Let's have a Conversation: Health & Vaccine Safety

The Guardian published an article this past October (2016), which reports that " Nurses and midwives who ignore scientific evidence by promoting anti-vaccination to patients and the public [will be] cracked down on in a tough new position statement from their industry regulator. " The article goes on to urge the public to report any nurse or midwife who promotes anti-vaccination literature (even on social media) so they can face prosecution for their "offence." This is troubling news for Australian nurses and midwives. What is labeled "anti-vaccination," more often than not, is discussion about vaccine safety. Since there is science to support both sides of this discussion (a lot of it), it does not make sense to censor one side over the other, and to do so is irresponsible and dangerous .  I will never understand why a more comprehensive and unbiased approach to vaccine science and studies, and health in general, is so seldom considered in

If our goal is health, then the risks and limitations of vaccines must be considered in earnest. The argument is not truly “pro” vs. “anti” vaccine as many like to project. The “argument,” or more appropriately, the discussion, is vaccine safety, known risks, and ways to improve, which should include a more personalized approach to health. The science is not settled—there are studies that implicate vaccines as a cause of autism , and there are studies that do not. In such cases, the call for more studies on the subject is warranted—and to say otherwise is truly anti-science. Are you aware that the United States had a Eugenics program up until just after World War II? The precedent for their Eugenics stance was Compulsory Vaccinations . “They believed vaccination protected individuals and the public from disease and eugenical sterilization protected society from ‘racial degeneracy’” (Humphries, 153). U.S. eugenics poster advocating for the removal of genetic "defectives&

I wasn't going to post about this specifically, but I think it bears repeating... There was an article posted yesterday by Sarah Dillingham that depicted in detail the situation going on in the Somali immigrant group in Minnesota--the ones who have recently been affected by a Measles outbreak. The article was so well-researched and well-written that I wanted to reiterate it here on my blog. If your only source on this subject is mainstream media, give this a look to have a well-rounded perspective on the situation. I'm going to quote some things from her post, but I highly recommend going to her site to read this in full--she has links to back up her research there: http://sarahdillingham.com/wordpress/measles-and-autism-in-minnesota-false-prophets-and-real-problems/ Excerpts from the article: "Measles and Autism in Minnesota: False Prophets and Real Problems" by Sarah Dillingham, As of this writing, 51 children and 3 adults in Minnesota have come down with me

We’ve been hearing a lot in the news lately about Measles. Many people read these articles and believe they are unbiased depictions of the world around us. But, the truth is, the articles contain both fact and conjecture thrown together with a pinch of persuasion. Media knows most people only read the first paragraph, or so, before forming an opinion and moving on to the next thing. Hence this post's satirical title--just an example of how to gain attention and persuade the audience using fear (or humor... too soon?). But, seriously, it really isn't funny at all. It's disturbing and harmful, and creates enemies where friends once existed. That being said—I’m not going to go through and defend or explicate these articles, instead, I want to offer some peace of mind regarding measles and some helpful ways to support the immune system, if measles lurks its ugly head close to home.  “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understan

With so many amazing health benefits, this root truly speaks for itself! Turmeric has the ability to modulate inflammation, and when you consider that most diseases are linked to chronic systemic inflammation, that's a powerful medicinal quality to possess. In the book, Alchemy of Herbs , Rosalee de la Foret explains the medicinal properties and energetics of this powerful root: "[Turmeric] supports the body's ability to address inflammation, so it's more accurate to say that turmeric modulates inflammation than to say it is "anti-inflammatory." Instead of inhibiting fatty acids like prostaglandins, and thereby blocking the beneficial aspects of inflammation, turmeric assists the body's healing abilities in numerous ways: it increases glutathione production (important for detoxification), decreases free-radical damage, and blocks specific inflammatory enzymes " (de la Foret, 178). She goes on to say that turmeric can be used in the sa

The Immunity Education Group (non-profit) recently posted a video on how to recognize harmful vaccine reactions. It is well-worth the two and a half minute watch here: Thanks to the Immunity Education Group for this video:  http://immunityeducationgroup.org/ I think it is important to note that just because some of these reactions are considered "normal" does not equate to causing no harm. There are numerous stories of children who have suffered a range of vaccine reactions from mild to death. These cases should not be ignored in the name of the "common good." My stance will always be: where there is risk, there must be choice . Period. The federal court stated in 09-152 Bruesewitz v. Wyeth LLC (02/22/11) - Supreme Court, that vaccines are “unavoidably unsafe." With this remark they essentially determined that, yes, vaccines are unsafe--we can't help it, but they can't be improved upon, so it's ok. I find that unacceptable. If there is gre