The Truth about the H1N1 “Swine” Flu

[Shifrah]

The Truth about the H1N1 “Swine” Flu
By Dr. Timothy Trader, ND, PhD, DD

We started to become aware about the Swine flu in April of 2008 when it was spreading around in Mexico. Today when you turn on the news, you cannot help but hear about it. Today it is known as H1N1 swine flu, or more formally “Novel Influenza A (H1N1).” The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that it is like a seasonal flu, with “symptoms which can include, fever, coughing (typically a ‘dry cough‘), headaches, pain in the muscles or joints, sore throat, chills, fatigue, and runny nose. Diarrhea, vomiting, and neurological problems were also reported in some cases.” ("CDC Briefing on Investigation of Human Cases of H1N1 Flu," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009-09-08).

In Australia, Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said, “Most people, including children, will experience very mild symptoms and recover without any medical intervention.” Yet we are already learning about the deaths and the spread of the H1N1 flu, even before the usual flu season.

What do you do for yourself and your family? If you are willing to start to understand this Swine flu situation, I have a few tips that you may find essential for your health. This article addresses how to avoid the flu, what to do if you get it, whether or not to choose vaccination, and what to do after being immunized if you elect to go that route.

Staying Well

The first item on everyone’s agenda is how to keep from getting the flu in the first place. The medical industry wants you to be vaccinated, a topic I will cover later on in this article. But the real answer is to have a sufficiently vital immune response, such that flus and other illnesses don’t take hold. You can take pills or posions, which really does not work. Or, you can eat right, get plenty of sleep, limit your stress, move your body, and do all the other healthful things you already know to do. What you do in these arenas will more or less create the health you get. It is up to you.

Whatever you put into your body, your body has to deal with. The more energy you possess, the more you will have the strength to avoid the flu or the fortitude to allow for an easier time if you manifest it. Bottom line is, if you eat foods that rob you of health and energy, you will have less ability to build your immune response. A McDonald’s meal may be cheap and tasty, but it is low in nutrition and takes a lot out of you to digest and eliminate.

Fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, offer the highest nutrition. This is especially true if they are uncooked and unchanged from the form in which Nature provides them. Also, fruits and vegetables are extremely easy to digest. They are high in antioxidants, as well as all the other nutrients you need to boost your immunity. The more you eat them, the better you will be. According to World Health Report 2002, “Fruit and vegetables are important components of a healthy diet, and their sufficient daily consumption could help prevent major diseases.”

Eating organic produce also helps. Pesticides and other chemicals are toxic and rob us of our energy and ability to fight off diseases. The more your body has to deal with, the weaker your ability to ward off other contaminants can become. Organic fruits and vegetables have shown to be higher in nutrients than conventional produce. To read more about organics, visit http://www.ota.com/organic/benefits/nutrition.html

Since we are talking about chemicals in our lives, please understand that the chemicals in your environment also affect your health. Quoting the Environmental Protection Agency’s web site (http://www.epa.gov/indoorairplus/index.html), “EPA studies show that air pollution inside homes is often two to five times higher than outdoor levels.” Consider the cleaning chemicals and pesticides you use in and around your home that can affect your health. Then there are the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in paint fumes, and formaldehyde and other noxious chemicals in new carpets and new cars. These and literally hundreds of other household chemicals can linger in the air we breathe for years. Even personal-care products can affect your immune reactions. Choosing truly natural, nontoxic shampoos, soaps, cosmetics, and other self-care products (derived from botanicals, not petrochemicals) leaves us with more vitality then the ones you buy off the grocery store shelf, because less of your vital energy is diverted into the task of eliminating toxins from the system.

Our contemplations are another thing we take in, like foods or breathing. If you have lots of energy, you have a tendency to conceive more positive thoughts. If you think negatively, it will lower your energy levels and your immune response, as well. Raise your vitality with positive thinking and healthy fruits and vegetables. See a study called Negative Thoughts and Health from the journal Psychosomatic Medicine at PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15184696

Another way to increase your energy is through physical activity. A walk or run around the block can do wonders. Joining a gym, doing calisthenics every day, even just playing with your kids can make a difference. Instead of taking the elevator, climb the stairs. It is the little things that add up. Avoid conveniences that take away movement. Do the extra work and reap the benefits. Just move! It gets your blood pumping, your lymph system flowing, and your nerves excited—all healthy things. For more on activity and its effects on your body’s ability to fight disease, go to http://sportsmedicine.about.co...on/a/Ex_Immunity.htm

Of equal importance to activity is rest. It is as easy as taking a moment in your hectic day to daydream. Getting a good night’s sleep, every night, is essential. We live in a society of stimulants, which keep us up at night. Instead of a cup of “java,” drink some fresh-squeezed orange juice; it will give you a lift and some vitamin C as well. You will sleep better at night without stimulants in your bloodstream and have more energy the next day. Investigate what a Stanford study says about sleep and immune function here: http://www.businesswire.com/po...alink/?ndmViewId=n...
Now here is a real kicker: get some sunshine. That’s right—sunshine helps boost your immunity. Your body converts the rays of the sun into vitamin D. Please know this: the majority of us are deficient in vitamin D. An article in the journal Epidemiology and Infection actually states, “[Vitamin] D deficiency is common in the winter, and activated vitamin D, 1,25(OH)2D, a steroid hormone, has profound effects on human immunity.” And later it says, “Ultraviolet radiation (either from artificial sources or from sunlight) reduces the incidence of viral respiratory infections.” In an article by one of the authors of the study, J. J. Cannell we read, “We raised the possibility that influenza is a symptom of vitamin D deficiency.” This is an amazing insight that may turn your health around. If you want to read more from Dr. Cannell on this subject, see his Medical News Today article, Epidemic Influenza and Vitamin D,” at http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/51913.php.
If You Get the Flu

The second point we all think about these days is, “what can I do if I ‘get’ the flu?”

It does not matter if it is the seasonal flu or the swine flu, what you do is the same thing: go to bed, rest, and drink water until the symptoms subside and hunger returns.

That is right—do not eat. When you have flu-like symptoms, you are not hungry. In this regard (and all others), the body is wise, as abstinence from food is mandatory for a quick and easy recovery. As the body feels pain, fever, or especially nausea, digestion literally stops. If you are not digesting, the food inside you is wasting energy needed for healing. The food usually ends up being thrown out of your body in the form of vomiting or diarrhea, in an effort to eject it before it goes bad and makes matters worse. It is only after evacuation of the foodstuff you take in that the body can put all of its energy into healing. And the healing will be especially accelerated if you allow yourself to rest in bed.

The Mayo Clinic and Medline concur with the above, including “adequate liquid intake and rest” among their list of strategies for helping ease symptoms. Dr. Joel Fuhrman in his book Fasting and Eating for Health says, “We should listen to our bodies when appetite is diminished or absent. If we are not feeling well, we should sip water and rest. It is amazing how quickly patients recover from viral syndromes when this advice is taken. Recovery in this case leaves the body in a clean and healthy state, rather than contaminated with toxic medications; we have thus laid the groundwork for future good health.”

Speaking about medications, a 2009 hypothesis about the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 by Dr. Karen M. Starko MD is truly a revelation. She theorizes that the deaths in the early 1900s may have been caused by overprescribing of medications, primarily aspirin, and not the flu itself. This is startling, since the Spanish flu is a type A influenza, as is the H1N1 flu.

There is a correlation here. We live in a society who believes that “more is better,” and most of the over-the-counter flu remedies contain aspirin or other NSAID-type pain relievers. According to Dr. Starko, the aspirin had caused water on the lungs, creating pneumonia and depleted vitamin C, as well as other problems. To see the journal abstract, go to http://www.journals.uchicago.e...i/abs/10.1086/606060. Or if you wish to read an article based on her theory, go to http://www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi125.html. The bottom line is that fasting (abstaining from eating and taking in only water for a period of one or more days) will get you over the flu quicker than medications, which may cause problems on top of the disease.

Should You Be Immunized?

Now, there is the subject about getting immunized. Is it worth the time, money, and pain of being stuck with a needle? Should you take the shot? Essentially, that is your decision. May I give you some facts and let you decide?

Let me start with a video from Dr. Ron Paul, the U.S. senator, where he warns you not to rush into being immunized: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB5-Y08qbjo. Dr. Paul talks about problems that arose as a result of the 1976 swine flu vaccine, including paralysis caused by Guillain-Barré syndrome. This can occur as a result of an ingredient in the H1N1 vaccine known as squalene. In the U.K., 50% of the doctors have said they will not take the H1N1 vaccine (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... refuse-swi...). And a third of U.K. nurses also refuse the immunization (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... s-refuse-s...). This tells quite a story: Do you want the inoculation if the people administering them will not partake of the vaccinations themselves?
Another question about vaccinations is do they work, or are they even necessary? This line of inquiry could take hours of discussion and still not be resolved. I for one agree with Louis Pasteur’s final statement on this subject, “Claude Bernard was right: the microbe is nothing; the terrain is everything.” Behind this statement lies a vital but little-known truth: that a healthy body can withstand exposure to microbes that wreak havoc on less-fortified individuals.
To educate yourself on this matter, may I suggest a book called Vaccination Horror: An anthology of important works on vaccination pseudoscience, by John Drake or the classic, The Sanctity of Human Blood: Vaccination Is Not Immunization, by Tim O'Shea.
Some of the ingredients in the H1N1 vaccine are not healthy. For the ingredients we go to GlaxoSmithKline’s own “assessment report” at http://preventdisease.com/news...K_Pandemrix_2008.pdf.

So let us start by pointing out that the H1N1 vaccines is made from hen’s eggs, which contain avidin, listed as an immune stimulant. Avidin is a glycoprotein which blocks the absorption of biotin, a B vitamin we need to deal with stress (including the stress of disease). Avidin also creates an increase in blood antibodies, which is a sure sign of poisoning. Proof that avidin in vaccines increases antibodies can be found in the journal Immunological Investigations 1995, Vol. 24, No. 5, Pages 819–828. And avidin is just the start of the tragic ingredients in the H1N1 vaccine.

Thimerosal is probably the most studied and controversial ingredient in vaccines. Basically it is a derivative of mercury. We are categorically not supposed to ingest mercury, so why are they giving it to us in some versions of the H1N1 vaccine? Thimerosal has been connected to autism and ADHD, as well as other neurological diseases. Thimerosal has also been linked to autoimmunity, infertility, neurotransmitter imbalances like MS and ALS, and even Alzheimer’s disease. For an in-depth look at thimerosal, please go to a video from Dr. Ayoub called “Mercury, Autism and the Global Vaccine Agenda,” at http://www.whale.to/vaccine/ayoub_v.html . Count on an intriguing couple of hours, learning the facts.

Another doctor I respect who has had much to say on this subject is Dr. Russell Blaylock. You can find a commentary by him on vaccine ingredients at http://www.wnho.net/vaccine_coverup.htm. The idea here is to learn the facts and educate yourself so you can make an intelligent decision.

Another questionable ingredient in the H1N1 vaccine is the aforementioned squalene. Squalene has not been approved for use by the FDA in the USA, according to Dr. Nass and Dr Mercola. This makes it illegal, yet it is still used, and backed by the U.S. government. Squalene is a lipid we produce in our bodies. But, when introduced through an injection or inhaled, the body sees it as a foreign invader and attacks it. Then it turns around and attacks the squalene made by the body, and basically the body starts attacking itself. Since squalene is essential to the nervous system, the autodigestion initiated by the squalene ends up destroying nerve cells. A short list of the many symptoms reported as a result of squalene injection includes fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, chronic headaches, dizziness, weakness, memory loss, seizures, mood changes, neuropsychiatric problems, and a host of others. Squalene has been tied to Gulf War Syndrome (GWS), where GIs were given an anthrax vaccine with squalene in it. There is evidence to show that squalene is the cause of GWS. See the abstract from an article of the journal Experimental and Molecular Pathology here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/s...cleURL&_udi=B6WFB-...
For more understanding about squalene’s place in the H1N1 vaccine, please refer to a composition by Dr. Russell Blaylock at http://socioecohistory.wordpre...-russell-blaylock....

Other unreported toxic ingredients in the H1N1 vaccine that are traditionally in vaccines include ethylene glycol (antifreeze), formaldehyde, phenol (carbolic acid), aluminum, and even antibiotics like neomycin and streptomycin. It seems to me that there is more to vaccines than what they are telling us. There is a host of toxic ingredients in all vaccines. They say these toxins are administered only in minute amounts, but they still affect our cells in a negative way that includes reducing our body’s ability to protect itself. Is less immunity really what we need?

Post-Vaccination Protocol

Now, what if you have already been vaccinated? What if you are getting sick from the immunizations? Or you are worried about the effects down the road?

My suggestion is that you do what we have already talked about. First of all, fast. Take two or three days and rest. Drink lots of distilled or reverse osmosis water. Get out of the way of your body’s detoxification work. Your body knows what to do. (For more information on fasting, read Herbert Shelton’s Fasting Can Save Your Life. It is a quick and easy read.)

Next, after some bed time, eat lots of organic fruits and vegetables. Get the antioxidants and excellent nutrients into your body without the toxic junk foods that hold back our healing. Do not forget to get sleep and rest, exercise, and get some time in the sun each and every day, if at all possible.

Make a lifestyle change for the better. Investigate healthier alternatives for your household cleaning and daily hygiene needs. Read about a new healthy life. Start with The 80/10/10 Diet by Dr. Douglas N. Graham. If you read nothing more, this book will save your life.

You will have to work a little, for true health cannot be handed to you in a pill or an injection. Instinctually, you know what you need to do for health. It has been called prevention, but in reality it is nothing more than practicing healthful living, day in and day out. Work on being disease-free every day, and you will be healthier than the others around you. You can help make this world a healthier place for you and others, because you will be the example for everyone else to emulate.

Fear Itself

Do not be afraid of the hype that is out there to scare you. In The Culture of Fear: Why Americans are Afraid of the Wrong Things, author Barry Glassner posits that the “fear industrial complex” is working to make sure that our fears stay at extreme highs. He points to an army made of “politicians, activist groups and corporations that all sell us on the idea that they can provide safety from the very dangers they are scaring us about” [emphasis mine]. He continues, “Whenever somebody’s trying to scare us, the question is ‘Are they benefiting from it, and in what way?’ If they’re selling us a product, if they’re selling us their political campaign or their cause or whatever it is, we should ask how big is the danger, really? Is it big, is it small, or is it just that they stand to benefit by making us scared?”

Remember the Nicola Roxon quote I started with, “Most people, including children, will experience very mild symptoms and recover without any medical intervention.” There is little to fear from H1N1; it is not monumental. Fear is a way to control you and to take your money.

If you do not fear a possible disease because you know you are healthy, you keep your power and do not give it away. There is a lot of fortitude in that. Be strong.

Remember what Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear … is fear itself.”

[barbgavon]

Thanks for posting this. It's very long but I've posted it in my bookmarks for future reference.

[Guest]

Dear Shifrah, I really enjoyed reading this!!! My physician and all the staff told me that the regular flu is much more dangerous than the swine flu...

Most people do very well, even if they do come down with the swine flu!!!

My friend's 7 month old nephew came down with it and is doing great!!! He was only hospitalized overnight because he is sooo tiny!!!

Of course, he is not allowed any company and his parents have to wear masks and gloves for a couple of weeks...This is just to prevent further spreading of this flu!!!

Personally, I think the vaccine would be sooooooo much worse than the actual flu!!! I would not take that vaccination for anything!!!

I love you soooo much Shifrah and I thank you soooo much for this very informational posting!!! God Bless You Tonight and Always!!!

[Ms. Hopeful]

Shifrah, thanks for the information. I have been wondering what to do. There is so much information out there and it can be fear inducing especially for those who already battle with anxiety!!! I have been praying about what to do for myself and children. Thanks again for all the information!

[Shifrah]

Glad it was useful to you two.

We are taking some precautions here and there as well.

1) Lowering refined sugar intake
2) Increasing fresh fruit & veggie consumption
3) Gargling with warm salt water
4) Adding extra nutrients such as C to our smoothies; also taking probiotics as well as Airborne tabs.

My kids don't have nearly the amount of exposure that most kids do, but once somebody takes a virus home, it won't be fun if the whole family goes through it!

[Deener]

I am very glad that I ran across this post, as it had something to do with what I was going to post. One of my fears is illness, and the truth is I am a bit more afraid of the medicine than the illness itself. All of the media reports on H1N1 have slowly made me fear it to the point of near panic. Because of the problems with anxiety and stress in the last several years, I just assume I have a very weak immune system.

My 13 year old came down with some flu like symptoms, although in my opinion very mild ones and the Dr. without testing her for the flu at all prescribed tamiflu. She has taken it 2 times before and both times she had some weird side effects, that I didn't contribute to the meds. I found a site about side effects of the med and the symptoms she experienced were fairly common. Unfortunately one of those were increased anxiety and panic. If her "flu" symptoms are going to be mild I would rather not give her the med and put her through the unpleasantness of it all as she already has a problem somewhat with anxiety.

I was just wondering if anyone with anxiety or depression problems have taken tamiflu and what were some of the side effects that you experienced? Thanks.

[Shifrah]

Deener I too, would rather suffer through 3 days of fever than some of the possible long-term permanent affects associated with the vaccines I've been reading about.

You are right, the media scares us into thinking that maybe we should be vaccinated, on the other hand there are plenty of things that are scarier about the vaccination.

I think if the tamiflu or other med has the ability to increase the heart rate, it's going to cause anxiety. This is one of the reasons that I ask for epinephreine-free novacaine at the dentist - the epinephrine (adrenaline) causes my heart to race out of my chest practically.

Doctors are saying to treat the H1N1 flu just like the regular flu, rest, liquids, etc. And probably some kind of fever reducer when necessary.

[jillzmind]

I would like to suggest that Balance be rememberd when considering weather to vaccinate to not. Yes there is always a chance of a side effect but in many cases the good FAR FAR outweighs the bad. Science has made many strides in medicine and if there are simple vaccines that can save your child then by all means they should be considered. There is now a vaccination for spinal menenjidice and that is an instant killer in children. I think of penecilin and cures for Polio and so many wonderful advances in medicine that have restored life to those sick. I am concerned that may be medical and medicine phobias are at the root in some cases and it shouldn't be. I like your lengthy information Shif about ways to get better at home but also am so very heartbroken when I hear on the news of families who lost a child since they refused medical treatment, while they waited on God to heal them.I Know God moves and works thru modern medicine. It saves lives every day. They key is to get all the information you can and make informed decisions based on findings and to not make decisions based on fear.There are many wonderful and passionate Docs dedicated to wellness and I think finding one like Hubby and I did is a good thing too. We did a lil research on him and liked his track record and his caring compassionate heart. Fear not.

Jill~

[ronda stephens]

Thank you Shifra for posting a most excellent article.

Very good advice for all disease prevention!

[Gman5256]

Odd, we've had this discussion on a private thread about 2 or 3 months ago:

http://www.naturalnews.com/021858.html

Aloe Vera is a potent natural miracle plant that can boost your immune system to ward off most anything. I drink 2 ounces of pure aloe vera everyday, and started the moment they were taking about this. I have a half brother and half sister that got Dengue Fever, both got healed from this deadly disease by adding Aloe Vera to grape juice This healing occurred even though there is no known cure for this deadly disease.

My half sister was in the hospital and they were about to do chelation therapy when she began drinking this home remedy for 2 days and they cleared her and discharged her from the hospital.

God has set many natural remedies right here for us to use for our benefit and better health, we just have to find out about them. If you haven't heard before, you have now. Praise God! The fear of death or fear of poor health has been defeated and we have been given the victory. You can lead a happy life! It is a choice you make to live it as you please.

http://aie-llc.com/Poems/TheMerryGoRound.doc

Choose life, choose to live it more abundantly and victoriously! Amen and Amen !!!