Ross Walter Nutritionist and Naturopath health articles and blog

Cold and flu prevention 2018 (Part3)

2/7/2018

As mentioned in a recent article of mine, according to scientific studies looking at the infection rate of the flu virus, only about 20% of people get the flu even when deliberately exposed to the virus or from being in very close proximity to those infected with it.

So what protects you from flu - your immune system! This is why 80% of people won't get flu even when in very close contact with those who are infectious. You may only get symptoms of an infection when your immune defences are down and the infection gets on top of your immune system.

Your immune system has 2 main parts - the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system is mostly found in your respiratory and digestive tracts, but also reproductive and urinary tracts too. The white blood cells of your innate immune system find and destroy foreign microbes which are recognised as not being "self". These immune system cells are non-specific, meaning that they find and fight any foreign invaders, and especially those which haven't been encountered before.

The adaptive immune system develops from the innate immune system, so that the adaptive immune cells can "learn" about the newly encountered microbes, and develop antibodies to them for longer-term protection and a quicker immune response when the microbes are found in the future.

Another problem with the flu vaccine is that this bypasses the innate immune system, as the simulated "infection" starts in the muscle where the injection occurs, and not in the respiratory tract where the innate immune system would normally start the healing process. Because of this, the innate immune system doesn't trigger the normal "learning" about the flu virus to produce permanent or even long-term memory against the infection. As a result, the flu vaccine's attempt at "immunisation" or developing an immunity only lasts a few months at most. In a real flu (or other microbial) infection, the innate immune system triggers the adaptive immune system to develop antibodies and learn for a PERMANENT immune response against the infection. In this instance, the adaptive immune system will never forget how to respond to a particular natural infection, unlike what happens with a flu vaccine.

When many other published studies show little or no benefit to the flu vaccine in terms of duration or severity of flu symptoms compared to people who don't get the flu vaccine, you have to wonder why there's such a push for everyone to get this shot...

The Cochrane review studies, which are the highest form of published research, show that the flu vaccine only reduces the flu infection rate by 1%, or in other words, only one person in 100 actually benefits from the vaccine. Another Cochrane study found that the flu vaccine only had a modest effect on time off work (1 day difference) and had no effect on hospital admissions or complication rates compared to those who did not get the flu vaccine. This study also reported that "reliable evidence on influenza vaccines is thin but there is evidence of widespread manipulation of conclusions and spurious notoriety of the studies", and "Studies funded from public (ie, independent) sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favourable to the vaccines". Meaning that there is a lot of bias in pharmaceutical industry studies reporting "benefits" to the flu vaccines.

Other studies I referenced in a previous article suggests that the flu vaccine actually causes more respiratory infections (viral as well as bacterial), which can spread and infect more people.

You are much better off preventing flu by:
1) Improving your nutrition intake and lifestyle factors, which can boost your immune system
2) Improving hygiene during winter - washing hands more, and not touching your eyes, mouth or nose
3) Improving your vitamin D levels with more safe sun exposure, or vitamin D3 supplements during winter. Remember, "Vitamin D is the key" to prevention and treatment of flu!

Stay healthy this winter!

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Cold and flu prevention 2018 (Part 2)

7/6/2018

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Here is part 3 of my recent "cold and flu prevention" article series... enjoy! (please see parts 1-2 in other articles below)

The key to staying healthy this coming winter is prevention and preparation!

Why do we get more colds and flu in winter? I have heard doctors/GPs saying that we get more because there are more bugs going around in winter, or they are more active. That is nonsensical and goes against the laws of physics! Viruses (which cause colds and flu) and bacteria are all around us, on us and in us all the time! We only get ill when our immune systems are not functioning well to stop them replicating out of control to cause illness.

The real answer to why we get more infections in winter is very simple, and can be answered with further questions. What is the difference between summer and winter? The temperature, caused by the sun being further away in winter and a shorter amount of daily sunlight compared to summer! What does this have to do with colds and flu? Well, in summer there is more sunlight and we spend more time outside in the sun, the opposite of winter. Your body makes vitamin D from direct sunlight exposure on your skin, and vitamin D is a MASSIVE immune system booster, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory hormone, all required for many health benefits!

In winter, you generally spend less time outside because it's colder, and with less skin exposed to sunlight (needed to make vitamin D), and so the majority of people in winter are deficient in vitamin D. The further from the equator you are, the more difficult it is to get enough from vitamin D in winter. Therefore your immune system will not be functioning optimally to prevent colds, flu, and many other infections or health conditions. Further adding to a lowered immune system function are a poor diet, stress, lack of exercise, exposure to toxins and chemicals, poor sleep, lifestyle and other factors which I mentioned in my previous article.

Much scientific research proves that a vitamin D deficiency is THE major cause of colds and flu in winter, because it results in a reduced immune system function. In winter you need to spend about 3 times as much time in the sun to get the same amount of vitamin D as in summer, which is difficult to do!

In an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study (2010), it was shown there was a 42% reduction in flu infections with vitamin D supplementation. Another study in the Virology Journal (2008) found that a vitamin D deficiency amongst a large percentage of the population is the cause of flu epidemics!

To prevent colds and flu this winter, you need to be prepared and do all you can to increase your immune system function by addressing all causes, and also preventing or replacing your deficiency in vitamin D with a nutritional supplement in a capsule, spray or oral drops form.

To prevent the incidence of colds and flu this Winter, OR to recover quicker remember this: "Vitamin D is the key!".

The flu vaccine is NOT a safe or effective preventative of flu infections. See my previous 2 articles on this. You must address all the causes of a reduced functioning of your immune system to prevent a flu infection. We don't get flu from a deficiency in flu vaccines! In fact, most people get the flu very shortly after the flu vaccine, as it actually weakens your immune system!

For the best vitamin D supplement for you, or other immune system boosting and preventative advice, please see me!

Please like and share this information to others so they can stay healthy this winter too!

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You want to get the flu vaccine? Have you checked it's safe?

28/5/2018

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Apologies for this longer than usual and controversial article, but it is for your benefit...

I try not to write articles on any issues of vaccines, because it is such an emotive and controversial topic. But if we can't have some freedom of speech, without the typical abusive and threatening replies which typically occur when someone speaks out against vaccines, then there's something seriously wrong with the issue. But some recent events have made me change my mind about writing on this contraversial topic.

Many qualified and well-researched health professionals, as I am, steer clear of talking about vaccines because of the backlash which comes from those who strongly disagree with anyone who posts anything negative on this topic. I know some who read this article will disagree, and that's fine. However I have added published references to back up what I have summarised here, and hence why this isn't just my personal opinion - it is backed up by peer-reviewed, published scientific evidence! If you disagree with all of the evidence, take it up with the well-credentialled authors and not me!

This is an article ONLY about the 2018 flu vaccines. Not on vaccines in general. I am writing this because of the huge media scare campaign this year to get the flu vaccine, and things which you simply aren't being told about it.

I will be mentioning three groups of people who are particularly vulnerable to the flu vaccine - pregnant women, young children and those over 65 years. I am also going to comment on the flu vaccine by pointing out how unnecessary it is for you, and how you can protect yourself and your family from flu much better, and more safely too!

The 2018 flu vaccine will contain 4-5 strains of flu, as guessed by the World Health Organisation to be the 4 out of thousands of flu viruses which *may* be the most common ones this season. Yes, "guessed" is about as good as it gets...

With the 2017 flu season being one of the worst for infections and deaths on record, there is currently a massive marketing campaign to get MORE people to get the flu vaccine this year. Ironically, 2017 had one of the highest uptakes of the flu vaccine, yet also one of the highest incidences and mortality too. There are a lot of lies being told about the flu vaccine, and I would like to share the published evidence, and expose the truth.

The 2017 flu vaccine DIDN'T work!

So here are the FACTS about the flu vaccine, direct from the vaccine manufacturers' own information and other peer-reviewed published research, which contradicts the many lies being told by various health departments and doctors, and tells a completely different story to the lies you are being told about the flu vaccine.

Fact #1 - Here's the greatest lie which I am very angry about - No vaccines are ever tested for safety or effectiveness by the vaccine manufacturers in pregnant women. None. See the attached photos for proof, taken from all the Australian 2018 vaccine product information inserts from their respective manufacturers. (Therapeutic Goods Administration, 2018).
My comment - when your doctor, politician or health department says vaccines are safe for you when pregnant, they are lying! There's a scientific protocol banning pregnant women from being used in medical, pharmaceutical or vaccine trials, because of the obvious risk to the foetus.

Fact #2 - The flu vaccine is not very effective in preventing you getting the flu. The flu vaccine only contains 4 strains of flu virus, out of hundreds or more strains which can cause flu in you. And the efficacy rate of actually enabling antibodies ranges can be as low as 16-26% effective for some age groups (Therapeutic Goods Administration, 2018).

Fact #3 - You CAN get the flu as a result of getting the flu vaccine! ALL of the 2018 flu vaccines have side effects which includes fatigue, malaise, fever, cough, sore throat, headache, muscle and joint pains - all are symptoms of flu! The Afluria Quad vaccine even states that a side effect is an "influenza-like illness"! Other studies show that the flu vaccine initially weakens your body's immune system as it deals with the simulated infection of the flu vaccine, which leads you to be susceptible to other infections you are exposed to (Therapeutic Goods Administration, 2018).

Fact #4 - None of the vaccine manufacturers used good testing practices, such as a randomised controlled trial against a placebo. They simply compared the results of their new vaccine against their old one, which doesn't give an accurate or honest picture of the vaccine's effectiveness or safety (Therapeutic Goods Administration, 2018).

Fact #5 - 6 out of the 7 2018 flu vaccines contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen even in the smallest amounts. Other toxic and dangerous flu vaccine ingredients include polysorbate 80 (an emulsifier which can enable vaccine ingredients to cross the blood brain barrier). (Therapeutic Goods Administration, 2018).

Fact #6 - 6 out of the 7 2018 flu vaccines can cause false positive tests for HIV, Hepatitis C and other viruses if you have these tests a after flu vaccination. Imagine getting a HIV diagnosis, unknowingly from getting a flu shot? (Therapeutic Goods Administration, 2018).

Fact #7 - All of the 2018 flu vaccine information inserts say that the vaccines should be postponed if someone currently has an acute (ie, short-term) infection or fever, or both. Yet I know Doctors will either not ask about this, or routinely vaccinate someone who is currently not well or immunocompromised. This is very dangerous practice as it causes worse side effects (Therapeutic Goods Administration, 2018).

Fact #8 - There are many severe side effects from the flu vaccine, including Guillain-Barre Syndrome (or paralysis), convulsions, eye disorders, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and spinal cord (encephalomyelitis), transverse myelitis (inflammation and loss of the nerve sheath, and a sign of multiple sclerosis), and more issues (Therapeutic Goods Administration, 2018).

Fact #9 - The 2018 Fluad vaccine (for over 65 year olds) reported in their product information insert that their own tests showed "Hospitalisation was required in over 5% of people receiving Fluad vaccine, and deaths occurred in almost 1%" of those tested. 1% of people getting this vaccine died! (Therapeutic Goods Administration, Fluad Product Information,2018).

Fact #10 - The 2018 Fluzone High-Dose vaccine test results in their product information insert showed that "6.1-8.3% experienced a "serious adverse event", including 23 deaths (about 1% of those tested) in one clinical trial, and 167 deaths (over 1% tested) in another trial. Those who died had various chronic illnesses". To repeat, about 1% of those over 65 years tested with this vaccine DIED! Yet this particular vaccine is specifically marketed to those over 65 years WITH chronic diseases! (Therapeutic Goods Administration, Fluzone High-Dose Product Information, 2018).

Fact #11 - A 2014 study showed that people who get the annual flu vaccine had a reduced immune system response (ie, reduced antibodies) after each annual flu vaccine. So the more flu vaccines you get, the less effective they are. Contrast that with the more natural flu illnesses you get, the stronger your immune system gets (McLean et al., Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal, 2014).

Fact #12 - A 2018 study on 999 children and adults showed those who had the flu vaccine had a higher rate of respiratory infections in the weeks after the vaccine than those who didn't have the flu vaccine! And when the post-vaccine infection was analysed and confirmed as being flu, the rate of infection of those vaccinated was the same as for those not vaccinated, meaning that the flu vaccine did NOT offer any protection against flu infections, and actually caused MORE infections compared to those who did not get the flu vaccine (Rikin et al., Vaccine journal, 2018). Other similar studies reported similar results.

Fact #13 - If you do get the flu, suppressing symptoms with medications (pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, cough suppressants, antibiotics, anti-pyretics etc) will make the infection duration longer, more severe, and more likely to turn into pneumonia which can be very serious. A 2004 study (and others) show using antibiotics and other medications doesn't prevent pneumonia, but can actually increase the risk, and increase mortality (Diaz et al., Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2004).

Fact #14 - A 2013 study found that there was a 4,000% increase in risk of spontaneous abortion and stillbirth from the flu vaccine given to pregnant women in the 2009/10 season, compared to pregnant women in the previous year who did not get the flu vaccine (Goldman, Human and Experimental Toxicology, 2013).

Fact #15 - Annual flu vaccines do not undergo the typical multi-year safety and efficacy studies which are required for other pharmaceutical medications or vaccines. There's obviously no time to do this for each year, which is why the safety and efficacy data for flu vaccines is lacking, and why they are potentially dangerous.

Fact #16 - Influenza isn't as infectious as you have been lead to believe! Only about 20% of people at most will become infected with flu even when deliberately exposed to the virus in published studies! Hence the other 80% who were exposed were protected by their own immune system! (Cannel et al., Virology Journal, 2008).

Fact #17 - There are safer, more effective and better ways to prevent flu in the colder months, and to get over them quicker than the flu vaccine.

We already have an immune system which works and protects us from any and all viral and bacterial infections all the time! We are not and should not be dependent on any external method. But your immune system can be compromised by many factors, which can lead to an opportunistic infection like flu to take hold.

Hence the best way (and really, the ONLY safe way) to protect yourself from flu, is to maintain a strong and healthy immune system! There are many things which reduce your immune system, such as poor dietary choices (especially sugary foods and drinks), poor quality or quantity sleep, stress, poor digestive system function, lifestyle factors, nutrient deficiencies, medications, vitamin D deficiency, and others. The most important factors here are 1) your food choices, 2) stress and 3) nutrient deficiencies (especially with vitamin D). Many studies show that the reason we have more flu in winter than other seasons is due to people not getting enough sun exposure (our bodies make vitamin D from direct sunlight on our skin) during the year, and more so in winter. I will post more on this in a follow-up article soon!

These factors are what you really need to improve to work on to prevent flu. These are what I can help you with!

The lies being told to vulnerable people (especially children, pregnant women and those over 65 years) about the flu vaccine and spread across all media networks from those who should be protecting us - doctors, health departments, and government officials - is an abhorrent and deceitful act. If these officials are blatantly lying about the safety of flu vaccines in pregnant women, when there are NO safety studies done ever, then you simply cannot trust them. Please do your own research (from real research studies, not from opinion piece articles) or ask other independent health practitioners before you place your life and that of your family at risk.

There are better and safer ways to stay healthy in winter! I will post more articles on this topic very shortly.

Best of health to you.

You can read and download this article in the PDF file below!

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Cold and flu prevention 2018 (Part3)

Cold and flu prevention 2018 (Part 2)

You want to get the flu vaccine? Have you checked it's safe?

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