XTEND-YOUR-LIFE Newsletter
1st October 2003
Nasal Flu Vaccine... Immunity and more...
Here in New Zealand we are enjoying spring and looking forward to summer. However, most of our customers reside in the Northern Hemisphere so they instead have winter to 'look forward' to along with potential exposure to the 'bugs' that seem to come along at this time of year... particularly the flu' virus.
If you haven't already, you will soon be subjected to some quite aggressive marketing of a new flu nasal spray vaccine called FluMist. The manufacturers MedImmune/Wyeth have earmarked $25M for direct to consumer advertising and another $75M for marketing to Doctors. They will have a highly convincing sales pitch. What you have to consider is if it really is worth taking.
Here are a few key points to bear in mind about this nasal vaccine:
It is not approved for children under 5 years of age because it increases the risk of asthma attacks.
It is only effective in about 50% of the people who take it.
It is not approved for adults over 50 years of age as trials have not shown it to be either effective or safe for that age group.
Typical side effects are sore throat, coughing, runny nose and nasal congestion. Bit like flu itself!
BUT... this is the biggest point to bear in mind! It should only be taken by HEALTHY people who do not have compromised immune systems. This is somewhat ironic given that these are the very group of people who are the least susceptible to the flu. It is those people who have sub standard immune systems that are most at risk and these people should not take this product.
Most people do not know the state of their immune system so I guess that a lot of people will get sick after taking this vaccine...
What about the traditional flu shots?
It's not my place to suggest if you should have one of these or not. Like the nasal vaccine this is an issue between you and your health professional. I personally would not have one because I think the 'risk/reward' ratio is too heavily 'stacked' in favor of the risk side.
I have to admit however that the risks are somewhat controversial with much of the evidence anecdotal. Nonetheless there is a lot of smoke and very likely some fire under it. The biggest risk in my opinion comes from the additives (or contaminants) within the vaccine. The most controversial one being thimerosal a derivative from mercury which is included in vaccines as a preservative.
You are possibly aware that there is a very strong scientific line of thinking that puts the increasing incidence of Autism down to this substance which is injected via vaccines into babies. Not only is the finger being pointed at thimerosal as being the villain in the case of Autism but it is being suggested that it is a contributing factor in the increasing prevalence of Alzheimers.
One of the worlds leading immunogeneticists and biologists Hugh Fudenberg MD suggests that if an individual has had five consecutive flu shots that their chance of getting Alzheimers disease is ten times greater than if they had only had a maximum of two shots. (Dr Fudenberg is considered a world authority on the matter with over 850 papers published in peer reviewed journals.)
Dr Fudenberg claims that this is due to the mercury and aluminum in flu shots. These toxins build up in the brain causing cognitive dysfunction. Maybe this is why the incidence of Alzheimers is expected to quadruple.
Of course not everyone agrees with his and other experts findings. In fact a group of Toronto MD's disagreed to such an extent that they went to nursing homes and asked people with Alzheimer's if they remember getting a flu injection? Most could not remember getting one. If this was not such a serious subject this would be funny given that many patients cannot even remember their own spouse's name! Anyway, this 'research' was reported by the media as being 'proof' that the flu shots were safe. The media neglected to mention that the 'research' was tagged with a disclaimer which said "Because of the self reported nature of the risk factor questionnaire we cannot exclude the possibility of recall bias."
So, should you get a flu shot?
I'm not advising one way or the other... I'm just stating my personal views on the matter and presenting a few facts for you to consider.
There are alternative steps that you can take however to avoid becoming a flu victim. Of course as with all measures they are not 'guaranteed' but if you adopt them your chances of coming down with the flu are considerably lessened and in the event that you do succumb to it your recovery will certainly be much quicker and the impact less severe.
The key in avoiding the flu and many other ailments which I am sure you already know is building a strong immune system. The importance of a strong immune system goes way beyond protection from flu and virus's. What is not appreciated is that without a healthy immune system other body systems will not function correctly. A case in point is the digestive system. A healthy digestive system depends on a healthy immune system which is why nutrients for the immune system are even more important than vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Here are the steps that you need to take to achieve a healthy immune system:
Get adequate sleep.
Eat a nutritious diet.
Maintain a reasonable level of exercise.
Avoid stress.
Supplement with nutrients that have a scientifically proven record for building up immune systems.
The first four points are self explanatory so I will just briefly deal with point five. It has to be brief as this is a very involved subject and could fill hundreds of pages.
In summary there are also many natural ingredients which have been established to be effective immune boosters. These range from various vitamins through to certain herbal extracts. However, there are four substances that stand 'head and shoulders' above in the immune boosting stakes. They are:
Not all Aloe Vera's are the same...
It is important to be aware that the Aloe Vera extract you see advertised is usually quite weak and the only type that gives the protection is one which is harvested and prepared in a special way which involves spray drying and concentrating to 200:1. This is quite an uncommon extract as it is more expensive to process in this manner. It is nothing like the common aloe vera sold in liquid form which also has additives and preservatives which are needed when in solution form.
The type of Aloe Vera powder that I am referring to is used by several companies, notably Mannatech, Dr Wheeler with his MSP-Gold and Xtend-Life in the immunity blend contained within Xtend-Life Total Balance. However, we are the only ones that synergistically combine this special fraction of Aloe Vera with other specialty substances together with natural fibers to make what is arguably the most potent immunity blend on the market today.
The effect of this synergistic combination is such that the efficacy of the blend is significantly greater than the sum of the individual ingredients.
Sorry about the 'plug' for Total Balance... it's just that I know how good it is. But, offsetting this I can say that some people get good immunity protection from just one of the above ingredients. BUT... if you are using a single ingredient research the amount of active ingredient present in the supplement as they vary enormously with a resultant impact on efficacy.
Irrespective of what product you use it would be wise to factor one or more of them into your 'immunity boosting' program in CONJUNCTION with the other lifestyle suggestions that I have made.
If you do this you have a very good chance of seeing the winter through free from colds and flu's. Wishing you a flu free winter...
Until the next issue.
In good health,
**** IMMUNITY PROTECTION ****
The immunity stimulating blend contained within Xtend-Life Total Balance is arguably the most advanced on the world market today. It contains a special fraction of Aloe Vera Polysaccharides along with Beta Glucan and Maitake mushroom extract. It is combined with natural fibers within a soon to be patented formula. In addition to the immunity stimulating blend we have also included Black Seed extract within the standardized herbal extracts. This botanical is becoming increasingly widely recognized for its natural anti viral properties.
Each ingredient used in the new generation Total Balance is supported by scientific studies and trials. Thousands of ingredients were reviewed and discarded until reaching what is considered today to be the optimum in synergy and efficacy.
If you are interested in maximizing your resistance to bugs and virus's this coming winter, then Xtend-Life Total Balance would be a good choice for you.
For more info please click here.
Important notice: All material provided within the newsletter XTEND-YOUR-LIFE is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this publication. Consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and wellbeing or on any opinions expressed within this newsletter. The information provided in this newsletter is believed to be accurate based on the best judgment of the editor but the reader is responsible for consulting with their own health professional on any matters raised within.
