keep your body free from things that harm it (purity). Sufficiency and Purity are the most logical ways to allow your body to express the lifelong health and freedom from illness and disease (including the flu) that you and your children deserve.

If you want to have the health you deserve (and a strong immune system), be sure that you are putting in nutritious things in terms of Eating and Moving and Thinking. This includes adequate vitamin D (which performed better than the flu shot in studies in children), veggies and fruits, high-quality meat and fish, probiotics from plant sources, exercise, chiropractic care (to ensure a properly functioning spine and nervous system), feelings of belonging and contributing to an economy, working towards a life-purpose, unconditional love for yourself and others, gratitude, etc.

This also means staying away from sugar, too many omega-6 fats (from vegetable oils, grains, and industrial meat), trans fats, dangerous drugs, processed foods, sedentary living, poor posture, accidents/trauma that damage your spine and joints, perceptions of stress, etc.

Only when we begin to ask ourselves better questions (like WHY we are sick) do we have any chance at coming up with a real solution to the pandemics of suffering that we see in modern America. When I think of the little ones, I say to myself, "It's worth it." I get the motivation to love and care for my body the way it was intended to be - this so that my kids will have a good example to follow. And all of this so they can grow up with healthy bodies and great immune systems, naturally.

Reconnecting you to lifelong wellness and prevention.

Yours in Health, Love, and Freedom through informed choices - Steve Perry

PS - Anyone seen an advertisement for raw eggplant yet? I'm still waiting.

5 comments:

  1. ever since a flu shot put my grandma's heart in cardiac arrest resulting in her death, i have tried to stay clear of them all together. True, my grandma had a lot of other issues on the table, and the doctor's felt that the flu might kill her. But it seems their solution just sped up the end result. your post really makes sense to me...and since i have started exercising and watching what i eat better, i feel that i can avoid what my grandma went through. You do list a lot of things that i still need to work on, but i think making those first initial steps can be life changing. Thanks Steve for the post!

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  2. Katherine, thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

    Roos, sorry to hear about the story with your grandma. In an upcoming post, I'll discuss the vast number of other Americans who have a very similar experience -- and people just aren't aware of that reality.

    I'm excited for you and the choices you made/are making. Indeed, every little bit helps. I find it amazing how much better people feel when they change just a few, small, easy things. I love that because they are propelled to make even more changes over time and soon, they don't even recognize the person they used to be.

    Just remember - it's not a race! There is time to change everything, but not today. Picking one thing at a time and being proud of your improvement is enough. (It's far easier to ADD positive things first rather than removing the negative.)

    Saying you'll change everything in one shot (although admirable for the rare person who can keep it up) is actually the recipe for failure because when people have one slip up many of them decide to bag the whole thing. Ouch!

    So, good job, keep it up!

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  3. Good post! As a nurse, the hospital where I work requires us to get a flu shot. If we don't, we are required to wear a mask when we work. This lasts from Nov. to March but I find it silly. They say it is because we could be carriers of the flu if we don't get a shot. Phooey! In the past, I have gotten the flu shot without any adverse side effects. My children have had flu-mist without problems. My hubby becomes deathly ill with the flu shot and refuses to get another. This year, though, I will not be getting a flu shot. They have combined it with the H1N1 vaccine and that is scary! We have seen and heard of many cases of Guillian Barre after getting the shot as well as
    being sick for 10 days afterwards. No thanks-I'll wear the mask. I agree with you-just take care of yourself.

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  4. Jodi, thank you for your comments, always a pleasure to read, especially from someone right in the middle of it like you are.

    It's great to have your perspective. Also, thanks for getting into some of the things I just didn't have the space to mention - like the side-effects (Guillan-Barre) of some of these treatments.

    Like yourself, I have decided that the flu shot is no longer worth it. I made the decision in 2005 when I realized that the worst I felt all year was after the flu shot. I thought - why am I going to pay to feel sick?

    So that was that and I haven't looked back. Thanks again for your post - I hope people realize that despite all the advertising, they DO have a choice in NOT getting the flu shot and they CAN do more to help their body naturally.

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