So my friend, Amanda, commented on a post a couple days ago and asked me my take on the flu shot.
I will disclose what I think, feel, know, believe.... but not in any order.
Getting a flu shot is a personal choice and there is much debate. You have to chose a side.
I feel strongly about where I stand on the topic and I will tell you why. However, I really want to stage the fact that these are all my opinions and experiences and if you end up getting the flu, it's NOT MY FAULT!
I do not get flu shots. Ever. I will not give them to my children.
When your body gets the flu, or any virus for that matter, it is because your body is weak. Sorry, it's the truth. I like to refer to my garden vegetables to illustrate this point (thanks to my friend Andrea for teaching me about my healthy garden veggies). When you grow a garden you want to make sure the soil is healthy. Then you want to make sure to water regularly, fertilize if necessary... to ensure healthy growth of plants. Pests don't attack a healthy plant. That is hugely important. The pests don't even bother with your garden if it is healthy. If the ph levels are correct, if the ground drains well, if water and sunlight are available...no problem. Same thing goes for your body. If you have a healthy system then the bugs don't bite. The germs don't have anything to grow and spread on in a healthy body. They simply die. My choice is to build up the body. Make it strong so that the germs don't have any place to stay. Strengthen the immune system by:
1. Eating well (low sugar consumption, high veggies, fiber, healthy fats...)
2. Drink water (NOT SODA) and drink a lot of it!
3. Take vitamin supplements (especially vitamin D and C)
4. Exercise
5. Get good sleep
6. Eliminate stress (yeah right!)
Those 6 steps are the flu shot alternative that I chose to live by. I really know that for us, they work. My kids have gotten the flu but Braxton for example, he's 6 years old and he's never had a flu shot. He's had the flu 1 time in his life. It was a bummer but he got over it and we move on which brings me to my next point.
When/if you do get the flu it is your body talking to you. It's screaming "Something is really wrong here. I am broken. Fix me!!!" You need to listen. Don't put on the ear mufs (flu shot) and pretend everything is ok. That will only lead to more sickness and yuckies. Just listen. Take a day off. Take a nap. Let your neighbor watch your kids and bring you some soup. Whatever. But listen to your body because it knows. Sometimes I get frustrated with our society. Go, go, go, go. Sometimes you do need to stop and sometimes it takes a nasty flu bug to hit that home for us.
Along with that my son, when he did get the flu, was down 2 days and then fine. As you work on building up your immune system you may still get the flu, but, the healthier you are the shorter lived it will be and you won't be out as long. So it's a bit of a wake up call I guess to let you know you still have some steps to take to full health.
So that is my story and I'm sticking to it. Bottom line:
Don't eat sugar. It seriously is so not good for you!!
THANKS! This makes a lot of sense. I didn't eat ANY sugar for a year and I could tell a huge difference. I wasn't as tired, I had way more energy, I only had one or two colds. It was wonderful. It also helped because I craved less carbs when I didn't have sugar. But then I had just ONE peanut M&M and the craving came back with a vengeance. UGH My plan is to start over with that and make it a lifestyle change, not just a 'diet'. I appreciate your comments and opinions on this topic, it's a huge one at work lately, I'll pass on your info!!
ReplyDeleteAnd too I didn't post any of the side effects of the flu shot because nobody really knows what they are. But, in my mind it always make sense to avoid injecting something into your body if you don't really know what it is or what it's effects may be.
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