Archive for October, 2009
H1N1: The Virus and The Vaccine
Posted by admin in balance your body on October 29th, 2009
The Virus
There’s a new virus in town (well, in the world) and we’re calling it H1N1. Our immune system has never seen this virus before.
The first time your immune system sees a virus, it takes a little bit longer to mount an attack. During that lag-time, the virus grows in your body.
Once your immune system does mount an attack, you may get a little sicker, because there is more of the virus in your system.
In most people the H1N1 is just a mild flu. No big deal — a few days off sick and then back to normal. Actually, according to Dr. Donald Low, a leading communicable disease expert at Mount Sinai Hospital, 99.9% of kids who get the H1N1 flu will get over it within a few days.
You are much more likely to get very sick with the flu if your immune system is not working well. This is something I evaluate in every patient in my office in great detail, but the steps I have outlined in this newsletter are ones that everyone can take in order to stay healthy.
The Vaccine
Whether or not to get a vaccine, is an individual choice and no one can force you either way.
I’m here to tell you my heavily biased opinion.
Many people find the formaldehyde and mercury in the vaccine to be reason enough not to get it.
I have always taken concern with the fact that the immune system (especially the immune system of children under the age of 7) is largely uncharted territory.
There is a lot we know and even more that we don’t. So why are we injecting viruses, toxic chemicals and heavy metals directly into people? Read more about what’s in the vaccines. This is a must read for anyone considering the vaccine.
Exposing your immune to a virus that has been directly injected is not the best idea. Why?
Because 80% of your immune system can be found along your mucous membranes. Mucous membranes are what the lining of your digestive system, mouth, airway and lungs are made up of. Vaccines bypass these mucous membranes.
That means that the virus in the vaccine bypasses 80% of your immune system.
Have you heard that if you got the flu shot last year, you will be more susceptible to the H1N1 virus? It’s true. This will surely make many people run for the H1N1 vaccine.
But that information makes me want to take a step back and ask another question:
Does this mean that the flu shot last year has weakened the immune system of those who received it and made them more likely to get sick again this year?
That’s the gist of it. I didn’t get the flu shot (never have) but this would not make me want to go and get the H1N1 vaccine.
On the contrary, this would make me want to stop taking more advice from those that led me to get the flu shot last year and left me with a weakened immune system.
In fact, if I wasn’t already a naturopath, it might make me want to go see one to find out how to strengthen my immune system naturally.
But, I’m biased.
How to Stay Healthy Through Flu Season
First of all, you want to get a cold or flu once or twice a year — it helps your immune system stay in good shape and also lets you know that your immune system is working well.
But this should only last for a few days or a week at the most and be mild to moderate.
1. Drink as much water as you can. Most people need at least 2 litres per day. Being well-hydrated prevents the viruses from “sticking” and making you sick. Warm water is fine.
2. Limit or eliminate sugar. Sugar brings your immune system down by up to 50% for up to 5 hours. I predict there will be lots of news reports of kiddie flu cases (adults too) after Halloween.
3. Use salt water everyday to gargle and rinse out your nose. It takes 2-3 for the H1N1 virus to take hold of your system. Simple gargling with salt water will help to flush the virus out of your mouth and throat.
To rinse out your nose, buy something called a Neti Pot from just about any health food store. There are some pointers here. This YouTube video from a company that sells neti pots offers full instructions. Some people think it looks intimidating, but it really isn’t — it’s so easy.
4. Manage your stress level with relaxation techniques. Meditation, a relaxation or guided imagery CD or even deep breathing techniques. There are many different techniques and lots of places to learn how.
A CD is always an easy choice and an effective one, too.
Yes, you can do this.
5. Vitamin D. Get your levels tested through your doctor or naturopath and take a vitamin D supplement.
Some medical doctors are recommending anywhere from 2,000 IU per day to 10,000 IU/day.
Get your MD/ND to prescribe the best dosage for you.
To read more details on these action steps…
The Best in Health,
Tina Christie
Naturopathic Doctor
What’s in the H1N1 Vaccine?
Posted by admin in Lifestyle, balance your body on October 29th, 2009
A Tale of Two Vaccines
There are two types of H1N1 vaccines:
1. Adjuvanted. This means it contains extra chemicals. Canada ordered 50.4 million doses of these.
2. Non-adjuvanted. This one does not contain extra chemicals; just the regular chemicals. Canada ordered 1.8 million of these.
More chemicals…?
The extra chemicals have been shown in some studies to help your immune system respond more strongly to the vaccine.
They both have the following chemicals…
(1) Formaldehyde - considered cancer-causing (carcinogenic) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
(2) A detergent (sodium deoxycholate) - weakens the “security system” that your brain uses to keep bad stuff out. When this security system is weakened, chemicals and toxins have access to your brain that would normally be kept out by the security system. Can cause seizures in susceptible people.
(3) Mercury (thimoserol) - toxic to your nervous system. Build up in your body and brain unless heavy metal/mercury cleansing is done under the supervision of a naturopath or other health practitioner.
The one with the extra stuff (adjuvanted) has:
(1) Squalene - shark liver oil (just like it sounds — oil from the liver of a shark). Studies have shown this to be cancer-causing. This chemical is usually used in lab studies to give animals disease, where researchers can then study treatments for those diseases. It has also been associated with causing autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis.
(2) Polysorbate 80 - It is toxic and then your body breaks it down into chemicals that are even more toxic. There have been studies that have shown this chemical causes infertility in rats.
Safety Studies for the “extra stuff” vaccine:
None.
Some people say that people who do not want to get vaccinated are being silly because this is completely safe.
Be that as it may, if you’re looking for me, you won’t find me in the vaccine line-up.
Whatever your choice, make it an informed one.
TC
H1N1 Prevention - Action Steps
Posted by admin in Lifestyle, balance your body on October 29th, 2009
If you are looking to prevent H1N1 or the flu, these action steps will do the trick for most people.
If you tend to get sick several times per year and usually get very sick, your immune system is not functioning as well as it should. I highly suggest finding a naturopathic doctor in your area and working with them to get your body and your immunity strengthened.
1. Drink as much water as you can. Most people need at least 2 litres per day. Being well-hydrated prevents the viruses from “sticking” and making you sick. Warm water is fine.
When you are dehydrated, so is the lining of your airway. There’s a significant portion of your immune system along your airways that can take care of many incoming viruses and bacteria. But when this lining is dry, the viruses and bacteria can stick on and get into your system.
2. Limit or eliminate sugar. Sugar brings your immune system down by up to 50% for up to 5 hours. I predict there will be lots of news reports of kiddie flu cases (adults too) after Halloween.
Yes, I know, sugar can be so fun and yummy. But being sick isn’t.
Neither is being tired. After I take patients off sugar, I often hear how they have much more energy without the sugar.
Sugar includes:
A. Fruit juice — it’s just liquid sugar and it doesn’t matter where you buy it. If you have your own juicer, mix it with other veggies such as cucumber or celery. Eat the fruit instead.
B. Honey, maple syrup, molasses.
C. Cane sugar and cane juice.
The number one reason most people crave sugar is not eating enough protein. Protein is essential for your immune system to work well — eat your protein!
3. Use salt water everyday to gargle and rinse out your nose. It takes 2-3 for the H1N1 virus to take hold of your system. Simple gargling with salt water will help to flush the virus out of your mouth and throat.
To rinse out your nose, buy something called a Neti Pot from just about any health food store. There are some pointers here. This YouTube video from a company that sells neti pots offers full instructions. Some people think it looks intimidating, but it really isn’t — it’s so easy.
Once you get used to it, not using the neti pot before you go to bed is just as yucky as not brushing your teeth before bed.
4. Manage your stress level with relaxation techniques. Meditation, a relaxation or guided imagery CD or even deep breathing techniques. There are many different techniques and lots of places to learn how. A CD is always an easy choice and an effective one, too. Yes, you can do this.
Stress weakens your immune system and makes you much more likely to get sick.
Many people think a high stress level is completely inevitable — this is not true. I have seen many, many patients with terribly high stress levels and as long as the person is dedicated to improving their health, that stress level always comes down to a healthier level.
5. Vitamin D. Get your levels tested through your doctor or naturopath and take a vitamin D supplement. Some medical doctors are recommending anywhere from 2,000 IU per day to 10,000 IU/day. Get your MD/ND to prescribe the best dosage for you.
TC