Flu Vaccine or Conscious Prevention?

[GreenKnitPocket]

Hi all, with all of the flu and vaccine discussion in this forum, I wanted to see what you all thought about getting the vaccine versus not getting the vaccine and just being extra careful about your body and health?

Obviously, people are scared about the swine flu AND about the swine flu vaccine. The annual debates about the necessity of the flu shot are going on now, too. I didn't get the flu shot last year and I'm not sure if I'll be getting it this year or not, I tend to practice conscious prevention and wash my hands/ use cold and flu killing products.

This year I'm preparing myself with the following items to help me not get any cold or flu bugs:
- Anti- bacterial gel... I keep it in my purse and whip it out after I use public transportation or before I eat (if I'm out).
- Kleenex Anti-Viral Tissues... these are the tissues with the little blue dots on them. They trap and kill 99.9% of cold and flu bugs within the tissue so you don't risk getting others sick after you sneeze (great for classrooms too).
- Anti-bacterial soap at the kitchen AND bathroom sink... some people only have it in their bathroom, but I have it wherever I wash my hands.

I have a feeling I'll get one if not both of the vaccines this year, but being proactive about not contracting the bugs in the first place is always a good practice.

What do y'all think?

[carmel23]

Honestly, I am not afraid of the new swine flu vaccine at all, and will probably get it myself (because I am very pregnant and in a high risk group). But well see when the vaccine actually gets here.

But if I weren't pregnant, I would not get the vaccine at all. I would do the things you are doing-- maybe take emergenC, boost the vitamins (if you don't normally take them) and just be extra careful.

For most people, the flu seems to be a uncomfortable but that is it.

[GreenKnitPocket]

Hey Carmel- that's a good outlook on it. Glad I'm not the only one who's kind of "on the fence", and if I was pregnant I would definitely get the vaccine too. One of my best friends is pregnant and cannot wait to get the vaccine- she gets sick a lot though.

It's frustrating though, when I'm trying to not take the vaccine and just be really conscious about my health and then I see other people coughing and not covering their mouth. I just want to say "didn't your mother teach you anything???" haha

Here's a really cute video about a kid fighting the cold- it went viral which is kind of funny since it's about cold and flu bugs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmM6r...e=channel_page
I hope his mom gets him the vaccine or wipes his sniffly nose!

Anyone else? Vaccine or careful prevention of cold and flu bugs?

[ShadowMoon]

Our family has never had a flu shot and we definitely aren't planning on getting any this year. We eat healthy, whole foods, wash ur hands, and try to avoid sick people. We also don't use antibacterial products. It has been proven over and over again that washing your hands with soap and hot water is more effective than using these products. Check out these links for more info:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm


http://www.webmd.com/news/20080529/s...bacterial-soap

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm

[MyBoysBlue]

We won't be getting the vax and I don't use antibacterial stuff. We will be using good old soap and water to wash our hands.

[alllyssa]

Well since you asked . . .

I think you are worried about nothing. We aren't vaxing for the seasonal or HINI Flu viruses and I've never used antibacterial soaps or products. I don't even buy kleenex - we use hankies or TP.

So far this new flu is much less "dangerous" than the regular flu - which kills many thousands of people every year. I'm thinking that we may get H1N1, maybe not, but I'm not doing anything special to try to avoid it - except maybe not hang out with people who I know are sick.

Hope I'm right

[13Sandals]

I think its awesome that you are working to keep yourself healthy - but I wouldn't buy too much into those 'anti-viral, anti'bacterial' products. hospitals have used the most powerful antibacterials for ages and the end result has been that hospitals breed the worst super bugs on the planet. We don't need to help them along! (they may kill 99.9% of germs, but that .01% that get away and reproduce are the ones to worry about!)

Your body, in health, has the capacity to deal with all of this. Better to keep extra vit c, a and d around for when you start to feel low rather than the stuff to kill the germs.

My in laws were just here and were talking about how cod liver oil was a regular part of their lives as children, especially during the winter months. Not a bad way to go back to....our grandparents knew to support the immune system itself - that was the most important prevention available.

[Marnica]

No way I'm getting either...ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. I especially wouldn't get either of these if I were pregnant.

I do many things to maintain health and avoid illness including handwashing, supplements and many other alternative things

[bbrandonsmom]

We don't get any of the flu shots, and won't this year either. Even if I were preg I wouldn't. I've had flu then phenmonia and though it sucked, I'm fine. The extra precautions we are taking
healthier diet, especially the kids-cutting back on sugar, sweets (though we don't eat much)

hand washing w/ regular soap-we don't use antibacterial at all at any time of the year

probiotics daily
Vit C daily (if we lived not in Fl, we would be taking Vit D)

I have on hand-Hylands C-plus and Borion's Cold calm. Borion's also makes a flu med as well-those are natural and I have no issues giving them to my family. With my ds immune issues, I do everything natural as poss to boost his immunity and will not compromise (sp) it with a vax.

[SuburbanHippie]

We're eating traditional foods, not taking OTC or prescription meds, not having any vaccines and getting enough rest. I don't like to use antibacterial stuff because I believe the body needs to come into contact with viruses in order to build immunity. I don't like the idea of super bugs in which no antibiotic could combat them.

We also don't use paper tissues because our home doesn't use disposable paper products.

[newmum35]

I'm another one who does not use anti-bacterial products (never even realized there were anti-viral kleenex out now lol) ... if it has anti-bacterial stuff in it, I won't buy it. Regular soap for us, that includes dish soap and hand soap. We already know what the overuse of antibiotics does (create superbugs) - that alone is a good enough reason for me.

[Carley]

I'm getting the flu shot and taking "cautious prevention" (handwashing, staying home when sick etc).

Last year my daughter began preschool & both her & I caught every strain of influenza that hit Richmond Beach. It was AWFUL - I'm talking deathly ill from November through the end of May. My husband, who was vaccinated, remained healthy.

I am not going through that again. Clearly "concious prevention" wasn't enough to stave off the flu last year, and with rates markedly higher this year than last I'm not willing to suffer again; I can't afford to.

I'm pregnant & DD is in preschool - we will both be getting our flu shots next week.

I also wanted to mention that I use antibacterial hand sanitizer liberally. I keep it in my purse & use it to wipe down shared public items - like our shopping cart handle at Whole Foods (my child takes advantage of the free samples = hands in mouth, hands on handle, hands in mouth) & ketscup bottles at restaurants (another case of hands in mouth, hands on bottle, hands back in mouth = disgusting).

Yes, hot water hand washing is best, but sometimes that's not possible. There's a difference between "overuse" and "useful." Hand sanitizer & other antibacterial products can be extremely useful for the on-the-go mom

[amnesiac]

Please remember to post discussions about illness prevention other than vaccines in our Health & Healing forum. You may wish to continue vaccine related discussion in existing H1N1 & flu threads.