WHAT IS THE FLU?

The flu is a disease of the respiratory tract caused by one of several strains of influenza viruses.
From the 2003 "Red Book" of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases and the pediatrician's reference: "Influenza classically is characterized by sudden onset of fever, often with chills or rigors, headache, malaise, diffuse myalgia, and a nonproductive cough. Subsequently, the respiratory tract signs of sore throat, nasal congestion, rhinitis, and cough become more prominent. Conjunctival injection, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting can occur. In some children, influenza can appear as an upper respiratory tract infection or as a febrile illness with few respiratory tract signs. In young infants, influenza can produce a sepsis-like picture and occasionally can cause croup, bronchiolitis or pneumonia. Acute myositis characterized by calf tenderness and refusal to walk may develop after several days of influenza illness..." (p. 382)
The only death related to the influenza virus is one where the virus WAS identified and where there were no other pre-existing illnesses as a cause of death.

WHAT ARE INFLUENZA-LIKE-ILLNESSES?

They are also caused by viruses, but other than the flu virus. Runny nose, cough, sore throat, low-to-medium high fever or high fever in absence of typical flu symptoms, tiredness, sneezing. Stomach cramps and vomiting or diarrhea without fever or aches and pains, commonly called "stomach flu" are caused by different bacteria and viruses, not to be confused with the influenza viruses.

HISTORY - WAS THE FLU ALWAYS A KILLER DISEASE?

We need not to go that far back - I remember the flu with its aches and fever and prostration, oftentimes with respiratory symptoms from which people recovered after some time in bed. Today it is still considered a seasonal illness in the rest of the world and the North American flu hysteria and flu shot drive is looked upon with disbelief and some humor - basically they think we are crazy...

Come flu season we are always reminded of the 1918 "Spanish" flu which swept across the world in the aftermath of WWI and which was reported to have caused over 20 million deaths. What we are not told is that back then homeopaths used homeopathic remedies and lost only 1-5% of their patients, most of which were already ill when they got the flu. And naturopath Dr. Lincoln Graham used simple non-drug methods and cured over 400 flu patients.

In 1976 a single case of so-called "swine flu" in one overworked, chilled-to-the-bone army recruit caused his swift death. The fear this struck in the USA resulted in nationwide flu shots which caused death of 30 and Guillain-Barre paralysis in over 500 citizens. Fortunately the preparation of mass quantities of vaccines was slow otherwise the deaths from the bad flu shot would have been many more and quite unnecessary.

WHAT IS IN THE FLU SHOT?

Formaldehyde: a known cancer causing agent
Thimerosal: (a mercury derivative) used as a preservative in the vaccine. Can cause brain injury and autoimmune disease
Also preservatives and solvents like aluminum, monosodium glutamate, sodium phosphate, phenoxyethanol, gelatin, sulfites, yeast protein.
Altered live viruses and killed bacteria.

Chicken embryo cells are used for the propagation of the vaccine: But here's the problem with those - during the serial passage of the virus through the animal cells, animal RNA and DNA can be transferred from one host to another. Animal viruses can (and have in the past) also slip past quality control testing procedures as in the case with the 1955-61 polio vaccine and the SV40 ( Simian Virus#40 - the 40th virus found in that vaccine) which has cancerogenic properties and which passed undetected into the polio vaccines and infected millions of vaccinated people.

SO THIS IS HOW VACCINES ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK:

Vaccines are supposed to fool the body's immune system into producing antibodies to resist viral and bacterial infection in the same way that actually having the disease usually produces immunity to future infection.

The vaccine contains a "attenuated" virus - processed and broken down until only small pieces of the virus remain. (However, the toxic antigens, usually protein or carbohydrate in nature, remain and are still a serious challenge to the system, pushing it into producing antibodies to deal with these intrusive poisons).

HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT?

Flu Vaccine production is a big guessing game. Every year the CDC has to try and predict what virus will infect people in the U.S. the following year. It seldom works. We also know that we can get the flu, the common cold, and other viral diseases multiple times and that we do not acquire natural immunity to them. So immunization for one virus leaves us open to infection from other viruses.

Epidemiologist, Dr. Vittorio Demicheli, has found that influenza vaccine is only 24% effective in reducing illness which has flu symptoms in otherwise healthy adults.

Distinguished virologist and former Chief Vaccine Control Officer at the US FDA, Dr. J. Anthony Morris, is even less impressed: "There is no evidence that any influenza vaccine thus far developed is effective in preventing or mitigating any attack of influenza. The producers of these vaccines know that they are worthless, but they go on selling them anyway."

In 1992-93 the isolated influenza samples for the predominant virus (influenza A (H3N2) virus) were not similar to that in the vaccine (MMWR 42 752-55)

A 1993 article from Holland, discussing the flu shot given to elderly residents of a nursing home says "50% of the vaccinated population caught the illness compared to 48% unvaccinated." Some probably got the flu as a result of the flu shot!

In 1994-95: the CDC reported that 43% of isolated influenza samples (from sick people) for the predominant virus were not similar to the vaccine.

Most recently, in 2003, the flu shot did not protect from the actual flu virus which turned out to be a different strain, nevertheless mass hysteria ensued due to the fear of insufficient supplies and the purposefully deceitful message that even the wrong vaccine constituted protection.

Even for children and babies the flu shot has been found ineffective: in Japan, two large studies showed little difference in influenza rates between 4 cities with flu shot coverage ranging from 1% to 90%.

HOW SAFE ARE FLU VACCINES?

Well, how safe is it to have mercury, formaldehyde, MSG, chicken or swine DNA in the blood stream of a baby, an elderly person...or anybody for that matter!

The Swine flu vaccine disaster of 1976 caused over 565 cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome paralysis, multiple neurological problems and many deaths. Today, flu vaccine product inserts still caution individuals who have a history of Guillian-Barre syndrome of the likelihood of subsequently developing that disease.

In 1970 Rosenberg, G.A. in an article in the New England Journal of Medicine wrote about meningo-encephalitis being reported as a result of influenza vaccines, including a case of meningo-encephalitis developing 12 days after a flu shot. It is a travesty that now we are immunizing against meningitis - a disease directly linked to vaccination damage.

Other reactions associated with influenza vaccines are fever , malaise, myalgia (muscle pain), hives, allergic asthma, systemic anaphylaxis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, encephalopathy (brain damage), optic neuritis, brachial plexus neuropathy (cough), many different types of paralysis, ataxia, respiratory infections, gastro-intestianl problems, eye problems , allergic reactions, disturbed blood pressure, collapse etc.

SO NOW THAT I KNOW ALL THAT - WHAT TO DO?!

Use your common sense and research the pros and cons. Work on improving your health and when in need of protection, use alternatives to the chemical injection. Remember, knowledge dispels fear and allows us to make better choices for ourselves and our loved ones - choices based on our level of comfort and not on outside authority alone!

WHAT ALTERNATIVES ARE AVAILABLE?

#1 - GOOD HEALTH! All natural medicines concur that good health is the best assurance for a strong prevention of disease. Susceptibility is the most important factor when evaluating the dangers in acquiring disease. Good food, enough water, sleep, rest, and a positive mental/emotional attitude are your best bet!

#2 - If you are over-worked or over-stressed and there is not much you can do to change that, increase vitamins and minerals, eat well, make sure you get enough rest when you can, keep hydrated by drinking water.

#3 - HOMEOPATHIC PROPHYLAXIS: homeopathy has a long history of effective disease prevention and cure through homeopathic remedies. For these to be effective, the above 2 conditions are important. Homeopathic remedies are safe and non-toxic and have no side effects, they can be used by people of all ages, especially by children and the aged, due to their gentle action.

Flu shots vs. homeopathic prophylaxis

·         Flu shots constitute crude substances that poison the body
Homeopathic remedies have no chemical component and no side-effects

·         Flu shots inject crude substances directly into the blood, bypassing the body's natural defenses which begin in the nose and the respiratory tract. This is a big shock to the immune system as it strives to protect the blood from contamination.
Homeopathic remedies are ingested and absorbed through the mouth, introducing information about the disease and stimulating the natural defense mechanisms of the body in the proper order.

·         Flu shots are administered by injection which is a trauma in itself - through the fear and resistance it creates in the very young.
Homeopathic remedies are always taken orally: NO shocks to the system!

·         Flu shots have not been researched enough as to the possible side-effects and no long-term studies have ever been done as to their safety.
Homeopathic remedies have a 200 year old history of safe and effective use, proven and well documented in the sources available and by the practitioners that use them (who stay in contact with the patient.)

·         Vaccines are administered with little or now inquiry as to the general health of the patient - homeopathic remedies are administered after the practitioner has taken care to learn about possible health issues of the patient. 

WEB LINKS offering a wealth of information, citations and articles - both alternative and from the main medical journals in the US and Canada, as well as internationally:

http://www.vran.org - Vaccination Risk Awareness Network, Canada
http://www.vaccines.net - Vaccine Safety Website, USA
http://vaccineinfo.net PROVE - Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education, USA
http://home.san.rr.com/via/ - Vaccine Information & Awareness, USA
http://www.909shot.com/ - National Vaccine Information Center, USA
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/8148/vac.html#links - Be Informed About Vaccinations, USA
http://www.vaccinesornot.org - Vaccines or Not?
http://home.sprynet.com/~gyrene/ - Concerned Parents for Vaccine Safety
http://mercola.com/article/vaccines/links.htm - Dr.Mercola vaccination links
http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm - Informed Parents Vaccination Web page

Although often endorsed and funded by federal and provincial governments, the shots seem only to benefit the companies who make them, public health bureaucrats who promote them, and medical personnel who administer them.

There IS an alternative: Homeopathy - the safe medicine.

Ati Petrov DMH, HD(RHom.) is a Registered Homeopath with the National United Professional Association of Trained Homeopaths (NUPATH) . She is also a Heilkunst Practitioner and a tutor for the Hahnemann College for Heilkunst. She is available for in-person or phone consultations. She can be reached at 613-830-8307 (Apple Hill clinic) or 613-761- 6405 (Real Medicine clinic).