The heat of the summer is nearing an end and we’re about to head into the nice crisp weather of the fall and winter.

With the fall comes beautiful colors and cooler temperatures, but unfortunately what may tag along is the common cold, an increased amount of germs, and of course the flu!

If you at all listen to the radio or watch television, you’re already hearing/seeing advertisements and pushes for the flu vaccination.

Before this push starts to get any hotter, I wanted to take some time this week to provide a few educational resources and facts regarding vaccines, as well as some natural flu prevention tips!

When it comes to deciding whether to get the flu vaccination or not I always first recommend educating yourself. What I mean by that, is really know what the pros and cons are and based upon the knowledge, make the best decision for yourself.

I’ve talked to many patients regarding this topic and most tell me they are unaware of any potential harm in getting a vaccination. They are told that in order to keep themselves safe from getting the flu they must get the flu vaccine. They are told that in order to keep others from getting sick they must get the vaccine.

In my opinion it’s not as much about what is told, but more about what isn’t told:

• Patients aren’t told that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has found the flu vaccine to be at best only 20-30% effective.
• They aren’t told that flu vaccines contain three of the most neuro-toxic substances, mercury, aluminum and formaldehyde.
• They aren’t told of the potential occurrence of severe side effects, such as auto-immunity.

They really aren’t told anything!

The flu vaccine is one in a whole lot of vaccinations recommended. To get an overall idea and education about vaccines I recommend watching the documentary Vaxxed and docu-series The Truth About Vaccines. Between these two highly credible resources, you as an individual should be able to make a more informed decision.

If you do choose to continue down the flu vaccine path and suffer any adverse reactions, be sure to report those symptoms though www.NVIC.org (click on the Vaccine Reactions tab).

If you choose to go down the natural route…

We recommend doing the following at first sign of a sore throat, ear ache, or flu like symptoms:

1. Bio-C (1-2 caps) OR Liposomal Vitamin C (liquid – 1 tsp)- every 2 hours until you feel better (up to 5 days max). For most, that will mean 1-2 Bio-C  with each meal and snack or 1 tsp Liposomal Vitamin C with before each meal and snack
2. Monolaurin 1 scoop 3x/day – extracted from coconut and kills bacteria, viruses, yeast, etc.
3. Probio 100 or Probio 350 1-2x/day  - Very high dose of friendly bacteria to help ‘push’ out the bad guys and boost immune function
4. Enhanced Zinc Lozenges- (don’t buy commercial as they are full of sugar and chemicals) – as directed at first onset of sore throat. Effective at shortening the length of illness and boost immune function
5. Homeopathic
   1. Coldcalm as directed for sneezing/runny nose/nasal congestion/minor sore throat
   2. Oscillococcinum as directed for body aches/headache/fever/chills/fatigue
6. Hydrogen peroxide – pour 1 capful into an ear (lay on your side on your bed with Kleenex in hand) and hold for 10 minutes. Drain and do the other ear.
7. Gargle with either:
   1. Hydrogen peroxide (don’t swallow)
   2. Sea salt in water
   3. Baking soda
8. Colloidal of Ionic Silver- take 1 Tbsp several times per day with 8 oz distilled water until you feel better…1 tsp per day is a good maintenance. Silver is a natural antibiotic that doesn’t disturb gut bacteria because it’s absorbed into the system in the mouth and stomach. Take away from food. For hundreds of years, silver has been a safe and effective antibiotic.
9. Drink lots of water- stay hydrated and flush out the bad guys.
10. Neti Pot using saline or silver in distilled water to flush sinuses- Can be done daily many times during a flu/cold/sinus infection and if prone to sinus colds, can do weekly for cleaning maintenance
11. Bone Broth- is one of the healthiest things to consume when sick to boost immune function, sooth the tummy, stay hydrated. Ok to even take a day or 2 and fast on broth by itself, or add veggies and meat to make a nice soup.
12. GET ADJUSTED! Spine adjustments boost immune cell counts and ability to kill the bad guys.