Flu Shot? Or Healthy Eating?

Okay, so every year my partner and I have this discussion about the flu shot. She absolutely insists on taking it - which is fine with me, she's her own woman. She has a chronic illness and she's afraid the stress of having the flu will make it worse (as it has in the past).

I, on the other hand, absolutely will NOT take the flu shot for many and varied reasons that I'm not going to go into here (read: don't want to be flamed). I'm reasonably health, work mostly at home and don't hand around those likely to transmit the flu. Besides, last year everyone I knew who got the flu shot - still got the flu!! Because the strain in the vaccine didn't match the strain that hit most people. Which happens, apparently, a lot.

I personally feel that being vigilant with cleanliness, being thoughtful with immune-system boosting foods and avoiding 'flu' hotspots (or being rabid about the Purell if you have to be) is a far better method of preventing the flu.

So, what do y'all think?

I am a rehab therapist(COTA)and work with the geriatric populace. I work closely with older persons in pretty tight quarters at times. I always get a flu shot, sometimes 2 if the year is really bad. So far, I have not ever had the influenza since I started to take the shot. Some of my co workers refuse to get the shot, again, for various reasons, some of which I am sure you have also. It seems to be about 50% infection rate for those that don't get the shot. I think personally, it's irresponsible for my coworkers to not get immunized because it can be so deadly for the elderly. If you don't work around high risk individuals, you are basically healthy and have no big health problems, why worry? I would probably not get one either if I didn't do the type of work I do.

I generally just try to kill all of those germies with alcohol. No really. I have never had a flu shot, although, as I get older and hear horror stories about young people kicking it because of the flu, I have considered it.

SheWired wrote:

Sounds like your way is alot more fun!

I too work with sick elderly folks and I always get the flu shot. I too work with many who won't for various reasons.
My mother will start calling me about 2 months before the flue shot is given out where I work, and ask if I got the flue shot yet? So then I start looking to see when the flue shot is available and eventually my folks and I all confirm we have had the flue shot and the same conversations start again same time next year. Mother says, "once you have the flue you will always get the flu shot". She had it bad at some time, and it laid her up for a couple of months.
Some people are afraid to get the shot. They feel that once the substance is injected into them, their body is at the mercy of whatever is in the vial. Some swear the shot made them sick before.
The elderly should be given the flue shot for sure.