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FYI - this is what's happening in Ohio these days, due to parents' avoidance of vaccines in their school age children -- an outbreak of mumps that's continuing to spread. I'll just quote two articles about it.

“Lack of vaccination helps spread mumps” -- from The Columbus Dispatch, Friday April 4, 2014
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories ... pread.html

More and more kindergartners each year start school in Ohio without having been vaccinated for mumps, measles and rubella, state health records show. Although the number represents a small percentage of students, it continues to frustrate health officials trying to contain a growing mumps outbreak.

As of yesterday, the number of mumps cases associated with the outbreak that started in February at Ohio State University had grown to 133, including 10 people in Delaware County.

And here is an article about the potential for severe complications from mumps:

“Reports of deafness could be tied to mumps outbreak” from The Columbus Dispatch March 28, 2014

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories ... break.html

City health officials are investigating two cases of deafness that could be tied to the mumps outbreak that started at Ohio State University but has spread beyond campus to sicken at least 103 people.

At the same time, three or four men sickened in the outbreak have complained of swollen testicles, another rare complication of mumps and one that can lead to sterility. Health officials also are investigating those cases.

I might also add that, although I haven't felt the need for MS meds due to such a late diagnosis (after I'd already had it for 30 years), I always get my vaccines -- including a yearly flu vaccine.

And... I can only assume that I would be dead by now if not for the medications and treatment I received during my 2012 hospitalization for aspiration pneumonia and my 2013 surgery. And then there's my 30 years of keeping my high blood pressure in check with meds...

I couldnt agree more, while they MAY be risks associated with vaccines, there ARE clear and proven benefits which more than outweigh any risk in my opinion. You are brave to bring this topic up though as the other side of the fence is very defensive of their position.

no harm looking after the immune system either

not too much out there on antiviral nutrition specific to mumps. just this so far:

In vitro inhibition of mumps virus by retinoids
http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pd ... 10-337.pdf

pretty solid info on zinc and pneumonia though:

Zinc and pneumonia
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/83/5/991.full
The most extensive and impressive data relate to the use of zinc as a preventive measure. A pooled analysis of the results of trials in 9 countries and on 4 continents showed odds ratios (ORs) in zinc-supplemented groups of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.93) and 0.75 (0.63, 0.88) for diarrheal incidence and prevalence, respectively (2). The data for pneumonia prevention were even more impressive: the OR was 0.59 (0.41, 0.83). Moreover, the use of zinc supplements as a preventive modality has been associated with lower mortality, notably that due to pneumonia (3).

magnesium's worth looking at for hypertension too:

Effect of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis
http://www.researchgate.net/publication ... e6c3dd.pdf

all that said, when i had to get my ACL reconstructed you can bet i was pretty happy about anaesthesia and pain killers.

i read one report re the 2009 outbreak, that said most patients had had two vaccines, and were also members of a Jewish Orthodox community. i have no idea what the implications of that info might be!