I have never liked the idea of getting flu shots. I have never received one and really don’t plan on ever getting one. My biggest reason is that your body should be healthy enough to fight off any virus. By keeping your immune system strong you can protect yourself from being sick. Unfortunately there are many, many people whose immune systems are not strong enough. I blame this on lifestyle.

You can’t expect your body to have a super immune system when you eat poorly, don’t exercise and allow stress to be in control. Add on to that environmental toxins and the increase in prescription drug use and it’s no wonder we get knocked out by cold and flu viruses. Our systems are already over-taxed and adding a foreign invader such as a flu virus is like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Another reason I won’t get the flu shot is that it can not guarantee that you won’t get the flu. In fact, this year,

“The flu shot is a good match for only about 40 percent of this year’s flu viruses, officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.”

Read more about it here: Flu Season Expected to Get Worse

A third reason, and this is a biggie: flu shot ingredients. Here are some ingredients:
-Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent
-Aluminum, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and seizures and also cancer producing in laboratory mice (it is used as an additive to promote antibody response)
-Neomycin, Streptomycin and Polymyxin (used as antibiotics) have caused allergic reaction in some people.
-Thimerosal (a mercury disinfectant/preservative) can result in brain injury and autoimmune disease

Protect yourself naturally …
-Eat well: increase fresh fruits and vegetables; decrease sugars and processed foods
-Drink enough filtered water: I’ll talk about this more in a later post. The “8, 8-ounce glasses per day” is not for everyone. It has never been researched or proven. Just listen to your body on this one. If your urine is dark yellow you need more water.
-Get plenty of rest
-Exercise
-Lower your stress (might I suggest a massage or CranioSacral Therapy session)
-Properly wash your hands regularly and when in public try to avoid touching your face. This helps reduce the virus being easily transferred from your hands by wiping your eyes, nose, or mouth.

My yoga video suggests that if we sweat and laugh each day we can keep our bodies healthy. Sounds good to me. So check out this funny video about the Ingredients of the Flu Shot.