3 Myths About Being "Under the Weather"

The weather has changed. It is inevitable here in Pittsburgh. It is the time of year that my office gets this call, "This is Mary and I am feeling very sick this morning. I do not want to spread my germs, so I need to reschedule my appointment." As we move into the Fall and Winter season, I will hear this phone call on countless occasions. I want to share 3 myths about becoming "Under the Weather":

Myth #1: I am sick because of germs.

There is a subtle difference between germs causing disease and the inability to adapt to germs that causes your cold or flu.  Every wonder why your co-worker who sits right next to you never seems to "catch your cold." How about a classroom full of children? If one child is fighting an infection, all the their classmates and the teacher are exposed to those germs, but only a handful of the children may actually come down with the same infection. The bottom line is that germs do not cause disease, your inability to adapt to an ever changing environment is what causes your ailment. I am well adjusted and so is my family, so bring on the germs. Exposure to germs makes a health immune system stronger!

Myth #2:  I got my Flu Shot, so it can't be the flu.

There is still much debate over the effectiveness of flu vaccination and what demographics should be receiving it. We all have personal stories of people who have received the flu vaccine, but still get the infection. There are many strands of the influenza virus and the vaccinations from season to season are only scientists' "best guess" when it comes to picking the right strand for the next year. That creates a very high possibility that the flu shot you receive may not be the prevailing influenza strain that year.

I personally choose not to have myself nor my family vaccinated because I am not convinced that the benefit outweighs the risk of all the toxins (click here for a list of flu vaccine ingredients) that are in vaccines. It has been over 10 years since my last flu vaccine and I can't remember the last time I had the flu.

Myth #3: I need something to control my fever.

Wouldn't it be cool if we had a mechanism in our body to fight off foreign invaders? Oh wait, we do! A fever is an increase in your body's normal temperature. The temperature increase will destroy the protein components of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that attack our bodies. However, most of us were taught from a very early age to take a Motrin or Tylenol to bring down the fever. This is in direct opposition to what the body is trying to achieve.

Can a fever of 104 be a scary event, especially in a young child? Of course! The truth about fevers in healthy individuals is that they spike up and down. So one minute it could be 102, then 104, then back to 102. Your body understands that a high fever for too long is not good for the healthy cells and tissues, so it spikes just long enough to keep the foreign attacker on the run. Next time you have fever aches and pains, try a hot shower, hot tea and lemon, bundle up and sweat it out!

I pray that your lifestyle of exercise, eating fruits and vegetables, daily meditation and reflection, and (of course) chiropractic adjustments will keep you from feeling "under the weather" this season.

Abundant Blessings,

Dr. Dan

Dr. Dan Turo is the chiropractor and owner of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter.