It’s that time of year again. Cold weather, short days, sniffles and relentless “get your flu shot” messages.

It’s the “flu season.” What are you doing to stay healthy this winter?

Every year the World Health Organization carefully tracks flu viruses to learn which are most prevalent, widespread and virulent. The seasonal flu shot has room for up to four viral strains, which have to be chosen the previous February, to allow time for manufacture. Their predictions are always partially accurate due in part to constantly changing viruses.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises everyone more than 6 months of age to get a flu shot. They stress the vaccination is the single best way to protect against flu.

Additional perspectives are offered by respected doctors, researchers and scientists. Dr. Melanie Smith of Vanderbilt University points out that flu viruses cause only 12 percent of all flu-like illnesses. There are more than 200 viruses that can cause influenza or influenza-like illness. The symptoms are clinically indistinguishable. Doctors can’t tell the difference without lab tests. Flu shots address only a small fraction of this 12 percent.

Smith asks an interesting question. “Wouldn’t it be better to focus on ways to provide protection from all viruses?”

The Cochrane Collaboration is an international network of 31,000 scientists from more than 120 countries. Their work is widely regarded as impartial, accurate and of the highest quality. They accept no money from commercial or conflicting sources, and their conclusions are based on evidence and facts.

They reviewed results of trials comparing vaccinated people with unvaccinated people.

In average conditions – the vaccine only partially matches actual circulating viruses – 100 people need to be vaccinated to avoid one set of influenza symptoms.

Vaccine use did not affect the number of people hospitalized or working days lost, but caused one case of Guillian-Barre syndrome – a major neurological condition leading to paralysis – for every 1 million vaccinations. It is probably worse, because 15 of the 36 studies reviewed here were funded by drug companies, which have been shown to be biased in favor of their products and to show less harm.

According to the Cochrane Collaboration, studies funded from public sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favorable to the vaccines. They concluded that reliable evidence on influenza vaccines is thin, but there is evidence of widespread manipulations of conclusions.

In an important and related story, U.S. Food and Drug Administration researcher and lead author Dr. Todd Merkel found that vaccinations may prevent symptoms, but not infection or transmission. For example, a whooping cough vaccination may suppress the cough, but not keep you from getting infected or from passing it on to others. Last year was the nation’s worst year for whooping cough in six decades.

Merkel suggests it could explain the increase in pertussis that we are seeing in the U.S. This busts a major hole in the entire argument that vaccines achieve herd immunity, which is used as justification for mandatory vaccination campaigns, Merkel said.

It appears there are differing opinions on the yearly flu vaccination. I suspect all parties have their motivations. My motivation, as a naturopathic physician, is to create an environment for the body to heal itself. Whether or not you get sick this winter is due to a host of reasons, most of which are under your control. Many blame sickness solely on pathogens, but in fact there must also exist a susceptible host. Taking steps to become healthier will increase your defenses and help you feel better in the meantime.

Whether you decide to get the flu shot or not is an individual decision you and your health care provider will make based on your needs and preferences. Regardless, I urge all to take some safe, proven steps toward staying healthy.