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The major flu shot ingredients are dead influenza viruses. There may be any number of different flu viruses circulating at any one time, but pharmaceutical companies only choose three as annual flu shot ingredients. Even if you take an annual flu shot, you could still contract another flu virus and still come down with the flu. So, it is still important to protect your immune system and practice good health habits. Common flu vaccine side effects include body aches, low grade fever and soreness at the point of injection. There are some rare, but serious flu vaccine side effects that concern many people.

In addition to the major flu shot ingredients, pharmaceutical companies add preservatives. Until recently there were no preservative free flu shots. The addition of the preservative thimerosal to flu shot ingredients has caused illness and injury. Thimerosal is mercury based and is believed to have been the cause of flu vaccine side effects in many people. Of major concern is the increase of autism in recent years and many researchers and doctors believe that thimerosal, a known neurotoxin, used as flu shot ingredients and in other childhood vaccines is the cause.

Some researchers and doctors believe that flu shot ingredients, including thimerosal and aluminum, increases the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease. This, of course, is not one of the common flu vaccine side effects and since Alzheimer's does not develop immediately after taking the shot, then the link can not be proven. A prominent physician and researcher showed that people who had five consecutive influenza vaccinations between the years 1970 and 1980 were ten times more likely to develop Alzheimer's than were individuals who had none, one or two.

It is believed that some people cannot shed mercury from their systems and it builds up in their brains causing nerve and brain damage. In addition, some people are allergic to mercury and thimerosal and can experience serious allergic reaction as flu vaccine side effects. Some states have banned mercury from flu shot ingredients intended for use in children and pregnant women. But, while health advocates have petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban thimerosal from flu shot ingredients, nothing has been done at this time. Many manufacturers continue to add thimerosal to their flu shot ingredients.

The dead influenza viruses which are the major flu shot ingredients are grown in chicken eggs. So, people who are allergic to chicken eggs could have serious flu vaccine side effects. Some people blame the onset of chronic fatigue on flu vaccine side effects, but there is no scientific research supporting this belief.

The influenza nasal spray vaccine is chosen by some as an alternative to the flu shot. Ingredients in the nasal spray include weakened live influenza viruses. The common nasal spray flu vaccine side effects include runny nose, headache, sore throat and cough. The nasal spray flu vaccine is preservative free, but is only approved for use in healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49.

Concern over flu shot ingredients and flu vaccine side effects raise questions in the minds of some people as to whether or not healthy people, with a healthy immune system even need an annual influenza vaccine. Alternatives include the use of natural immunity boosting products like Echinacea, which has been shown to reduce both flu recovery time and the likelihood of developing complications. Some feel that these products may even reduce the likelihood of contracting the flu, the common cold and other viruses. Natural immune system boosters have no unwanted side effects and carry none of the risks associated with flu vaccine side effects and flu shot ingredients. To learn more about immune system boosters and for more information about the common cold, influenza and other viruses, visit www.immune-system-booster-guide.com.