Although the H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccines will soon be readily available throughout many health clinics, hospitals and local town centers throughout the United States, many citizens are holding a cautious skepticism in regards to vaccinating themselves and their families.

State and Federal Centers for Disease control ask that health officials distribute the vaccine as quickly as possible. Health experts urge certain priority groups to receive vaccination. These include pregnant women, infants, and children under the age of 18, senior citizens or anyone who suffers from a chronic health condition. There has been a higher and unavoidable sense of tension and anxiety this flu season, mostly due to the media’s depiction of a doomsday scenario regarding the Swine Flu.

Although I have received the seasonal flu shot on three occasions with no side effects, I will not be taking either the H1N1 or seasonal flu vaccine shots this year. The best advice to keep your immune system strong is to eat a nutritional diet by avoiding fast foods, junk foods and high fat content, washing your hands on a frequent basis and keeping an active lifestyle.

According to a recent article from the San Fransisco Gate, in 1976, the United States started one of the most massive vaccination campaigns in modern history to avert the emergence of a swine flu pandemic. It was also one of the biggest public health cluster foots in history. 46 million people were vaccinated against the swine flu virus and 4,000 people developed Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), a neurological disease that can lead to paralysis or even death.

There is an increased amount of doubt being placed from progressive thinking individuals and groups regarding the truthfulness by the media and the government regarding swine flu, and with good reason. Many events in the last few decades have sparked this ‘questioning of the answers: 1) debacle with the war in Iraq 2) media fear mongering and lack of oversight and the asbestos scandal, which has lead to thousands developing a rare cancer known as mesothelioma. The current for-profit health care system has also lead to drug companies pumping out drugs as quickly as possible which have severely debilitated Americans and even lead to death.

Whether or not to receive the H1N1 Flu vaccine is a difficult decision, but one that should be made with caution and sufficient research. In my option, swine flu is real.

However, I, like many others, are taking steps on a daily basis to ensure my immune system is high and my hands are clean: carry hand sanitizer, eat healthy and exercise.

Unless you are an infant, senior citizen, pregnant woman or suffer from any type of chronic health ailment, is there really a need to be vaccinated? It is imperative for those to receive as much news, medical and historical information as possible before making the decision.