The Flu has dominated headlines as of late, and for good reason.
Check out this recent chart of flu and flu-like symptoms:
(Source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm)
As you can see, flu visits are dominating doctor's visits compared to recent history.
Not only that but it was reported on the news yesterday that at least 53 children have died so far this year from the flu.
That is well above seasonal norms.
Also, of importance is the age of the children.
We are not talking about 1 and 2 year old's only. We are talking about 7-8 year old's, and even some 10-12 year old's dying this year. Children who's immune systems should be fully developed.
That is especially concerning.
What places are the hardest hit?
(Source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm)
As you can see, it's primarily affecting the midwest and the east coast.
The west coast hasn't been hit nearly as hard.
It is not really clear why that is at this point, but perhaps cold weather has something to do with it.
What is even scarier is that of the 300,000 flu cases sent to the CDC last year to test only 12.5% of them actually were the flu (i.e. influenza virus). Other things can have flu symptoms, so it is dangerous to just assume it is the flu.
Allegedly the CDC stopped asking for the tests this year. The scary thing is that there is a high probability that something other than the flu may be the bulk of these, and it's not really being investigated or spoken about.
Flu, vaccines, etc have become too politicized. They want the fear and the mass adoption of flu vaccines... even those times they get it wrong and say it was the wrong flu variant... they'll say "But, you should still take it".
I RARELY (5 or 6 years maybe more between cases) get the flu or flu like symptoms. Though both times I got a flu shot are two of the cases where I did get it. In my case, it could have been a reaction to the eggs used as part of the base for the vaccines. All I know is since I stopped taking it more than a decade ago I've maybe had the flu twice.
EDIT: Just so you don't see me as an exception. This has been true of my wife, my six kids, and my grand kids as well. Doing math from the contraindications on the flu vaccines the odds of the vaccine doing something bad to me are higher than the odds of the flu killing me. If I get it, I may feel ill for a few days (or maybe a week), and then I recover. Vaccine contraindications could impact me for the rest of my life. No thanks. And I am not anti-vaccine. I am anti- pushing vaccines for everything, and the fact that the producers of the vaccines have been made so they can't be sued or challenged for bad products. Why do they need that protection? Think about it.
One of the issues is lack of vitamin D.
The reason why we've evolved to store vitamin D in fat is similar to the reason why hibernating animals such as bears store energy in fat for the winter. Sunlight. There's just not very much of it during the winter months. Vitamin D interacts positively with the nucleus of white blood cells called T-Cells, triggering them to start multiplying, which are one of the immune system's first lines of defense.
With people working in doors, living in doors, driving in their cars, riding in buses, trains, etc. we're getting less and less sunshine than we used to and when winter comes, our immune systems' are less equipped to handle flu season.
The quickest fix... as if there is a quick fix, is to take a 5,000 iu - 10,000 iu vitamin D supplement each day during the winter months. the dosage depends on how dark your skin pigmentation is (darker pigmentation = less vitamin D absorption from sun) and the latitude in which you live, and the amount of time you get out in the sun.
For reference, 10,000 iu vitamin D is roughly equal to the amount a light skinned person would gain from being in sunlight in their swimsuit for an hour.
NOTE: For health reasons, if you take higher dosages (which are safe), individuals should also take magnesium citrate to counter the higher levels of calcium absorption that comes with high does vitamin D. High levels of calcium absorption can lead to muscle cramps and heart problems. Also, it's important to note that higher ng/ml of vitamin D levels reduces heart disease over all, in addition to higher magnesium citrate supplementation.
Additional reading.
http://www.forever29nutrition.com/lower-cancer-risk-83/
http://www.forever29nutrition.com/gisele-bundchen-thinks-sunscreen-sucks/
http://www.forever29nutrition.com/heart-disease-avoid-1-thing-do-1-thing/
this is great info, thank you for sharing!
@gimmekimmy
you're welcome!
One of Trump’s advisers says that we can get inoculated against the flu by Jesus.
You can’t make this stuff up.
O. M. G.
Pharmaceutical Medicine is losing the battle in every single illness category year to date. Everyone would share info that shows a brighter future for Pharma Medicine but nope, you can't fool me where I can see that the hospitals and walk-in clinics are overwhelmed, headlines dominating one illness, or virus or something that took humankind by storm. It's all about preventative medicine but there's no money in that?? Pffft that is non-sense, preventative medicine...
keep up the great posts!
This is very scary! Especially if you have little ones. It was said that the flu shot wasn’t effective this season!
Very informative! But all of these flues came from a lab, because the industry needs to create new products.
got any evidence for "all these flues came from a lab" that or you just throwing it out there?
Flu seasons at colleges are getting worse too. It is spreading like lava when one person gets sick. I have had the flu twice! Even though my doctor told me I could only get it once...
Big Pharma is behind the majority of illness and disease in this country. The create sickness to create consumers. its not personal its business. I write about this and have information on HealthWar.org
What a ridiculous statement
i appreciate your work friend!
Now my steem blog could change both your life, world and and how you look at the world in a positive way, please follow me, read my blog and comment if you want me to continue my blog
the flu is one of the say diseases too, which affects our system a lot because sometimes it does not let us do anything, but it affects the children because their protection I think would be less than those of the elderly
good post!!! I hope you visit me on my blog I vote and I follow you
Yes children are at high risk! I try and keep my daughter as healthy as can be
I haven't gotten the flu shot yet, I heard its not effective for this year's flu and my daughter is just 6months old, we will get it in a few months if this continues. Thanks for the info.
My name is muhammad rizal
I'm a new member of steemit
Please followback and upvote my post
-Doctor, there's a patient on line 1 that says he's invisible"
-Well, tell him I can't see him right now.
"Flu season" is an interesting term.
The virus is around all year.
people only get sick in the winter months?
why? is it colder and the virus replicates better? Perhaps.
But the average temperature in February in Florida is +16 and Illinois is -7
Yet they are moth high risk based on the map.
Fact is in the winter people eat less healthy, see less sunlight and are less physically active.
As long as you work on improving your immune system you will be protected.
Did the 7-12 year olds that died have asthma or some other pulmonary weakness or immune compromise?