Flu Shot Season

It is common for many to get the latest flu or vaccine shots at this time of the year, but with a little education and prevention all the extra stuff that come with a vaccination can be avoided. Vaccinations are a controversial issue in today's culture many believe that they are a wall against pandemic diseases, however others believe that they predispose individuals to an number of opportunistic disease's simple because they depress the immune system. More and more in the United States our most vulnerable citizens(our children) are exposed to vaccinations that contain ingredients, we would not as adults, take ourselves Just one of those ingredients is, Mercury Preservative Thermrosal, which has been linked with autism and developmental and neurological problems in children. Flu Shot Season-Alternative Flu symptoms range from runny nose to stuffed sinuses, none of which are comfortable ways to exist and our natural response is to get well quick and get back to the business of life. Well sometime the quickest method is not always the best method. So take into consideration a little preventative medicine and the opportunistic flu or cold bug wont have the chance to find a foot hold in your body.

Here are 6 simple tips that can reduce your chances of getting caught with your immune system down.

1. Vitamin C - also known as Ascorbic Acid is found in some foods and is water soluble. In the body is it acts as an antioxidant, helping fight cell damage caused by free radicals in the system. Just some of the benefits of vitamin C include, assisting in the production of collagen which assist with wound healing, protecting the immune system, protecting against cardiovascular disease, assisting with eye health and guarding against potential prenatal health problems.

2. Vitamin D - By being exposed to the natural sunlight the body uses the ultraviolet-B rays to help synthesis vitamin D in the body. Once in the body the benefits are numerous including assistance in the intestines to absorb nutrients more efficiently, regulating blood pressure, reducing respiratory infections, aiding insulin secretion, controlling abnormal multiplication of cancer cells and improving muscle and bone strength.

3. Probiotics - Is another way to boost the immune system in the body. Probiotic formulas assist in the reduction of inflammation in the digestive tract by a micro floral balance. This may seem odd that probiotics can assist with building immunity to infections, but when considering that that much of the bodies chronic inflammation starts in the gut, it just seems only natural that one would considered starting preventative measures here.

4. Sleep - We live in a society of deadlines and obligations, depriving us many times of an important component in our lives and that is sleep. Inadequate sleep weakens the immune system and makes it work hard fighting of diseases. The bodies natural response to certain infectious microbes is to induce sleep. Sleep allows the body to, so to speak, recharge. Sleep has been called the third pillar of health and is shown to be intimately involved in maintaining cardiovascular health.

5. Exercise - Exercise increases the production of antibodies, that react to antigens, like bacteria and or viruses, by searching them out and destroying them. As we age, our bodies production of these antibodies is diminished, thus the reduction of these antibodies is offset through exercise. Exercise has many health benefits, one being the beefing up of the immune system. Many times however, our society has the ideology that is exercise is good more of it is better. Studies have show however that this is not in all cases true. Moderate consistent exercise, has been proven to be the most beneficial to the bodies overall health benefits.

6. Echinacea - Has been found in a study at the university of Connecticut to reduce individuals chances of catching a cold by 50%. It was found that it did this by stimulating the immune system, by the activation of T-cells, thus even reducing the duration of the cold. In conclusion, by just incorporating a few of these tips, one can avoid the flu this season and not become inadvertently exposed to unnecessary immune enemies. So just take a moment and research for yourself the benefits of the tips I have given you here today and leave a comment. If you enjoyed this article please share!

Alternative Medicine

Alternative Medicine-Definition

Alternative medicine includes any practice that has the positive healing results of mainstream medicine, not having been based on scientific method.  There are several methods, practices, herbs,therapies, including methods of diagnosis.  The following is a short video on just a few essential ways in which homeopathy works.
                  


When it comes to choosing alternative Medicine or homeopathy, you have to consider the alternative.  The following excerpt is taken from an article by Dr. Mercola on his http://articles.mercola.com.

Which are More Dangerous: Drugs or Alternative Medicine?

FoodConsumer.org recently reported on an Australian surveillance study that found alternative medicine had caused the death of four children between the years of 2001 and 2003.
A total of 39 reports of side effects attributable to the use of alternative medicine were also found.
When you compare that to the death statistics of modern drugs, the answer to the subhead above becomes rather self-evident.
That's not to say that alternative medicine has a flawless safety record. However, if safety is a concern for you and your family, opting for a well-established natural folk remedy over a drug is surely going to provide you with a far greater safety margin when you need to treat a symptom. (The best "remedy" however, is going to be an overall healthy lifestyle that focuses on a nutrient-dense diet, exercise, toxin avoidance and stress relief.)
That said, let's compare the death statistics of alternative medicine with the mortality statistics of the conventional drug route.
Dr. Null and colleagues published an oft-cited report in 2003 about the death toll caused by drugs and conventional medical treatments, which included the following statistics.

• Adverse drug reactions – 106,000 deaths/year
• Medical errors – 98,000 deaths/year
• Unnecessary procedures – 37,136 deaths/year
• Surgery – 32,000 deaths/year

Additionally, a June 2010 report in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, which analyzed 62 million death certificates from 1976 to 2006 (the most recent year available), found that almost a quarter-million of those deaths were coded as having occurred in a hospital setting due to medication errors.
In an AMA article discussing the study, one co-author quoted as stating that "medication errors are the second-leading cause of accidental death, and the only kind of accidental death that is increasing over time."
An estimated 450,000 preventable medication-related adverse events occur in the U.S. every year, and adverse drug reactions cause injuries or death in 1 of 5 hospital patients.
The costs of adverse drug reactions to society are more than $136 billion annually – greater than the total cost of cardiovascular or diabetic care.
So, going back to the fact that over 25 percent of American youths are now taking prescription drugs on a chronic basis, you don't need a crystal ball to see what the future has in store...

Thanks for visiting and stay tuned for my next post