The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced that this year’s flu vaccine is not effective against the current flu strain. While this may be cause for alarm for some as we approach the peak of flu season, I am confident using other flu prevention tools will be more effective than the flu vaccine. The influenza vaccine is recommended annually for everyone older than six months of age, but how effective is it?

The flu vaccine is comprised of the three or four strains of flu most likely to be seen in a given season. The flu vaccine tends to not work very well if the strains of flu in the vaccine do not match the strains of flu in the current environment. However, on the rare occasion that the matching strain is perfect, 1% of flu-vaccinated individuals still end up with an infection, compared to 4% of unvaccinated individuals. In the case of a partial strain match, 1% of individuals still end up with an infection versus 2% of unvaccinated individuals, leaving the true reduction in flu risk a mere 1%. So when the media reports that the risk of getting the flu is cut in half, technically, that’s true because the risk has dropped from 2% to 1%, but what’s really being said is the absolute risk has been reduced from 2 in 100 to 1 in 100 people.

The flu strain H3N2 appears to be circulating widely this year with enough mutation that our body will view it as an entirely new flu virus. As such, we can expect the vaccine to be largely ineffective. The good news is our bodies are well equipped to tackle new viruses if given a little support. Here are a few suggestions:

Rest is paramount with any viral infection and my top recommendation. Adequate sleep and stress reduction are vitally important to the proper functioning of our immune system and will have the most positive impact on your speedy recovery.
Probiotics, taken regularly for at least 6 months, are a safe effective way to reduce fever, runny nose, and cough incidence and duration in children 3 to 5 years of age.
Vitamin D3 is a powerful role-player in the regulation of our immune system. Low vitamin D levels are associated with greater risk of getting influenza than those with healthy levels. Further, higher levels of vitamin D have been shown to potentially shorten the duration of infection. In one study it was found that for each 4ng/ml increase in vitamin D levels in the body, there was a 7% lower chance of developing influenza.
Zinc supplementation in the form of tablets, lozenges, or syrup, if given at the onset of a viral infection, has been shown to reduce the duration and severity.

So the next time you catch the flu, consider supporting your body’s own innate ability to heal instead of reaching for fever suppressors and antibiotics, which would not be helpful for a virus such as influenza anyway. Yours in health!

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2. Leyer G.J., Li S., Mubasher M.E., Reifer C., Ouwehand A.C. (2009) Probiotic Effects on Cold and Influenza-Like Symptom Incidence and Duration in Children. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 124(2), 172-9. doi: 10.1542/peds.2008-2666

3. Rao G, Rowland K. (2011). PURLs: Zinc for the common cold—not if, but when. The Journal of Family Practice. 2011 Nov;60(11):669-71.

4. Laaski I, Ruohola JP, Tuohimaa P, et al. An association of serum vitamin D concentrations <40 nmol/L with acute respiratory tract infection in young Finnish men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007;86:714-717.

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Autumn is upon us, along with football season, blessedly cooler temperatures, and the inevitable return of flu season. Although the exact reason for the seasonal nature of influenza is unknown, we do observe a tenfold increase in cases of influenza during this time. In the United States, the flu season is typically considered to be between October and May, peaking in February.

Influenza is a virus that is transmitted from person to person primarily via respiratory droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The incubation period is usually 2 days and can vary from 1 to 4 days. Typically, the virus is shed for 5-10 days, making someone “contagious” for that period of time. “Classic” flu symptoms include abrupt onset of fever, sore throat, nonproductive cough, muscle pain, and headache. In contrast, the common cold is characterized by a productive cough and congestion, with less severe body aches, fatigue, and no fever.

My first question to anyone who has fallen ill is: What are you doing for yourself?

Rest is paramount with any viral infection and my first recommendation. Adequate sleep and stress reduction are vitally important to the proper functioning of our immune system and nothing I can recommend will have a more positive impact on your speedy recovery.

Bone broth is an excellent source of amino acids and essential to life. This nutrient rich food is a particularly good when feeling under the weather because it keeps your immune cells where you need them, reducing many of the side effects of being ill. Bone broth is also a great source of glycine, which supports our detoxification process.

Baths can be surprisingly helpful for two reasons. The first ties in with rest – a bath is a great place to unplug from our day-to-day stressors. Further, a hot bath can help promote one of our greatest natural weapons against foreign invaders – fever! Fever that doesn’t exceed 104 degrees is an important part of our immune response. Just be sure to drink plenty of water to maintain proper hydration.

Elderberry is a great antiviral herb with research showing the fruit syrup speeding recovery in patients with influenza compared to placebo in two double-blind trials. Plus kids and adults love the taste.