I'm no doctor. This is just my opinion, and for that matter my own choice for my specific lifestyle. You should seek the advice of your family doctor in all health related matters.

Flu shots are given out because they are proven to be effective against the strain(s) that they are designed to give you immunity to. But that's a lot like chasing down a moving target. A group of experts get together and try to figure out what the next flu season is going to be like and then make a formula to combat those strains. There is no guarantee that you will be protected from what actually hits during flu season.

Do you know what's also proven to be more effective? Boosting your immune system. Those that live a healthy life style with proper exercise, vitamin C intake, lower stress and good sleep - all of which boost one's immune system.

OK, so besides that, did you know?:

The flu vaccine contains Mercury - which is highly toxic to the brain, nerve cells, arteries, hypertension, heart disease etc. Overall it's just a very nasty chemical that's linked to Alzheimer's. University of Calgary has a quicktime video on the effects of this chemical on your neurons. Why do they use Mercury? To fend off bacteria.
Some studies show that if you have 5 consecutive flu shots, you are 10 times more likely to getting Alzheimer's than those that only get a few or none at all.
There's always a possibility of an allergic reaction. The ONE time I've been to the ER for something was because of an allergic reaction. It's no joke and can be life threatening. Injecting a flu shot can only increase those chances. And for those of you that are conspiracy theorists, or watch a lot of those movies, here's a link for you.
And for those of you over 65, there had been a study you can find in the Archives of Internal medicine that showed no relationship between flu shots and the decline of flu related death with the elderly.
This study showed that it's not even helpful for healthy children under 2.
Check out the CDC flu report and statistics on the web.

So let's see:

1. I don't go to school where a lot of germs are passed and spread around by kids.

2. I typically maintain a healthy diet with plenty of exercise.

3. My 95 year old grandmother is showing signs of dementia.

4. I'm a pretty clean person - I wash my hands often.

5. I'm not a health worker.

6. I have not got the flu in a long while.

7. The times I got a flu shot, I've noticed that my immune system took a dive. I'll chalk this to superstition.

It's a pass on the flu shot for me this season.