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

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Awareness surrounding the use and benefits of probiotics has exploded in recent years. If people aren’t seeking an oral probiotic at their local health foods store, then they are reading the back of yogurt labels in search of active cultures. Further, fermented foods such as pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchi (kimchee) have seen their popularity increase due to the bacterial cultures inherent in the fermentation processes they go through. Are these little bugs that beneficial to our health and at what age can they begin to be beneficial?

The average human body is composed of ten times more cells from bacteria and fungus than human cells. It seems to follow that what we put into our bodies has a direct impact on the composition of this flora and we are rapidly finding more research supported reasons for people to take interest in their microbiome with benefits ranging from improved gastrointestinal function to decreases in anxiety and improved overall mood. But at what age do we need to start thinking about how we impact our flora?

When treating the common cold and influenza-like symptoms such as runny nose, fever, and coughing, rest and stress relief are paramount in any treatment plan. Beyond that, there are countless over-the-counter remedies that can help suppress symptoms or aide in stimulating our body’s immune system, but how often do we consider probiotics among those ranks? A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded, “Daily dietary supplementation for six months (of probiotics) was a safe effective way to reduce fever, rhinorrhea (runny nose), and cough incidence and duration and antibiotic prescription incidence”. If probiotics can be helpful in reducing cold and flu symptoms, then at what point is it best to begin supplementing? The answer is as soon as we begin to develop our flora.

It had been thought that both the placenta and the intestines of newborn babies were sterile. What we are now finding is that this remarkable organ, the placenta – the only organ grown and then discarded in adulthood – has a mircobiome unto itself. Further, studies suggest that the wrong composition of bacteria within the placenta during pregnancy may contribute to premature births.

Another commonly believed bit of scientific dogma is that unborn babies are born sterile, or bacteria-free. Infection is a common cause of premature pregnancy, and unfortunately, this belief stemmed from studies performed on premature babies. Studies looking at the first bowel movements of newborns, prior to their first meal, showed healthy bacterial cultures despite whether the baby was born full term or prematurely. This suggests babies are not born sterile, but are already developing their symbiotic relationship with probiotics, or good bacteria, before birth.

Probiotics change the bacterial balance in the human body and adding them to a child’s diet has numerous potential health benefits. In addition to the benefits mentioned above, I have seen great results with resolving diarrhea, eczema, colic, and allergies to name a few. You may want to consider using probiotics before resorting to more invasive options, such as stomach acid reducers and allergy medication. Before investing in probiotic supplements for yourself or your child, consider consulting with your pediatric practitioner to determine safety, the ideal strains to use, and the appropriate dosage.

1. Mshvildadze, M., Neu, J., Shuster, J., Theriaque, D., Li, N., Mai, V. (2010). Intestinal Microbial Ecology in Premature Infants Assessed Using Non-Culture Based Techniques. The Journal of Pediatrics, 156(1), 20-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.06.063

2. Aagaard, K., Ma, J., Antony, K.M., Ganu, R., Petrosino, J., Versalovic, J. (2014). The Placenta Harbors a Unique Microbiome. Science Translational Medicine, 6(237), 237-65. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3008599

3. 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