Be Healthy: An Easy Reference Guide

I feel a bit like I’ve stumbled upon a treasure chest full of gold!  I stumbled upon it by way of www.NaturalNews.com, an excellent health website I’ve been visiting lately.  It is called the Honest Food Guide, created by a holistic nutritionist named Mike Adams, a.k.a. “The Health Ranger.”  This is an excellent resource to study, keep in your kitchen, or take to the grocery store with you.  It is a handy reference guide as to what food choices can lead to disease and which ones lead to better health, and why.  The only thing I would add to this chart (and this is my personal opinion and choice) is organic, free-range poultry, which I don’t see on here now, but maybe I missed it. 

I’ve included the thumbnail here, but click to visit the full-sized version. 

More Swine Flu Vaccine News

Although I didn’t intend to write another blog about the swine flu vaccine since I covered it a couple of weeks ago (link here), I came across some interesting news today that I wanted to share.  This is from Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, who says this:

“If you or your child are injured from getting a flu swine flu shot, you are on your own. Because Congress shielded the vaccine manufacturers and any person giving swine flu shots from lawsuits if people get hurt. There is no funded government vaccine injury compensation program for swine flu vaccine.”

The question is do we trust the government to give us something safe for our bodies and those of our children when there is no recourse–they have no responsibility whatsoever–should anything happen as a result?  Could that affect how carefully (or carelessly) they test the vaccine to begin with?

From the FDA’s website directly:  “Safety and effectiveness of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine have not been established in pregnant women, nursing mothers or children less than 4 years of age. (8.1, 8.3, 8.4).”

In addition, if any adverse reactions do occur as a result of this swine flu vaccine, there is a good chance that those reactions will be seen as “coincidences” by federal health officials anyway (see below).  I remember reading about parents who heard those words when their child developed autism or were never the same after receiving their massive doses of  vaccinations.  “It was a coincidence. . .your child would have developed autism anyway. . .it’s just a coincidence that it started within a week of his or her vaccines.”

Fisher addresses this issue:  “But even if there was a funded vaccine injury compensation program - like the one that had to be created by the federal government in 1976 after that year’s swine flu vaccine paralyzed about 500 Americans and killed 25, there is little chance you would be compensated if you or your child does become vaccine injured.  Federal health officials are already pre-emptively warning Americans that most of the deaths and cases of brain inflammation, seizures, paralysis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, strokes, heart attacks, miscarriages and other serious health problems that develop after swine flu vaccination will be considered a ‘coincidence’ and not related in any way to the flu shots just given.”

I do not like to speculate as to the motivation behind what people do, but I’ll give you the facts and let you decide from there.

“We are witnessing a roll-out of the largest, most expensive mass vaccination campaign in the history of our nation. A rollout that is bigger than even the polio vaccine campaigns of the 1950’s. . .Swine flu shots are free for most Americans because the government has given $1 billion dollars to pharmaceutical companies to create the new swine flu vaccines and has given another $5 billion dollars to state and federal health agencies to promote and deliver the influenza vaccines to people. That is a lot of money. The push to get vaccinated is like nothing we have ever seen before.” (Fisher)

Let’s not forget that pharmaceutical companies such as those that manufacturer vaccines, are in a business. . .a business for profit. 

“The entire vaccination philosophy now believes that the human immune system is useless and should be hijacked with Big Pharma’s chemicals. It’s ridiculous. Sure, vaccines are warranted in laboratory workers who might be exposed to level-4 infectious agents that could be fatal, but pushing mandatory vaccines on all the children in the nation just to prevent non-fatal infections and winter colds is medical madness.  But it does, of course, earn profits for Big Pharma. And that’s the whole point of the big vaccination push in the first place. It has nothing to do with public health and everything to do with corporate profits” (source).

I can’t pretend that I’m not worried about this swine flu, but I also admit that, as a mother, I am worried about a lot of things with regards to my son.  However, when it is becoming increasingly obvious to me how little I can actually trust the government, there is no chance I can trust them with this vaccine.

An added note:  As I write this, there is a Homeland Security hearing going on regarding the news that came out yesterday that the swine flu vaccine has been slowly distributed and it may not reach all the Americans that want it in time.  This morning on the Fox News Channel, Dr. Marc Siegel pointed out this fact–the government is in charge of the H1N1 vaccine!  Is this a preview of government-run (ineptly) health care?  An excellent article from The Heartland Institute, addressing those concerns, can be found at  http://www.heartland.org/full/26089/H1N1_Vaccine_a_Preview_of_GovernmentRun_Health_Care.html.

For good information about the potential dangers of this vaccine and others, visit www.vactruth.com

To Have or Not to Have. . .the Swine Flu Vaccine

So much is being made lately about the swine flu that is circulating around, closing schools, and unfortunately in a few cases, taking lives.  It is difficult, for me at least, to find the right balance between the extreme hysteria and the reality of the risks.  As a mom especially, anything involving my child’s health and life can, unfortunately, set every emotion into high gear and therefore throw some rational and logical thinking out the window.  And watching the news only exacerbates the potential for fears and impulsive action.  So I’ve researched a bit and prayed about it and offer these 10 thoughts on the subject:

1.  Where is the evidence that this is any worse than the seasonal flu that we all contend with, and sometimes catch, each year?

2.  In order to consider the swine flu vaccine, we must go back to the basics of vaccines in general.  Review the research and only after that, can we make an informed decision aside from emotion.  I covered this subject in a previous blog, found here, with many resources and important information.

3.  It has been said that “news that bleeds leads.”  Things are no different when it comes to swine flu.  Do not allow yourself to be caught up in the hype about this flu unless it statistically proves worthy of the hype.  Carry a healthy skepticism with you as you read the newspapers or watch the news, realizing that the media, most of the time, covers the negative side of everything.

4.  Some of the common ingredients of vaccines in general are as follows: human diploid cells (lung tissue from aborted fetuses, thimerisol (the toxic compound that, because of it’s mercury content, has been suspected by many as contributing to autism), MSG (monosodium glutamate, a food additive that is best avoided for good health), formaldehyde, aluminum in various forms (if you recall, there is also speculation about an aluminum-Alzheimer’s link), and various parts from chicks, mice, and monkeys.

5.  One of those ingredients in the swine flu vaccine is said to be an adjuvant, a chemical “used to multiply the potency of the active ingredients in the vaccines” (source). 

 ”The U.S. government has contracts with several drug companies to develop and produce swine flu vaccines. At least two of those companies, Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline, are using an adjuvant in their H1N1 vaccines.

The adjuvant? Squalene.

According to Meryl Nass, M.D., an authority on the anthrax vaccine,

“A novel feature of the two H1N1 vaccines being developed by companies Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline is the addition of squalene-containing adjuvants to boost immunogenicity and dramatically reduce the amount of viral antigen needed. This translates to much faster production of desired vaccine quantities.”

Novartis’s proprietary squalene adjuvant for their H1N1 vaccine is MF59. Glaxo’s is ASO3. MF59 has yet to be approved by the FDA for use in any U.S. vaccine, despite its history of use in other countries.

Per Dr. Nass, there are only three vaccines in existence using an approved squalene adjuvant. None of the three are approved for use in the U.S.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/08/04/Squalene-The-Swine-Flu-Vaccines-Dirty-Little-Secret-Exposed.aspx

6.  Shouldn’t we question something that was fast-tracked and couldn’t possibly have been tested long-term?  Aren’t we concerned at all about our future health, or that of our children, or are we willing to take such a huge risk simply to lessen the severity of a flu that has shown itself to be no more harmful than the seasonal flu?

7.  An article from Natural News reminds us that ” in 1976, a failed swine flu vaccine caused irreparable damage to the nervous systems of hundreds of people, paralyzing many. Medical doctors gave the problem a name, of course, to make it sound like they knew what they were talking about: Guillain-Barre syndrome. (Notably, they never called it “Toxic Vaccine Syndrome” because that would be too informative.)”

8.  Ironically, and tragically, vaccines “thwart our bodies natural abilities to fight off disease,” says Dr. Mercola.  Ask yourself, “What is the trade off here?  What am I trading in for a very small amount of protection from, in most cases, an uncomfortable and inconvenient but harmless flu?”

9.  The swine flu vaccine will contain mercury.  For the dangers of mercury in vaccines, click here.

10.  The Bible says, “people perish from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6), speaking of those who do not know Jesus Christ.  Well, I see this influx of vaccinations in our country today in much the same way.  Let’s not perish from a lack of knowledge. . .let’s not compromise our health simply because we are not willing to do the research and make an informed decision about what is worth the risk regarding vaccines.

Visit my previous blog on vaccines:  http://www.standingontruth.com/nutritional-living/2009/03/vaccines-whats-really-at-stake/ and Vactruth also has some interesting articles on the swine flu vaccine.

Valuable Information from Health Blogs and Websites

I am a research junkie.  I love learning new things and researching information that makes a positive impact on my life.  Today I took some time and found some health information that I found quite informative.  Here is that information, taken in snippets from various blogs, with sources shown.

The Natural Keys To Controlling PMS (Dr. Linda Page)

PMS is by far the most common woman’s health complaint. For some women, PMS is a minor inconvenience that lasts a few days. For others, it disrupts the whole month! A woman’s body is delicately tuned, and can become unbalanced easily, causing pain, poor function, and a disconcerting feeling of not being “together,” especially during the menstrual cycle.

Fortunately, women can take relieve PMS effectively with a simple 4 point program.

1. Use essential fatty acids to balance prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are vital hormone-type compounds that regulate body functions almost like an electrical current. Evening Primrose oil 500-1000 mg. daily shows excellent results for many women.

2. Love your liver. The liver is in charge of hormone metabolism, and helps to rebalance estrogen and progesterone levels. Try a cup of Liver Cleanse Flushing tea or dandelion tea each morning to relieve balance hormones, relieve organ congestion and detoxify the liver.

Read the rest at Dr. Linda Page’s Blog:  http://drlindapage.typepad.com/healthyhealing/2009/08/the-natural-keys-to-controlling-pms.html

 

The Ten Commandments of Preventive Medicine (Dr. Walt)

Set a Wise Balance in Your Life – The Essential of Balance

Practice Acceptance and Letting Go – The Essential of Forgiveness

Lighten Your Load – The Essential of Reducing SADness (Stress, Anxiety, and Depression)

Avoid Loneliness Like the Plague – The Essential of Healthy Relationships

Cultivate a True Spirituality – The Essential of Spiritual Well-Being

See Yourself as Your Creator Sees You – The Essential of a Positive Self-Image

Nurture Your Hopes and Dreams – The Essential of Discovering Your Destiny

Read the rest at Dr. Walt’s Blog:  http://www.drwalt.com/blog/?p=759

 

9 Hidden Toxins Lurking in Your Food (Dr. Mercola)

Your grocery store is plentifully stocked with wolves in sheep’s clothing. Here are some tips to help you steer clear of hidden toxins that masquerade as safe products.

Stay away from processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and sausage. Sodium nitrate can also cause the formation of nitrosamines in your system, which can lead to cancer.

Back to School Nutrition: Healthy & Quick Choices for Kids

Within a week or two, kiddos all over the country will be heading back to school.  Things will get even more hectic, schedules even tighter, and mealtimes more abbreviated.  The temptation to pack lunches void of nutrition, yet quick and easy will be magnified.  So for moms everywhere committed to good nutrition for their families, I thought I would compile some of the best meal and snack choices that I know of, serve my son, and have found from other bloggers and mothers. . .meals and snacks that are quick and easy but that do not compromise health.

Breakfast:

One of the things your mother probably always told you (and she was right) was to never forget your protein at breakfast.  I’ve been advised to have protein, even if it is just a handful of nuts, within 20 minutes of waking up.  I would think for kids, many of whom expend a whole lot of energy those first 20 minutes already, this is especially important.

In our family, Applegate Breakfast Sausages–Chicken & Maple or Chicken & Apple–are breakfast staples.

 

 

 

 

 

My husband and son also drink Jay Robb’s Egg White Protein shakes every other morning or so.  They enjoy the Chocolate flavor and mix it in organic cow’s milk or plain rice milk.  (Note:  They do not do this as a meal-replacement and I don’t recommend that.)

 

 

 

 

Turkey bacon is also an excellent choice for breakfast.  It is a big step up in nutrtional value from pork bacon (in part because of it’s lower fat content).

Hard-boiled eggs. . .or deviled eggs (both of which my son devours).  These can easily be made the night before and stored in the refrigerator until morning.

Lunches:

We make wraps in our home.  We use nitrate-free and nitrite-free turkey and ham lunchmeat in Spelt tortillas, sometimes throwing in avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, and especially some melted organic cheese for added appeal.

Almond butter and jelly sandwiches are a great-for-you and tasty lunch.  We tend to stay away from peanut butter for the most part because of how easily it turns rancid, but if you must use peanut butter, try the natural kind and be sure to follow the proper storing suggestions.

Cold smoked atlantic salmon, comes in a package ready-to-eat from Whole Foods, and is nutritious and easy.

Snacks:

We are a smoothie family.  It is a great way to hide a little flaxseed or protein powder unknowingly in your kid’s refreshing summer treat.  One of my favorite smoothie recipe books is “The Ultimate Smoothie Book” by Cherie Calbom.   Try her recipes for “Carob Peanut Butter Banana,” “Orange Coconut Creamsicle-in-a-Glass,” and “Strawberry Creamsicles.”  I would also check out www.allrecipes.com as they have some great looking ones too, such as the “Triple Threat Fruit Smoothie,” with berries (antioxidants) and vitamin C. 

One I am anxious to try is from blogger Raw Mom who has a recipe for a Berry-Greens Smoothie (hides spinach among berries).

We also consume a lot of dried fruit. . .apples, apricots, plums, and pineapple. . .our favorite brand is Organic Made in Nature because there is absolutely nothing else added in to the ingredients. 

Cheese sticks are also a fun snack (although I realize I’m not being tremendously original here).

Banana popsicles–peel a banana, insert a popsicle stick at one end and then freeze.  My son jumps with glee when he gets one of these!

So as we get those lunches packed next week and send our little ones out the door, I hope some of these things help you to prepare quick and healthy meals and snacks for your loved ones!

Going Gluten Free

Yes, wheat allergies and gluten intolerances are real. . .for anyone struggling with the physical symptoms of such sensitivities, it can be discouraging to feel less than 100% and yet not know why or how to fix it. Some are even struggling with Celiac Disease. 

Dr. Mercola has this about the prevalence of Celiac Disease and gluten intolerances:

“Because celiac disease has been considered rare in this country, it often goes undiagnosed or is misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome or lactose intolerance.  My experience is that the true incidence is probably much higher still, perhaps on the order of 1 in 10 people.  The bulk of us however do NOT benefit from having wheat.

It is one of the primary reasons why people get sick in this country.  It is amazing how many people’s chronic health complaints clear up once they stop the wheat.  Some clinicians believe that no one can digest a protein in wheat called gliaden.”

I have been experimenting with a gluten-free diet recently and am eager to learn all I can in order to have a more healthy, productive life.  I have a long way to go in what I need to research as well as converting my diet wholly gluten-free (I am about 70/30 now as I am also going dairy and sugar free at the same time).  But for this blog, since I am learning right along with you, I will provide resources that I’ve uncovered and then the few suggestions I have and have been following, I will share as well.

First of all, how do you know you have a gluten intolerance, beyond just the fact that you are experiencing some of the symptoms in the link above?  The most reliable way I know of (and have come across) is to go gluten-free for a period of time (I’ve seen anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months) and compare your symptoms before and after.  This article here is excellent at giving you a step-by-step on how to do that and the supermarkets today are really expanding their gluten-free product options, and even putting them on sale frequently.  It is unfortunate that eating healthy also costs more financially, but having better health is priceless.  As my mother says, would you rather pay for your health now (proactive) or later (reactive)?

So as I’ve been going gluten free, I have found some good products out there that are worth trying and even keeping as a staple in your gluten free home.  You will find that a common replacement for wheat and gluten in products is brown rice, which has the added benefit of being a good source of fiber.

Rice Works–Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps

Whole Foods brand Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix–my son has never even noticed the difference between these and “restaurant” pancakes.

Barbara’s Organic Brown Rice Crisps (cereal)–I have this nearly every morning with fresh blueberries in it (and a side of protein in the form of turkey bacon or chicken sausage).

Larabar–bars that are gluten free and dairy free and made with minimal, natural ingredients.  My favorites are Cocoa Mole, Cinnamon Roll, and Coconut Cream Pie

EnviroKidz Crispy Rice Bars–my son loves the berry flavor

These are just a few products that I have in my pantry as I write this. . .I know there are many more (including some delicious chocolate chip cookies that I get from Whole Foods that are gluten and dairy free, but I cannot remember the brand name to include it here).  If you have any contributions to this list, please feel free to send them to me, and meanwhile, I’ll be on the lookout for more. 

Wild by Nature Market has an excellent page listing gluten free products by their brand and separated out by category.  Check it out here.

And if you shop at a Whole Foods in your area, here is their list for the gluten free products they carry.

The bottom line?  Do not get discouraged if you are experiencing symptoms of intolerance to gluten.  Have hope because there ARE good tasting products out there, and more every day as awareness of this health challenge grows.  There are numerous testimonies of people who have gone gluten free and experienced wonderful results and freedom from the pain, discomfort and limitations (I am one of them).

As always, be informed and stand strong!

Healthier Snack Choices

My weakness is salt.  That means that I can find the bottom of a bag of chips fairly quickly.  But if we are to eat every 2-3 hours for better health and metabolism, as experts say, how are we to do that without piling on the calories?  We need to have a wide variety of healthy snack choices from which to choose. 

I am not a naturopathic doctor.  I’m just a wife and mom that has studied nutrition enough to earn a master’s degree and then fairly promptly forgotten some of it.  But these are some of the snacks I feed my family (snacks that my 4-year old eats regularly and enjoys); nutritious choices that work in my home to feed the brain and body the protein and nutrients it needs while curbing hunger and staying away from the chips and oreos.

• Pistachios–There is almost always a bag of pistachios in our home.  They are “good fats” while being great for your blood sugar levels.  Some call them “super nutrient dense” because they are rich in eight essential nutrients.  
• Turkey (or Buffalo) Jerky (also available in sticks)–We buy Golden Valley Natural because it is preservative-free, unlike so many of these that have nitrites.
• We’ve heard it said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away?  Well, try dipping apple slices in almond butter.  I was taught that almonds are a complete protein, containing essential amino acids, and almond butter is a better health choice than peanut butter.
• Avocado–another “good fat” and incredibly healthy; full of vitamin K, potassium, and fiber (www.whfoods.org).  Mix up a little guacamole and you have yourself a tasty snack that is also great for the heart.
• Rice Dream Supreme–non-dairy ice cream made from brown rice that I have become hooked on!  (The truth is nearly all of us are lactose intolerant to varying degrees, you just may not know it.)  Be sure you get the Supreme, as the originals tend to be a little icy, whereas the Supreme is quite creamy.  My personal favorite is the Chocolate Caramel Chai.
• Brown Rice–It took a little bit of time for me to really enjoy brown rice as a snack, but once I tried it with a tablespoon or two of spaghetti sauce on there and a pinch of sea salt (not table salt), I was sold!  It feels great to actually enjoy eating something that you know is also one of the best foods for you.
• Smoothies–it’s amazing what you can hide in a smoothie and even your kids won’t notice.  My family and I live on smoothies through the summer, and inside ours, you will find a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and ground flaxseed.  Blend that together with a frozen banana, another frozen fruit of your choice, and some rice milk, and you have a refreshing and delicious snack choice.
• Dried Fruits–my son munches on organic dried apples, pineapples, mangos, apricots and prunes often.  We buy the organic ones and we make sure that the fruit is the only ingredient (no added sugar whatsoever).  I recommend this brand, Made in Nature:

Vaccines: What’s Really at Stake?

I’ve had a couple of friends over the last month ask my opinion about childhood vaccines.  They know that my husband and I chose not to vaccinate our son and they knew this decision came after hours upon hours of reading, research and prayer.  I recognize that our decision is not the most popular one.  In fact, we have faced criticism from the medical community as well as a friend or two.  Although I have done quite a bit of research on this subject, I am not an expert, and I recognize that this is a very personal and difficult decision for many parents so I will never try to force my opinion on others.  However, I think that it is only fair and right that all parents know the whole truth about what they are really being asked to put in their baby’s body.  These children are a gift from God; a blank slate on which we, as their parents, either build good health or poor health.  They have little say at this point over how healthy or how sickly they will be.  But we have much of the say.  We are ultimately responsible for them, and to God, and therefore, I think that having all of the information before making a decision so vital to their health is wise. 

Let’s begin first with vaccine ingredients.  Ask your pediatrician for the informational insert that comes with each vaccine.  This will list the ingredients in that particular vaccine.  If he or she refuses to give them to you, you may want to consider finding another doctor.  No doctor should be intimidated by a parent wanting to be informed.  My son’s doctor gave them to us.  For an online list of the ingredients, click here.  From that list, please notice some ingredients in particular: 

• Human diploid cells (lung tissue from aborted fetuses)
• Thimerisol (the toxic compound that, because of it’s mercury content, has been suspected by many as contributing to autism)
• MSG (monosodium glutamate, a food additive that is best avoided for good health)
• Formaldehyde
• Aluminum in various forms (if you recall, there is also speculation about an aluminum-Alzheimer’s link)
• Various parts from chicks, mice, and monkeys   

Ask yourself, are these “natural” ingredients or manmade additives, chemicals and toxins?  Do these sound like things you want being absorbed into your newborn’s body? 

What about the rise in the number of vaccines included in the schedule today as opposed to 25 years ago.  Generation Rescue (www.generationrescue.org) estimates it to be a 260% increase!  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there are approximately 25 shots scheduled for the first 15 months of life, and many times, a combination of these shots is administered all in one visit.  Isn’t it possible that this amount constitutes immune system overload?  Dr. Mercola, a board certified family physician who has been practicing natural medicine since 1990 says,

“By suppressing our immunity vaccines actually make more diseases available to our body.  Vaccinated children suffer more colds, ear infections, and rhinitis than unvaccinated children as a likely consequence of vaccinations.  Unvaccinated children stand a much better chance at avoiding disease, because their immune system has not been tampered with.”

I have seen this to be true in my own son’s life.  He has had no ear infections, no severe colds, has not required antibiotics since he was 6 months old, and is one of the healthiest children I know.  God knew what he was doing when he created our immune systems.  Our body works best when it is allowed to fight invaders naturally if at all possible.  When we interfere too much and too frequently with toxic ingredients, we run a risk in hindering our children’s immune systems for years to come. 

We are told by Mayo Clinic that, “vaccines help stimulate your immune system to fight off certain diseases,” but that, “a compromised immune system can’t recognize and fight off bacteria, viruses or other germs the way a healthy immune system can”.  Basic biology tells us that a baby’s immune system isn’t fully developed until they are several years old.  But then we are asked to add viruses, germs and some of the most toxic foreign invaders (see vaccine ingredients above) to our child’s admittedly immature immune system.  Am I missing something here?  It seems like a logical A+B=C to me.  To read Dr. Mercola’s full article entitled, “Vaccines Against Natural Processes,” click here. 

What about the necessity or efficacy of vaccines?  When was the last time that you heard of a major (or minor) outbreak of polio or diphtheria in the United States?  Now, the medical community would say that this is because of vaccination and that unvaccinated children could launch another life-threatening outbreak of some kind.  However, there are plenty of studies that show that these diseases were on the decline even before widespread vaccination, simple due to improvements in sanitation in developed countries (cleaner water, for example).  Dr. Robert Mendelsohn M.D., said “there is no convincing scientific evidence that mass innoculations can be credited with eliminating any childhood disease.”      

We also need to compare risks.  The CDC reports on their webpage that “approximately 30,000 VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) reports are filed annually, with 10-15% classified as serious (causing disability, hospitalization, life-threatening illness or death).”  But those who have studied vaccination and its risks (such as advocacy groups) believe vaccine side-effects to be grossly underreported.  Compare this to a U.S. News & World Report from November 2008 which says that with regards to the risk for these childhood diseases (pertussis in particular), “In 2003, 13 children in the United States died from pertussis.”  I am in no way minimizing those 13 precious children who lost their life to this disease.  What I’m hoping to call attention to, and what I hope all parents consider strongly, is the vast difference in the chance of death from childhood diseases verses the significantly higher chance of life-threatening or life-altering complications over the course of that child’s life from vaccination. 

Let’s consider a child’s overall health.  Are children healthier over the course of their life with or without vaccines?  What we need to remember is this debate is not only about measles or chicken pox, diphtheria or polio.  It’s not even solely about autism or Alzheimers.  And the more research you do, you will find that there are many parents that are convinced that vaccines are responsible for their child’s SIDS, ADHD and asthma as well.   But it goes beyond even these.  Don’t we want our children to be healthier overall, from birth through to their older age?  Don’t we want our children to suffer less colds, ear infections and allergies and grow up to be cancer-free, disease-free, healthy adults?  As Dr. Mercola says in the aforementioned article, “To give one another disease to get rid of one disease is not a fair trade.  Allopathy is pathetic medicine because causing cancer by ‘preventing’ many innocuous childhood diseases is not a fair trade-off.”  Of course, the CDC has not admitted to any link between many of these diseases and vaccines (although the courts have), but when I consider how big the money-making business of vaccines really is, I am not surprised that causal links have not made it definitively to the surface of public knowledge yet.  For example, think of how many prescription medicines have been slapped with a black-box warning years and years after they have been on the market, doing their damage.  I am not willing to take the risk with my children. 

The debate continues.  But for now, we as parents need to decide what is best for our children’s health. . .but only after we have all the information.  Pray for God’s wisdom as you research and see this process as good practice for all the tough decisions we will have to make on behalf of our children. 

For those of you who have already vaccinated your child and would like to look into a gentle detoxification for children, contact a good naturopathic doctor (N.D.) in your area, or try www.naturopathic.org and click on “Find a Doctor.”  He or she will probably do a hair analysis test to check for toxicity and then offer advice for an age-appropriate cleanse.  This can make a world of difference in eliminating vaccine chemicals and additives from your child’s system. 

For more resources:

http://www.whale.to/vaccines.html (This site includes M.D. after M.D. coming out and admitting the dangers of vaccines.)

http://www.thinktwice.com/

http://www.nvic.org/

http://www.generationrescue.org/ (Jenny McCarthy’s website–she is a strong advocate for using an alternative vaccine schedule, at the least)

http://www.informedchoice.info/ 

Vaccinations:  A Thoughtful Parent’s Guide by Aviva Jill Romm

 

Evidence of Harm:  Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic:  A Medical Controversy by David Kirby

 

 

Your Health Matters: 10 Simple Things We Can Do

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.”  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I have been convicted lately that I am not doing much lately to take care of my temple of the Holy Spirit.  It’s easy to get swept up in the daily grind of life and lose the discipline it takes to really care for ourselves.  We stop doing what we should be doing and start eating what we should not be eating.  I’m ready to return to some of the basics.  Here are 10 simple things that we can do, starting today, to make a difference in our health and to honor God with our bodies.

1.      Cut back on refined sugar.  Sugar has been shown to cause depression, feed certain types of cancer, and adversely affect digestion.  http://rheumatic.org/sugar.htm

2.      Add garlic to your diet.  Garlic is antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal.

http://articles.mercola.com//sites/articles/archive/2009/02/17/Chemists-Shed-Light-on-the-Health-Benefits-of-Garlic.aspx

3.      Invest in organic fruits and vegetables.  They taste better, are free of dangerous pesticides, and although they cost more, we can invest in our health now, or pay for it later.  A great way to clean your conventional fruits and vegetables (if you don’t want to pay the price for organic):  Soak them in a solution of apple cider vinegar and water (1/4 cup to one gallon) for 15 minutes, drain, then soak in clean, purified water for 10 minutes, then enjoy.

4.      If nothing else, drink 64 ounces of purified drinking water a day.  It goes a long way to clean your body of toxins, revive you when you are fatigued, and helps us cut back on drinking other things that are not healthy (coffee, cola).

5.      Set aside time each week to serve someone else.  Getting the focus off of ourselves not only helps our mental health, it helps our spiritual health as well.  Some great organizations to get involved with locally:

Habitat for Humanity—help build homes for others (www.habitat.org)

Salvation Army—organize a clothing drive (www.salvationarmyusa.org)

Meals on Wheels—deliver hot meals to seniors (www.mowaa.org)

6.      Forgive daily.  Unforgiveness is a poison and will cause division in your relationship with God as well as others.  It will also wreak havoc on your health.  (Matthew 6:14-15)

7.      Get 15 minutes of sunshine every day.  Vitamin D from the sun is essential to our health.

8.      Set aside time every day, no matter what it takes, to take in God’s Word, pray, and listen to God’s leading.  This will do wonders for the direction your thoughts take, as well as your actions.  God’s Word is a “lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).

9.      Add as many antioxidants to your diet as possible (blueberries, raspberries, broccoli, red grapes, spinach, tomatoes).  Oxidation is a chemical reaction that happens in cells that produces what’s called free radicals which damage cells (and cause diseases), and antioxidants naturally fight that reaction. 

10.   Take a digestive enzyme with each meal.  Many of us do not have the adequate enzymes to break down our food enough to get all the necessary nutrients from what we eat.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.  This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:5-8).

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