Clean Eating And Flu Shots

I would say no…

Mum husband and I don’t take any shots/vacines and when we have kids we dont’ plan on letting them get any either. It just feels… wrong.

Did you have much trouble when your son was born with him not getting vacines?

It’s one thing to eat clean, but “live clean” sounds like a completely different project. If you are going to try and avoid synthetics, chemicals and everything else man-made for health it goes way beyond food, medicine, and body/hair products. You’ll need to eliminate any form of public transportation; avoid shopping centers, stores or buildings where commercial cleaners are used(including schools); avoid the public parks because of herbicides and pesticides; pretty much avoid breathing the air here on planet earth.
It becomes a matter of personal choice and how far you want to take it. Pollutants, irritants, allergens, and other ‘risks’ are everywhere.

Well, I’m old enough to have gone to school with kids who had polio. My uncle was a doctor and made sure we had our polio shots which became available shortly before I started school. I had measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox. I was very worried when they stopped giving smallpox vaccinations about the time my oldest was born. People used to die of these diseases. That they are rare or non-existant in this country (USA) is because of extensive vaccination programs. Most of the doctors today, except for those in my generation who are or will soon be retiring, have never even seen these diseases unless they have worked in developing countries.
Tiffany, hospitals are very dirty places. You are putting yourself and your family at risk. Please be scrupulous about handwashing while at work and especially before eating and immediately before you leave and again when you get home. Get out of your work clothes and launder them and shower ASAP. I would recommend the vaccines especially because you work in a hospital. We are getting our little ones vaccinated, but not on the usual schedule. We make extra appointments and get their shots at different times, not multiple shots at once. We too are concerned about overwhelming immature immune systems with too much at once. But we feel the risk of not getting the immunizations (getting the diseases) far outweighs the risks of the shots, especially since they have removed Thimerisol (a mercury compound) as a preservative. These are my observations and opinions, of course.

I did not have any vaccines untill i was in high school. I did get chicken pox and measels etc but even if you get the shot you could get those things. I also worked for a Chiropracter whom his children NEVER had ANY shots. All the daycares and schools try to scare you and say the child cant be there unless they are current on all their shots but the truth is if you tell them you are not getting them immunized for personal or religious beliefs you dont have to. You just sign a waiver stating you dont want to and you are fine. This will work all the way through college. If you eat healthy and take all your precausions you have no need to inject yourself with these things. My son got a couple of shots when he was 3 months old then i didnt give him anymore shots until he was almost 2 years old and even at that point i always spread them out. They like to do 5 shots at a time, that is so crazy to me. Dont forget the rights you have as a parent/person. Seems the medical field always goes over board. A shot is a live virus you are injecting inside you. I know tons of people that everytime they get the flu shot they come down with the flu! Yet the doctors say the shot is suppose to build the antibodies to PREVENT you from getting the flu. If you are going to get it anyways just take your chances and stear clear of the shot! lol (my opinion of course) I never ever get the flu shot for my son or myself. That is me though

In regards to the flu shot, I think it is a relatively mild personal decision unless you have an outstanding medical condition. The flu shot this year is a single shot, and it includes H1N1. You take it, maybe it prevents the flu, maybe you get it anyway. Flu happens! But, luckily we are almost out of flu season, so it is less of a concern now.
Vaccinating children though is another story. I know a lot of parents feel strongly about this. One thing to consider is that the research condemning vaccinating children put out years ago has been proven as a hoax. The person responsible for that research, in fact, MADE UP his results. That is truly disgusting because many people decided not to vaccinate their children based on false information. However, your perspective for not vaccinating your child is different.
I will say, as someone who works in healthcare, I believe in vaccinating children, and when I have them will do so. I’ve heard of children die because they weren’t vaccinated, and that is a horrible situation for everyone involved. I guess you have to way the pros and cons of vaccinating your children, and be responsible for your own decisions.
God Bless! Maybe consider the flu shot next year instead!

This is such a great conversation. I hope you don’t mind if I weigh in over here too, Tiffany! Here’s our story:

All throughout elementary school our daughter was asthmatic, had allergies and was constantly sick, missing school for entire weeks at a time. She was on four different prescription meds and had to use a nebulizer. She even got the chicken pox, despite being vaccinated for it. Every year she seemed to just get sicker. During 5th grade another mom told me that if I thought that was bad, wait until Jr. High and High School. This was right after the pediatrician had told us to accept that this was how her life was going to be. That did it for me. I went to the bookstore, found some books on natural health, started educating myself, and changed our lifestyle and eating habits immediately.

Our daughter is 16 now, and hasn’t had an attack or needed asthma or allergy meds for years. (Now the docs say, oh she just outgrew it.) Actually, none of us need meds anymore for anything, even seasonal allergies. She did get swine flu last year, and was back to normal health in under 48 hours, and was never really very sick from it. And she never contracted the wave of mono that went through her school last year. We saw both as a triumph.

We credit this entirely to our clean lifestyle, and vastly improved immune systems, due to eliminating the toxic overload of meds and vaccines. None of us has had a vaccine since that day. We eat clean, take supplements, and spend our healthcare $$ on building our health from the inside out. I read all of the popular natural health sites, then decide on the course of action that seems appropriate for my family. The changes in our overall health have been such a blessing, and have given us such peace compared to the frantic illness-revolved lifestyle we were living before.

I wrote all of this because I want you adorable young mothers to know that you can do it, and it will make a difference! Yes, it’s sometimes expensive, and inconvenient, and you will receive criticism. But if you know in your heart that you are making the right choice for your family, I encourage you to avoid conventional medical pressure and give natural health a try. It has changed our lives forever! I will always wish we had tried this approach in the beginning, but am incredibly grateful that we did finally get there.

My best wishes to you all!

After seeing a child dying of pertussis in the pediatric ICU while in nursing school I vowed then and there to have my future children fully vaccinated. It’s a personal choice and it should be up to every parent. But if you’re going to make this decision don’t take it lightly and skip vaccines because they ‘feel wrong.’ Do your research and discuss it openly with your doctor. I recommend The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears.

I have a cousin that was damaged FROM the polio shot I don’t believe in vaccines, I believe in building the immune system naturally like the lady said above. Bravo to the blogger that got a letter from her lawyer, I never thought of that!

Hi Tiffany.

I am a health professional. I like Sarah’s advice above, and I appreciate the nonjudgmental tone of, and the valuable information contained in, the comments being shared here. Deciding what’s right regarding vaccines for oneself or one’s child is no easy thing.

I have asthma that is triggered by respiratory illnesses and things like extreme temperatures or very strenuous exercise, so I get the flu shot because it has actually helped me on 2 occasions to have a lesser version of what is “going around”. I have had 2 bouts of pneumonia – both were from the flu, both prior to when I began getting flu shots. Also, one of my children, now an adult, has the same problem. When he was 4 years old, he was hospitalized x 4 days with severe pneumonia and had one crisis during which the doctor wondered if she/we were going to “lose” him. He has been getting flu shots ever since, and it has not occurred again.
Since I went Gluten and milk-free, I have had many fewer illnesses generally, so Andrea’s story about her family’s experience really resonates for me as well. However, since I am regularly-exposed to those with the flu every year through my work and because I was SO sick with the 2 pneumonias, I had back in the 1990′s, I am just too “chicken” to go without a flu shot!!
I am over 50 – I also had pertussis and measles as an infant – my mom says I was VERY sick with both.

Having said all that, I think there are certain vaccines that, if I was a new parent today, I probably would not consent to being given to my infant. I was stunned when a relative listed for me what was on the schedule for her new infant – she also “put the brakes on” and declined or postponed several vaccines. My children, who are now young adults, had their shots as scheduled, but I worried each and every time. I didn’t feel I had a choice at the time – I think it is excellent that young parents are asking more questions and taking a very hard look at this issue. One thing we did decide to have them get as teenagers was the meningitis vaccine – after researching it, we concluded that it prevents tragic and needless deaths.

Karen

Sptsimone – Good for you. I never got one either.