Immunizations

There are many people that are pulling their kids out of public schools to home school them for one single reason... immunizations.  I read in the paper about parents  not being able to sue the companies that make immunizations and was again inundated with questions on Immunizations. 

To immunize or not has been a controversial subject for 200 years.  Care to guess how long we have been immunizing people?  :)  Approximately 200 years.  Let's take a side trip - Why do we have two types of medicine - Allopathic (Western Medicine) and Naturopathic Medicine?  When we go back to the beginnings of medicine (as we know it), we find that both types of medicine existed and worked TOGETHER.  Naturopathy was day to day medicine and Allopathy was used in more severe / surgical situations.  Eastern medicine followed Naturopathy and Western medicine followed Allopathy.  And when Pharmaceutical companies took hold in the US - that only intensified.  We have a marketing campaign that teaches us from our earliest moments that we just have to take a pill and make it all better. So, why do I give you this little bit of history? 

The creation of immunizations was in an effort to reduce the number of deaths from major diseases.  In the Allopathic world - this makes perfect sense.  Disease needs to be destroyed at all costs and the only way to do that is to immunize and take pharmaceuticals. 

In the Naturopathic world - it makes no sense what so ever.  If your body is in its perfect state - metal, exercise, diet all are working together, there is no disease.  Your body is able to heal all its ailments completely on its own. 

So, with all this being said... I will leave it up to you.  Please find below several links to viable sources on immunizations:

PRO:
http://www.nvic.org/Vaccines-and-Diseases.aspx
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2010/September/Are-Vaccinations-Needed-Risks-vs-Benefits-/
CON:
http://www.southbaytotalhealth.com/Vaccinations.htm
http://www.aapsonline.org/press/nrvacres.htm

Q: I have heard that they still use Mercury for immunizations, is this true?
A: Yes.
http://www.immunizationinfo.org/issues/thimerosal-mercury/mercury-vaccines
http://www.fda.gov/biologicsbloodvaccines/safetyavailability/vaccinesafety/ucm096228.htm

Q: I have heard that immunizations are more than likely the cause of Autism, is this true?
A: Autism is only ONE of the side effects of immunizations. 
http://www.healing-arts.org/children/vaccines/vaccines-mercury.htm

Q: With allergic reactions and disease related to preservatives, do immunizations contain preservatives or any other potentially dangerous additives?
A: Yes.  Multi-dose containers of immunizations contain preservatives.
http://www.naturalnews.com/011764.html

Artificial Colors

We have discussed your need to start reading your labels.  You need to really pay attention to more than just the calories on those containers.  Check sodium levels, check for artificial sweeteners, chemicals, and artificial coloring.  You will be amazed at the amount of artificial colors that you will find.  Why should I bother?

Artificial colors have been proven to increase the likelihood of cancer, ADD/ADHD, and severe allergies among other things.  Did you know that the UK has already banned the use of certain POPULAR food colors?  Some states are requiring that a full listing of artificial colors be provided on food labels.  The most dangerous ones are listed below with their findings - this is by no means a complete listing and this post is more for education - you need to be a smart consumer!

The report Food Dyes – A Rainbow of Risks [download PDF] reviews the risks that have been known for quite some time:

Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 have long been known to cause allergic reactions in some people. CSPI says that while those reactions are not common, they can be serious and provide reason enough to ban those dyes. Furthermore, numerous studies have demonstrated that dyes cause hyperactivity in children.

Tests on lab animals of Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 showed signs of causing cancer …

Yellow 5 also caused mutations, an indication of possible carcinogenicity, in six of 11 tests…

In addition, according to the report, FDA tests show that the three most-widely used dyes, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, are tainted with low levels of cancer-causing compounds, including benzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl in Yellow 5.

Think about a single bag of M & Ms?  How about Easter candy?  Please be very aware of the food colors that are being added to your foods. 

What's the Cause - 2?

Installment number two...

Migraines / Headaches - more and more people are being diagnosed with migraines  and from what I have read, there is very little understanding as to the why.  I never had migraines until after I had two major surgeries in one year, now I have them regularly.  I believe the combination of being put under for surgery and the change in my hormones caused a shift in my body chemistry, the result being migraines.  Many women going through menopause have stated that they get migraines.  Migraines also come from caffeine, tumors, food allergies, environmental allergies / stimulants, anxiety, skipping meals / dieting / fasting, foods containing nitrates (processed meats), tyramine (red wine, aged cheeses, smoked fish, chicken livers, some beans, and figs, and MSG (processed foods / some Chinese foods / some restaurant foods), chocolate, nuts, peanut butter, avocado, banana, citrus, onions, dairy products, and fermented or pickled foods also can be "triggers" for migraines. 

Since we have a hard time pinning down exactly what causes migraines - it is hard to provide foods that will help - instead the foods / herbs listed are more to reduce swelling, and to promote healthy brain functions, and healthy blood functions.  Peppermint oil rubbed on the temples and base of the skull has been proven to help migraines.  Increase your intake of the Omegas 3/6/9, and ginkgo biloba - I take daily in pill form as I don't get enough of either in my food intake.  The B complex vitamins focus on the brain as well as overall immune health - I highly recommend that if you choose to increase your B vitamin intake you read up (you can overdose) and you take it in the morning - or you may have problems sleeping.  A strong shot of caffeine also can help with a fast onset of a severe migraine as it opens up the blood vessels and allows for better blood flow. The herb feverfew is the most common herb used for migraines.

Honestly, I have yet to find a 100% effective natural solution for my migraines, and one of the few pharmaceutical drugs I do keep on hand is Excedrin Migraine.  It works for me, especially when combined with the other - Claritin.  I know that my migraine triggers primarily fall into one of three categories - high stress, allergies (environmental / seasonal), and high energy levels / absorbing negative energy from others.  You would be well advised to understand when and why you have your migraines to help avoid and treat them better. 

Also, cell phones are very dangerous when put next to the ear to talk to someone.  Read up on cell phone tumors and the dangers of cell phone usage. 

Additional Reading for herbs related to migraine relief - http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/headachemigraine/a/Migraine.htm

ADD / ADHD - When I was a child there was no ADD / ADHD, but then again there was very little fast food, junk food, processed food at that time either.  Nor were there so many chemicals / preservatives / artificial colors / artificial flavors either.  Taking a serious look at your diet may shed light on your / your child's hyperactivity.  Processed Sugar / flour, sodas, artificial sweeteners, junk food, fast food, and processed frozen foods all play a huge part in these diseases.  These foods disrupt the natural flow in the brain.  Changing the diet and including some herbs helps substantially - Omega 3/6/9, ginkgo biloba, B complex vitamins all are important for a healthy brain.

awesome article on ADD / ADHD and the natural treatment of both - http://www.all-natural.com/add.html
another good article on how to get started on the right diet for ADD - http://www.oneaddplace.com/add-diet.php

Acne - Acne in children / tweens / adults can be fairly normal.  It is a warning sign that there is an imbalance somewhere, that you touch your face too often (especially with dirty hands), and / or that your skin is naturally oily (which is horrible as a child / but great as an adult as it keeps your skin supple and younger looking longer).  In children it is far more likely to be a dietary issue.  Too many of our "standard" bad foods in the diet, not enough exercise, and not enough sunshine.  In tweens it is more likely to be hormone imbalance as the onset of puberty progresses - and can be again modified and some what controlled by diet.  A good skin regiment, and proper hygiene is also required.  As an adult, diet, certain medications, dehydration, food allergies, stress, anxiety, cheap cosmetics, allergic reaction to skin products, hormone changes (peri- and menopause / male menopause), and birth control pills can be contributing factors.

You should clean your face at least twice a day with both an astringent and a toner and follow with a moisturizer (yes, even those of you that have oily skin).  Make sure you choose products that are good quality and that fall low on the ladder of chemicals and high on the ladder of hypoallergenic.  I have very sensitive skin and only use Neutrogena products on my skin if I purchase a product.  Witch Hazel and Vinegar are great for cleaning your skin.  Oatmeal soap also a wonderful moisturizing / toning product.  Astringents and toners will remove oil and dirt and "tone" the skin, while the proper moisturizer puts the proper moisture back into your skin.  If you wear makeup - put it on right before you go out, and take it off as soon as you are in for the night.  Make sure you purchase good quality products.  Try not to touch your face too often and if you have a hard time with this directive, you will need to clean your face more often.  A good part of the reason adults have acne is related to touching their face with dirty hands.  Wash your hands as frequently as possible.

Water plays a big part in acne as well,  Remember that water removes the toxins from your body - if you are not drinking enough, the toxins go to the muscles and also through the skin.  Drinking enough water every day is critical to removing the toxins properly.  Green tea, dark green leafy vegetables, apples, pears, broccoli, and avocados all help.  Vitamins C, B Complex, and Vitamin E all work to promote a healthy skin.  Our "standards" again should be avoided.

Additional reading: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/alternative/alternative-medicines-for-acne.htm

Arthritis - Arthritis, joint pain and a host of other similar diseases have two very important things in common - Water and Omegas.  I am beginning to sound like a broken record - but water again removes toxins from the body.  Think of a clear glass of water sitting in a window - what happens after several days of sitting in the sun?  The water evaporates, right?  But what is left behind?  Mineral deposits.  If your body is chronically dehydrated those minerals must go somewhere - and they tend to gather in joints.  Your Omegas (3/6/9) help lubricate your joints.  Not having enough in your body causes stiffness, and stress on your joints just like having a wheel improperly lubricated on a bike or a car - does it run properly?  No.  The same principle applies.  Immune system weakness also allows for infection and other possible causes.

Drinking sufficient water (see post on water), get enough of your Omegas (I recommend a gelcap including all three 3/6/9), and eat foods that reduce inflammation and promote a healthy immune system.  Those include dark green leafy vegetables, fruits / vegetables high in vitamins C, B, and E.  Anti-inflammatory foods include kelp, wild salmon, turmeric, shitake mushrooms, green tea, papaya, blueberries, olive oil, broccoli, and sweet potato.  And of course - stay away from our "standard" bad food list.

 Recommended reading - good and bad foods for arthritis: http://www.lifescript.com/Health/Conditions/Arthritis/Fight_Arthritis_10_Foods_That_Help_and_Hurt.aspx
Anti-inflammatory foods: http://theconsciouslife.com/top-10-anti-inflammatory-foods.htm

Diet Food Poison

This post is primarily focused on Aspartame or as you may better know NutraSweet, Equal, NatraTaste, and Canderel.  We are lead to believe that diet food and diet soda will reduce the likelihood of gaining weight.  Untrue.  Foods labeled "diet" or "lite" are more poison to our body than not. 


There are nearly 100 serious side effects of Aspartame Disease that fall in a variety of different categories.  I am going to provide several links for those of you that want to get more information beyond what I am providing. 


Concerns regarding Aspartame:
1. Artificial Sweeteners are very addictive.  They cause major withdrawals and can take several months to get out of your body.   
2. Artificial Sweeteners actually make you gain weight rather than lose it.
3. Artificial Sweeteners have been linked directly to cancer, Alzheimer-like symptoms, MS-like symptoms, stroke, lupus, and death
4. There are many that believe that Artificial Sweeteners turn into formaldehyde in high temperatures. 


http://www.dorway.com/tldaddic.html


When I was part of the military family and stationed in Maryland, my husband was sent to Saudi Arabia with many others.  Coke and Pepsi was sent over FREE for the military and sat under tents in the hot Arabian sun.  Many of these men came home sick - hair falling out, memory loss, tremors, depression, seizures, and a variety of other ailments that could not be diagnosed as any one disease.  Some of the men died of their ailments.  Many attributed the diet sodas and aspartame disease to their ailments. 


I also know several people that have had Alzheimer-like symptoms or MS-like symptoms.  When they removed diet sodas and diet foods from their diet (30 - 60 days), they began to lose the symptoms.  Not all of the side effects of Aspartame are temporary and should be taken very seriously.


Here is a partial list of the side effects from Aspartame pulled directly from Dr. Janet Starr Hull's website http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html
Eyeblindness in one or both eyes
decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as: blurring, bright flashes, squiggly lines, tunnel vision, decreased night vision
pain in one or both eyes
decreased tears
trouble with contact lenses
bulging eyes
Eartinnitus - ringing or buzzing sound
severe intolerance of noise
marked hearing impairment
Neurologicalepileptic seizures
headaches, migraines and (some severe)
dizziness, unsteadiness, both
confusion, memory loss, both
severe drowsiness and sleepiness
paresthesia or numbness of the limbs
severe slurring of speech
severe hyperactivity and restless legs
atypical facial pain
severe tremors
Psychological/Psychiatricsevere depression
irritability
aggression
anxiety
personality changes
insomnia
phobias
Chestpalpitations, tachycardia
shortness of breath
recent high blood pressure
Gastrointestinalnausea
diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools
abdominal pain
pain when swallowing
Skin and Allergiesitching without a rash
lip and mouth reactions
hives
aggravated respiratory allergies such as asthma
Endocrine and Metabolicloss of control of diabetes
menstrual changes
marked thinning or loss of hair
marked weight loss
gradual weight gain
aggravated low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
severe PMS
Otherfrequency of voiding and burning during urination
excessive thirst, fluid retention, leg swelling, and bloating
increased susceptibility to infection
Additional Symptoms of Aspartame Toxicity include the most critical symptoms of all
deathirreversible brain damage
birth defects, including mental retardation
peptic ulcers
aspartame addiction and increased craving for sweets
hyperactivity in children
severe depression
aggressive behavior
suicidal tendencies
Aspartame may trigger, mimic, or cause the following illnesses:Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Epstein-Barr
Post-Polio Syndrome
Lyme Disease
Grave’s Disease
Meniere’s Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease
ALS
Epilepsy
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
EMS
Hypothyroidism
Mercury sensitivity from Amalgam fillings
Fibromyalgia
Lupus
non-Hodgkins
Lymphoma
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)


Please make sure you read all the ingredients in the foods that you eat.  Stay away from anything labeled "diet" or "lite." 

My prescriptions are causing side effects... what do I do?

Good Evening!
I am off to my grams tomorrow so will be blogging twice today. I was asked this question earlier today and I had a very lengthy reply... and maybe not really what she had expected. Sorry Jen! :)

Let's take a look at it logically.... if you wanted to do something, but the side effect was a broken leg would you do it? It is difficult because we have been so trained to go to a doctor for every ailment to be fixed. Did you know that in other countries, doctors are paid to keep people HEALTHY... if the village doesn't remain healthy, the doctor doesn't get paid... shouldn't that be the way we look at our health system? Ok... off my soap box... :)

The specific question I was asked had to do with ADHD meds and a rash that she got when she took the meds. Now that you have heard my soapbox speech... you know how I reacted. :) When I was a child (70s) there was no such thing as ADD and ADHD. With the growth in fast food joints, sugary treats, and frozen dinners, we have had a huge influx of diagnosis for both. WHAT YOU EAT directly affects your well being. Take a frozen dinner - do you know where the vegetables come from? How old they are? Did the farmer use pesticides or herbicides? How often did they rotate the crops? do you know where the meat came from? Did they use steroids? How about antibiotics? and finally at the manufacturing plant. Did they use preservatives? Coloring agents? All of these things are negative influencers to your well being.

We are too busy to shop and cook dinner... kids are too picky.... it is too costly. I understand and had this same challenge as a single mom with two daughters. A couple things to note... when you feed your body better nutrients, you don't need as much. That is a smaller bill at the grocery store. Now add that food can help your body heal itself - if you feed it well - and you have fewer trips to the doctor and less chemicals going into your body. Getting the drift? Cook as a family. Cooking can be fun. And you don't have to do it all at once. Spagetti sauce / Lasagne sauce / Chilli... all these things taste better after a day - herbs meld together. Stirfry seems time consuming - why do it all at one time? During lunch chop a couple sets of vegetable and store in the fridge... then all you have to do is cook.

As for the kids... here is my secret. Give the kids a 30 minute menu recipe book, one with lots of pictures. Let them choose a meal once a month. Let them make the grocery list for that meal, help shop, and help prepare.... some will be a big hit, others will flop miserably... but they will get excited about cooking and help more often. Another secret, is an herb garden. Herbs are wonderful healers, and smell divine... grow a small one in the house and let the kids harvest the leaves for salads and meals.

Back to my friend with ADHD and a rash.... the first directive was to eat better, and exercise. Exercise is great for ADHD because it works the body and the mind. The endorphins released do a lot to help calm your body and mind. And she agreed that when she rode her bike and ran regularly she felt much better. Secondly, get off the medicine!!! There are a lot of natural alternatives. And lastly, to handle the rash until she is clear of the meds - go to the natural health food store and get some oatmeal soap. Use it at least once a day. Vitamins B & C are great skin healers as well...

Break out the wok and the herbs and create something wonderful ....