As our child grows inside of me(which is going splendidly thus far, praise the Lord), Daniel and I discuss vaccines and what we're going to do when baby boy(yes, it's a boy!) is born. Not only does this affect the child mere moments after birth (which is when some vaccines are administered), but it also effects which pediatrician we select...or rather, which one we can go to! Apparently, if you choose not to vaccinate on the doctor's schedule, only certain doctors will accept your money and your child...like the child carries the plague or something.
I write this blog post(and many of my other posts...and many of my facebook posts) for one reason only - to educate! I am seeing an ever present trend in the medical field that is laden with deceipt, misinformation, and naivity. I have been told more than once that I'm "harsh", "judgemental", "rude", or "you will eat your words", and stuff like that...I am not here to defend my beliefs, but rather to explain another side to the life we all see every day.
I myself have needed to see a doctor a time or two...I'm rarely sick, but the few times I've needed a doctor, they've done nothing for me or my health, infact, they have usually hurt it. I nearly died while having strep throat...it wasn't the infection that nearly killed me, it was the high dosage of antibiotics prescribed. When I had issues with my cycle(issues that started AFTER I went off one of the safest bc's on the market, and that I was told, I would not have any problems getting pregnant when I stopped) I was told to go BACK ON bc to increase fertility. If I didn't go and do research, in less than normal health arenas, I may not be sitting at my desk, with a good back(long story), a healthy in-utero baby, and my tonsils still in place...and probably many other health related things that I will not address right now.
So this blog is NOT to stir up strife against the medical field, but rather, to make you think that perhaps, your doctor doesn't truly know how to fix you, or simply that they've never been educated to FIX, but rather, cover up problems. Most doctors get anywhere from 2 hours to 2 weeks of study in nutrition while in med school. That is simply deplorable! NOURISHING your body, is just not something they know how to do, more often than not. It is very important, when putting your health, or your child's, in the hands of someone else, that you are properly educated on big issues...because the doctor may not be. They are good at prescibing medications to stiffle symptoms, but not always fix the actual problem at hand. This is why I question what a doctor will say. With the internet, books, and the ability to read, much learning can be done in so many areas that may PERMANTLY affect the rest of your life. This is why I like chiropractors...they do MORE schooling than M.D.'s and a LOT more nutrition.
Vaccines are a big issue. Super super controversial. I will try to write with grace, but I have some bitterness, so please read past that. When I was small(and I was born in 86, long before the Wakefield Study in '98...I'll address that shortly)...my mother stopped getting me vaccinated for things. I had the standard set offered in the early 90's, but she told me about this fund. She explained to me that if there needs to be a fund to support people who've possibly died because of vaccines, she was going to risk the illness (mind you, I already had my biggies covered).
....giving vaccines help children right? They prevent illness and save their lives...right?????
Yes...and no....
First of all, I want to point you to the Vaccine Risk Awareness Network. Lots of stuff to learn from that site, and many heart-wrenching personal stories.
Also, there have been many studies linking allergies, ADHD, and a variety of other problems with vaccines. While a vaccine might prevent, let's say, the chicken pox (a normal, survivable, annoying week of itchy sores and a low fever), the child may develop an allergy or ADHD....which will affect the child(and you) for LIFE! Here's an article with a chart that shows vaccinated children vs. unvaccinated children: article with chart. Also, many many children(and adults) die of allergic reactions...how many of those allergies were actually caused by a vaccine, and not genetics?
The Wakefield study....*trumpets sound*...so many people read this study, were instantly convinced, then it was disproved, then everyone put full faith in vaccines again. Here's a few articles that say otherwise: article #1, article #2, article #3. A predominant problem in autistic children, is in the gut. A doctor that I follow regularly, is Dr. Jordan Rubin...one of his favorite sayings is "it's all in the gut". Your abdomen has a huge network of neural pathways so complex, it is almost like your brain. Many refer to it as your "second brain". Think about it, certain foods make you happy, some make you upset, when your tummy isn't feeling great, you're probably a bit more cranky. Here's an article from Scientific American. Also, many autistic kids benefit greatly from a detox (usually helps the gut) and/or a chelating treatment (removing heavy metals...why are there so many heavy metals in a child...they come from vaccines. Many are made without mercury these days...but they substitue aluminum, or some other toxic metal...SO, "mercury free" doesn't mean "safe"...just like "trans fat free" doesn't mean "healthy".......end parenthesis rant) Here's a helpful post about detoxing/chelating your kids from vaccines: chelating/detoxing. Some children have even REVERSED autism with treatments like this! If the gut and/or heavy metals are possibly to blame, then changing the diet can do immensely helpful things for your child. Convincing the child to eat/drink it will be the hard part. Trust me when I say, after a few days of only healthy foods, they will adjust. My mom gave me some of the grossest things when I needed them(AND absolutely did not want them...she had to reason with me, show me how to chug things to the back of my throat, etc.), and now I eat them happily when I need to(like drinking tincture of willow bark). But that carrot juice, that wasn't good the first and second time I drank it, became delish after 3 or 4 times :-).
Now, every parent makes a choice for their child. Each has risks. Hundreds of kids that get vaccinated, do not get side effects....and there's a large percentage that do! I will probably get my child vaccinated for polio, smallpox, and maybe one or two other diseases. I will spread them out! Many children are given as many as 26 SHOTS in only 2 short years of life. That's just waaay too many. Often for diseases that aren't even a problem in America, or can be cured relatively easily (like chicken pox). Many studies will say "it doesn't overload the baby's system"...."it's completely fine"....well, I disagree. The baby's immune system is still developing, changing, growing...and depending on whether you breastfeed or not, it is also receiving a set of nutrients that hopefully help, but can harm the baby. This is a toxic world we live in already, adding extra toxins and trying to "boost" their immune system so early, is just rather harsh. I know of many moms who haven't vaccinated their kids....at all...and have extremely healthy children. Even when kids in their classes at school get sick, these kids are still quite healthy. The immune system shouldn't have be told what to do for every little illness, but will respond to pathogens on its own(it should know a foreign invader when it detects it...the problem is that with a high toxin load, a bad pH in the blood, and poor nutrients-all of that comes standard with normal American diets...a story for another day; often the system sees the bad stuff(pathogen), but is ill-equiped to handle it) I am sure with all the articles already posted, you can do more research yourself. Here's an alternative schedule for vaccinations that could be helpful.
I recently heard the argument of "God and genetics"....well, that logic is flawed...a heavy person shouldn't try to loose weight because their genetics made them big and God made their metabolism slower than someone elses?! Or, we can just eat garbage because we either are healthy naturally, or we're not...and God made us that way. And that just simply isn't Biblical or logical. God is pretty clear about staying healthy and taking means to do so....educating yourself on heatlhy choices and taking care of your body is very important. Vaccines are another facet of that same thing. I definitely do not think it wise to vaccinate for curable, treatable, and preventable diseases. Modern medicine(and traditional herbal remedies that are easily accessible now) has made it very easy to get better when ill.
I hope I fairly provided another side to a complex story. I do not, in any way, judge someone for getting vaccinated(or their kids vaccinated)...it absolutely seems the best thing to do, under normal circumstances. But if you choose that risk, instead of the risk of NOT vaccinating...please know beforehand, what you're getting into. Making decisions because "the doctor says so", is very uninformed, and extremely naive. If I had just listened to the doctor, I would probably be down an organ or two...and may not be pregnant right now. I will probably get a couple vaccines for Baby H when he arrives...but not RIGHT when he arrives, and I will definitely spread them out...but I'm making that concious choice, knowing the consequences. And that's all I hope to portray here!
Do I believe that every case of autism/learning disability is because of vaccines? NO absolutely not! There are many variables and factors in those things...but IF vaccinating is a factor, I would rather leave that factor out as much as possible. Here's an interesting article about Amish NOT getting vaccines...or autism! Again, it is anecdotal evidence...but it is rather thought provoking that without modern medicines, modern machinery and technology, they live quite healthily and are often very bright children(and usually bilingual-Pennsylanvania Dutch and English!)
Sorry for the long post! I hope it empowers you to make wise choices for yourself and your family!
Love, health, and peace to all,
Becca
