This year has been super bad for getting the flu. More and more of my friends and relatives seem to have come down with it. Luckily I’ve avoided it so far, but because it seems to be everywhere I ended up reading an interesting article about it.
But before I get into what I learned from the article, you should know that I don’t get an annual flu shot. I know a lot of people who do get the shot and I know it’s recommended by doctors, but I still choose not to get one. I don’t really want to get in an argument with anyone about why you should or should not get a flu shot, but I have a few reasons why I choose not to get one and I thought I’d share them here. Plus the article I just read gave me one more reason to add to my list. So here are my reasons:
1. I don’t like shots. I know lots of them can be beneficial and I’m willing to get the necessary ones, but if I don’t have to get it, I’m okay with saying no.
2. The one year I tried to get some kind of flu prevention (it was a nose spray version instead of a shot) I actually got sick and it was miserable. Since then people have told me that the shot uses a dead virus not a live weakened one, so it wouldn’t be as bad. And that’s probably true, but still, my one experience wasn’t good and so it makes getting the shot sound worse to me.
3. I have a pretty good immune system already. I eat fruits and veggies, drink lots of water, try to exercise and use a lot of natural remedies. And I usually do not get the flu. So why get a shot for something I usually don’t get anyway?
4. After reading this article by Pamela A. Popper called “What to do if you get the Flu” where she talks about remedies to flu symptoms in addition to the flu shot, I learned that most people who do not get the flu shot also do not get the flu and the flu shot is not very effective in preventing the flu. The shot also contains several ingredients that could have harmful side effects.
So it just seems to me that getting the flu shot is not worth it. But whether you choose to get the flu shot or not, I hope you don’t get the flu this year. Stay healthy out there and keep washing your hands.
NovelSisters 
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