I know many of you are concerned about the H1N1 influenza and maybe you're worried about the delay in vaccinations, but don't be tempted by any of the advertisements for dietary supplements or herbal products that claim to prevent H1N1 influenza. They don't work.
You can help keep your immune system strong by eating a healthy diet rich in lean proteins plus plenty of fruits and vegetables, but taking dietary supplements won't prevent influenza infection. In fact, companies that make claims like that are breaking the law. The FDA has a list of fraudulent H1N1 prevention products and it grows bigger every day.
What does work? Washing your hands frequently, limiting contact with people who are ill whenever possible, and getting the H1N1 vaccination.
The best one I heard was an herbal shampoo, daily use of which conferred immunity. You really have to wonder who buys this stuff.
While healthy diet and lifestyle are a must for preventing illness, i do not see documentation regarding the statement that the H1N1 vax is safe and effective. The reality is, the CDC stopped testing suspected people in July 2009 for confirmation of H1N1 infection. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/21/cbsnews_investigates/main5404829.shtml?source=related_story&tag=related
If someone states their doctor said they have H1n1…make sure they confirmed it with labs. In addition, it is unknown whether the vax is safe for children, pregnant women and those with chronic illness. This vaccine has not been tested for its carcinogenicity, mutagenic or reproductive consequences. Simply read the package insert for this data. In my opinion, the vax is more dangerous than any supplement claimed to aide in preventing the flu (any flu strain)…the H1N1 vax will contain mercury, aluminum hydroxide and formaldehyde…I’m astonished how you think this is safe…of course this is what happens when only rely on data provided by researchers to who have an invested financial interested in the product. http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/17/primarysource/entry4808019.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody
Here’s a quote directly from research conducted at Purdue U published on Oct 15: http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19358
So…even IF the vax worked…it’s too late…why are we shooting our kids up with unnecessary chemicals for this?…and please stop assuming this vax is “safe”.
Funny, I totally agree with not paying attention to the scams out there….they are ridiculous. However, the flu vaccine is a hoax in itself and has never been proven to be effective in preventing the flu or related illness. You can easily find the stats to corroborate this on the CDC website. Not to mention the H1N1 package insert talks about the lack of efficacy in preventing the FLU, and that the vaccines has not even been tested. Everyone should read that! Lastly, Vitamin D3 supplementation has been proven to up-regulate the immune system in numerous peer reviewed and published research papers. This is well known to be strong science with more credibility than the flawed vaccine studies. I thought this blog/newsletter was supposed to be about effective nutritional information, not drug promotion. Next time I think you should check your sources better.
Shawn, perhaps you could show me some research regarding calcitriol and influenza prevention. While vitamin D is crucial for normal immune system function (among other things), I don’t believe taking more vitamin D than you need has any special powers of antiobody-forming protection.
Actually, the closest study I could find is about 10 years old. Study subjects were given either calcitriol or a placebo with flu vaccinations. Although calcitriol (given along with vaccination) appears to boost the humoral immunity in mice, it didn’t do the same in humans.
We need vitamin D, a lot of people don’t get enough, and being deficient in vitamin D might impair your immune system function, but there is no evidence that I know of that shows taking vitamin D will prevent H1N1 or any other type of influenza.
“…there is no evidence that I know of that shows taking vitamin D will prevent H1N1 or any other type of influenza.”
Since you are keen on evidence, where is the evidence that the H1N1 vaccine will prevent the swine flu??
For god’s sake, it has not been TESTED ???
When somebody or even a group of people come up with
their real life experiences like, say, a herb has lowered their blood glucose, it goes “there has not been sufficient number of peer reviewed controlled scientific studies on large enough populations on the effect of that herb, therefore the claim can not be scientifically accepted..)
But then how can a critical vaccine be given to populations without having gone thru the testing stages?? What if adverse side effects would emerge on people’s health??
three cheers for Shawn and Mehmur! The vaccine was never tested, it also has thimersol, formaldehyde, squalene and the list goes on. But I’m sure people will be attacking me now for my comment. By the way, I’ll continue taking my supplements, let me not forget my Vitamin D3.
The H1N1 vaccine does not contain any adjuvants, so no squalene. Thimerosol is a preservative, but the concerns about thimerosol as a cause of autism didn’t pan out and you’ll probably get more formaldahyde formed in your body when you drink a glass of fruit juice.
The H1N1 vaccine is created the same way as any seasonal flu vaccine, and it has been tested in clinical trials in eight different sites since July. It’s as safe as the seasonal flu vaccines and the subjects who received the vaccine demonstrated increased levels of H1N1 antibodies (which is the point of a vaccination).
Better check your facts – squaline is in the H1n1 and vaccine literature does state adjuvants are in the product so as to increase its effectiveness.
Healthcare workers in our area are seeing cases of the flu appearing within 36 hour of getting the nasal vaccine – The point is to improve the immune system, not give the flu to the person forcing them to make immunity. And if it is made in the same “safe” way as the other vaccines are, then what we know statistically is that it only works in 30% of persons.
There is not only one way to prepare for and treat illness. We can blend support/complimentary items with conventional medicine approaches without scaring people about “unproven” claims. What can’t be proven in most those cases is a patentable protected profit for the big companies.
I have concerns that an information site like yours is not educating people with information that is well rounded. For instance, the growing list of forbidden products by the FDA might have made a claim for prevention of flu…meanwhile the vaccine makes the claim and yet the FDA cannot say 100% that people won’t get the flu…hmnn.
your blanket statement that supplements and herbal remedies dont work against the H1N1 virus is not really founded in fact – heres just one study which albeit based on in vitro studies is quite significant – as relevant as many studies done on the effects of drugs and vaccines on rats or in vitro
“Two compounds were identified….methylquercetin….and
dihydromyricetin….were synthesized and shown to inhibit H1N1 infection
in vitro by binding to H1N1 virions, blocking host cell entry and/or
recognition. The H1N1 inhibition activities of the elderberry flavonoids
compare favorably to the known anti-influenza activities of Oseltamivir
(Tamiflu; 0.32 microM) and Amantadine (27 microM).”
And that was just testing two isolated compounds from elderberry. In
common language: Elderberry is as good as Tamiflu. (Hehehe…probably
better. That Tamiflu stuff isn’t very good to begin with.)
CITATION
Phytochemistry. 2009 Jul;70(10):1255-61. Epub 2009 Aug 12.
Elderberry flavonoids bind to and prevent H1N1 infection in vitro.
Roschek B Jr, Fink RC, McMichael MD, Li D, Alberte RS.
HerbalScience Group LLC, 1004 Collier Center Way, Suite 200, Naples, FL
34110, USA.
PMID: 19682714 [PubMed - in process]
5 minute internet search :
Associated Press August 15, 2009 :
” Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline PLC said Friday it has started testing its swine flu vaccine in humans. ….
Glaxo said it plans to conduct 16 clinical trials of its swine flu vaccine in more than 9,000 people in Europe and North America.
The trials are scheduled to last about a year, although Harrison said the vaccine is expected to be on the market much sooner. ….
In Europe, Glaxo is testing vaccines with an adjuvant, a chemical compound used to stretch a vaccine’s active ingredient and boost the body’s immune response.
In Canada and the United States, Glaxo is testing vaccines both with and without adjuvants. Neither country has ever licensed any flu medications that contain the compound. …. ”
http://sciencestage.com/resources/doctors-may-refuse-swine-flu-vaccine :
” A survey of GPs published on Healthcare Republic, the website of GP magazine, found that up to 60% of GPs may decline vaccination. Although the numbers who responded were small – 216 GPs – they are in line with a much bigger survey of nurses published a week ago by Nursing Times, which found that a third of 1,500 nurses would refuse vaccination. ”
Then, simple questions:
- Is a period of one month enough to test on populations for the potential /possibly long term health hazards from a new vaccine? Is this the usual /scientifically imperative testing procedure?
- As a health-concerned individual, should I go with your advice, while I understand you are not a medical proffessional, or prefer to go by the stance of the majority of doctors?
Excellent comments from the last 2 posts!
ummmmmmmm my sister has been sick for the last 3 weeks i dont think it was the H1N1 BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT
i have NOT gotten sick.
for the last 2 months i upped my Vitamin D and was taking something called “Youth Juice” …
i was wondering how come i didnt get sick …then it hit me … that YJ must be working. i feel fabulous as well haha …but it HAS elderberry juice in it …so now im wondering if that might of had a strong effect on my immune system? im guess yes….
i have also done my part in hand washing sanatizing ect…
but i have been in close contact with her. we work together ..use the same desk and phones …
i dont know…
i do know my gut telling me do not take that vaccine…
i have never had a flu shot in my life … i have been sick …im still alive ….
if preventing your system from “ever” getting sick … by taking flu shots … how does your immune system remember to fight off the bad stuff? …. that’s what i was wondering ….
how come they have never before talked about deaths from the flu? why all of a sudden are they reporting it? and making such a big stink?
if the year before they advertised how many die from the flu wich is something like 30,000 would you be this panicky?
all i kow is if i do get this h1n1 … i aint going down without a fight …
happiness and calmness is also very good for the immune system. yoga
salt water gargle …. and neti pot for your nasal cavities ….