As the leaves fade to yellow and the summer sun mellows and softens into fall, it’s hard not to notice all the signs up in pharmacies, medical facilities, public libraries, even grocery stores, urging us to get the flu shot. It may even be required by your employer or if you volunteer in the public sector.
The Flu Vaccine (Fluvirin and other similar vaccines) has become an increasingly controversial and (unfortunately for many) mandatory part of our health care system. Facts and data are actually difficult to come by. The CDC and the medical establishment report on one end of the spectrum of views- that the flu vaccine is entirely safe and it is efficacious. However, independent researchers and public testimony indicate that this is not always the case. There are many strong opinions about the flu shot, and not all of them are backed up by facts … If you’d like more info about the flu shot, please read on. If you’re simply interested in hearing more about how acupuncture can be a safe and effective alternative to the flu shot, skip to the second section, where you’ll learn the proven ways acupuncture enhances immunity- in both western medicine terms and from a traditional Chinese medicine standpoint.
Looking at the Flu Shot Objectively:
Let’s start with the ingredients in the flu shot- they include toxins such as formaldehyde, mercury, and aluminum, all known to be harmful to the human body in even small amounts. Furthermore, virtually none of the US studies which claim the aluminum used in the flu shot is safe are based on injecting aluminum into the bloodstream, as would occurr with a vaccine. Rather, they are based on more superficial modes of aluminum delivery. Newer European research shows that injecting aluminum into the bloodstream could have far more serious consequences than US researchers claim.
Each year, a new flu vaccine is made based on the viruses most likely to cause disease. However, viruses mutate so quickly that it is impossible to know what strains will surface during the flu season. So, a flu vaccine is actually a somewhat hit and miss approach, a gamble. Each flu season, we actually fight off a number of bacteria and viruses without even becoming symptomatic. This is part of our acquired immunity- how they body educates itself to recognize and fight off antigens from foreign matter. We don’t need a vaccine to do this, and in fact, vaccines might disrupt this process and actually weaken our immunity.
We also know that most flu is not fatal. Most flu deaths are caused by influenza A and B, which account for only 3-18% of reported flu cases. The vast majority of people who die from the flu are over age 85, which is a small segment of the population. If you are outside of this age range your risk is less.
There are no scientific data to support the efficacy of the flu vaccine, and the long term effects are not known. There are a number of concerns about the flu vaccine that continue to be unaddressed by the CDC, as well as the company that manufactures it- Sequirin. Furthermore, the mode of delivery of the flu shot- injecting viral DNA directly into the bloodstream, is very different from how we are naturally exposed to viruses through the skin, mucus membranes and respiratory system.
When we are injected with the flu shot, not only are we are injecting foreign DNA into the bloodstream, we don’t even know what some of that foreign DNA is. Most flu vaccines are grown on living animal tissue- chicken embryos are commonly used. So, because the flu vaccine is grown on living tissue, not only not only does it contain whatever viruses were grown, it also contains any viruses that were being harbored in the baby chick, and, chicken DNA. Yup, you get injected with chicken DNA too. So, we could actually be receiving many other strains of viruses than just those that are in the flu shot. The long term result of this is not known. It is unknown how such a wide variety of viral DNA will interact with human genes. It is possible it could lead to gene mutations. And, it is unknown how multiple, repeated vaccinations affect immunity in the long run. Never before in human history has any culture embarked on such an aggressive vaccination campaign. Yet, for all its flu shots, the US does not have a significantly lower incidence of influenza or influenza related deaths than other developed countries.
In April 2016, the CDC reported that the flu shot is only effective for 50% of people who receive it. In previous years, it was actually less effective- preventing the flu for just a dismal 15% of those who received it in 2004-2005. According to scientists in the Netherlands, who studied the 2009/2010 flu season, individuals receiving the flu shot actually were more likely to get sick with an influenza like virus.
Are you second-guessing the flu shot by now? Perhaps your answer is yes, but you’re also wondering how you will keep from getting sick this year? Acupuncture might be the answer for you.
How Acupuncture Enhances Immunity
First of all, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is a proven, safe, and painless medicine that’s been around 3000 years, as compared to the mere decades we’ve had the flu shot. Entire schools of study in Chinese Medicine such as the Shang Han Lun school and the Wen Bing school devoted themselves to understanding and mastering the treatment of the common cold, influenza and febrile disease. The methods they discovered and honed over numerous years are proven and effective, and still relevant today. And they’ve been around hundreds of years and more.
From a Western medical standpoint, Acupuncture is known to increase white blood cell activity, thereby upping the immune response. When viruses and bacteria invade the body, it’s our army of white blood cells that must fend off the attack. Acupuncture is like sending a massive reinforcement troop to the white blood cells, helping us to avoid falling ill. Because it works with the body’s natural mechanisms, there are no side effects and no chance of disregulating the immune system. Acupuncture works with our immune system in an amphoteric way- helping it to either upregulate or quiet down as needed. Acupuncture can also help tune up the production of prostaglandins (immune regulating molecules), balancing and honing our entire immune response. Prostaglandins are released as part the inflammatory response and any time our tissues are injured. They are mediating factors in autoimmune responses and the immune response in general. Furthermore, acupuncture is known to dramatically reduce stress levels and put the body into a rest and digest state. And, as is common western medical knowledge, stress not viruses or bacteria is the #1 cause of disease. Lastly, there are no long term risks associated with acupuncture treatment, as compared to the perils of repeatedly injecting oneself with mercury, formaldehyde, aluminum, and unknown viral DNA when we get the flu shot.
In Chinese Medicine, our immunity is understood as a protective field which surrounds the body known as Wei qi. By stimulating certain points on the body, Acupuncture can both regulate and strengthen the Wei field. Wei qi might be likened to innate immunity in Western medical terms. It circulates just underneath the skin (exactly where acupuncture needles might be inserted) and is the first line of defense against exterior diseases. Wei qi helps to regulate the opening and closing of the pores of the skin. When the Wei qi is strong, we can keep the body “closed” when appropriate, thereby staying protected from external invasions. With good Wei Qi, we stay healthy and do not succumb to colds and flu. Wei qi is intimately linked to the strength and health of the original constitution, as well as the Lungs. Acupuncture over time can help bolster a weak constitution and thus strengthen immunity. Acupuncture can also support and enhance the function of the Lungs, which would also improve wei qi and immune function. Wei qi can also be treated and stimulated directly with acupuncture treatment. Not only is acupuncture an excellent preventative when we are healthy, an acupuncture treatment in the early stages of cold or flu can often ward off infection entirely. For people who deal with weakened immunity or frequent colds and flu, a series of acupuncture treatments is usually most supportive. These are just some of the time-tested ways acupuncture works to boost immunity and ward off colds and flu, without the risks associated with the flu shot. If you’ve made it to the end of this article, then you are probably ready to skip your flu shot and go see your local licensed acupuncturist instead.
The statements made here are not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a licensed medical provider, nor are they meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.