If you’re over 50, you’ve probably spent some time thinking about shingles.

And let’s be honest… you’re right to be concerned.

Most of us had chickenpox decades ago and haven’t thought about it since.

But just because you were done with chickenpox doesn’t mean chickenpox was done with you.

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox.

And it’s a nasty little thing.

You see, even after you recovered from chickenpox, the virus doesn’t go away.

It can enter your nervous system and stay dormant for decades, lying in wait.

Then, as we get older and our immune system weakens, the virus can come back to life – like tiny, microscopic zombies.

It then travels along nerve pathways to your skin — producing shingles.

And shingles is truly awful for many people.

Your skin cracks and blisters with ugly, open sores. The pain can be excruciating.

People say bedsheets touching your skin can be unbearable. The wind ruffling your hair can make you want to scream.

The pain can last for weeks or even months.

Not to mention the possibility of permanent scarring, blindness or vision loss, or even dangerous swelling of the brain.

And, of course, you could get something called post-herpetic neuralgia. That’s a common complication of shingles, in which the nerve pain lasts for months or even years.

It’s a nightmare.

So, of course, you want to do everything you can to avoid getting shingles.

The only problem? Some of the options mainstream medicine is offering are no walk in the park.

Should You Get the Vaccine?

You can’t miss the commercials for the shingles vaccine. They’re everywhere.

And I imagine your doctor has already told you about it… he’s likely encouraged you to get all the shots.

But should you?

What’s the REAL TRUTH about the vaccine? Is it dangerous?

Well, the only vaccine that was available until fairly recently (called Zostavax) has a troubling history. For one thing, because it’s what’s called a “live vaccine”, one of its known side effects is actually CAUSING SHINGLES!

Yes, I’m serious.

It also only worked about 50%-70% of the time.

And it had a long list of side effects. Though rare, some of these could be worse than shingles.

The side effects include necrotizing retinitis (an eye disorder that can lead to blindness), and seizures.

According to the National Vaccine Information Center, as of May 31, 2019, there had been more than 61,000 reports of shingles vaccine reactions in the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System.

Perhaps because of these complications, Zostavax was discontinued – though it’s still legal to prescribe.

And there’s a new vaccine on the market now, called Shingrix.

It definitely works better, with a 90% effectiveness rate. And the list of side effects is shorter too.

However, in the FDA’s own reports on Shingrix, the vaccine was linked to slightly higher cases of pneumonia and “cerebrovascular events,” which are things like strokes, aneurysms, and blood clots.

And, while those are rare, the nasty side effects of getting the 2 shots are NOT…

More than 70% of people who get the shots report experiencing pain…A LOT of pain.

Enough that the pain often interfered with their daily life.

In fact, a quick search brought up folks recounting their Shingrix vaccine experience…

• “My arm feels like Mike Tyson punched it 9 times.”
• “The side effects are killing me. Major arm/neck pain and flu-like symptoms.”
• “I had severe pain where I had the shot in my shoulder. It’s a month later, and I still have pain.”

So, if you’re over 50, you’re left deciding between the pain of shingles, or a vaccine that, while effective, is also very painful. Some choice, right?

That’s why I was so interested to learn what NASA does for its own astronauts to fight shingles…

Shingles in Outer Space

What if there was a new way to potentially help prevent shingles, developed by no less than the brilliant scientists at NASA?

Here’s everything we know so far…

As NASA started sending America’s hero astronauts up in the space shuttle, and to the International Space Station orbiting 250 miles above the earth, it started to notice something unusual.

The astronauts were getting shingles.

You see, scientists believe the reason people get shingles is because their immune systems have gotten weaker. It happens to all of us as we get older… it’s just a fact of life.

And it’s a weaker immune system that allows the shingles virus to come roaring back to life.

Well, it turns out spaceflight is also really tough on the immune system. It’s extremely stressful.

And even though they’re typically in excellent health, our astronauts started getting all kinds of immune problems in space – including shingles.

In fact, the shingles virus was “reactivated” in 2 out of every 3 astronauts!

And that was a problem. So, the geniuses at NASA put their heads together.

And they pioneered a treatment we called PIRE (Protective Immune REsponse)…

…that improves one important marker of immune response by up to 800%.

Potentially giving every person a more effective immune system.

Ready to fight off viruses, bacteria, disease… you name it.

PIRE could be a life-changer even if you’ve already had the shingles vaccine. Even better? PIRE is something every American can access today, easily.

So what is it exactly?

Deep in a NASA technical report called “Countermeasure Options for Immune System Dysregulation”, hidden back on page 56 of 59, is the secret.

We called it PIRE, but its full scientific name is “active hexose-correlated compound”.

Most people just call it AHCC.

AHCC is not a drug. It’s not some chemical concoction dreamed up in a Big Pharma laboratory…

AHCC comes from a very different laboratory: Mother Nature. It is actually a specially prepared extract from the mycelia – a white, threadlike structure – of several species of east Asian Basidiomycete mushrooms

This “mushroom medicine” is absolutely jam-packed with chemical structures such as polysaccharides, amino acids, and minerals.

Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly HOW this mushroom compound has such incredible immune-boosting properties. But here’s what they think (I’m going to get a little scientific for just a moment).

The main components of AHCC are oligosaccharides (74% of AHCC), and approximately 20% of AHCC are partially acetylated α-1, 4-glucans.

These oligosaccharides – a kind of carbohydrate polymer – are believed to be the active components of AHCC. And while there’s a lot more research to be done, the results are extremely exciting.

In fact, AHCC feels like a priceless gift from our Creator, designed to help us increase our natural immunity to disease, viruses, and harmful bacteria.

In fact, AHCC boosts immunity more than anything else I’ve ever read about.

Just listen to this. Some clinical trials show…

AHCC increases the function of Natural Killer (NK) cells – a crucial component of your immune system – by up to 300-800%. That’s just staggering.

Imagine an 800% boost to one of the most vital parts of your immune system?!

And that’s still just the beginning of what AHCC does…

AHCC has also been shown to increase the production of cells that act as immune system messengers, to help coordinate your body’s immune response.

It’s been shown to increase the T-Cell count – more vital immune cells – by 200%.

AHCC may even double the number of macrophages – which are white blood cells that destroy bacteria. Top-quality animal and human studies confirm it.

AHCC helps your body identify and destroy foreign invaders in your organs, tissues, and blood. I’m talking about dangerous viruses, harmful bacteria, and even CANCER cells.

It’s true… AHCC is so powerful it even helps kill CANCER cells.

In a study at Kansai Medical University in Osaka, Japan AHCC was given to patients with stage 3 and 4 breast and gastric cancers.

It increased survival by 40% compared to normal survival rates.

And when it was given to folks with deadly liver cancer, it increased their survival time an astonishing 200%.

And you might know about the nasty HPV virus – the one that’s responsible for 99% of cervical cancers, and 95% of anal cancers. Then you probably know that the best of “modern medicine” has nothing that can cure HPV.

Well, in a study of 46 HPV-positive women conducted by Dr. Judith A. Smith at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, AHCC did the “impossible”.

In 60% of the women in the study, who all had tested positive for cancer-causing HPV, AHCC completely wiped out the HPV virus.

Completely. They had no sign of HPV at all. Isn’t that incredible?

And if you’re over the age of 50, and worried about shingles, or any other virus, bacteria, or pathogenic disease, you should know all about AHCC.

NASA gives AHCC to its astronauts as part of an immune-boosting therapy because it believes it will help them prevent shingles and other viral diseases.

Of course, it’s not known if AHCC can prevent shingles here on Earth, but the science behind AHCC enhancing immunity is very good.

After all, it’s been shown to boost one component of our immune systems by up to 800%…and even possibly increase survival against deadly cancers…

And it’s natural, without nasty side effects.

How Can I Get AHCC?

If you’re interested in AHCC and how it could help support your own immune system, talk to your doctor about trying it. (Since some supplements can interact with medications you might be on, we always recommend talking to your doctor first.)

AHCC is easy enough to purchase online. Since it’s a natural dietary supplement, you don’t need a prescription. Generally, AHCC comes in capsule form, and costs $30-$50 a month.

Doses of AHCC ranging from 4.5 to 6 grams daily have been used safely for up to 6 months. A lower dose (3 grams daily) appears to be safe when it is used for up to 9 years.

Some people have reported diarrhea or itching after taking AHCC.

You’ll find many brands of AHCC for sale on Amazon and other large online retailers. Our recommendation is the ImmPower brand of AHCC by American Biosciences. A serving of ImmPower (2 capsules) contains 1 gram of AHCC.

Now, that’s not to say that ImmPower is better than another brand of AHCC. Always read customer reviews and consider talking to your doctor before making your decision.

But American Biosciences has been selling AHCC since 1999. And ImmPower is well studied, with more than 30 studies and research papers using this brand of AHCC.

As always, talk to your doctor before changing anything about your health or medical care.