HealthBeat News

Category: Childrens Health

  • Does Your Family Drink These Poisons?

     

    Does Your Family Drink These Poisons?

     

    By Dr. Dana Myatt

     

    Soda pop is slop. File this under “more good reasons to avoid soda pop.”

     

    Tooth decay, overweight, diabetes and osteoporosis are the lesser problems associated with soda pop consumption.

    But there is an even more sinister side to America’s favorite beverage.

    Benzene, a highly toxic compound that can cause liver cirrhosis, Parkinson’s disease and accelerated aging — is found in many sodas.

    In my opinion, soda pop is one of the most harmful beverages a person can drink. Let’s review the evidence.

    Each 12-ounce can of soda pop contains between 10 and 12 teaspoons of sugar. The increase in soda pop consumption parallels our current epidemic of obesity, overweight and diabetes.

    Soda pop rots teeth, but it is not the sugar alone that causes this. The acidity of soda pop combined with high sugar levels form a tooth-destroying combination.

    Phosphates in soda pop, combined with the fact that soda often replaces calcium-containing drinks like milk, are associated with an increased risk of bone loss.

    And these are the “lesser problems” that soda causes:

    Most soda contains the chemical preservative sodium benzoate. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is another common additive. When sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid interact, the highly toxic chemical benzene is formed. Benzene is an aggressive carcinogen, even in minute amounts. Any drink which contains both sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid can contain benzene.

    But now there is more evidence which suggests that sodium benzoate by itself can cause DNA damage. Research from Sheffield University in Britain shows that sodium benzoate, a common preservative in soda pop, pickles, sauces, and many other “food stuffs” has the ability to shut off vital parts of DNA known as the “mitochondria.”

    Mitochondria are the “power stations” inside the cell. According to lead researcher Piper, “These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it: They knock it out altogether.”

    When the mitochondria are damaged, the cell begins to malfunction in a serious way. Conditions such as Parkinson’s, cirrhosis of the liver, and accelerated aging, can be linked to this type of cellular damage.

    Here’s the bottom line. We have no idea how many of these “harmless” artificial ingredients and chemical preservatives in our food can cause disease. Short-term effects are studied in the lab but long-term effects are unknown until the public acts as “guinea pigs” by consuming these chemicals for many years.

    To protect yourself, just avoid soda pop, period. Eat more “real” (unprocessed) food. Look for “sodium benzoate” on food labels and when you see it (as they say on those old TV “Cop Shows”), set the drink down and back away slowly, and no one gets hurt.

     

    Product Acid
    (Low Number=BAD)

    Sugar per 12 oz
    Pure Water 7.00 (neutral)

    0.0
    Barq’s 4.61

    10.7 tsp.
    Diet Coke 3.39

    0.0
    Mountain Dew 3.22

    11.0 tsp.
    Gatorade 2.95

    3.3 tsp
    Coke Classic 2.63

    9.3 tsp.
    Pepsi 2.49

    9.8 tsp.
    Sprite 3.42

    9.0
    Diet 7-Up 3.67

    0.0
    Diet Dr. Pepper 3.41

    0.0
    Surge 3.02

    10.0
    Gatorade 2.95

    3.3
    Hawaiian Fruit Punch 2.82

    10.2
    Orange Minute Maid 2.80

    11.2
    Dr. Pepper 2.92

    9.5
    BATTERY ACID 1.00

    0.0
    Source:
    Minnesota Dental Association *

    The threshold pH for enamel dissolution is 5.5 (and lower)

    		  

     

    Nurse Mark Adds:

    You may be interested to know that our mighty, ever-vigilant, and ever-protective FDA (which we think really stands for “Fleece and Dope Americans”) sets no limits to benzene in any beverages sold in America except bottled water – this according to the FDA’s own website! Unbelievable, but true – the FDA is happy to let the soda pop industry “develop guidance” that it claims will “minimize” (not eliminate, just “minimize“) benzene in it’s products.

    Most (if not all) of the so-called “Sports Drinks” and “Energy Drinks” – especially those labeled as “Diet” and containing artificial sweeteners – are little more than a chemical soup of potential carcinogens and neurotoxins.

    Many of our patients have told us that one of the most difficult things that they have had to do in order to restore their health was to give up their favorite soda pop or other flavored drink. Dr. Myatt searched high and low to find a satisfying and healthy replacement and discovered a product called ZipFizz. This is a powdered drink mixture packaged in tough, convenient little single-serving tubes that add easily to a standard size bottle of water. ZipFizz is an excellent, healthy alternative to sugary sodas and “sports drinks” – perfect to take to work or the office for a healthy break or to send to school with the kids – stop allowing them to poison themselves with tooth-rotting, bone-leaching, cancer-causing junky soft drinks!

    References:

    1.) Relation between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: a prospective, observational analysis. Lancet 2001;357:505–8.
    2.) Soft drink consumption among US children and adolescents: nutritional consequences. J Am Diet Assoc 1999;99:436–41.
    3.) Carbonated beverages, dietary calcium, the dietary calcium/phosphorus ratio, and bone fractures in girls and boys. J Adolescent Health 1994;15:210–5.
    4.) Consumption of soft drinks with phosphoric acid as a risk factor for the development of hypocalcemia in children: a case-control study. J Pediatr 1995;126:940–2.
    5.) Phosphates and caries. Lancet 1968;i:1431.[letter]
    6.) Beverage ingredients can form carcinogen. Consum Rep. 2006 Oct;71(10):7.
    7.) Benzene in beverages. FDA Consum. 2006 Sep-Oct;40(5):9-10.  http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2006/506_benzene.htm
    8.) Caution: Some soft drinks may seriously harm your health: Expert links additive to cell damage. The Independent, Sunday, 27 May 2007

  • Pneumonia – In The Summertime?

    Pneumonia is not just an illness of the “Bad Weather” seasons – It can strike at any time of the year!

     

    Pneumonia – Deadly But Preventable – Here’s How:

     

    By Dr. Myatt

     

    Pneumonia is a lung inflammation usually accompanied by infection. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi or by accidentally inhaling a liquid or chemical. (The most common cause is a virus). People over age 65 or younger than 2 years of age, or those who have other health problems, are most at risk.

    Symptoms of pneumonia include difficulty breathing and a cough and fever. Antibiotics are only effective for bacterial pneumonia, but viral pneumonia is the most common type of infection.

    Studies show that using acid suppressing drugs (acid blockers) — even the “over-the-counter” kind — increase the risk of pneumonia four-fold.

    Instead of decreasing stomach acid, I recommend taking digestive enzymes such as Similase and performing an inexpensive gastric acid self-test.

    [Nurse Mark note: correcting weak digestive juices will be far more effective in relieving “heartburn” than shutting down your stomach’s acid production – please see the HealthBeat article “What’s Burning You?”]

    Low levels of zinc are associated with increased risk of infection, and adequate zinc status is associated with both lower risk of infection, less serious infections and shorter duration of infection. For those taking daily Maxi Multis, “we’ve got you covered.”

    Simple mouth bacteria is also associated with increased risk, especially in the elderly. Rinsing the mouth with hydrogen peroxide twice a day after brushing can greatly decrease harmful bacteria in the mouth.

    Finally, remember that bromelain has been shown to be highly effective — in some cases more effective than antibiotics — in treating respiratory infections including pneumonia.

    A protein-digesting enzyme from pineapple stems, bromelain dissolves the mucous coating that many bacteria use to “shield” themselves from the body’s immune system. It also thins mucous, making it easier to cough up the crud (or drain sinuses).

    A potent combination of inhaled essential oil vapors, as found in a novel product called Inspirol, is extremely helpful is preventing and treating pneumonia.

    To prevent pneumonia and respiratory infections:

    1. Maxi Multi: daily multiple vitamin mineral formula.
    2. Immune Support: taken daily during cold and flu-season months, or year-’round in elderly or immune compromised people.
    3. Brush teeth and rinse mouth with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, twice daily.

    If you get a cold (to prevent pneumonia) take:

    1. Bromelain: 1 cap, 3-4 times per day between meals.
    2. Inspirol: inhale 4 times per day (or more).

    If you have a lower respiratory infection (bronchitis, “chest cold” or pneumonia):

    NOTE: Always see a doctor for diagnosis with shortness of breath or sever chest congestion; bacterial pneumonia is a life-threatening disease, especially in seniors. But also remember that antibiotics alone are often ineffective even in bacterial pneumonia, and completely worthless in viral or other types of pneumonia. Follow the above recommendations no matter what, and you won’t “expire” from a case of pneumonia!

    References

    • Acid suppression associated with increased pneumonia risk.
      The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Volume 4, Issue 12, Pages 715-715.
    • Zinc Supplementation Decreases Incidence of Infections in the Elderly: Effect of Zinc on Generation of Cytokines and Oxidative Stress. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 85, No. 3, March 2007.
    • Serum Zinc and Pneumonia in Nursing Home Elderly. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 86, No. 4, October 2007, ajcn.org
    • Pneumonia in nonambulatory patients: The role of oral bacteria and oral hygiene. J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 137, No suppl_2, 21S-25S, 2006.
    • The use of proteolytic enzymes in the therapy of acute and chronic bronchopathies. Minerva Med. 1969 Aug 25;60(67):3060-71.
    • A double-blind clinical evaluation of bromelains in the treatment of acute sinusitis. Headache. 1967 Apr;7(1):13-7.

  • Dangers of your Daily Shower: Part I

    Deadly Daily Showers, Part I: Hot Water

     

    By Dr. Dana Myatt

     

    What should be a relaxing, cleansing daily health ritual may actually be one of the most dangerous things you do every day. Learn how and why your daily shower is far more dangerous than you know, and how to reclaim your daily shower as a truly healing ritual.

    What’s in Your Water?

    Over 315 different chemicals have been identified in municipal water sources around the country. There are no federal testing guidelines for more than half of these chemicals.

    Of the remainder, as many as 49 have been found in levels above that allowed by law. This means that 53.6 million Americans are exposed to dangerously high levels of contaminants in municipal water! (1)

    Unregulated contaminants include antibiotics, statin drugs, pain medications, “head meds” like Prozac and estrogens among others.(2)

    If unintended contaminants — including drinking your neighbor’s drug-filled toilet-water — isn’t disgusting enough, remember that the deliberately added chemicals chlorine and fluoride, carry their own risks.

    Chlorine, added to kill bacteria, combines with organic matter to form chloroform, trihalomethanes (THMs) and other Disinfection By-Products (DCP’s). According to the U.S. Government, these chemicals “result in adverse effects on the central nervous system, liver, kidneys and heart” and are also potent carcinogens. (3)

    Fluoride in the form of hexafluorosilicic acid, a waste product of the fertilizer industry, vaporizes to hydrogen fluoride (HF).

    According to the U.S. Government, HF is highly corrosive to the lungs, “irritating to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, and inhalation may cause respiratory irritation or hemorrhage. Systemic effects can occur from all routes of exposure and may include nausea, vomiting, gastric pain, or cardiac arrhythmia. Symptoms may be delayed for several days, especially in the case of exposure to dilute solutions of hydrogen fluoride (less than 20%).” At the highest doses, HF is lethal.(4)

    Alrighty Then… Let’s Take a Shower

    Many people realize that municipal water is often contaminated, and they take steps to drink pure water, like buying bottled water or a filter for the sink. But exposure to contaminants from your shower water are up to 62% more deadly. (9) Why?

    Exposure to the chemicals in your shower are more dangerous than drinking the same water because I.) your pores are open and toxins can be readily absorbed through the skin and II.) you also inhale the toxic vapors of chlorine and fluoride by-products.

    In the case of a shower, the longer you spend, the more toxins you are exposed to.(5-6). The greatest observed increases in trihalomethane concentrations in blood and breath were seen from hot water use, specifically showering and hand-washing.(7)

    Studies have shown that the amount of these volatile organic chemicals (VOC’s) from the shower and other indoor hot-water uses (such as the vapors exhausting from your dishwasher) are “significant.” When THM’s are measured in the blood, showering contributed to a 64% increase compared to swimming in pools at 23%, bathing 12%, and drinking water 1%. The total THM uptake is much higher from showering than any other use of treated water.(9)

    Reclaim Your Shower as a Healing Ritual

    Part I of reclaiming your daily shower as a true healing ritual includes making sure that your shower water is pure. This may be even more important than ensuring pure drinking water.

    Shower-head filters are inexpensive and reliable. I recommend a shower water filter for anyone using municipal water.

    Aquasana Water Purifiers makes some of the highest-rated filters at the best prices.

    Related Articles

    Drugs In Our Water:
    http://healthbeatnews.com/news/archives/511

    Guys: Is Your Water Turning You Into a “Girlie-Man”?
    http://healthbeatnews.com/news/archives/502

    Female Hormones in Drinking Water
    http://healthbeatnews.com/news/archives/52

    References

    1.) Environmental Working Group National Drinking Water Data Base. http://www.ewg.org/tap-water/home . Accessed 07/28/10.

    2.) Associated Press Investigation: Pharmaceuticals Found in Drinking Water.
    http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/pharmawater_site/day1_05.html . Accessed 07/28/10.

    3.) Trihalomethanes: Health Information Summary.
    http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/ard/documents/ard-ehp-13.pdf

    4.) Medical Management Guidelines for Hydrogen Fluoride (HF). Dept. of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mhmi/mmg11.html#bookmark02

    5.) Wilkes CR, Small MJ, Davidson CI, Andelman JB. Modeling the effects of water usage and co-behavior on inhalation exposures to contaminants volatilized from household water. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol. 1996 Oct-Dec;6(4):393-412. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9087861

    6.) Haddad S, Tardif GC, Tardif R. Development of physiologically based toxicokinetic models for improving the human indoor exposure assessment to water contaminants: trichloroethylene and trihalomethanes. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2006 Dec;69(23):2095-136.

    7.) Nuckols JR, Ashley DL, Lyu C, Gordon SM, Hinckley AF, Singer P.Influence of tap water quality and household water use activities on indoor air and internal dose levels of trihalomethanes.Environ Health Perspect. 2005 Jul;113(7):863-70.

    8.) Lourencetti C, Ballester C, Fernández P, Marco E, Prado C, Periago JF, Grimalt JO. New method for determination of trihalomethanes in exhaled breath: applications to swimming pool and bath environments.Anal Chim Acta. 2010 Mar 3;662(1):23-30. Epub 2010 Jan 11.

    9.) Villanueva CM, Gagniere B, Monfort C, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Cordier S. Sources of variability in levels and exposure to trihalomethanes. Environ Res. 2007 Feb;103(2):211-20. Epub 2006 Dec 26.

  • Eczema – An Itchy Childhood Problem

    Eczema – An Itchy Childhood Problem

     

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Our recent article on Psoriasis generated some feedback – who knew that this would be so important for so many? There were some heart-wrenching letters – like this one from an obviously at-wits-end mom:

    Robin wrote:

    Please help me help my daughter. She will be 8 in February and suffers from horrible eczema. What she has been through with this ailment, I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. She itching is the worst and the rash caused by scratching looks so bad. Any ideas you could offer to help her would be appreciated.
    Thank You.
    Robin

    Well Robin, here are some thoughts for you on eczema:

    Eczema, while it may seem similar to psoriasis, is actually quite different. It is also a disease that can leave a parent feeling helpless and frantic to find relief for their child.

    Fortunately, eczema tends to be a disease of childhood – most kids outgrow this itchy problem. Unfortunately, they can be miserable until they do outgrow it.

    There is little agreement in conventional medicine about causes and treatments for eczema beyond those offered by the drug companies – that is, antibiotics, corticosteroids, and antihistamines – all of which have undesirable side effects.

    So, what can be done? Is there some natural substance or herb that will relieve the itch and help clear up the problem quickly?

    Sadly, no. Eczema is a complicated condition, and there is not a simple solution.

    Since there are so many things that can cause or contribute to the problem, there are a number of things that should be looked at when seeking relief. I’ll do my best to offer some places for a parent to start.

    Allergies: Perhaps the first place to look is at diet – for dietary allergies and eczema seem to go together frequently. Food allergy testing can be very helpful, and a good-old-fashioned elimination / challenge diet can be revealing. Either form of food allergy testing – the high-tech blood-test or the elimination / challenge diet – will offer best results when interpreted with the assistance of a knowledgeable doctor. For little people, the elimination / challenge diet testing may be less distressing and challenging, though more time consuming, than the blood test. More information about food allergies can be found here.

    Other allergies can trigger eczema symptoms as well. Pet dander, dust mites – anything which can trigger an allergic reaction – all should be carefully sought out and exposures reduced or eliminated if possible.

    Sugar – Many scientists and dermatological researchers feel there is a strong connection between sugar intake and eczema symptoms. Many parents report that a sugar-free diet goes a long way toward lessening their child’s suffering. Sugar is well known to compromise immune function for several hours after ingestion, and sugar intake can contribute to both candida and bacterial overgrowths. For kids this means that fruit juices, sweetened cereals, sugary jams and jellies, syrups, and other sweet treats are a definite no-no. Moms, do your kids a favor and read the labels on foods: Cut out the high-fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, natural cane sugar, or whatever other misnomer the Big Food Corporations use to disguise dextrose / sucralose / fructose / lactose – sugar. Your kids may complain at first that they are being deprived of their sugary junk, but if you persevere you will be rewarded with a big improvement in overall health and behavior as well as with reduced eczema symptoms.

    Drugs and Alternatives: Conventional doctors will suggest antihistamine drugs – Benadryl is one popular suggestion – but these can be sedating and have other undesirable side effects. Grape Seed Extract is a far more natural choice with excellent antihistamine properties and no known side effects – it is well worth a try.

    Often, after children have been prescribed a round or two of antibiotics (and what child hasn’t had antibiotics!) the normal intestinal flora (the good gut bugs that help us to digest and assimilate our foods) can be seriously compromised. A good probiotic like Suprema-Dophylus can help to restore this balance.

    Bathing can dry the skin – and especially during the winter when kids are indoors (and not getting as dirty while playing) daily bathing may not be necessary. Brief baths (what we nurses call “top and tail”) using minimal soap may be all that’s needed. Brisk rubbing and scrubbing of irritated areas is definitely not what you should be doing –  try a brief gentle wash, using warm water not hot, mild unscented soaps,  gentle drying (blotting dry, not rubbing) and mild unscented moisturizers applied to the whole body to help keep that nice moist skin from drying out. Some parents have reported good results using zinc-oxide based creams such as diaper rash creams applied to irritated areas to promote healing. Just remember, as always, unscented is best!

    Humidity – or more precisely a lack of humidity as can occur during the winter heating season – can be problematic. A whole-house humidifier can have whole-family benefits, but if that is not possible then a small humidifier wherever the child spends the most can be helpful. Even simple pans of water on or near heating sources can help increase humidity and provide relief.

    Temperature – Many parents report that an overly-warm child is an itchy child – especially at night. A slightly cooler sleeping area, and not being heavily bundled may be helpful to reduce nighttime itching. Wool can be itchy even to those not sensitive to it – as can some synthetics. Cotton is often the best for children’s pajamas, and loose-fitting PJs can be more irritating than the snug-fitting knit variety.

    Clothing and bedding should be washed in unscented detergents, and double-rinsed to ensure that no soaps remain to cause irritation. Dryer sheets and other softeners should be avoided since they impart potentially irritating scents and chemical residues to clothes.

    Fingernails must be kept short and edges and corners rounded to prevent damage when the child scratches – and babies and children will scratch no matter how often you tell them not to! Clean mittens or socks to cover a baby’s hands can be helpful – but children may not be so tolerant and may be less likely to keep them on for long.

    When scratching does happen, cool compresses to itchy areas can be soothing – this is nothing more complicated than just a washcloth soaked in cool water and wrung out and held to the area.

    Finally, many parents report that stress plays a part in triggering or exacerbating symptoms – too busy a schedule, too many activities, stress at school or with homework – remember, kids need someone to talk to about stress. Also remember that your stress rubs off on your children! Try not to nag at them about scratching at the rashes and try to not be too stressed about the rashes themselves.

    Eczema in kids can be a challenge – but with patience and perseverance almost every case can be improved.

  • Seven Inconvenient Truths About the 2009 H1N1 Flu Pandemic

    Seven Inconvenient Truths About the 2009 H1N1 Flu Pandemic

    by Dr. Dana Myatt

     

    “Selective reporting” about the H1N1 virus and vaccine make it sound like getting a vaccination for the “pandemic flu” is a no-brainer. Thinking men and women should know the under-reported scientific conclusions and plain vanilla government statistics concerning this year’s “Panic-Demic” before making this seemingly simple but potentially life-threatening decision.

    To that end I present these “inconvenient truths” (fully referenced) for your consideration. Please note that it is extremely politically incorrect to question the value of the flu vaccine.

    In Health,
    Dr. Myatt

    Seven Inconvenient Truths About the 2009 H1N1 Flu Pandemic

    by Dr. Dana Myatt

    1.) What is a “Phase Six” Pandemic? (Probably NOT what You Think)

    Contrary to popular thought (and most dictionaries), “pandemic” does not mean “large numbers” in WHO / CDC language. According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Pandemic Phase Descriptions, “pandemic” refers to distribution, not numbers or severity. Here is the WHO criteria for pandemics:

    • A “Phase 4” pandemic means only that a virus is transmissible between humans.
    • A “Phase 5” pandemic means only that one viral disease has been seen in two countries.
    • A Phase 6 pandemic means only that one viral disease has been seen in three or more countries.

    Again, the term “pandemic” does NOT refer to numbers of people affected or severity of the disease. (1)

    For perspective, The WHO announced as of 20 September 2009 that there have been 3917 total deaths worldwide from H1N1, on par with world-wide mortality from any seasonal or other flu for this time of year. (2) Malaria kills an average of 3,000 people every day in southeast Asia. (3)

    2.) Is The H1N1 Flu Really a Danger to the U.S.?

    Of less than 4,000 flu-related deaths world-wide, only 211 have occurred in the US as of August 2009. (4) This represents a death total lower than from seasonal flu for years 2005 through 2008 in the U.S. (5)

    Adding H1N1 and seasonal flu together, flu-related deaths are still lower this year compared to previous “non-pandemic” years.

    Not only is the total flu rate lower this year in the U.S., but the H1N1 flu has been much milder than predicted here and abroad. (6-10)

    According to the WHO, most H1N1 infections are mild, occurring in numbers comparable to seasonal flues, with fast recovery and mostly without need for medical care. Mortality rates so far have been only a fraction of the number of those reported each year from seasonal flu. WHO also acknowledges that “Large outbreaks of disease have not yet been reported in many countries…” (11)

    Harvard researcher Mark Lipsitch, PhD, explained at an Institute of Medicine meeting that on a 1 to 5 scale — with 5 being a 1918-like pandemic — this swine flu pandemic is a 1. Deputy Director of the CDC’s flu division, Daniel Jernigan, MD, concurs. “We are likely to have numbers that look very similar to what Dr. Lipsitch had,” Jernigan said. (12)

    3.) Why H1N1-related deaths are actually smaller than reported in the U.S.

    As of August 2009, ALL flu-associated deaths in the U.S. are being reported together. H1N1, seasonal flu and “influenza-like illness” (ILI) are added together to give the “flu mortality rate.” Reported illness and death totals, now include “influenza-like illness” (ILI) that in some cases may not be any form of flu at all. (13)

    Other reports concede that a portion of reported H1N1 deaths have actually been caused by pneumonia, not the H1N1 virus itself. (14)

    Because the new reporting system tallies deaths from all types of flu, the reported numbers of total flu deaths are not all attributable to H1N1. This means the true H1N1 mortality rate is only a portion of the total reported. Remember that deaths from all types of flu added together are lower in the U.S. this year than from the four previous “non pandemic” years before. (5,13)

    3.) Flu vaccines provide little or no protection from the flu.

    Vaccination is claimed to prevent the spread of influenza, protect individuals from acquiring the disease, and do so to a high degree of efficacy. Unfortunately, the majority of scientific studies do not support these claims. In fact, meta analyses (“master studies”) that look at large numbers of scientific studies and their outcomes, show the opposite. Influenza vaccine is minimally or not at all effective for most age groups. Here is how the numbers break down.

    In children under two:

    In children under the age of two, influenza vaccines are no more effective than placebo. (15)

    One meta analysis evaluating fifty-one published studies with 294,159 observations found “no efficacy” in children under the age of two. (16) The authors conclude that “It was surprising to find only one study of inactivated vaccine in children under two years, given current recommendations to vaccinate healthy children from six months old in the USA and Canada.”

    Simply put, the authors question why the U.S. is targeting children under the age of two for vaccination when the studies show the vaccine to be ineffective in this age group.

    In children over two:

    The same meta analysis found influenza vaccines effective 33% of the time in children over the age of two. (16) Followed to it’s logical conclusion, this means the flu vaccines are ineffective 67% of the time in children over the age of two.

    Another study found influenza vaccine ineffective up to age 5. (17)

    In healthy adults:

    A meta analysis evaluating 25 studies conducted on 59,566 adults age 14-40 found a mere 6% decrease of clinical influenza in those vaccinated. The conclusion: “Universal immunization of healthy adults is not supported by the results of this review.” (18)

    The recent update to this study, pooling 38 published studies encompassing 66,248 healthy individuals aged 16 to 65 years, found that “serological flu” (lab numbers) were reduced but actual cases of flu were not reduced. This meta analysis concluded that improvements in overall flu rates in those vaccinated “was extremely modest.” (19)

    In seniors:

    Seniors over age 70 account for 75% of all flu-related deaths. Since 1980, the vaccination rate in seniors has increased from 15% to 65% but the death rate from flu has not declined. The authors conclude that “the evidence is insufficient to indicate the magnitude of a mortality benefit, if any, that elderly people derive from the vaccination program.” (20)

    Contrary to popular belief, studies have found that secondary pneumonia in seniors is not decreased by flu vaccination, and that reduction of mortality through influenza vaccination has been greatly overestimated in this age group. (21,22)

    5.) “Fast track” approval of flu vaccines, especially H1N1, leaves safety questions unanswered.

    “Fast track” approval means that influenza vaccines do not have to go through the normal regulatory procedures. The H1N1 vaccine approval was especially fast because of the “pandemic” designation. One of the approved 4 vaccines was approved after testing in only 221 people for 21 days. (23) Another was approved after testing on 175 adults for 21 days. (24).

    The World Health Organization (WHO) admits that people who get vaccinations will be the “field testers” of their safety. From the WHO website:

    “Time constraints mean that clinical data at the time when pandemic vaccines are first administered will inevitably be limited. Further testing of safety and effectiveness will need to take place after administration of the vaccine has begun. (Author’s italics)

    … On the positive side, mass vaccination campaigns can generate significant safety data within a few weeks. (Author’s italics) (25)

    In other words, we won’t know the safety of these vaccines until we vaccinate millions of people (45 million is the U.S. “target” for October) (26,27); the side effects experienced by those vaccinated will be the “safety data.”

    The U.S. Government conferred immunity from prosecution to drug manufacturers of the H1N1 vaccine in July 2009. (28)

    6.) Vaccines May Be More Dangerous than the Flu Itself.

    In 1976, 200 soldiers at Fort Dix were stricken with the flu, with one reported death. A pandemic was declared and nearly 40 million people in the U.S. received the 1976/H1N1 vaccine before the campaign was stopped due to an increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome, a paralytic autoimmune disease. (29)

    More than 500 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome were reported, 25 of which resulted in death. This “pandemic that wasn’t” never spread beyond Fort Dix. (30)

    In a recent statement by the The American Academy of Neurology, experts said they don’t expect the 2009 H1N1 vaccine to increase risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome or other autoimmune disease but they acknowledged that this is a concern with any pandemic vaccine. (31)

    Mild short-term reactions to the vaccine can include soreness, redness, or swelling at vaccination site, low grade fever, runny nose, headache, chills, tiredness/weakness and body aches and pains. (32) These symptoms are very much like the flu itself.

    Life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (a paralytic autoimmune disease) can also occur. (33)

    These short-term side effects of influenza vaccination are easier to observe because of their close proximity to vaccination, beginning within minutes to several weeks. Long-term and/or cumulative effects of vaccinations are more difficult to monitor, and questions remain about the long-term safety of vaccines.

    For example, the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in adults and autism in children has skyrocketed in the last several decades. These rates are continued to increase. (34,35)

    The cause of these increases is not known. Some camps maintain that these neurological disease escalations may be caused by vaccinations, especially since many vaccines still contain mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde and other neurotoxic compounds. (36-39)

    The US government, CDC, FDA, and drug manufacturers claim there is no correlation between vaccines and these diseases, (40-43) although many question the quality of evidence used to draw this conclusion. (44,45)

    7.) “Herd Immunity” Remains Speculative

    “Herd immunity” (community immunity) is the belief that if a portion of society gets vaccinated, weaker members of “the herd” who do not respond satisfactorily to the vaccine (children under two and seniors over 65) will be protected from the flu because those around them have been vaccinated. Much evidence contradicts the concept of “herd immunity.” (46-49)

    If healthcare workers get vaccinated, they purportedly decrease the risk of influenza in their high-risk patient, hence the “heavy push” that borders on mandate for health care workers to receive the vaccine. One large meta analysis found “no high quality evidence that vaccinating healthcare workers reduces the incidence of influenza or its complications in the elderly in institutions.” (50)

    Conclusions

    My purpose in presenting these statistics and studies is to assist the reader in drawing independent conclusions about the true risk of H1N1 flu and advisability of vaccination for same.

    We are each responsible for our own “due diligence” when making decisions concerning our health, although many people defer to the media and government for their directives.

    Here are the points I see from these studies and statistics:

    1. The safety and effectiveness of H1N1 vaccines has not been proven.
    2. The transmissibility of H1N1 flu is small and the severity mild compared to seasonal flu.
    3. My risk of getting the H1N1 flu is small; my risk of dying from this flu is quite small and no greater than for any seasonal flu.
    4. Flu vaccines confer little if any protection from influenza viruses in my age group.
    5. There is much conflicting “proof” that by getting a vaccination, I help make others around me safer through “herd immunity.”
    6. There are known short-term and possibly unknown long-term side effects from vaccines.

    All things considered, I’m going to pass on the H1N1 flu vaccine. I believe there are far safer, better-proven methods to increase my resistance to H1N1 and make sure I have a mild case of it (as most cases are) if I do contract the flu.

    If you’d like to see what natural measures I am personally taking, please subscribe to HealthBeat News here.

    My plan for increasing natural resistance to the H1N1 and other flues will be in next week’s online edition of HealthBeat News.

    The fully referenced version of this article with links to government websites can be viewed here.