630 responses to “Should I get the Flu Shot?”

1. My children and I have never nor will ever get the flu shot. We are an over medicated country that is run by money hungry investors. Another thing that is really scary, our water source!!!

   1. My chiropractor is one of the most brilliant authorities on nutrition and the bad effects of the flu shots and he says never get one. Food Babe is right on the money with this one.

      And what is happening to our water source is down right terrifying. That is a field I am very aware of.

      1. since there is no “like” button i am doing it this way 🙂

   2. Ask any emergency room DOCTOR if they get the flu shot. You’d be surprised to hear their answers, and it’s good enough for me to know that I will never EVER get one either. I had the flu shot twice in my life, and both times within 12 hours I got the flu. Guess how many times I’ve had the flu in my entire life? Twice. ‘Nuff said!

2. “I won’t eat any of these ingredients or even put them on my body – however, the mainstream medical community, government agencies and pharmaceutical companies suggest that I directly inject these ingredients into my bloodstream?”

   That list of ingredients includes sucrose, and there are plenty of pictures of fruit on your website.

   “Aren’t vaccines suppose to immunize you for life? They have to continuously give you a flu shot, because it is not a real vaccine. Let’s say for instance, you get a vaccine for another virus like Hepatitis A or B – you are immunized for life. Why isn’t this the case with the flu vaccine?”

   Interestingly, you answered your own question earlier in the post, and then ignored your own logic. The flu virus evolves every year, in that when the cells divide, small errors occur during cell division. In short, your body is exposed viruses with slightly different DNA every year. Flu vaccines are designed to target these new versions of the virus. It is also worth noting that there are other diseases to which you need more than one immunization throughout your life (e.g., typhoid, rabies). Vaccines can target viral or bacterial species and they all evolve at different rates. You can’t make generalizations about how they should be treated.

   “The making, distributing, and administering of the flu shot is a 7 Billion Dollar Industry. Each year the pharmaceutical industry eyes glow with $ signs when it’s time to make more as the American public become the guinea pigs again to try it out.”

   Of course the pharmaceutical industry wants money. They provide a product… if you want it, you have to pay for it. If you don’t want it, no one is actually forcing you to get a flu vaccine.

   “This is another reason I believe why some studies I read proved that the flu shot was not effective in treating the elderly.”

   Scientists and research do not “prove” anything, we provide evidence for or against particular hypotheses. Could you provide citations to the actual research publications, please?

   1. Virus do not “evolve” they MUTATE.

      1. That’s what evolution is. Beneficial mutations that cause that set of genes to survive and be passed on.

      2. Thanks Tom 🙂 Lori, I would encourage you to read about evolution in any introductory biology textbook, your local library probably has Campbell’s “Biology”.

      3. There’s no such thing as a “beneficial” mutation. All mutations are a degradation of information.

      4. Extremely false. A mutation could be as simple and benign as pigmentation. Take the English Peppered Moth. Over the course of 200 years it under went through a few changes that turned out to be beneficial.
         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppered_moth_evolution

         It an interesting read.

      5. Wow. The “opinions” that some of you are posting with 100% scientific inaccuracy is amazing. Stick to facts if you want to contribute to a discussion about viruses. This is basic biology and some of you are butchering it.

      6. Blue eyes are a mutation. Blonde hair is a mutation. Technically, I am one FREAKISH mutant walking around this planet… but most of you would look at me and go “hm, she’s probably just of European ancestry”… and you’d be right. Unless you’re from Africa, of African (native) ancestry, and have NO relatives of NON African ancestry, you’re most likely part mutant as well.

         http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130170343.htm

         Just a little article that you can mull over for a bit 🙂

      7. Also, while accepting the scientific fact that mutation IS what causes evolution (beneficial mutations get passed on, while non-beneficial mutations die out), I personally do not EVER get the flu shot. The last time I got one was at 10 years old (almost 17 years ago) and that was the last time I had a severe case of the flu. Does that mean I’ll tell people not to get it? Maybe. Will I provide falsified “facts” about the shot to further my own agenda? Nah. The unfortunate thing is that just like the pharma industry, health bloggers also have their own agenda. It’s fine to have an opinion, but when you’re writing something knowing HOW many people are reading it, the one thing you SHOULD do is provide citations. That’s basic high school English class material.

   2. FYI Rita, fruit contains “fructose” NOT sucrose!! Big difference! Nutrition 101 right there.

      1. Oh good lord. http://www.livestrong.com/article/293125-sucrose-levels-in-fruit/

      2. -Or- http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1399-3054.1996.tb00206.x/abstract;jsessionid=1534546D40B7B031863FA12E009DB034.d03t01?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false

   3. Actually, hospitals REQUIRE anyone working in the facility to obtain a flu shot. There is no choice.

      1. Yes, but you are choosing to work at the facility. Firefighters choose to be firefighters even though there is risk involved… the “risk” you perceive to be associated with the flu vaccine is a perceived “risk” associated with your profession. You are not enslaved, hence you are still making a choice to get the flu vaccine in order to keep your job.

      2. This is not true. They cannot force anyone to get a flu shot. They require *either* a flu shot or the employee has to sign a written statement saying they decline. At my hospital they also require a one-on-one meeting with an employee health nurse if you decline.

      3. my wife an i both work in healthcare, and over the past few years the pressure from administration to ‘force’ hospital employees to get the flu shot is increasing. i know a major medical facility in my area makes employees who DONT get the flu shot to wear stickers on ID badges saying they DIDNT get the flu shot and to wear masks in patient care areas even if they DONT have the flu or flu-like symptoms…. saying that i chose to work in healthcare DOES NOT allow my employer to mandate what i put into my body. sorry. just sayin.

      4. I work at a hospital and we are required to get the shot or we must wear a mask during flu season. I’ve had a shot every year for the past 15 or so years, and would really like to decline this year, but the badgering that occurs for those people declining (from patients AND fellow employees) is insane. Plus, the hospitals are “graded” on the number of employees who receive the shot.

   4. Actually, viruses aren’t cells either!

   5. Actually, viruses are not cells; nor do they “divide”. They hijack another living organism’s cells and force the cells to make more of the virus. A lot of the people on this blog don’t know a whole lot about basic biology apprently. Foodbabe makes some mistakes too in her articles and posts.

      1. Lori, did you take biology in high school?

   6. Actually we ARE forced to have these vaccines. In order to be near my nieces new baby her doctor says we all need flu and DTaP vaccines! I have no choice. Also my little grandson’s pediatrician won’t treat anyone who won’t have ALL vaccines! That is pressure! That is doctors brainwashed by the pharmaceutical companies!

   7. “They provide a product… if you want it, you have to pay for it. If you don’t want it, no one is actually forcing you to get a flu vaccine.”

      Ahhhh… But some ARE forced to get the flu vaccine! Maybe they don’t have to pay for it, BUT jobs in the medical field are a LOT of times FORCED to get an influenza shot. When I worked at a nursing home, it was required if I wanted to work. Period. No discussion.

3. Food Babe, can you talk about the risks of “true” vaccines that doctors push on us? Nurses assume that anyone is going to take whatever they offer & the last time I was in they asked me I said I need to know more about it. She told me it wouldn’t take long at all that they could do it today. When she came back in I told her I wasn’t going to take it because I do not know anything about it. She told me people are getting really sick and dying because they aren’t taking it. I never took what ever it was she was pushing and I’m feeling fine and have obviously continued living. I’d love to know more about this vaccination-frenzy. I figure they are paid to push this shit.. Hope you can help. Thanks for seeking the truth and sharing your findings with us.

   1. Not all nurses are this way so it may be wise to elicit information from other healthcare sources or providers before making a decision about all of us. I am an emergency room nurse … non vaxxing…baby wearing…rear seat facing..organic..non medicating mommy and i make it a point to INFORM every patient i take care of regarding the medication/shot/etc that they are being prescribed and WHAT else they could do in PLACE of that treatment…i question my doctors on a nightly basis and fight for the things i believe in… just something to think about… we’re not all the same =)

      1. The community I live in really pushes unnatural living. Every nurse wanted me to give my kids flu shot and get them while I was pregnant, they even pressured me to break my water with all three kids because I was in labor for more than 6 hours. One actually made light fun of me for it. My point, it’s nice to see there are nurses out there that support more natural living. I do daycare in my home and I wear babies and feed all the kids organic food and my own children have never had flu shots. Some of my daycare children do and every season I see them get sick and almost every season my children do not. My 5 year old has had the flu one time and one ear infection.

      2. Meg, you’re a nurse after my own nursing heart. Call me a crunchy hippie, but I think there are very few of us who truly believe in HEALTH care as opposed to sick care. I made every excuse in the world not to vax 30+ years ago, and still believe that way today. But I’m sure you’ve found battles in the healthcare environment just as I have. I don’t intend to quit fighting this good fight.

4. I’m behind Rita Michelle 1000%. I really think you should pick up a microbiology textbook and read about vaccines. You are giving into uneducated Americans’ flawed views of vaccines, and it’s really saddening that you actually “researched” this topic and found crazy things that support your opinions of vaccines. I think you should research some actual, peer reviewed scientific articles published in scientific journals before you touch this topic again. This is so sad to the biology and scientific community as a whole.

   1. I have to agree. While it’s fine to decide for yourself not to get the flu shot, if you’re going to try and convince others to take your same position, you should do your research first. You’re just adding to the ignorance of the American public.

   2. Agreed! Please pick up a Microbiology book and learn about what viruses are\do….Your article is filled with claims\events of this or that but you do not back it up with information that proves what you claim: ie-
      Long term effects of the combination of these toxic additives are very alarming – a very famous immunologist & geneticist has completed studies and research that shows in that every five flu shots a person receives over a ten year period they increase their risk of Alzheimer Disease by ten times! This is because of the ingredients above – Aluminum and Mercury – they slowly destroy your brain cells one by one.
      who is the famous immunologist\geneticist? what study? where is it published?

      I am careful about what I put into my body and do not like to take any drugs unless necessary, however, I will tell you that I NEVER used to get the flu shot because I also felt that it was bad for you and that the medical community was trying to push something on me….once I had kids and I did not get the flu shot for them or myself –and let me tell you how I paid that price…we all got the flu and there is nothing worse than being sick and having to clean up vomit\diarheeha from your children. Since then I have educated myself on flu vaccines(and all vaccines) and I also have gone back to school for nursing and taken my biology\ap\micro classes and I changed my mind. We get the flu shot every year and we have not been sick with the flu since. I encourage you to do your homework because it will benefit you and I also like your blog site because ultimately I feel like you are trying to do a good thing with your blog. You can do better–just do your homework. 🙂

      1. As a nurse, I’m sure you do actually know that the “flu” protected by the flu shot is influenza which doesn’t cause vomiting or diarrhea but rather is a respiratory virus. Sounds like not getting the flu shot isn’t really what caused you to get a stomach virus…

      2. I need to correct some folks here. I am a pediatrician. Influenza absolutely CAN cause vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. These symptoms are more common in children. Please see the CDC website for a quick reference.

      3. Thank you for posting that. Flu can most certainly cause those symptoms!

      4. InFLUenza doesn’t cause vomiting or diarrhea. Sounds to me you didn’t cook the chicken long enough or McDonalds didn’t agree with you. Either case follow your own advice: research.

      5. Hugh Fudenberg MD. Over 800 published papers and considered one of the top in his field.
         Just because you your “extensive” nursing degree doesn’t include a portion on common sense don’t disregard someone who raises vaild concerns over toxic chemicals being injected into the blood stream. She is writing a blog, not a clinical research paper, which is there to get people to think and look into these topics more on their own. Therefore her disclaimer at the top of her page.
         It is funny how you have jumped in to e medical model hook line and sinker, yet many in your filed don’t want vaccines….now hospitals are trying to mandate vaccines to force compliance. They would never have to do this if there wasn’t question and concerns within the very filed that adamantly promotes it.

      6. Could you provide the title of the paper, please? I actually would like to read it.

      7. Okay, a quick google scholar search turns up no publications since the 80’s for this guy, I can’t imagine this was the author of the paper foodbabe was referring to…

      8. rita michelle, who do you work for??

         the cdc claims the flu vaccine to be 70-90% effective (data from cdc banner posted in my medical facility)… so, that must mean that 10-30% of people who get the vaccine GET the flu. i wonder what % of people who Dont get the vaccine get the flu?? certainly not 30% of the people i know. these numbers would have to be closer to 100% effectiveness before i get the vaccine or give it to my children. drink your kool-aid.

   3. “You are giving into uneducated Americans’ flawed views of vaccines, and it’s really saddening that you actually “researched” this topic and found crazy things that support your opinions of vaccines. …….”

      And yet, THAT is what SOME scientists do. Most of the time they have their hypothesis and hope the evidence backs up their thinking or manipulation takes place just in case it doesn’t. (I stated SOME not ALL.) In authentic science that is not the case.

      I understand the fact that with virus’s (virus’s mutate continually), mutations render a previous vaccines related anti bodies useless and that is why a new vaccine has to be manufactured every year. The problem is science is guessing at what a new strain might be and no one really knows if the vaccine can produce antibodies that will be able to recognize the new virus strain. That’s a dangerous gamble. If you were to put odds to this Vegas wouldn’t be betting on it.

      PS: Rita: there is a difference between “evolving” and mutations. A real scientist would know that. If you were dumbing it down to make things more understandable to the masses ….well,…….only one person came across as dumb unfortunately. That is truly a shame for sciences. Just my opinion.

      1. Hi Lori,

         As I stated earlier, small errors occur when a virus replicates. These errors result in different alleles (variants) at particular loci (locations) on a gene. These differences may benefit the virus, or be deleterious, or have no effect at all. If they benefit the virus, it will have greater success replicating itself than other viruses, and changes in population allele frequencies will occur. This is essentially the process of natural selection, which is a mechanism through which evolution occurs.

         As I stated above, you might enjoy doing some additional reading in Campbell’s “Biology” (ISBN-10 0321558146) or even Futuyma’s “Evolution” (ISBN-10 0878932232) if you are feeling ambitious. Good luck with your studies!

      2. Actually, mutations and evolution aren’t mutually exclusive. Mutations don’t MEAN evolution occurs, but evolution cannot occur WITHOUT mutations. Some mutations, such as lighter skin, are advantageous for people living in cooler climates. Other mutations, such as Progeria, limit that individual’s ability to pass on the mutation. Sure, these mutations can happen without a genetic component, but something harmful to survival will not become widespread in the population. Simply because a trait is advantageous does not negate its status as a mutation.

         http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130170343.htm

         Read this, and perhaps you might better understand that simply because the word “mutation” does not have a positive connotation does not make it ACTUALLY harmful. Its connotation is simply a product of cultural values that we give the word.

5. This article isn’t worded the best. However, assuming that people are going to change their minds once they “pick up a microbiology textbook and read about vaccines” is erroneous.

   Vaccines have never been proven to be beneficial. Why do we scream for “proof” that anyone’s suffered ill effects, yet not insist on “proof” that these substances need to be injected into us? (Polio is an old and very controversial story; for a number of reasons, it doesn’t prove the efficacy of vaccines.)

   All of you owe it to yourselves to check out BOTH sides of the story. Mercola, Natural News, and Neil Miller are all possible sources for understanding why some don’t vaccinate.

   I’m not going to answer all of the rebuttals for hours. There’s research on both sides. There’s money on one side. Do you really think we’re just talking a reasonable profit for a reasonable service?? Follow the money trail, and you’ll see what we mean.

   1. Polio vaccine. I rest my case.

      1. I believe polio was declining *before* the vaccine was introduced and declined at the same rate in countries where there was no vaccine. For the sake of our own well being, we all need to try tracing this stuff back a couple hundred years to what people were *actually* saying about the vaccine, rather than quoting, as some do, that “If only we could go back to that era, we’d be falling on our knees in worship.” The likelihood of death/ lifelong injury from polio has been greatly exaggerated in modern times. Would it be serious if you were the 1/1000 or so? Of course. But it’s equally serious when people die or are brain damaged from the vaccines themselves.

         Polio, by itself, does not justify the relentless campaign to push needles with diseases of every kind (plus multiple extra toxins like aluminum and formaldehyde) into our bodies.

         But I know I am writing this only for those on the fence on the issue. Those who are determined to vaccinate will not listen, and I am mostly reconciled to that.

         If you are interested in more information, check out Neil Miller’s Vaccine Safety Manual (not letting others censor what you read), Vaccines: A Thoughtful Parent’s Guide, Natural News, and probably anything by Russell Blaylock.

      2. 2 great reads to put the holy grail polio vaccine into perspective:

         “The Virus and The Vaccine” True story of the contamination of polio vaccines with cancer-causing SV-40 Simian viruses.

         And

         “The River” Journey to the Source of Aids…and darn it AIDs didn’t mysteriously begin appearing in the exact villages where the CHAT oral polio vaccines were administered. CHAT polio vaccines were experimental and relied on the harvesting of live organs from living monkeys and the harvesting caused them to die a painful death. There were simian-like viruses that contaminated those early vaccines as well.

         So there are 3 stories to be told on polio vaccines and it’s no surprise most Americans have only taken time to hear the one that goes – “all hail the mighty polio vaccine, savior of mankind!” NOT the whole story.

   2. Have you heard of smallpox? It wiped out a large percentage of the native population of the land you live in. Not Eminent Domain, a virus.
      Until, the early seventies EVERYONE born in the US had to be vaccinated. If you were born before then, check your upper right arm for the scar. In other parts of the world they continued vaccinating years after that. These days,only a couple of labs around the world keep samples of it. That is how afraid we are of it.
      Well, vaccines took care of it.

6. I totally agree, but to pass this info on to friends and family, they are going to want me to cite this famous geneticist’s study. Can you please pass on your references? Thanks!

   1. I am not vaccinated against the flu and don’t plan to. She wrote many interesting points but I want citations also!

7. TOTALLY AGREE!! Tho it’s not just the flu shot, it’s ALL vaccines. They are money makers & have horrible ingredients & have caused sever reactions in many many cases. I have even known of babies who have died after having multiple vaccines at once.

8. I’m 5 months pregnant and even if I wasn’t I still wouldn’t get a flu shot. The problem is that I work at a hospital that gives me 2 options: get a flu shot or wear a mask until April 31st of next year. Well, wearing a mask makes me very nauseated to the point where I have vomited 3 times in one day last week. When I don’t wear a mask, I don’t suffer from nausea. I have been suspended for not wearing a mask already and the next step is termination of my employment. My boss just gave me a document from the CDC titled “Pregnant Women Need a Flu Shot” for me to “review”!!!! I can’t stand this anymore. Food Babe, do you have any references that could counter this ridiculous article?

   1. I don’t have the info you’re looking for but I just wanted to say that I find this infuriating. I’m so sorry that you’re in this position. 🙁

      1. It’s infuriating that the hospital wants to protect its patients? The flu is spread by respiratory secretions (I.e. breathing). If you work in a place with a high risk population you are obligated to do whatever possible to reduce the risk of infection. Like washing your hands and wearing a mask. If one chooses not to vaccinate oneself that is a personal decision. But don’t put others at risk because of it.

      2. Yes, it is infuriating! With your argument, all hospital staff and patients should have to wear face masks 100% of the time. They don’t.

      3. Can you request to be moved to a non affected area of the hospital? Like working in records or some such that wouldn’t put you in direct contact with patients til after you are done breast feeding ? Something to consider if the hospital is willing. You may need to consider for your health and the babies welfare a change of occupation. Good luck.

      4. what?? wear a mask 100% of the time because i work in a hospital?? patients w the flu or any other contagious illness are designated as such and masks are required when caring for these patients. i wear my mask to protect my other patients and myself. if a patient doesnt have the flu… why wear a mask? if i’m sick i stay home and stay away from people all together. maybe we should all wear masks from oct through april everywhere we go. we all breathe.

   2. Sorry but April only has 30 days. Every year.

9. ive never had a flu shot and never had a flu in my life. thats stuff is crazy and its a mony making buisness. only take medicine and stuff if you really have no choice and desperate.

10. Vani, I had read this post a few months ago, and it was one of the influencing factors in why I decided not to get flu shots for myself or my kids this year. I have been seeing the news headlines all over about how bad this flu season is, and of course it is playing on my fears and I have been second guessing myself. I then went back in and re-read this post just now, and it made me feel soooo much better. I just wanted to say thanks for sharing it!

11. as someone with a suppressed immune system and at high risk for acquiring viruses spread by folks that may carry it even if they don’t become ill… I feel you are encouraging folks to put loved one’s health in jeapordy by NOT getting the flu shot. Are you willing to be responsible for someone’s death because you spread the illness ? I understand & respect your personal decision, but feel that you are encouraging others to be extraordinarily irresponsible without presenting a thoughtful side to the risks for the community as well as the individual for your choice.

    1. If your immune system is so compromised, YOU need to consider reducing your exposure to others during the flu season and you may want to wear a mask for your own protection. Sorry to hear of your health problems. Take care and good luck.

       1. really wear a mask?….all the time??? I have a bad heart and lungs due to an accident..If I get a cold or any infection..I go into ventricular tachycardia and go arrhythmic..I refused to get the shot and my body went amok…i got sick as a dog and could not breath nor get my heart on track…. I had two ablations( a nightmare) My surgeon, cardiologist and internist all insisted i get the flu shot…I fought them and lost..i got the flu shot last year everyone around me was taken down badly….Me? the one with the serious health risk breezed through flu season… Never again am i going to take the chance…I am into Organic Living and Naturapathy…but since all this I believe integrated medicine is our best bet…..The alzeimers thing scares me and you bet I will investigate that….But in reality having suffered so badly without the shot…I am not willing to test not getting it…

    2. Really? I should go ahead and submit to any risk, even if it is minimal, so that you can avoid getting sick? I’m sorry you aren’t well and that you have the true misfortune of a bad event causing a horrible outcome. However, it is not my responsibility to keep you well. That is your responsibility. The mistaken belief that we are all somehow responsible for everyone else is a serious issue in the world today.

       Helping people is a good thing. Sacrifice when a true benefit is there and it directly affects a person’s life, is a good thing. Of course you have to know for sure that you are giving something up for someone else’s true gain. It would not be wise to throw away money assuming that a person in the garbage industry would find it. He may not. It could never be found and then you would not be able to use it to help anyone. The same thing can be applied here. If the flu vaccine worked, and I received it there is a small chance that it would prevent me from becoming a carrier of the flu and passing it to you while we are in the same elevator. At the same time there is a good chance that I will have to sacrifice how I feel for a few days or longer should an immediate adverse reaction occur in order for me to provide you that glimpse of a would be protection. Is there anyway for me to know that my sacrifice will truly protect you? No, there is not. I wouldn’t sacrifice money unless I knew if was really going to help someone. I certainly won’t sacrifice my health or comfort on a chance that it may someday protect someone else. There are no guarantees that I won’t react to it or that it won’t affect me negatively in some way nor are there any guarantees that it will protect you.

       And, do you really think I should take a risk to protect someone I don’t know from something they may not even be exposed to? Sounds like a pretty selfish expectation.

12. I completely agree with you. I’m wondering, though, why you won’t eat gelatin? Is it because the animals are gmo-fed or because it is an animal product? Or both? Is grass-fed gelatin acceptable? I’ve been taking it as a supplement. Thanks!

13. http://www.naturalnews.com/038598_vaccines_medical_hoax_government_documents.html

    Just saw this the other day.

14. Unfortunately I did get a flu shot last November because I have asthma and my primary care always tells me it’s the best thing. Two weeks ago I got the flu and it was so bad I needed to be hospitalized. Today is the 14th day and I am still congested and coughing and I’m going out for the first time. There were 8 people in our family who got hit with the flu two days after Christmas and I was one who got the worst symptoms! So did my father-in-law, and we were the only two who had received the flu shot!!!! Something very strange there! So I am convinced that I need to boost my immune system and be able to fight off the flu WITHOUT the shot next time! No more shot for me! The others who were able to fight it more must have been healthier to begin with.

    Also, my cousin received the flu shot and two days later cam was hospitalized for 5 days. They told her she had a horrible reaction to the shot PLUS she had the flu as well. THEY ARE KILLING US!!!! It’s just so overwhelming they have us going nuts!!!!

15. maybe you should get a medical degree before you start writing things that are obviously untrue. If you don’t want the flu shot fine. But don’t put an uninformed opinion out there for people to read. For example:

    “Why do I have to get a Flu Shot every year? Aren’t vaccines suppose to immunize you for life? They have to continuously give you a flu shot, because it is not a real vaccine. Let’s say for instance, you get a vaccine for another virus like Hepatitis A or B – you are immunized for life. Why isn’t this the case with the flu vaccine? Because the scientists have not developed a real vaccine for the flu and are continuously guessing on how to come up with a new chemical formula that could be effective.” This is false. They have to do a new vaccine each year b/c the virus mutates at a high rate. (You would think you would know this b/c you wrote (ahem probably copied/pasted) this fact earlier. Hep A and B do not have this problem. It has nothing to do with how long your antibodies persist. Ignorance is worse than stupidity.

    1. I am a healthcare provider and everything you said is spot on. Thank you.

16. You should feel responsible for the information you are disseminating to all of the people who follow you, and for the influence it may have on their decisions (which I assume is your goal here). Cite your sources.

17. I can’t believe the pro-vaccination people in the comment section actually believe vaccines are safe and don’t harbor long lasting detrimental effects on ones health. I would NEVER get ANY vaccine. They weaken the bodies natural immune system. A healthy individual with a strong immune system will be able to fight off the flu just fine. Dr. Mercola is a very outspoken opponent of vaccinantions and if you must have a medical source then he is a good start. If you follow the money, you can see plain as day those in suppot of vaccinations are those who benifit from them financially. Just say NO to vaccines…

    1. Well if you’re not vaccinated, don’t get near me or my kids. This is from Kristen A. Feemster, M.D.,M.P.H., is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she sees patients and conducts research on infectious disease epidemiology and vaccine policy, noting the increase in pertussis cases in Philly: “News about waning protection after childhood pertussis vaccination may add to already heightened concerns about vaccine safety. Parents’ refusal to vaccinate their children – acceptable reasons to opt out of mandatory immunization varies from state to state – has resulted in increased risks of outbreaks for vaccine-preventable diseases in certain communities. In fact, some of the local pertussis outbreaks have provided evidence for what happens when too many members of a community skip vaccination. Any additional challenges to the public’s trust in pertussis vaccines will further threaten our ability to effectively control this epidemic.”

       So fine, keep yourself from being vaccinated, cough until the blood vessels in your eyes burst, then see how you feel about a vaccine that could have prevented this nasty disease, and kept you from spreading it to others. Polio, small pox, etc., etc., are diseases we don’t have to deal with very much in the U.S. thanks to vaccines. FoodBabe is ignorant to the point of being scary.

       1. I disagree ………..

       2. If your kids are vaccinated, then what are you worried about?

18. Girl, I couldn’t have written that any better myself! Well done! I will definitely be sharing this via social media. I couldn’t agree with you more. 🙂

19. The untruths and factual inaccuracies this propagates are really unfortunate.
    First, the flu vaccine does protect us – what are you even talking about when you say it doesn’t? Just because it must be remanufactured every year does not mean that it doesn’t protect us.
    Second, the flu vaccine is a cocktail of viral strains, some old, some new, because it is meant to be predictive i.e. we know what strains are prevalent elsewhere (Australia, specifically, as their flu season is 8 months ahead of ours), therefore we can derive inference models about what strains will affect us, so you claiming it’s the “same strain” as last year is right but also far from the complete story.
    Third, advising people to take vitamin D is stupid and irresponsible. D is one of the fat soluble vitamins, meaning you store it once you make it and use it as necessary. It is produced by exposure to sunlight, so most people are not deficient (deficiency leads to rickets), since as little as five minutes in the sun will produce a very large store of it. Thus, if you get a good amount of it in your daily routine and your body only uses it as necessary, taking more will not have any effect – it will just be stored in fat. Fat solubles are extremely toxic at high concentrations, so if you supplement what your body makes and subsequently store an excess, you put yourself at risk for myriad disease states (you can look this all up).
    Fourth, vaccines are not and never have been for life. Most vaccines require a booster every number of years because the body will not keep producing antibodies for an illness it does not encounter (think of this as a supply and demand mechanism). Additionally, to compare a vaccine for one virus to that of another is false because different viruses are genetically different – the flu virus belongs to a family of viruses that is highly prone to mutation, which is why new vaccines need to be made every year (if you feel so inclined, read on the notions of antigentic shift and drift – the factors responsible for this – the hepatitides do not really undergo this).
    Fifth, pharmaceutical companies lose a tremendous amount of money in the production of vaccines. This may sound odd, given that so many people get them, but you cannot forget that R&D is extremely expensive, but even more so is production. Pharmaceutical companies are pressured by the government to produce massive quantities of vaccines, losing money on each dose because the government wants to ensure that the entire population can be immunized for free. The production process of a vaccine is long and intricate and requires highly specialized technicians and machinery throughout, resulting in a net loss per dose. They do this under pressure from the CDC and FDA (the latter organization is responsible for the actual pressure via potential future drug approvals).
    Sixth, the “egg products” contained in vaccines are actually just albumin from chicken embryos that are used in the production of the vaccine – given that avian flu has not been found in the US and that our vaccines are created here in highly controlled laboratories, the chickens used to produce our vaccines have zero chance of having avian flu. Fifth, you list a bunch of chemicals and then say “I won’t eat any of these ingredients or even put them on my body – however, the mainstream medical community, government agencies and pharmaceutical companies suggest that I directly inject these ingredients into my bloodstream?” This is highly frustrating because it draws a false comparison based on the assumption that “chemicals” are bad. Synthesized chemicals are not inherently worse than those that occur naturally. If you have cancer, would you refuse methotrexate because it’s a synthesized chemical? What about taxol? Taxol comes from yew trees, but is still a potent anticancer drug – that it was produced by a plant makes it no better or worse than methotrexate or any other synthesized therapeutic. Just because you wouldn’t eat a chemical or put it in your body (I don’t know how you’d put some of these chemicals in your body without taking a vaccine but that’s neither here nor there) doesn’t mean it isn’t essential and useful in the capacity in which it is being used. This is to say, sure, Triton X100 is a detergent, but do you know what it is used for? Why is it in vaccines? Simply put, it is used to crack open the virus shell so that the nucleic acid of the virus can be removed, because the only part of the virus your immune system cares about is the surface proteins. Since viruses are basically just their nucleic acid, this is how they are “killed” (things that aren’t technically alive can’t be killed – this is called a split-virus or subunit vaccine). There is no evidence that it is has negative side effects – it is immediately cleared from the blood once injected. Most everything you listed will be immediately cleared from the blood because it is A. preservative used to keep the vaccine from spoiling, B. a stabilizer used to ensure the vaccine in liquid form does not degrade (the biochemical equivalent of spoilage). Gentamycin and thimerosal (as an aside, to say this is “mercury” is unbelievably false and disingenuous – it contains mercury, but at such low doses it is not harmful – mercury toxicity is the result of buildup of mercury and this does not contribute to that remotely because the amount of mercury present is in the realm of dozens of atoms) are preservatives, preventing viral, bacterial, or fungal growth in the vaccine. Gelatin, albumin, MSG, polysorbate 80, and sucrose are stabilizers, ensuring that the vaccine is chemically stable. Aluminum is an adjuvant – it enhances vaccine function. Latex is used as a stopper for some vaccine vials. Formaldehyde is a byproduct of the production process and exists in extremely low doses in vaccines – similar to the levels our own body creates as a byproduct of everyday metabolism.
    Seventh, advising people to “boost their immune system” with supplements instead of taking a vaccine is equivalent to those who advise people to take supplements instead of chemotherapeutics; supplements are just that, supplemental, and should never be taken instead of something. You really risk putting people at great harm by doing so. The only “boost” you can give your immune system to not get the flu is to have it produce antibodies for that flu, and that is precisely what a vaccine does. None of the things you listed will result in production of antibodies for that flu (exercise can even decrease immune function by stimulation of cortisol, which suppresses the immune system – see: HPA axis). And do you know the mechanism of action of any of the things you listed? What about side interactions? potential toxicities? LD50?
    As I said before, this is an unfortunate article because the misinformation it propagates is unbelievably dangerous. It is important to understand the science behind something before you denounce it.

    1. Finally somebody who actually knows what he is talking about. Don’t get vaccinated people, who cares really? When you get sick don’t run to the hospitals, try and cure yourselves with homeopathy and please don’t come complaining. Idiots.

    2. “Gentamycin and thimerosal (as an aside, to say this is “mercury” is unbelievably false and disingenuous – it contains mercury, but at such low doses it is not harmful – mercury toxicity is the result of buildup of mercury and this does not contribute to that remotely because the amount of mercury present is in the realm of dozens of atoms) …….”

       Could you sight your references for this?

       So vitamin D is similar to vitamin A in that sense ?

       TIA

       1. http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408440600845619
          Hopefully you have access to it, but if you don’t, the gist is: thimerosal, technically ethylmercury thiosalicylate is assumed to be assumed to be toxic (the actual toxicity of ethylmercury is not known, so it is based on that of methylmercury, which is extremely toxic). Many vaccines do use it as a preservative, so it would necessarily have to be an extremely low amount, otherwise the vaccine itself would be toxic. Ethylmercury, though, unlike methylmercury, does not bioaccumulate (when you are discouraged from eating fish with high mercury content, it is because they accumulate methylmercury), so whatever mercury you are exposed to in thimerosal is eliminated from the body because it exists in a different chemical form.

       2. And yes, you can categorize vitamins as either water-soluble (C, and I think most of the Bs), meaning they dissolve in water and are eliminated when in excess, or as fat-soluble (K, A, D, E), which means they are hydrophobic and can be stored. Ds are cholesterol derivatives, though, while A comes from beta-carotene.

    3. Thank you biochemist. Well said.

    4. That was so incredibly informational, and exactly what I’ve been looking for as far as FACTS about vaccines. Thank you so much for taking the time to share that.

    5. Thank you for posting this! Let’s just hope that “Food Babe” will stick to the juice recipes and workout suggestions as it is VERY clear that she does not understand basic science. I really like this blog overall, but I cannot support it if she is spreading incorrect information.

    6. Thank you! Very well said.

    7. Dear A. Biochemist,

       Can I have you?

       Your extensive knowledge and geek-talk is sexy.

    8. I have to ask, if Vitamin D deficiency is so rare, why do your trusted doctors push the supplements on everyone? I live in sunny south Florida where we are always exposed to enough sunshine. I’m confidant that none of my family is deficient. However, even with these facts, the doctors still insist every child be on a vitamin D supplement. If it is dangerous to have too much vitamin D than I’m even more appalled at the insistence that all children need the supplement. I also question why scientists and doctors recommend food fortified with vitamin D, like milk (if you even call that pasteurized crap food), if deficiencies are rare? If it’s so easy to make that it takes only 5 minutes of sunshine to make enough, than why do your doctors and scientists push these supplements? Please elaborate on this for me.

       1. I am happy to elaborate on this, but I take strong exception to your tone, specifically the use of “your [trusted] doctors and scientists,” as if we are all in cahoots, seemingly implying I support 100% of decisions physicians and scientists makes, far from the truth. Additionally, grouping scientists and physicians is offensive to scientists, as we are in the business of discovering things, not doling out advice. As a scientist, I have never recommended anyone consume any type of food. Next, I don’t know what you think pasteurization is/does, but I assure you it is almost solely responsible for why we don’t regularly get food poisoning from eating packaged foods. Yes, it may kill a small percentage of beneficial bacteria; however, that is the cost of not getting botulism from drinking milk. As a scientist, I question what we actually know about how biology works on a daily basis because that is my job, so I always welcome civil skeptical discourse; however, I do not appreciate the a priori judgment and hostility behind your questions.

          There are multiple answers. For starters, physicians in Florida, especially in places like Boca and Miami, are often faddists who will hop on to whatever pseudo-medical craze is sweeping the nation (I’m sure you’d find many who are now recommending a gluten-free diet too). However, I stand by my statement from January that excess vitamin D is not good for you…unless you drink a lot of milk or take a calcium supplement. In this case, you do need an increased dosage because it is essential to proper absorption of calcium. Indeed, administration of calcium without vitamin D may lead to an increased risk of heart attack (a study demonstrating just as much was published last year). Thus, it is not surprising that physicians would recommend milk with vitamin D added. Children tend to drink more milk than adults, so that they should take more is grounded in logic. The short version is if you have a strong dietary calcium intake, by all means, take vitamin D, but megadosing it is harmful.

    9. Thank You, A. Biochemist! The paranoid anti-man posts with no facts were really getting me annoyed.

    10. Well said! Thank you!

20. Food babe, firstly let me say that I am a firm believer in the power of eating well, and a giant sceptic when it comes to the shenanigans of big pharma and the agricultural-industrial complex. BUT. I do feel that the flu shot is, in balance, weighing risks and benefits, a good thing. Especially for those with compromised function (elderly, chronically ill etc.) and as for the nurse who objects to the demands of her workplace infringing on her right to control what goes in her body, well that’s a tough one for sure, but I think “not spreading infection to the immuno-compromised for whom it might be life threatening” trumps “the hospital can’t make me get a shot I don’t want.” Suck it up, it is a requirement for working in a hospital. There is no massive cover up of negative side effects on flu vaccines (too many people get the shot. It would be impossible to cover up a significant problem). Big pharma is, in my opinion, genuinely evil in many of its behaviours. But just not in this case.

21. I took your advice and boy am I regretting it!!! I chose not to get flu vaccines for myself and my 3 young children and now we all have the flu. My oldest daughter has been out of school all week. I haven’t been able to get out of bed to take care of them, and today I started coughing up blood! Next year we will be taking our chances with the shots.

22. You said that those ingredients “could be” in the flu shot. So are they? Pixie dust and unicorn tears also “could be” in the flu shot. Do you have any science to back up any of your claims?

    1. LOL

23. I usually enjoy your blog posts and agree with some of your points. We are an over medicated society. As a medical professional I have seen more good than harm from the flu shot and other vaccinations though. I respect your decision to not take the flu shot but I have don’t feel you should be using scare tactics (without references) to push your views on others. I have taken care of children with influenza who have been hospitalized for weeks, on assisted breathing and ridiculous amounts of medications (more chemicals). I have seen children die from influenza, sometimes children who were perfectly healthy to begin with. I know there are side effects to the vaccination, I will say that not once in my nursing career have I seen a person hospitalized from getting a flu vaccine. I am not saying it doesn’t happen but I have never seen it personally. I will not deny that there are chemicals in the vaccine but I would rather take a risk with a small amount of vaccine to prevent a whole lot of illness. What about an article outlining the risks of taking Tamiflu, the drug given to those who do acquire influenza? Or an article on antibiotics that could be prescribed from secondary infections obtained from influenza? How about an article on ventilators and the risks associated with being on a ventilator for several days.

24. It is not about Pharma $$$ here my people. A flu shot for a child is $8 WAC pricing and for an adult it is $12-13. The drug companies are forced by the government to basically give it away for free. It is a financial loss to a manufacturer that they have to make up in some other form. Influenza vaccines do not keep a company afloat financially at all!
    http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/awardees/vaccine-management/price-list/index.html
    Above is the pricing list SET BY THE GOVERNMENT!! And take into account all of the money that goes into R&D each year. Many 100,000’s of people DIE each year from Influenza viruses. I am a young healthy adult who was hospitilized for the flu last year that went into pneumonia. I was on breathing devices for 6 weeks! Talk about healthcare costs the cost of me not get a shot and getting exposed to the FLU virus and getting the actualy H1N1 virus and having to go into the hospital I would have say I wished I had taken my “chances” as the small amounts of chemicals in the immunization versus being out from work for 6 weeks and suffering major respiratory disease because of the virus! So then all of the IV drugs, the oral drugs that were pumped into me in the hospital to keep my breathing going who is saying that was a better alternative? I am one who eats mostly Raw diet, juices almost daily, gets lots of vitamin D and A and C as well as Zinc, exercises, does yoga, ect ect but I still came down with an awful Flu this time last year that put me down and out until March!! I am a healthcare professional and was exposed to the virus more than the average person, but even by taking optimal care for myself still didnt allow me to go unharmed by the H1N1 virus last year. I was at a hospital today and saw some Nurses and staff wearing the masks since they choose not to take the shot. Again, it is a CHOICE people, so the choice is still yours and only you to make. It is not madatory in most cases – the mask is an option. One cant stay away from germs the entire flu season it is not possible to avoid them even in your daily visit to a store, bank, grocery, ect. I keep washing my hands OFTEN all year long to avoid germs or spreading germs, but this does not make you immune. Keep in mind though folks when always pointing fingers at Pharma, imagine a world with no medicines? Doctors and Nurses do NOT get paid to RX drugs – this is illegal in this country to do so and considered bribery and it punishable by law. How does a Medical Doctor practice Medicine in the USA without drugs? Keep in mind our country still has the longest life span in the world (top 20) even with these “evil” bad guys in the drugs/immunizations. A world without Malaria pills means that Malaria would be the #1 cause of death like it is in many parts of Africa, where I just visited. Child mortality rates are awful and malaria is the #1 cause. So we in America avoid dying from Malaria even when we visit Malaria infested parts of the world because we have access to Malaria prevention. I am grateful of this. I am grateful to Pharma for saving my life when my breathing wouldnt work on its own last year from complications of the FLU virus turing to Pneumonia! I could have died. But I didn’t. And it wasnt because I was eating my veggies and fruits! I needed live saving broncho dialators to breathe and machines or I wouldnt be here typing this post. Same with going to Ethiopia and Kenya and other parts of Africa I had many bug bites but due to the fact I have access to anti-Malaria pills, I am fine. After having a friend DIE from not taking Malaria pills since she thought it was all Pharma $$$ making propoganda, re think your voice. Re direct pharma anger at all the Fast Food, Sodas, cigarette ads ect in this country – but again that too is all a personal CHOICE. It is your choice not to take medications or immunizations but just wait until something life threatening comes your way. Then what? What is your choice if it is life or death???

25. http://www.nvic.org/NVIC-Vaccine-News/October-2012/Influenza-Deaths–The-Hype-vs–The-Evidence.aspx

26. I have so many issues with the “research” you have done. If you Google any topic, you will find both correct and incorrect information about any topic from both experts and random people off the street. Choose your sources carefully. Read published studies that have been peer reviewed by a panel of experts. I only wish to address one specific thing you mentioned. Flu shots are intramuscular injections. You inject them into the deltoid muscle in the arm NOT into the bloodstream. That is probably the most basic thing you should know about the flu shot and destroyed your credibility for me.

27. Pingback: The Flu and Maintaining Health « Nutritive Wellness for a Vibrant Full Life

28. I believe in freedom of speech but you should be accurate and provide a complete and accurate assessment. By you making claims such as directly into your bloodstream you prove that you haven’t been educated or done your due diligence. The flu vaccine is not injected intravenously at all and that is just the beginning. Not all vaccines have the ingredients that you list, different manufacturers, different methods of delivery are just a few of the options that are available. I am a nurse, but I am not a pill pusher or a medical person who supports antibiotic use for everything etc. what I do know from experience is that people need to find a provider they trust and listen to them, be aware of your community and the incidence of communicable diseases and by all means be conscious of not just medications and vaccines be careful what you eat and drink, who you kiss, shake hands with and sleep with. Our bodies are made to fight infections and with an intact immune system a flu shot can prevent you and your loved ones from days and weeks if illness and lost days of work and time with family.

29. My kids all got a flu shot several years ago and we had the WORST year for sickness in our house. A couple of my kiddos have a low immunity unfortunately and we suffer with sickness all winter. That year was awful. We had never before and have not since been that bad off. I will NEVER get a flu shot again no matter how much their Dr tells me I am wrong and it wasnt the shot that made it so bad. After reading this and some other things I am more convinced that the shot made it that bad for us. I am currently taking a probiotic and plan to get the gummy ones for my kids. We stock up on VitaminC and I will have to work on getting more VitaminD too!! Thanks for your thoughts and information.

30. I notice you are still putting toxic chemicals on your nails and in your hair.
    Overall a very lame and unscientific analysis of what vaccines are and how they work.

31. Pingback: Nature’s Flu Shot | coffee.wine.andyoga.

32. Just a question – several colleagues and their children succumbed to the flu after receving the shot – why does that happen? Id appreciate some feedback from both sides of the argument.

    1. There are multiple strains of the flu… you may have heard of a few (H1N3, H1N1, etc.) The flu shot only provides protection against what are predicted to be the 3 most common strains each year (this is why it is recommended you get a flu shot every year – circulating strains change and evolve from year to year).
       The idea that the flu shot will GIVE you the flu is a myth – if someone tells you this, chances are they were already sick or caught the flu before the vaccine had taken effect (it takes 2-3 weeks to build up immunity from the shot.)

       1. Thank you!

       2. Hubby has had the flu shot every year for the last 6 yrs or so because his work provides it for free… me and the kids never have.
          Every year, hubby gets the flu. Me and the kids don’t even though we share a house with him…
          That says a LOT to me…. the flu shot is not protecting him against the flu at all…
          I suspect it is because the kids and I have built up an immunity to flu viruses whereas hubby has not….

33. Read the package inserts for the various fly shots. Safety and effectiveness have not been established in pregnant women (or nursing mothers) according to the drug companies themselves. Most are meant for those at least 18 years old but a few are approved for those age two and older. The CDC says the flu shot is safe for anyone six months old and older and that its safe for preggers. The drug manufacturers themselves say it hasn’t been tested for safety! Click on this link and check out the different flu shots and then thier package inserts.

    http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/ucm094045.htm

    awesome post food babe! thanks for all you do!

34. Pingback: My Organic Remedy to Help Keep the Flu Away - Fire Cider

35. Vaccines are bunk? How many smallpox deaths did we have last year? How many crippled children who suffered from polio do you see? We have became complacent about the increase life expectancy and reduced mortality that many of these vaccines have given us….. With the exception of the HPV vaccine Gardisil vaccines are not a “moneymaker” as others suggest. While the flu vaccine is changed every year based on the best ” guess” of the strains we will deal with it still confers protection. You might still get the flu, you will probalby have a lighter case or avoid hospitalization…… You could “get the flu” from the nasal spray but the injection is a dead virus no chance at all…

36. I love love your article!!!! I think these are breaking down the immune system for early death and disease….boiling down to the almighty $$…. again!

37. I am happy that you are doing so much to help people make better food choices, and it is certainly up to you if you want to get a flu shot or not. However, I find it a bit irresponsible to give such a one-sided picture about vaccines. As a pediatrician I am in favor of protecting our most vulnerable citizens, children, from vaccine preventable illnesses like Influenza. True, the amount of protection is variable from year to year, but it is definitely worth getting and can decrease morbidity and mortality. Just ask the families whose healthy children DIED of the flu last year if they should have vaccinated their children. I spend most of my free time founding a nonprofit which teaches families about good nutrition. However, even those of us who eat a healthy, clean, plant-strong diet are still vulnerable to vaccine preventable illness.

38. Wow. I was just browsing your site and liking the info you were posting. But, you are WAY off on this topic.

    You need to do a lot more research on how vaccines work, how vaccines are developed, and think twice about telling people how to encounter the flu “naturally.”

    My mom died just this past year. She was 54 and in good health. She got the flu, then pneumonia, and sepsis. And died. The flu kills perfectly healthy people every year. According to the advice you gave people, she should have been just fine upping her vitamin intake. Completely not true.

    Here is a two part interview from two NIH physician scientists who develop vaccines:

    http://bit.ly/YAB8wD
    http://bit.ly/12Q3n0M

    Part of being healthy is eating good food and practicing good, preventative care. You’re WAY off on this subject.

39. I totally respect and appreciate your information and views on nutrition, skin care products, and OTC medications etc. However, I have to say that I strongly disagree with your stance on vaccines. I’m not sure that you should be one to try and sway the public against vaccines, its a pretty heavy topic and to devote one article to it isn’t nearly enough. I would also like to see where you got your facts from, as some of the others.

    1. Please read disclaimer at top of post. Thanks!

40. I’m grateful for the information you provide, especially for the advice to encounter the flu naturally, with a relatively healthy constitution. Fear of disease is most people’s motivation for submitting to such horrific vaccinations. Corporate interests apparently regard humanity as livestock with discretionary income … Vani, you’ve got it goinng on….

41. Wow! The human race is doomed and is obviously de-evolving. I am a glass-half-full person, but this article and many of the posts really emphasize that people are not just ignorant, they are willfully ignorant.

    So for all you interesting people—the government is using your cell phones to control your minds—the food is filled with cerebral inhibiting compounds—your babies are not your own, but instead are aliens spawned from cosmic debris being directed down from space by satellites…

42. Foodbabe- Could you post some direct source you have used for this article? For instance, the ingredients that could possibly be in the flu vaccine? I only ask because I want pass this on to people who may be skeptical if reading this at face value.

43. If you research other vaccines they don’t immunize you for life either. They say they last 3-5 years. Do calling them immunizations is actually an oxymoron. I would love you to do an investigation on vaccines.

44. I definitely don’t want the flu shot but I’m a nurse and my employer requires it or termination. Do you have any suggestions on things to do or take to build up my body against all the toxins?!

45. The last flu shot I received was in 1987. The flu shot made me sick. Later that winter I had the flu. I couldn’t understand what was the purpose, so I haven’t had one since. I rarely get sick and am perfectly happy without the flu shot.

46. Never had one. Many opportunities. No thank you. I was down for 9 days last winter with, I suppose, the flu (didn’t go to a doctor) but it’s rare for me and so what. I got it. It happens. Hopefully not this winter but I’m certainly not going for the shot.

47. Never have had a flu shot in my life, never will. The fact it is a shot in the dark doesn’t exactly compel me to even bother trying.

48. Hubby has had the flu shot every year for the last 6 yrs or so because his work provides it for free… me and the kids never have.
    Every year, hubby gets the flu. Me and the kids don’t even though we share a house with him…
    That says a LOT to me…. the flu shot is not protecting him against the flu at all…
    I suspect it is because the kids and I have built up an immunity to flu viruses whereas hubby has not….

49. *vial of vaccine? Or was that an intentional misspelling? 🙂

    Also, vaccines are not shot into your blood stream. They are given intramuscularly, so in your arm, leg, or butt muscles. They are then absorbed into your blood stream. I know it’s not a huge difference, but the way you say it makes it sound like you are trying to scare people, and that immediately turned me off of your whole article.

50. What about the nasal flu immunization? It is apparently much more effective than the shot, and you breathe it in instead of injecting into your bloodstream. Does it have the same levels of crap in it? It is only given to the very young & the very old for the added protection because it is EXPENSIVE. But if it’s is a less dirty drug, why isn’t that the one we all take?

    My wife didn’t get a shot last year & had a week of horrible flu. My son & I had gotten shots & didn’t catch it from her.

    My son skipped it one year around age 4 & had 105 fever for 7 days. They’re both alive, but some of these strains are pretty serious.

    Thanks for the info that it’s the same strain in the shot as last year. I think I have adequate immunity & dont need it again.