George - 02 October 2011 04:21 PM

mid atlantic - 02 October 2011 04:04 PM

I get flu shots yearly and I’ve never had any problem with them.

Of course you don’t. The vaccines are made from an inactivated virus and unless one is allergic to eggs, there is no reason why anyone should get sick from them.

I usually get very upset at people who spread nonsense about flu shots, but for some reason I am completely incapable of getting upset at missmac. 

I’m not trying to be a jerk on this topic - I guess I just have really strong opinions. 10 years ago I probably would have thought the opposite, but from what I’ve seen, and read, and the many stories I’ve heard from people - both for and against both of these things - I’ve just come to my own conclusions.

Many of you have made some really good points, and obviously as new information appears - it helps me come to a conclusion that is more probable.

It seems a lot of people have had difference experiences with vaccines
My choice to stop vaccinations (including the most recent one in Toronto H1N1) came from my understanding that the human body is capable of fighting infection on its own - and that allowing your body to perform its own functions without interference will strengthen your natural defenses/immunity to future infections. I eat really well, get plenty of sleep, and stay active - and most days I feel strong, alert, and have plenty of energy. I cant remember the last time I was sick, Its been a very long time.

Awww, thanks George :D I don’t want to make you mad!

missmac - 07 October 2011 12:00 AM

George - 02 October 2011 04:21 PM

mid atlantic - 02 October 2011 04:04 PM

I get flu shots yearly and I’ve never had any problem with them.

Of course you don’t. The vaccines are made from an inactivated virus and unless one is allergic to eggs, there is no reason why anyone should get sick from them.

I usually get very upset at people who spread nonsense about flu shots, but for some reason I am completely incapable of getting upset at missmac. 

I’m not trying to be a jerk on this topic - I guess I just have really strong opinions. 10 years ago I probably would have thought the opposite, but from what I’ve seen, and read, and the many stories I’ve heard from people - both for and against both of these things - I’ve just come to my own conclusions.

Many of you have made some really good points, and obviously as new information appears - it helps me come to a conclusion that is more probable.

It seems a lot of people have had difference experiences with vaccines
My choice to stop vaccinations (including the most recent one in Toronto H1N1) came from my understanding that the human body is capable of fighting infection on its own - and that allowing your body to perform its own functions without interference will strengthen your natural defenses/immunity to future infections. I eat really well, get plenty of sleep, and stay active - and most days I feel strong, alert, and have plenty of energy. I cant remember the last time I was sick, Its been a very long time.

Awww, thanks George :D I don’t want to make you mad!

Perhaps your’re someone with a stronger than average immune system.

Actually, vaccinations save more lives than without.  Many children died from childhood illnesses or were left with permanent physical damage.  For example, many children died from small pox and many young people either died from polio or suffered from paralysis.  So one is better off vaccinating their children and getting vaccinations when they travel outside the country.

Hey Mriana, that link on the bottled water provided some good perspective - you said this might not be the best site though? Do you have another suggestion?

Thanks!

mid atlantic -

Perhaps your’re someone with a stronger than average immune system.

Is this something that is genetic? That would explain a lot, both my mom and my dad rarely get sick.

missmac - 07 October 2011 12:17 AM

Hey Mriana, that link on the bottled water provided some good perspective - you said this might not be the best site though? Do you have another suggestion?

Thanks!

Which link are you talking about?  The one I provided or another?  The one I gave you, I didn’t say it wasn’t the best site.  I said I wasn’t a fan of some of the links they chose.  Mercola is not the first I go to if I want accurate info. It often pumps out a lot of pseudo science and bogus info.  I don’t have another suggestion off hand though.  I get Care2 emails and that one just happened to pop up as we were discussing the subject.  As I read it, it seemed like fairly good info, but I would suggest reading reliable sites.

missmac - 07 October 2011 12:27 AM

mid atlantic -

Perhaps your’re someone with a stronger than average immune system.

Is this something that is genetic? That would explain a lot, both my mom and my dad rarely get sick.

It appears so; the current research says that your immune system is the product of (mostly) genetics, and your enviroment.

what do you mean by environment? Like air pollution or sanitation of living space?

I won’t have much time to post today as I am traveling, but for anybody who is interested to know why we get sick, I recommend reading an excellent book by Nesse and Williams, Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine.

Quoting Missmac:

my understanding that the human body is capable of fighting infection on its own - and that allowing your body to perform its own functions without interference will strengthen your natural defenses/immunity to future infections.

  Quite true, Missmac.  However, you have to consider the way things work.  When a bug gets into your body, you begin to make antibodies to kill it, but it takes a while.  If you are stronger than the bug you succeed.  If not, the bug kills you.  Even if you eventually manage to stop it, there’s often a really nasty war within your body, and you come down with fever, muscle aches, headaches, and all sorts of other unpleasant things.

Vaccinations start out with pre-weakened or dead bugs.  When your body sees them, it makes all the standard antibodies, but the advantage for the fight is now with your body.  You don’t get sick because the bugs were so weak, and now your body is ready for the invasion and wipes out the living bug, if your are exposed, before it even gets a chance to attack you.

Occam

missmac - 07 October 2011 06:13 AM

what do you mean by environment? Like air pollution or sanitation of living space?

Yes, you got it.  If I understand it correctly, the genetic program we’re born with tries to adapt to our enviroment.

mid atlantic - 08 October 2011 01:49 AM

missmac - 07 October 2011 06:13 AM

what do you mean by environment? Like air pollution or sanitation of living space?

Yes, you got it.  If I understand it correctly, the genetic program we’re born with tries to adapt to our enviroment.

That’s pretty interesting, so maybe genetically you have been passed strong immune defense - but if you live somewhere with bad air quality, or work in a factory that exposes you to toxic chemicals or something - you can weaken the potential full ability of your bodies defenses.