Is The Flu Shot Really The Best Defense?

Published by Bonnie on

Flu season has been rough this year, but it is far from over, so says many of the mainstream news outlets.  FoxNews recently said on their morning show that though they know that the flu shot is not 100% prevention, it still remains “the best defense.”

Is that really true?  Is the flu shot really the best defense against getting the flu?

Answer?  No!  Absolutely not!

Facts and experience have shown us over the years some things we need to consider, especially as it relates to helping our kids dodge this nasty bug.

FACT:  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) stated in a recent report that the flu vaccine this year is about 62% effective (which means it’s about as effective as it has been in other years).

flu shot best defense?

FACT:  A flu shot MAY help against the flu virus, but it will certainly NOT help against colds and other possible infections.

FACT:  A strong immune system, on the other hand, will defend against not only the flu virus, but also frequent colds, ear infections, stomach bugs, and even cancer and other diseases.

EXPERIENCE:  In our eight years of being parents, none of our kids have EVER received the flu shot and none of our three kids have EVER had to deal with the flu bug….nor the stomach virus, nor frequent colds.

FACT:  We are not the only family who has had this same experience.

“Okay, so what is the best defense?”

It can’t be the flu shot.

The biggest predictor of which kids will most likely battle the flu (and other random bugs) and those who will not is the strength of their immune system.  How quickly they can recover is also determined by the strength of their immune system.

It’s that simple!

A strong immune system is the only guaranteed best defense.

“Then what weakens my child’s immune system?”

  •  Poor Diet  (Only 3% of us eat according to the USDA recommendations.)
  • Lack of Sleep (kids need an average of 8-10 hrs/day)
  • Too Little or Too Much Exercise (55% of Americans struggle with not getting enough.)
  • Overweight (67% of Americans fall into this category, and sadly, many of our kids struggle as well.)
  • Bad Bacteria/Yeast In the Intestine (70% of our immune system originates in the gut!)
  • Stress and Grief (Due to an overproduction of cortisol)

The secret to strong immune support is doing the polar opposite of each of the items listed above.  Getting each of those in line will help defend our kids against all kinds of yuckiness.

“How do I get started?”

Need help getting them back on the right track?

(Facts,{“type”:”block”,”srcClientIds”:[“089f3964-1573-4640-a350-d9002b41acca”],”srcRootClientId”:”10f6ee76-1fe0-4f6a-8a2d-ef81e717ffd2″} data and{“type”:”block”,”srcClientIds”:[“089f3964-1573-4640-a350-d9002b41acca”],”srcRootClientId”:”10f6ee76-1fe0-4f6a-8a2d-ef81e717ffd2″} statistics received from “Keeping Colds & Flu at Bay”: Audio presentation by Dr. Stephe{“type”:”block”,”srcClientIds”:[“089f3964-1573-4640-a350-d9002b41acca”],”srcRootClientId”:”10f6ee76-1fe0-4f6a-8a2d-ef81e717ffd2″}n Chaney of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.)


Bonnie

Bonnie Hershey currently serves as a business and nutrition coach with their business, Hershey Holistic Health. She holds an undergrad degree in education, and a certification in Practical Nutrition from the Northwest Academy of Practical Nutrition. She has over 20 years of leadership experience and enjoys encouraging others in their personal growth.

3 Comments

Rachel · February 6, 2013 at 12:01 pm

Thanks, Bonnie. My daughter has always had immune problems…now she has a 3 year old son and I worry about this. His pediatrician does not recommend the flu shot but not sure for the same reasons you cite.

    Bonnie (site owner) · February 6, 2013 at 7:40 pm

    Thank you for your comment, Rachel. I am not a grandparent yet, but I imagine it is hard to know when and if you should intervene on matters concerning the health of your grandkids and adult children. You care about them so much but are not ultimately responsible to make decisions for them. Continue to love and encourage your daughter, for it’s only out of a good healthy relationship that she will ask for help when she needs it.

Weekly Kids Nutrition Nuggets | November 5, 2013 | Proven Nutrition For Kids · November 5, 2013 at 12:16 pm

[…] The truth of the matter is if we as parents are empowering our child’s immune system to thrive by giving beneficial nutrients in the right amounts with a healthy diet, then we have no reason to need a flu shot nor be concerned that our child might perish without it.  Our family is one of thousands who can testify that  there is a far better defense against the flu than the flu shot. […]

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