I realised recently that I’m turning into my mother. My mum has strong opinions about certain things, and as a teenager I remember cringing with embarrassment and shame when she decided to take a stand about something in public. And now I speak out, too.

I was in my local supermarket, on a rare grocery shopping trip, when I heard an announcement over the tannoy telling shoppers that flu vaccines were available in-store, with a special offer price for two jabs. The announcement added that the jabs took less than five minutes, and urged shoppers to get their flu jab while they shopped. I was so appalled that I summoned a manager, explained that I was abandoning my shopping trip in protest, and explaining why.

What’s in the vaccine?

My understanding is that flu vaccines can contain chicken and egg protein, making them unsuitable for vegans and for those with an egg-allergy. According to a report by Pat Thomas in the Ecologist, the flu jab may also contain formaldehyde and up to three different strains of antibiotics. Side-effects include flu-like symptoms, allergic reactions and joint or nervous system inflammation. There are even arguments about the flu jab's efficacy against fast-mutating flu viruses, and questions have even been raised about the value of the flu jab in preventing pneumonia in elderly people (pneumonia can be a complication of flu in at-risk groups). So clearly, the decision whether to have a flu jab or not needs careful consideration.

Pat Thomas writes: “Vaccines are the sacred cows of medicine, you can’t question their effectiveness or publicise their adverse effects without sustaining a volley of criticism from the medical orthodoxy. Nevertheless we should be sceptical of their necessity and effectiveness, especially for seasonal, selflimiting illnesses like the flu.”

My concern when I heard the tannoy message was that the supermarket’s flu-marketing push seemed to be encouraging shoppers to “impulse buy” flu jabs (and to buy in bulk with that special “buy two and save money” offer), instead of encouraging them to make an informed decision.

Flu after the flu-jab

I’ve noticed in clinic that some patients have reported that they suffered flu (or at least flu-like symptoms) soon after they had a flu jab, and one or two have told me that the flu they experienced after vaccination lingered for several weeks. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a homeopathic or natural remedy guaranteed to protect against flu, but homeopathically-prepared Anas barb (also known by the tradename of Oscillococcinum) may help to shorten the duration of winter flus, and homeopaths also have plenty of experience and knowledge of helping people to address winter health challenges.

I’m well aware that my little supermarket protest was probably futile, and I expect the manager who I spoke to about my concerns didn’t give the matter another thought (beyond possibly muttering "crazy lady" to himself), but on this occasion at least, I’m glad I followed my mum’s example and spoke up.

For more information about how professional homeopathy may be able to help you with winter health problems, visit www.phoenixhomeopathy.com, and for self-help homeopathic kits, visit www.holistic2go.com.

Disclaimer: Any views or advice in this weblog should not be taken as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, especially if you know you have a specific health complaint. Prescribed medication should not be stopped or varied without conventional medical advice. Please remember that homeopathic remedies and other health measures should be individually-selected to match the whole person, not just the unwelcome symptom. Seek professional advice rather than self-prescribing if your complaint is chronic, severe or long-standing, or if you are pregnant, elderly or on orthodox medications.