Sunday 6 October 2013

A Very Personal Choice

School is in and fall weather is creeping in on us and with that comes our annual flu season.  It’s a touchy subject these days with all of the fear mongering that goes along with the vaccination protocols.  If you do some research in to the science of the flu vaccine you will soon come to realize that most of the research is funded by the vaccine companies themselves.  They have a vested interest in proving that their product works, so how much data do they get rid of to make the statistics look how they want them?  The advertising is incredible with its fear tactics as well “Don’t miss work this flu season.  Get a flu shot.”  Is the flu shot a guarantee that you will not get the flu?  Flu vaccines are developed using last year’s strains of the flu, so that isn’t taking into consideration any new strains that developed.

The opposition to the flu vaccine is equally as fear based with titles like “Mercury in flu vaccines linked to Autism”.   The entire vaccination program uses a number of different heavy metals as carrier for the vaccines, not just the flu vaccine.  There are several side effects publicized, but does anyone take the time to research the ingredients, side effects, how long the vaccination has been on the market, if there have been independent, randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled studies conducted?  Or do we all go with the 100th monkey effect, where one person has an idea, it is accepted by many and all of a sudden the masses follow suit and everyone MUST have the flu vaccine?

I encourage each and every person to conduct their own research and make an educated decision for themselves and their family as to what the right decision is for them…. To vaccinate or not vaccinate?  I believe what it all boils down to is fear, and how to live with the least amount of fear and be confident in what decisions you make.  If you decide to get the flu vaccine and are terrified that you are already genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s and allowing more heavy metals into your system will manifest the disease faster or tip the scale so you certainly get the disease… perhaps the vaccine is not for you!  On the other hand if that decision is going to confine you to your home, eliminate your social abilities or prevent you from going to work, watching you kids or grandkids at the rink or going to the grocery store during flu season….perhaps you might have a better life experience by getting the vaccine!


We need to be our own health advocates and stop allowing others to dictate how we live our lives.  We are all unique, with different fears and as such we will all have different ways of keeping ourselves and others healthy.  Some of us may choose to exercise our immune systems more than others, just like some choose to exercise their cardiovascular systems more than others.  If you get the vaccine, you should be protected from those that don’t (assuming the vaccines work).  If you don’t get the vaccine, trust that those that do are doing what’s right for them.  Who are we to judge what the right thing is for someone else?  Get in touch with that inner voice or gut instinct; it will not lead you down the wrong path.  Following someone else’s will.