I have received several questions about flu vaccines, flu and H1N1 lately and hope to address them all here.
Here are some websites with information about the flu: CDC Seasonal Flu Vaccine, About the Flu (Flu.gov), CDC H1N1 Flu Resources, and ABC News' Behind the Scenes of the Flu Vaccine.
Vaccine Information Sheets from the CDC can be found here: H1N1 Flu Shot, H1N1 Nasal, Seasonal Flu Nasal, Seasonal Flu Shot
Seasonal Flu:
Basically the vaccine being used this year is based on strains of flu that were most prevalent last year. Does that mean the same strain will be most prevalent this year? No. It is also important to keep in mind that the flu virus is constantly evolving. This means that the virus goes through changes from year to year and so the vaccine which is based on last year's flu virus may not work at all this year. Even if we have the same strain of flu, it has most likely evolved and so the vaccine will not work against it.
Do people get sick after having the flu vaccine? While the "official" answer is no, I disagree. People who receive the flu vaccine and then start showing signs and symptoms of flu are told that they have a different strain of the flu than what was in the vaccine. While this may be true to a degree, I have seen too many people get the flu within days of having the vaccine. As far as most people are concerned, the flu is the flu and it doesn't matter which strain you have...you've still got the flu. While the flu that you have after the vaccination may not be a direct result of vaccination, the vaccination failed in my opinion.
What's the difference between the nasal flu and shot vaccine? The nasal flu is a live virus while the shot is an inactivated or killed virus. The live virus vaccine is generally recommended for people who are healthy and whose bodies can quickly recognize the virus in the vaccine and build antibodies right away. The inactivated virus is recommended for those who have chronic health conditions or are immunosuppressed and cannot take the risk of having a live virus vaccine. If you are considering the flu vaccine, it is very important to speak with your doctor about all of your health concerns to be sure you get the correct vaccine.
H1N1 Flu:
This is the flu strain that is getting everyone sick right now. This is a new strain of flu and has gotten so much media attention and hype it is hard to determine what is fact and what is fear tactics. The H1N1 is a flu type A which is the same as seasonal flu. Since it is not the time of year for seasonal flu to be spreading, all Flu A results are being called H1N1. Is there a way to tell the difference? Yes but the testing to do so costs approximately $300 and tests are not being performed on an outpatient basis. This means that only those people who are sick enough to be hospitalized are having the test performed (at the determination of public health officials and doctors) to see if it is H1N1 or not. The symptoms are the same as for seasonal flu: high fevers, body aches, stomach aches, sore throat with cough, nausea/vomiting and diarrhea.
Can people die from the flu? Well yes and no. Of the cases reported of people who have died from flu, the individuals all had other medical problems. Most hospitalizations for flu do not come from the virus itself, but rather dehydration or complications of other medical problems. People who have COPD (asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, etc), or immunosuppressed (AIDS, Cancer, Pneumonia, etc) have a greater risk of secondary infections. When a healthy person contracts the flu, they have a stronger more active immune system that can attack the virus and heal the body on its own without too much stress on the immune system. If a person is already sickly and has a weak immune system, contracting the flu will further weaken their immune system and allow the way in for any number of other bacteria, virus, or fungi that is around. This is where the secondary infections come in to play. These secondary infections further weaken the immune system to the point that the body just cannot fight anymore. It is these cases where we see the hospitalizations and deaths occurring. Another thing to consider is that in some individuals, their body may produce a hyper-response. This is where the body automatically goes into overdrive to attack and fight the disease right away, causing immune system fatigue and weakness more quickly than normal. This can also cause more health concerns for the person than the actual virus itself. These hyper-responses are not common, but still worth considering. The hyper-response can cause the same issues in the body of a health person as the response in a person with a very weakened immune system.
Is the H1N1 worse on the body than seasonal flu? In my experiences of seeing clients with H1N1, I would have to say no. It is basically the same symptoms as the seasonal flu and I have not seen any cases that I would consider to be worse than if the same person had the seasonal flu.
What to do?
Currently, physicians can prescribe Tamiflu or Relenza to those who have the flu. Some physicians will also prescribe these antivirals to family members living with an infected individual in an attempt to prevent infection. Flu.gov Antiviral Medication Information can be found at that website. Do these medications work? In my opinion, no. Some people who have taken the Tamiflu have contracted flu a second time, some patients have reported no difference in the symptom severity or length of sickness. Some patients who have taken it preventatively have contracted the flu anyway. Something else to consider with the antivirals is that they are not always covered by insurance and they can be very expensive.
Healthcare professionals agree that good handwashing, avoidance of sick people, avoidance of crowds, stay at home if you are sick, covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and using disinfectant cleansers in the home a the basics for preventing disease spread. In addition to these practices, it is important to keep the body well rested, to get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet and exercise. People often times ignore the importance of spirituality, mentality and emotions in health. These facets of life have a direct and profound effect on our health. People who are balanced in these areas as well as physical health and generally more healthy and less sick than those who are not. Trying to stay calm and focused, positive, relaxed, love and enjoy life can be a huge boost to your health.
Using homeopathics and herbal supplements can also be a huge help in keeping healthy. There are several supplements that can be used to support the immune system. It is far better to prevent a disease by supporting a healthy body than it is to treat a sick body. Some very important vitamins to consider using include Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Zinc as they have all been shown to support the immune system. Studies have also shown that people who are sick are generally deficient in these vitamins, especially Vitamin D. These supplements and more can be found on my website, www.madameapothecary.com.
Nature's Sunshine is running a great special for the month of October called the Silver Shield Defense Sponsoring Package which contains Silver Shield Gel, Silver Shield with aqua Sol, and VS-C; these are some of the BEST supplements to use to keep yourself healthy.
For those of you who read my blog on my website, Madame Apothecary, I have found that the videos I posted do not come through on my website (or at least they are not at this point in time). The videos from the previous post can be found on YouTube, just type in "Codex" to search. You can also read my blog, The Apothecary's Notebook at the actual blog page and see the videos. Thanks for stopping by.
HON. RON PAUL OF TEXASBEFORE THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJuly 11, 2005Henry Lamb- A Great Freedom Fighter Documents how your Dietary Supplements are Under AttackMr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to read "Your dietary supplements: Under attack again" by Henry Lamb, which I am inserting into the record. Mr. Lamb explains the threat to American consumers of dietary supplements and American sovereignty by the Codex Alimentarius commission, commonly referred to simply as Codex. The United Nations created Codex to establish international standards for foods and medicines. Just last week, representatives of the United States government agreed to a final version of Codex's standards on dietary supplements which, if implemented in the United States, could drastically reduce Americans' ability to obtain the supplements of their choice. Members of the American bureaucracy may be hoping to achieve via international fiat what they cannot achieve through the domestic law-making process--the power to restrict consumers' access to dietary supplements. American bureaucrats may gain this power if the World Trade Organization, which considers Codex "guidelines" the standard by which all other regulations are judged, decides that our failure to "harmonize" our regulations of dietary supplements to meet Codex's recommendations violates international trading standards! This could occur despite the fact that American consumers do not want to be subjected to the restrictive regulations common in other parts of the world, such as the European Union.This article is typical of Henry Lamb's work. For almost twenty years, beginning at an age when most Americans are contemplating retirement, Mr. Lamb has worked to expose and stop threats to American liberty, sovereignty, and prosperity. Mr. Lamb became involved in the battle for liberty when, as the CEO of a Tennessee construction company, he founded a state association of contractors to work against excessive regulations. In 1988, Henry Lamb founded the Environmental Conservation Organization to defend true environmentalism, which is rooted in the truth that there is no better steward of the environment than a private property owner, from those who used the environment as a cover for their radical statist agendas. Since 1992, Mr. Lamb and ECO have focused on the threat to economic liberty and self-government posed by the radical global environmental agenda.Henry Lamb works to further the cause of liberty by giving speeches around the country, editing an on-line magazine, making numerous television and radio appearances, and writing a weekly column to inform his fellow Americans of the latest scheme to undermine their freedoms. Mr. Lamb is the model of a citizen-activist, and all who wish to become involved in the battle for freedom can learn from his example. In conclusion, I once again urge my colleagues to read Mr. Lamb's article to learn about the need to protect American consumers from Codex, and I thank Mr. Lamb for his tireless devotion to the cause of freedom.YOUR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS: UNDER ATTACK AGAIN (from WorldNetDaily, June 11, 2005)(By Henry Lamb)The Codex Alimentarius Commission sounds like one of those shadowy, sinister organizations conjured up by one-world-government nuts to scare people.Truth: It is!The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization created this commission in the early 1960s to set standards for food safety and to ....harmonize'' the laws of member nations. The commission was endorsed by U.N. Resolution 39/248, which says:....When formulating national policies and plans with regard to food, governments should take into account the need of all consumers for food security and should support and, as far as possible, adopt standards from the ..... Codex Alimentarius. .....''The Codex Alimentarius Commission consists of delegates from 163 member nations representing 97 percent of the world's population. It meets every two years, either in Rome or Geneva. Between meetings, the commission is governed by an executive committee that directs the activities of its many committees.Of immediate concern is the ongoing effort to bring dietary supplements in America under the control of standards set by this commission. Dietary supplements generate a $17 billion industry in the United States, which affects more than 150 million consumers, according to Congressional findings (H.R. 2485). Proposed procedures and standards could virtually destroy this market and deprive millions of Americans of the supplements they want to use.The European Union Directive on Dietary Supplements, which becomes law in August, severely restricts the types and quantities of supplements that may be legally sold. Most forms of vitamins C and E, for example, are not available, or are available only in extremely small doses. If current plans proceed on course, American consumers are in for a shock.How can this little-known international commission control what consumers buy in the United States?An even less-known agency, deep within the bowels of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is responsible for U.S. participation in the Codex Commission and designates delegates to each of the commission's committees. Barbara O. Schneeman is the delegate to the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Food for Special Dietary Uses.The effort to regulate dietary supplements has been under way for more than a decade. In 1994, Congress adopted the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, which kept supplements beyond the reach of the drug police. In the past, Codex recommendations have been non-binding. Now, however, the Codex Alimentarius Commission is teaming up with the World Trade Organization to bring international enforcement to the dietary-supplement battle.Ironically, it was primarily the U.S. that brought the WTO into existence in 1994, as the successor to GATT, the General Agreement on Tarriffs and Trade. The WTO agreement specifically requires that the member nations--including the U.S.--conform its laws to meet the requirements of WTO decisions. Failure to conform results in stiff financial penalties. The Codex Commission and the European Union want the WTO to enforce Codex standards, which fly directly in the face of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act.Pascal Lamy of France was just selected as director general of the WTO. Lamy served as a member of the French Socialist Party's steering committee and was chief of staff and representative of the European Commission for President Jacques Delors. Since 1995, he has served as a member of the Central Office of the Mouvement Europ�en (France) and as a member of the European Commission, responsible for trade.The Codex Commission will be meeting in Rome July 4-9 to adopt the final rules on dietary supplement use. Dr. Carolyn Dean, president of Friends of Freedom International, will attend this meeting and return to the U.S. just in time to present her report to the Sixth Annual Freedom 21 Conference in Reno, July 14-16.The Codex Alimentarius Commission's reach is much broader than dietary supplements. Its committees are also working on standards for pesticide residue, labeling of all kinds of foods, food additives and nutrients, veterinary medicine and drugs, as well as standards and methods for analysis. The function of this organization is to establish standards for all food worldwide and to enforce those standards through the power of the World Trade Organization.Few people know that there is such a thing as the Codex Alimentarius Commission. It was created to promote food safety in international trade. It is on the brink of becoming an Orwellian bureaucracy--far worse than the worst fantasies of the one-world conspiracy theories.The Codex Alimentarius Commission is neither fantasy nor theory; it is real.
NSP Product Quality
The Highest Quality Products You Can TrustProduct DevelopmentAt Natures Sunshine, the design of superior products starts with Research and Development (R&D). In the development of each product, quality is built in at the beginning of the process. That standard of excellence begins with the knowledge and expertise of the two groups within R&D: Product Development and Methods Development. Within these two groups, NSP employs highly trained scientists and technicians to ensure the high standard of quality and effectiveness you have come to expect from Nature's Sunshine Products. Find out more
Product QualityOur company strongly believes that uncompromising quality is not an option--it's an obligation. It's not a vague goal--its standard operating procedure. That's why the Natures Sunshine Quality Assurance Department is the acknowledged quality leader in the industry. By placing in your hands the finest-quality herbs and nutritional supplements, Nature's Sunshine gives you the tools you need to take charge of your health and to look and feel your best. The quality process starts with the raw herb pulled from the ground, and extends through the manufacturing process to the finished products you take every day. Find out more
Manufacturing The recent expansion of Nature's Sunshine's Spanish Fork warehouse/manufacturing facility more than doubles our total usable space (to over 250,000 sq. ft.) and our production capacity. The expansion also includes several more R&D and Quality Assurance labs and new manufacturing equipment.
As part of our improved environmental and process controls, Natures Sunshine has added many new, state-of-the-art features which translates to multiple benefits for the consumer and for NSP, including:
Quality, Service, IntegrityNatures Sunshine Products takes enormous pride in the quality of the products we offer. Indeed, quality is the first part of the Natures Sunshine motto: "Quality, Service and Integrity." From raw materials to finished goods, Nature's Sunshine ensures that your products are the best that money can buy.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Quality Each Step of the Way
Product QualityQuality begins in selection, where only the finest herbs and raw materials are obtained. The company's global sourcing of raw materials ensures that the highest quality products are chosen from each harvest season. After being harvested, these materials are shipped to the manufacturing facility, where they are subjected to a series of in-depth quality control tests to ensure purity, potency and cleanliness. Nature's Sunshine meticulously tests all of the raw materials we receive. Our QA testing continues throughout the entire production process. In all, we use more than 300 tests and procedures to ensure the quality of the raw materials we use and the finished products we sell.
Once a product has been produced, it undergoes a battery of tests to assure consistency, quality and potency. The finished product is audited by inspectors for bulk weight, liquid volume, bottle count, bottle sealing and legible lot number. Samples are then given to the QA labs so scientists can complete testing according to finished product specifications. After all tests are completed and the product has passed the inspections, Quality Assurance will release the product. The batch record and a sample of the finished product are retained for future reference. If a customer has a question about a product, QA can refer to the retention sample of the lot in question.
Every test we conduct leads to better product quality, and excellence in product quality is what has put our products where they are today--at the top of the industry. You can be assured that with each new product we develop and manufacture, our commitment to excellence will continue. The following represents a few of the important tests we conduct:
Find out more about our testing methods
Above information is from MYNSP
Do you use herbs often? Would you like to save money on your herbs? NSP membership is a great way to get high quality herbs at wholesale cost.
At Nature's Sunshine we are committed to providing each of our Members with REAL Results, REAL Rewards and REAL Relationships. For nearly 35 years we have led the industry with proven quality products and a lucrative compensation plan.
Nature's Sunshine REAL Rewards include world class events, travel incentives, education programs, product promotions and two unique compensation plans. More than half of every dollar coming into the company is paid back to our Members, Distributors and Managers in rebates, commissions, and benefits.
We invite you to learn more about how the NSP Legacy (for sponsors and networkers) and Classic (for health consultants and retailers) compensation plans can help you achieve your financial goals.
Nature's Sunshine—along with our Members and Managers—is committed to building REAL relationships. We invite you to experience the difference.
Membership Benefits
As a Member, you will also receive special offers, product discounts and company publications. You will be able to attend educational and fun NSP-sponsored seminars and events.
Free One-Year Membership with $40 Purchase
Get a free one-year membership ($40 value) and FREE shipping on your second order when you purchase at least $40 (direct cost) in products directly from NSP......