The Great Flu Debate

It may be the most talked about health issue year after year.  Flu season is moving in…this year it will be more deadly than…there is a shortage of the flu vaccine.  It seems that Hollywood is doing the marketing and promotion of the flu vaccine each year. 

In any decision that I make, whether that is regarding my health, my time, my life, I apply a bit of basic left brain logic to come up with a decision.  I think it may be hard for some to have an unbiased right brain “feel” for what to do, given all the hype and fear surrounding this particular issue. 

How about this simple logic…is it (flu vaccine) safe?  And if so, does it work? 

Is it safe?  There are certainly the concerns of using mercury to sterilize the vaccine.  I couldn’t find actual data on the National Library of Medicine archives indicating this is an actual finding, but Dr. Hugh Fudenberg, a researcher and biologist, with over 850 published articles, is quoted to have estimated that your risk of Alzheimers disease increases 10 fold following 5 consecutive inoculations with the flu vaccine.
If that is the actual effect, to current seniors who grew up on only one inoculation, (smallpox), what will be the cumulative effect to us and our kids, who are now given around 35 inoculations before age 5, not including the flu vaccine? 

There is also the current debate over autism and inoculations.  Many doctors find a clear correlation between the increase in vaccinations and the rapid rise in autism.  Other doctors don’t.  However, the Federal government has paid 1.18 Billion dollars to parents of vaccine injured children since 1988, when the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program was founded.   
 

By the way, to disprove the Alzheimer's/flu shots connection, some Toronto physicians went to nursing homes and asked people with Alzheimer's if they remember getting a flu shot.  Most said they didn't remember getting one. Not surprising since Alzheimer's victims may not remember the name of their spouse.  Anyway, based on this "research" they concluded the flu shots were safe but the disclaimer at the bottom of the abstract negated its value: "Because of the self-reported nature of the risk factor questionnaire we cannot exclude the possibility of recall bias."  National media reported this as "proof" the flu shot was safe. They didn't mention the disclaimer. 

Well, maybe there is a chance that it is so effective, that the risk is worth the benefit.  Let’s explore some national headlines, then some actual data.

Headline from CDC website: “Preliminary Assessment of the Effectiveness of the 2003-04 Inactivated Influenza Vaccine: Colorado, December 2003…Adjusted vaccine effectiveness for both estimates were not statistically significantly different from zero.”  With my knowledge of statistics, I can interpret that means it had no benefit. 

 (CNN) -- This year's flu vaccine had little or no effectiveness against influenza-like illnesses, according to a preliminary study released Thursday (Friday, January 16, 2004 Posted: 9:16 AM EST) The study, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, looked at workers at Children's Hospital in Denver, Colorado. 

Of the 1,000 people who got the vaccine before November, 149 went on to develop influenza-like illness (14.9 percent). Of the 402 people who did not get the vaccine, 68 got an influenza-like illness (16.9 percent), the study said.

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine this year after crunching all the numbers from years past…

“Early predictions were that flu vaccines would save the lives of about half of those vaccinated. Based on U.S. mortality rates from 1968 to 2001, the study by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases found no correlation between increasing vaccination rates and declining death rates in any age group." The Archives of Internal Medicine (Arch Intern Med 2005;165:265-272) reports that influenza vaccination coverage among elderly persons (> or =65 years) in the United States increased from between 15% and 20% before 1980 to 65% in 2001. Unexpectedly, estimates of influenza-related mortality in this age group also increased during this period.”  Yes, the number of flu related deaths has increased as vaccination rates have increased.

Maybe it works for the children…

January 10, 2004: NY Times, Lawrence Altman, the dean of American medical writers, reported that 93 children have died from the flu this season in the US.  Alltman states:  “Thirty-three of the victims had not been vaccinated.” So…sixty of the deaths were in vaccinated kids, right?

Follow my left brain math on this…lets say there were a million kids.  We know that less than a quarter of them are vaccinated (22% according to the CDC), so lets say there are 750,000 non vaccinated kids and 250,000 vaccinated kids, or 3 non vaccinated kids to every vaccinated kid in the US population.  Lets even out the death toll to 100…according to the above statistics, 35 non vaccinated kids and 65 vaccinated kids died from the flu.  Since there are 3 times more non-vaccinated kids, and yet more vaccinated kids died, the relative risk of death is 5 ½ times greater if you are vaccinated versus a non vaccinated kid. 

Would you prefer more official stats?  The CDC states that 135 children died during the 2003-2004 flu season. 59 of these children had received their flu shots.  So, that is a different ratio, 43% of the fatalities were in vaccinated kids, 57% in non vaccinated kids.  Sounds a bit better for the use of vaccines, but remember there are 3 times more non vaccinated kids, so there are many, many more “unprotected” children.  So the actual statistics indicate that you have over double the risk of death if you are vaccinated as a kid (2.25 times more deaths per population in this group, if you are vaccinated). 

I’m starting to feel ill…I hope its not the flu.

Everybody loves a conspiracy theory, right?  Again, just looking at data and statistics, so that emotions don’t get involved…JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) reported the results of a survey in the Feb 2002 issue.  What they found, was that the doctors who set the national guidelines for medical care for various diseases, including recommendations for the flu, are on the payroll of the pharmaceutical companies.  Only 50% of the guideline authors responded to the survey, and 87% of them acknowledged that they received compensation of some sort from one or more pharmaceutical companies.  What about the other half of guideline authors…this article suggests that the reality may be that more than 90% of the doctors who set guidelines for care in this country, actually work for the pharmaceutical industry. 

So, if there is no guarantee of safety, including the possibility of the vaccine being a causative factor in degenerative brain diseases, autism, and increased death rates; and there appears to be no effectiveness of actually doing what is intended, which is to prevent the flu, and that the seniors and children being vaccinated for prevention actually have a greater risk of flu related death, based on raw data…why does this continue?

 I believe that the physicians promoting the vaccine are hoping for better results, hoping that the numbers will improve with better vaccines.  I believe that people are good, and that they really want vaccines to be safe and work well (as do I, because I got the flu this year, and it wasn’t fun).  I believe that money does play a factor, that some of the desire for it to work is because it is so profitable.  And if it did work, it would be worthy of a large profit.  But the data derived fact is: it doesn’t work, it is potentially dangerous, and based on that data, I hope you can make a more logical and sensible decision for yourself, your kids, and your aging parents and grandparents. 

IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD!!

I have had patients who were told their problems are all in their head…sometimes not very…ummm…tactfully.  Well, let’s go ahead and dispel the myth of what is a head game and what is not.
 

First…think about it…I mean literally think about it.  What symptoms, conditions, or diseases would you consider to be “all in the head?”

Many people would say anxiety and depression…some would say fibromyalgia and other forms of non-pathological chronic pain.  How about phantom limb pain…has to be in the head right…since there’s no limb there to hurt. 

What about thyroid problems?  Cancer?  As we move into conditions we can “see” or “see” evidence of…like tumors or abnormal labs…most people would agree that now it’s NOT in the head.

In thyroid problems you can see abnormal lab values…but really, if you look at the thyroid gland itself…under a microscope…well, there’s not a darn thing wrong with that gland.

In cancer, there is something clearly wrong, that you can see with your own two eyes, sometimes feel with your own fingers…

I contend, in each and every example above…that it’s always in your head…and beyond!

In depression, there is nothing to see, and clearly that is a head game…but the number one cause of depression is low thyroid…and that is below your head.  But the number one cause of low thyroid is stress, and that is clearly in your head…unless you have an infection or anemia…those are below your head.

Unless you have a sinus infection, which is in your head…but not in your brain…so, does that still count?

Cancer is clearly evidenced in the body, but if you spend some time researching natural cures for cancer, the people who have accomplished success (remission), all changed their minds.  I have read many stories of natural cures, and the only thing in common was a big change in mindset.

Gosh, that brings up more confusion!  Are we talking about the mind (and what the heck is that), the brain, or emotions when we say it is all in your head?!?

My head is starting to hurt…I wonder if that is from my adrenal hormones (in my body), or if it’s “just in my head?”

Ok, Ok…I really don’t think it’s all that confusing…but that’s because I have been researching whole system medicine for pretty many years.  And here’s the short story…when your body changes your brain changes…when your mind changes, your brain changes, and when your emotions change, your brain changes. 

And…when your brain changes, everything else changes…because, it’s trying to keep you alive!

Your brain is taking in all this information, from your thoughts, feelings, internal and external environment…and attempting to REGULATE you towards survival.  And it doesn’t stop there…when survival is considered certain…it regulates toward thriving (growing, contributing, energy, pleasure), and reproducing.  (Did you think those urges were just naughty thoughts?)

Now, back to depression.  When you are depressed (and we ALL get depressed)…we can see physical changes…just look at the posture of someone who is depressed.  We can also, if we happen to have brain scans in our living room, see lowered activation and blood flow to the frontal cortex, and increased activation and blood flow to the limbic (emotional) centers.

What changes blood flow and activation?  Blood flow is regulated through hormones from the BODY. 

Activation is regulated through chemicals called neurotransmitters in the BRAIN.  Do you suppose the two might be connected?

Changes in hormones and neurotransmitters result from thoughts, feelings, and our internal and external environment.  And they always shift to improve survival probability.  So…if you are depressed…what is the improved survival associated with depression??? 

Think about that one for a minute or two! 

I would say that your mind-body-brain is telling you to slow down and notice something!  Your job is to figure out if it is a feeling, thought, something in your external environment or something in your internal environment.  (Which is where I come in…to help solve that mystery!)

And on to cancer…clearly a “real” problem that we can see.  But where does it begin, and how does it progress to a tumor?  We know that there are 3 built in mechanisms to remove cell mutation.  The first two lines of defense are within the cell…coded in the DNA to self destruct.  The failure of survival DNA is the result of one process…called oxidation. 

The biggest cause of accelerated DNA and failure of survival genes within our lifetime is stress.  So, it really is in our head!

The third line of defense is our immune system, in particular our “Natural Killer Cells.”  These little destroyers implode mutated cells on sight.  If they are weak or few in number, these mutated cells with broken survival DNA become the survivors and thrive in this altered internal environment…making a tumor.

One huge reason for low populations of Natural Killer Cells is stress.

Back to the head.

When someone tells you it’s in your head…they probably just don’t know how to explain what you are experiencing or what they are seeing.  If someone tells you it is always in your head…now, let’s fix your head…they probably “get” this whole system form of medicine.  And…probably…will be able to help you.
 

When I am feeling depressed because I am not the mainstream, and I have to work harder and smarter for a small percentage of patients and much less money…I remind myself of my quality of life.  I work with people busting their butts to get well…I rarely look at what I see dumbfounded…and I never run people out of my office saying it’s in your head.  My quality of life is low stress…that will save my survival DNA, my hormones, my brain, my body.

I just remember that… and I can smile…

Why do Americans have the Lions Share of Cancer and AutoImmune Diseases??!!

This is 18 minutes every American should watch!  Protect your health!  Learn what is really going on, and why we suffer with so many food sensitivities and allergies...and how this contributes to Cancer.

A Change of Heart

While I continue to educate and (hopefully) inspire, I have decided as well to vent.  Working with traditional medicine, on your health team, has inherent frustrations.  Anytime you suggest that the prevailing "way" could use some assistance, re-direction, or a whole new philosophy...there is resistance.  Resistance from patients as well as doctors.  Resistance from insurance companies, adjustors, and claims analysts. 

There are reports in the media and public opinion that things aren't ok.  We spend too much, the results are less than satisfactory, including the deaths that mount as direct consequences of medical care. 

But when offered a less expensive, safer, and often times more effective approach...the resistence to change emerges.  And, I GET IT...an individuals nervous system prefers stability, even when dysfunctional and causing uncomfortable symptoms.  Collectively the resistance to change is even stronger. 

So, I will complain.  I will complain in an effort to poke holes in the resistance.  I will attempt to complain non-violently, compassionately, and scientifically.  This is a monumental task...to provide inspiration through complaining...but that is what I will attempt to do. 

Some complaints, off the top of my head:

• Last year I got a happy face for my visit per condition statistic, while I got a sad face for my services per visit.  Yes, we get preschool "grades" for our statistical performance as a doctor (from BCBS).  Yet, the only number that should count, didn't count!  That number...can you guess...is how much it cost to resolve a condition.  I "costed" the insurance company less per patient, on average, but I recieved a warning...no, a threat...that I could be kicked off the insurance program if my services per visit didn't decrease. 
• Medicare will not pay for a diagnostic lab I order, because I am not a MD.  They will pay about 38 dollars for my service, regardless of the service provided.  If I spend an hour: $38     If I spend 2 minutes: $38  So what is medicare encouraging me to do??
• Blue Cross / Blue Shield will not pay for a diagnostic lab I order.  Again, because I am not a MD.
• When I call to verify insurance benefits, there is not an option for Chiropractic Benefits...only medicine, pharmaceutical, and dentistry.  We have to hope someone will eventually pick up.  This is Sami's least favorite activity in our office.
• I have to "prove myself" with better and faster results (with patients and insurance companies), at lower pay rates in treatment of the same conditions as medicine.  Women...minorities...can you relate here?!?
• Medical Physicians often disregard the diagnostics that I do...for instance, If I run a panel to diagnose infectious disease, and we decide to treat what we find with meds, which I can't prescribe, many times the patients MD won't look at the lab or prescribe based on the lab. 

Whew...that felt good.  Can you see the silliness in the "way things are??"