New Research on Swine Flu and Your Best Defense

Well, the fear machine was in full gear in 2009. The H1N1 flu virus [swine flu] was a killer pandemic strain that was going to decimate the earth’s population in short order. The pharmaceutical companies couldn’t make their injectable potions fast enough. It was a real crisis. Not.

Latest research in the Journal of the American Medical Association states that the swine flu virus actually had a slightly lower risk of serious symptoms compared to the seasonal flu. And yes, that includes children.

Hospitalizations, pneumonia and extended symptoms were about the same between the swine flu and the regular or seasonal flu groups.

The study was conducted by the Epidemiology Research Center at Marshfield, Wisconsin and covered 6874 adults and children. Data for the study comprised of 30 days of follow-up for flu cases in a designated area of Wisconsin. Participants in the study were tested for evidence of Influenza A and the swine flu. 545 had contracted the swine flu and 853 had been infected with seasonal and other strains of influenza A flu. It appears to be a very solid study.

The verdict is in. The swine flu was less dangerous than the media scare-a-thon that covered the pandemic. The next question that needs to be answered is what is the best way to avoid coming down with any strain of flu. For that answer, we need to travel halfway around the world.

The Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo carried out research on the effect of Vitamin D supplementation and the flu on school children. This was a double blind, placebo controlled study. Children given Vitamin D supplements during the height of the 2009 flu season had a 42% less risk for coming down with the flu than those that did not.

Back at home the CDC is now recommending that everyone above the age of 6 get the new flu shot which combines the H1N1 and a couple of other strains of flu. Keep in mind that the effectiveness of the flu shot in a good year is about 30%. According to the research, Vitamin D supplements reduce the risk of flu by 42%. Why isn’t the CDC recommending Vitamin D? You would have to ask them.

Vitamin D is vital to the health and wellbeing of our bodies. It’s a real immune booster. Your body makes its own Vitamin D when you go outside and don’t slather your skin with sun block. The emergence of sun block has created a Vitamin D deficient culture. And when it comes to keeping the flu at bay, that spells trouble. So take your Vitamin D [D3] supplements and get some sun. Turn off the TV, game consoles and computers and send the kids outside to play. What a concept! And when the flu season comes around again, you’ll have a natural layer of protection.