Wednesday, November 12, 2014

coffee and mood swings...one year later...

One year later…

this is a very honest and "real" post...if you are uncomfortable with postpartum bodies or the word "vagina", stop reading now...


So my dear son is no longer a “baby”, but a “toddler” now…he just turned one yesterday…so I thought I would share with you some reflections from this last year as a new mom, that are relevant for me, and hopefully encourage you….or relate to you in some way…
A year ago, I sat on a hospital bed…staring at my precious boy…I couldn't believe he was finally out!  I delivered him 8 days after my due date, and after 37 hours of labor…
But I was also super disappointed.  I had planned a home-birth, and with such a long labor, and my waters breaking early on, I ended up transferred to the hospital, hooked up to Pitocin, epidural (for rest, the pain was manageable) and IV fluids…here’s a link to my birth story if you are curious…

So with my joy, came a huge mix of emotions….sorry if my thoughts are scattered…

~I am a failure…I wanted an un-medicated home-birth…that didn't happen…
~Could I have been more fit?  Maybe not gained as much weight?  I should have done more squats…
~Why wasn't I stronger!? 
~My vagina aches…I must have torn badly…did I push too hard?  Did I not stretch enough?  What          did I do wrong?! 
~I shouldn't have taken that castor oil….why didn't I just risk several more sleepless nights, sweaty                bellies, and precious kicks…
~He is such a beautiful baby…can’t believe he is our baby…we are so blessed! 
~Daniel is never going to want to have sex with me again…my belly looks awful…

^these are SERIOUSLY some of the thoughts going through my sleep deprived head at the time…many people heard these thoughts out loud…they can verify if you truly don’t believe me. 

I had AWFUL stretch marks…I made it to 25 weeks-ZERO stretch marks…then there were three little ones, right above my right hip, towards my belly button…they popped up…then the left side got the same ones a few days later…and by 41 weeks, the stretch marks had spread over the entirety of my belly, well above my belly button, and all the way down to my upper thighs…I used creams and oils…my mother and my sister had minimal stretch marks (both of them have longer torsos though…)…I thought I was going to be fine…I wasn't…I never thought that having a baby would have so drastically changed my body…and that I would have such a difficult time coping with that change…

NO ONE told me how awful postpartum body image can be…at least, not the nitty gritty awful parts…maybe I am alone in how I felt…Maybe you are feeling that way now.

I STILL do not think my body is beautiful.  I don’t think I ever will again(I didn't have great body image to start with BEFORE the baby..).  I am glad my body harbored a baby for so long, and did so well at it…and he is so perfect and such a strong baby…but did it have to make me NEVER want to see myself naked?  Or spend months fearing my husband would see me coming out of the shower?  I wore a belly support band when out in public, until that was too warm and actually made me look BIGGER…I didn't want to be seen in public without wearing the baby in front of me…fearing someone would make some remark about my size….

During my pregnancy…I had virtually EVERY woman(or at least, it felt like it…there were a few bright moments of wonderful women telling me nice things…) over the age of 35 telling me I was huge, enormous, needed to cut back my food intake, that I needed to get checked because I was too big, that I was definitely having twins, and that something, clearly, was WRONG with my pregnancy, and on and on they would go…….and these awful and hurtful comments started to roll in around 13 weeks into my pregnancy…only got worse the longer I went grocery shopping and the more often I went to church.  Yes, some of the worst comments were from friends at church.  Old ladies would stare at me going through the produce section…and those comments ricocheted around in my head those months after delivery….still do a little, as my jeans still don't fit quite the same way...

And I WAS BIG…I was at my heaviest weight at 147 before I got pregnant.  I am nearly 5’7”, so 147 is pretty large…I had a lot of muscle though, and was really healthy.  My last weigh in, I was 189!  42 pound increase!  I had pubic symphysis while pregnant, and it felt like my pelvis was “loose”…I couldn't run anymore (after 16 weeks), I couldn't even walk for long distances, sit on anything too firm, etc. without feeling like my pelvis was going to split in half and the child just flop out of me….and it was painful…like REALLY painful…so needless to say, exercise was out of the question…and chocolate ice cream was delicious!  By the end, I looked like I had the blue ribbon state fair watermelon shoved up my shirt….torpedo belly…pic of me a MONTH before I went into labor....I got bigger too:

Thankfully, Samuel was/is a great nurser!  We have been nursing wonderfully since day one…there was a tad of a scare around day 4 and 5 of his life…my milk still hadn't come in, and he was super gassy due to my over consumption of sauerkraut….long story short, I took my placenta capsules and my milk came in, and all was well by a week into nursing…I highly recommend nursing, not just because of weight loss, but bonding, health for the baby, etc.  I have not yet regretted exclusively breastfeeding this long!  I have had a few clogged ducts, sore nipples from time to time (teething, biting, and the usual soreness in the beginning!)...but overall, wonderful!!!

I lost the weight relatively quickly…by 4 months PP, I think I have 5 leftover pounds to lose…by 9 months PP, I had lost all of it, plus a couple of pounds I think…now, 1 year afterwards, I have lost all 42 pounds, plus another 11 or 12…depending on the day…54ish pounds in total…and overall I eat whatever I want…I just make sure to get enough protein and water in to my day…and try to get enough fats…I don’t really limit carbs, but try to be aware, maybe not eat 10 servings of chocolate……whoops…dropped that ball a time or 12…and I only had one short spurt of exercising…which is a long story why I stopped…

But I STILL think I look awful…yes, AWFUL…I want to wear aprons, burqas, wraps, baggy clothes, etc.   A dear friend told me yesterday that I was looking “slim” and she patted my mom belly…while I took it as a high compliment, all I could think of was “how awful did I look last week?  Or a few months ago?  Is it so obvious that I had a child last year?!”

I wouldn't let Daniel see me naked for the longest time…I would wear shape-wear as often as possible(It made me feel a lot better...I highly recommend!  The one I linked to is nice because I could wear my nursing bras with it!).  While our sex life resumed, my body image did not…to this day, I am still nervous and uncomfortable in front of him….he tells me I am beautiful, “it’s just a few stretch marks!  You look great!” etc…but it doesn't matter…these feelings are mine alone…these photos are NOT me, but it might as well be…these are very very similar to my belly(no tattoos though..)…thank you “4thtrimester bodies” and people like you…I have wept so many times viewing your photos…it made me feel a bit more normal…


Samuel also hasn't slept through the night in a freakishly long time.  He had this great spurt where 10pm to 6am he would sleep…wake at 6 – nurse, and go back down for another hour or two…it was blissful…6 weeks to about 3ish months…that was it…

There is an enormous body of conflicting evidence about everything from breastfeeding to vaccines to sippy cups…I won’t go into it, but everyone has an opinion (I have very strong ones about most of the "mommy war" topics) and there is a great need to research virtually everything about babies…there is a lot of mumbo jumbo accepted things that happen to babies with no science behind them…baby carriers, baby cereal at 4 months or earlier for “sleep”, vit k shot, eye ointment, etc…So please do enormous amounts of research if possible….and its your kid...make it possible...and for most things, after the first one, you've already done the research :)  As always, feel free to message me or leave a comment if you have questions :)  And yes, this is all part of being a new momma/pappa!

Now, our wonderful child goes to bed around 10 or 11 pm, and wakes up every 3 hours or less…emphasis on less…and wants to nurse MOST of those times…he also doesn't like sleeping alone anymore (which we did from the beginning!  He had a cradle next to my side of the bed since birth!)…and we cram him into our double bed lately…and those of you who know my husband, know he is a big guy…and those of you who know me, know I am a notorious bed hog…Samuel is big like his daddy, and a bed hog like me…he literally almost kicked me out of bed the other morning….this part of parenting is awesome…<sarcasm….. Daniel and I have taken shifts trying to get him to sleep….Daniel will stay up late with him, and I will wake up as needed….some nights, we pray for daylight…it gets rough, ugly, and very very real…you single parents out there, major respect to you…I don’t know how you are alive right now…I am going to a sleep class hosted by a local mom and midwife…hoping to glean some helpful information…some days I feel like death steam rolled me…we have "tried everything" from limiting naps, waking him up earlier, Daniel tending to him instead of me, etc. etc....notice all my dot dot dots?  That's cause I'm sleep deprived, yet again...   ...

Samuel hates his car seat…always has…still does…for probably his first 2 months, he would scream every.single.time. we drove ANYWHERE.  He has excellent motor skills and coordination as well…even as a new born…and we would swoop in to put his pacifier in, and he’d “paint the fence” – karate kid style (if you have not seen the original karate kid, you MUST find a clip on you tube on this…this is iconic 80’s history and important for all livelihood…) and knock the paci clear across the car-room-cradle-crib-vessel of restraint…so traveling has been less than fun a lot of the time.  He is much better now, but even last night…all the way home from church volleyball league, he fussed to some extent…so there’s that…

But on the whole…he’s delightful…I am ridiculously blessed with such a perfect and healthy baby…nearly 2 years ago, I wrote a very awfulpost about my discontentment with life, and how I would never be pregnant…nearly 3 weeks pregnant…just didn't know it yet…I thank Jesus for my son…and Daniel and I love being parents 99% of the time.  He’s a great child and God TRULY blessed us. 

Parenting is a lot of sleepless nights, mood swings, coffee and attitude…fun, joy, love, and remembering that as a Child of God, He views me the way I view my son…only like a thousand times more…and I appreciate His love and patience with me, even more than I did before….

Momma out,
Becca H.


Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Health Rant #7- Idolatry in the Church...and her name is Western Medicine...


Idolatry in the church is a thing often talked about…rarely confronted… 

Sometimes, a pastor will talk about how we might idolize a person – Bill Gates, Billy Graham, Brad Pitt, etc.

Or a thing – TV, Facebook, Twitter, your sweet ride, the coolest pad ever, that super gadget you had to have, etc…

Or even a time – “high school was the best!” “That time when we did _____ was sooooo great…wish things were like that still” “Way back when, my life was great, I hate my life now…”

But there is still a greater idol, no one ever touches – Western Medicine…and she is extremely prevalent in the Church.

There. I said it.  Every good pastor and professor I have EVER had ALWAYS said to question them…to explore the Bible for myself to make sure I agreed or disagreed with them, to re-read that textbook, scour a journal, and come to my own conclusion.  I have been educated and taught by many doctors of theology, doctors of education, doctor this and doctor that.  ALL of them expected me to do research and come to my own conclusion….
some of my professors had multiple doctorates, some were so intelligent that I felt intellectually dwarfed and resembled that of an imbecile. 

...But then there are medical doctors.  No, they are the exception to the rule of “question me”. (I am speaking generally.  I know many good doctors, open to questioning, who are humble, and not claiming omniscience.)    The 4 extra years of med school they spent learning…the extra time they spent in hospitals and clinics for internships and residency has made them the exception to the rule….the god of Western Medicine has spoken…and her prophet is an M.D.  I am clearly incapable of being close to/or as knowledgeable, intelligent, or decisive as a doctor.  I am not saying this to be disrespectful.  I KNOW they work hard, spend many a sleepless night wandering a hospital hallway to the next patient, pour over textbooks, etc.  The issue is that they are above questioning –by the media, American culture, and worst of all, Christians.  Doctors are above reason and the ultimate authority in regards to your body....with or without evidence...   

In the Church, generally speaking:

·         We don’t believe that macro-evolution is a proven fact beyond all questioning…

·          We don’t believe that abortion is ok, because we see it as a life from conception….

·         We don’t believe that the earth is billions of years old (depending on your origin “science”)…

·         Anthropomorphic global warming is not a thing – humans MIGHT contribute to some climate change, but certainly not all of it…even though doctors, newspapers, and America says so…

·         We don’t believe that sex before marriage is acceptable, according to the Word.

·         We don’t believe that the government is the highest form of authority in our lives.

·         We believe a man named Jesus Christ, was God incarnate, and will save us from eternal death in hell…

 

^^^All of that above, is contrary to modern science currently thought by doctors and mainstream culture.  And I am sure I could find more examples of contrary thought in the church to both science and culture….
But the second your doctor tells you to take antibiotics, you rush to the nearest pharmacy…before they even know you have a bacterial infection….

And a woman has a hormonal imbalance…they recommend a hysterectomy, because surely removing a hormonal organ will fix everything…but when that doesn’t work…they remove the ovaries…when the hormonal balance is only worse, because the woman is now is an abrupt version of menopause, they use hormone replacement therapy….and maybe look at removing the thyroid too….

And the doctor telling you that your newborn baby, that has no immune system, needs to be injected with a toxin slurry to “protect” him from a sexually transmitted disease, you willingly hand over your precious baby…

And the doctor that tells you that you cholesterol is “too high”, based on a faulty chart…with a faulty blood test(there are different types of LDL, only one is “dangerous”), and puts you on statins(which do WAY more harm than good)…you don’t blink an eye….

 

 

 

Now, I am NOT saying to never trust your doctors and nurses, or that you should never take medication…but so many people blindly follow them, without ever thinking that perhaps the doctor is guessing?  Relying on tradition?  Or maybe the doctor has been educated by a poor methodology, based in an archaic and obsolete theory?  Or that the “science” behind the treatment they are prescribing was only briefly tested, by the very pharmaceutical company who sells it, and the treatment might cause more harm than good?

If your life isn’t in imminent risk of death, maybe it would be best to take an hour or two, and browse the internet…research the treatment, the diagnosis, the cause, and alternative cures…  

I wish I had researched more, before I took those antibiotics years ago….

…because I almost died from them.

No…..you can’t…. you can't and don’t question the doctor, and those that do, are called “anti-science”.   Many doctors that are even questioned just become big bullies and force you into the treatment they are prescribing…clearly, humility is not a doctor’s strong suit…

I am sorry, but science is 100% questioning.  Something doesn’t always fit, so perhaps we try a new way.  Why does this work this way?  Is this the best option?  Are there other more efficient ways to do this?  Are there safer ways? Cheaper ways?  Etc….THAT IS SCIENCE. 

So please, don’t call me anti-science, for not worshiping Western Medicine and listening to her prophets all of the time.

And perhaps, it would be a bit more popular to worship Medicine if it weren’t to flawed and corrupt!  Ex. 1950’s – Smoking doesn’t cause cancer… 1960’s - thalidomide is safe…1970’s – cholesterol causes heart disease…1980’s – thimerosal is safe in vaccines…1990’s – GMO’s will save the world from starvation    I think you get the point…

Now, many of those things aren’t exclusive  - not all people who smoke get cancer, thalidomide caused birth defects in tens of thousands of babies, but not 100% of them, cholesterol does NOT cause heart disease, but can be something dangerous in excess (like, only eating butter for like every meal…moderation is key people…) thimerosal has been proven as dangerous, causing neurological damage in some, but not all, children receiving vaccines with that ingredient (p.s. it is still in vaccines, just not as many) and thus far, GMO’s haven’t been saving the world from starvation, and many farms have been put out of business by GMO commercial farming…which has done nothing for agriculture, food supply, diversity of plants, etc…and the pesticides used on most GMO’s are wreaking havoc on the land they are used on, as well the bodies they are ingested by…

So forgive me for not worshipping Western Medicine…clearly she has a squeaky clean record…

…oh wait…

So why do we blindly follow doctors, who don’t look for the cause of your health problem, only treat the symptom?  (I.e. - "Take Tylenol for your headache" instead of "let me look at your neck and back, they might be tight causing a headache").  Doctors rarely get the full story either.  What if you don't know your family's medical history?  Or the doctor didn't pay attention to it!  (My mom has anaphylaxis and my dad has tons of other allergies....). We go to a doctor expecting to get fixed, like sending our Kia to the shop for a new muffler...but what we did was send in a Mitsubishi, to a Land Rover mechanic...he may know nothing about the Mitsubishi, and might have to fiddle around with it.  Don't think sometimes your doctor does that too....makes educated guesses before coming to the conclusion that there is nothing wrong with the muffler, but the gasoline you are using, or the spark plugs are corroded...

“when diet is wrong, medicine is of no use.  When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.” – Ayurvedic Proverb

Call me crazy, but most of the problems in health care today, is that it has nothing to do with health, but treatment of symptoms.

Traditional Chinese doctors were rewarded for preventing disease, and punished for allowing their patients to get sick. Western Medicine is only rewarded if there are sick patients to cure. If no one got sick, most of our health care industry would quickly go out of business.” – Acupuncture.com “Chinese Medicine is Preventative Medicine”.

So it is hard to follow a prophet whose livelihood is based in my sickness…whether or not the doctor sees it that way…this is how Western Medicine is!  The doctor may not have a clue how awful the medication is, because the pharmaceutical rep told him it was great, Doc makes a profit off of selling the med, and the patient will be cured right?  Often the doctor doesn’t even know how to diagnose or treat the problem properly…they are just trained via textbooks printed by pharmaceutical companies…and bought by them too…(pediatricians are given a bonus for every fully vaccinated kid in their practice…no conflict of interest, right?)

When I took antibiotics, all those years ago…over 7 years now…almost 8…I had strep throat…it wasn’t even that serious, but I needed to keep going to class, and hopefully not spread it to someone else (flawed germ theory motivating me – keep reading) and my roommate was kindly encouraging me to do so, cause I would “feel so much better”.  The doctor asked me nothing about my medical history.  He gave me a huge prescription of augmentin, which is largely synthetic penicillin – amoxicillin.     Within 8 days, I broke out in a head to toe rash, by the time we realized the severity, I was in the ER, and the doctor said I had one of the worst reactions he had ever seen.  He told me if I had finished that day’s prescription (one pill left for the day) I would have been in anaphylactic shock and died.  I knew a home remedy I had used for years for apple cider vinegar with strep.  That is what I always used for sore throats…but my stressed out, senior in college, self couldn’t find it at the local grocery store, and didn’t know about the local health food store (which had it, I found out only weeks later)  Had I just asked around…googled health food store…I would never have developed the allergy.  Now, I have to be super careful about getting any kind of antibiotics.  I often have reactions to milk that has residual antibiotics in it…if I just put in a little more effort….

The whole “science” behind antibiotics and vaccines itself is flawed…it is founded upon the principles of Pasteur…who fashioned “germ theory”…which, in his day of early 1800's, wasn’t all that crazy of a thought: (p.s. he later recanted germ theory when he was near death, but it had already taken hold)

·         people are sterile

·         germs make people sick

·         you need specific antibodies for every pathogen in order to survive it or weather it easily. 

We know that humans are NOT sterile.  We have a ratio of 1:10 human:non-human cells IN and ON our body….we know it as the microbiome.  We need the microbiome for health.  It contributes to ~70% of the immune system, a good portion of digestion and absorption of nutrients, proper metabolism and weight, and has been theorized to be as individual as each person’s genetic makeup – meaning, the individual assortment and quantity of the organisms in your microbiome, may be unique to you only.  Your immediate family likely has a similar microbiome “fingerprint” but not exactly the same.

·         ^You are not a sterile being.  You are choc-full of bacteria, fungi, etc.

Germs” may or may not make you sick.  I have been around a lot of sick people, and not gotten sick.  Did I not get enough “germs”?  Did I not get coughed on, drooled on, sneezed on, pooed on enough?  Or perhaps, just perhaps, my immune system - my personal “environment” is not very habitable by most “germs”.  Your body is fully capable of fighting “germs” is has never met before.  It does this ALL.DAY.LONG.  Everytime you go to the grocery store, shopping mall, church, and work, you are probably hit with a variety of “germs” you never met before…and likely, you do not succumb to illness each time.  You would die very quickly if that happened-if each “germ” burdened your immune system every time you met it.  If your “environment” is healthy and stable, the “germ” won’t survive.  You do not become sick.  Don’t blame the germ for your sickness, search your body for possible causes – stress, poor nourishment, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, etc. – or a wide array of combinations of these factors.  Also worth noting, just because you got sick, that doesn’t mean it is a bad thing!  It means your immune system knows that something is growing rapidly and it isn’t supposed to be.  So it fights it, often with fever, ejection of fluids (i.e. runny nose, vomit, diarrhea, frequent urination).  And good thing too!  I would rather be sick every once in a blue moon, than not.  Also, when you get a fever, you aren’t just killing one “germ”, or germ colony, you are probably killing several, possibly different ones.  It is like a good “cleaning” on your system.  This is one of the many reasons it is bad to stifle a fever, as long as it is within “healthy” norms.  This can be as high as 104-105 in babies and children (and I have heard of children in the 106 range with no brain damage), and 103-104 in adults.  Is it sometimes painful?  Annoying?  Frustrating?  A good thing?  “Yes” to all of the aforementioned J

·         ^A measly little germ did not make you sick, your body allowed the proliferation of an organism/pathogegn, resulting in sickness.

You don’t actually need specific antibodies for specific diseases.  This flies blatantly in the face of vaccines, which were originally designed by Pasteur, just in case you forgot.  Often, antibodies for viruses are present after significant exposure to a virus…not necessarily illness from that virus.  It is well known that 95% ofpeople who contract polio never show any symptoms.  They are considered “asymptomatic”.  They never became ill, never vaccinated, and yet, are immune to polio and have antibodies for that virus.  I am acquainted with many people who have unvaccinated children, who, when they have their titers checked, have antibodies for a variety of diseases that the child was never diagnosed for or sick with.  It is called natural acquired immunity.  These unvaccinated children have measles titers, polio titers, rubella titers, etc.  Their bodies were exposed to these viruses at some point in their lives, and their bodies fought with well, and never became ill.  The virus never gained ground on their immune systems.  Antibodies are the result of the exposure and immunity.  Just because one has antibodies via vaccination, does not mean they are immune, because the rest of their immune system (microbiome and mucosal membranes = ~70%) was not exposed, just their blood was, and vaccines were once thought to offer lifelong immunity, same as contracting the disease or natural acquired immunity, and this has been found to not be true, as thousands upon thousands of individuals are contracting diseases they were previously vaccinated for.  There are even some cases where their sero-antibody count was confirmed high enough for “immunity” and the person STILL fell ill with the disease.  Antibody count is not indicative of immunity.  It is typically the result of immunity through natural processes (true natural immunity or illness), vaccination does not always, and often ever, result in immunity.  

·         ^You do not need pathogen-specific antibodies for protection from disease.

So this is getting long winded, as usual, at this point. 
Do I think it is sinful to vaccinate?  Or to follow your doctor?  - no, I do not. 

Do I think it is unwise to vaccinate?  Or unwise to simply take the doctor’s prescription without research?   Absolutely.  Always.  I don’t care what the medical situation is that you are facing, I will always think it unwise to vaccinate, based on the extensive research I have done.  See my other vaccine blogs – First big one and second one .  As to other meds, I think you should ALWAYS go with caution.  Learn every risk you can...thoroughly discuss with your doctor the need for the medication!  There is often a natural, little to no side effect, alternative remedy that will work just as well, if not better…and probably cheaper also.

Here are some reasons I feel this way:

1.       Some vaccines contain aborted fetal cells.  This is a fact!  You can read any doctor or science___.com blog you want, but the ingredient list from the CDC and the vaccine manufacturers tell you this clearly.  Children are a gift from God, and two children were murdered in the womb, and pharmaceutical companies are making billions of dollars on that.  Their cell’s line is continually used for decades…if that isn’t disgusting to you, you need to reevaluate the morality behind this issue. 
Helpful chart -



2.       The Bible often mentions keeping the blood “pure” and being holy.  Injecting known neurotoxins, aborted fetal cells (known to be mutagenic), other animal cells(carcinogenic and mutagenic), deactivated viruses and bacteria, etc. is NOT keeping the blood pure.  It is tainting it…a lot.  Christians are called to be holy and set apart from the things of this world.  And God says His ways are not our ways too... 

3.       God says to trust Him in all things.  Clearly, when you vaccinate, you do NOT trust Him with your health.  Sarai didn't have faith, gave her servant to her husband to be a baby maker, and the resulting conflict, between Ishmael and Isaac is still in action today.  You are trying to bypass the perfect the system God already put in place to protect us - breastfeeding through infancy and natural, healing foods and sunshine after...  The Jews lived for hundreds of years without vaccinations, or dramatic death rates.  They remained healthy in very unhealthy times.  We have modern medicine, nutrients galore, multivitamins, Amazon.com….hospitals mere minutes away…In more modern times, Japanese often live a long time...as well as some Greeks and jungle dwelling tribes.  Many of these people either grew up without vaccines, or are in isolated areas with no modern medicine. 

4.       Vaccines come with great risk…probably a lot more than you realize.  MANY children die from vaccines each year…most of them are labeled “SIDS”…By avoiding those diseases (many of which are of low risk, likely not to happen, or actually beneficial) you are giving your child a whole different risk.  Many are life threatening….vaccines aren’t tested for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, as well as impairment of fertility.  If your child survives the vaccines, they may contract cancer, or a wide variety of other health problems that may be incurable, that may alter the outcome of their life, or shorten it...  There have been no measles deaths in America in over ten years….ponder that before you get your child’s MMR vaccine…

5.       You have altered your child.  Not just cosmetically, like controversial circumcision or ear piercing.  The child God gave you, you have changed genetically, likely before you even really knew them.  You may have had a flu shot while pregnant, and that comes with its own list of toxins that DO cross the placenta to the baby.  There is a study showing that it is likely that vaccines, rather the viruses in them, may both give and take genetic material from YOUR cells, your CHILD’S cells….only God knows what will happen in those cases. (Kumar S, Miller LK, Effects of serial passage of Autographa Californica Nuclear polyhedrosis virus in cell culture, Virus Research, 1987; 7:335- 349.)  Again, vaccines aren’t tested for mutagenic potential…I feel like that should not be allowed - to have so little testing on long term effects, as they are injected and impossible to remove.

6.       Pharmaceutical companies and the CDC lie.  As previously stated long above this, medical “truth” changes.  Vaccines have only been in heavy use for about 20 years.  30 years ago, only 7, I repeat SEVEN shots before COLLEGE, of only 7 diseases.  The common baby gets 30 shots (of 28 different pathogens) by the time they are…wait for it…a year and a half old.  And that number grows as they age, and new vaccines are made.  So the whole “vaccines save countless lives” falls pretty short, when “disease” has not been a problem in a few generations.  See chart above in decrease in mortality rates.

7.       You want to cling to your science, but vaccines don’t actually do that.  They are not tested against a true placebo.  One of the first things I learned in biochem and biotech, was to test against a placebo or a control…something with known outcomes.  So if we were testing a specific chemical, we would test against water, or saline solution (which is a salt water).   Imagine my surprise when I find out that vaccines aren’t tested against placebos, but OTHER VACCINES.  SO when you read the outcomes that x number of children had ____ reaction in the vaccine group.  And x children had ____ reaction in the placebo.  There should be ZERO reactions in the placebo group.  I repeat, zero.  Because they are the control.  NOTHING should happen to them, except pain in the injection site and maybe sensitivity.  In the rotavirus testing, which was done by the manufacturer, Merck – who has a long list of court cases for their lies, they tested the rotavirus vaccine and the equivalent placebo….which I assumed was sugar water….it wasn’t...it was a "comparator"...meaning, another rotavirus vaccine...to "compare" to...  There were actually several cases of intussusception in the “control” group.  So, vaccines are not, in and of themselves, scientifically sound.  WHAT?!  Why in the world would they do that…because it is on the premise that “vaccines are safe, therefore, count as the placebo” or some such crap like that.  That is circular reasoning…it is fallacious in nature, and should not be allowed with something so dire as vaccines. 

8.       No immune system has ever been stronger for avoiding disease and pathogens.  Dirty kids are often healthy kids.  And I mean dirt literally.  Not feces, but good, wholesome, garden dirt…play ground dirt…it is pretty clear, America has transitioned to “too clean”.  We bathe our kids straight out of the womb, and don’t stop for anything!  As weird as this sounds, I don’t actually bathe my son that much- once or twice a week.  Never used sanitizer on him either…or antibiotic soap…or me in like years… And he’s kinda ridiculously healthy…not avoiding bacteria and the outdoors….*sigh*…trying to be squeaky clean hasn’t done us any favors.  Hygiene is important, please don’t misunderstand…I do shower daily…with soap and shampoo like everyone else.  But there is such a thing as too clean also.  Same with vaccines.  It is currently the thought that children don't even have a fully developed immune system till at least 12 years old, and very little before 1 year old.  So vaccinating before at least 2 years old is almost pointless, as their immune systems are shifting so much anyways, and can hardly form an immune response properly, let alone to toxic injections.  And again, with antibiotics that are often given to children anytime they show any signs of sickness, when they often have a viral fever, that will pass in a day or two… but the over-anxious mother, who has NOT researched, runs for the antibiotics doc prescribed….Doc made money, got the mother to go away, and she got what she thinks she needed….when it may make things worse in the long run.  I have a friend whose son still can’t poop properly from antibiotics given for a low grade, viral fever….he is on miralax and has been for months.  I realize this doesn’t seem like a big deal, but no healthy child or baby should be permanently on any kind of medication for basic body functions when they are deemed “healthy”….healthy babies poop properly and without medication.  His fever didn’t go down from the antibiotics, the fever subsided on its own within a day…the child had roseola – a common baby/childhood illness….fever with a rash afterwards….

So there’s that…

I know this is a harsh blog…but

“Your body is a temple”….treat it as such!  You have been given a functioning working body…the temple got the upmost care in the Bible…you should be just as careful with your’s and your children’s.  God was ever so specific about what type of gold, what the curtains looked like, even WHO was to make the things, etc…be that careful with yourselves and who you allow to treat you!

 

It is sinful and ungodly to mix blood with animals in Luke 13:1.  Don’t think that aborted fetal cells, bovine serum, etc. don’t count as “blood” from sacrificed animals.  These animals and babies were killed for no other reason than vaccines…sacrificed on the alter of Medicine. 

God tells us not to be frightened time and again…and to fear not…to boldly do many things…why not also in health?  We vaccinate for fear…plain and simple.  You have vaccinated your child because you feared the “enemy” – disease.  Is it not God who protects us ultimately?  I am not saying go drink water with poo in it….and be foolish…but don’t vaccinate only because you fear the disease.  And see my second researched vaccine blog – I outline the diseases and the vaccines toward the middle of the blog.  It is a quick reference for info about the diseases especially, and may relieve fears.  Either way, the science behind vaccines is so sketchy, and so many vaccinated people still get the disease....I don't think I would put faith in vaccines, even if I had no faith in God...

God designed the immune system…we are altering God’s design with vaccines,  and often antibiotics…. Do we really think ourselves so smart as to "fix" the immune system with vaccines?  Perhaps a baby's immune system is perfect the way it is? 

...And we are altering the immune system from birth because of the hep B vaccine and often the use of antibiotics during birth!  I won’t touch on the other ideas just now.  I hate seeing this happen.  We don’t know the full extent of vaccines…we know they are having a terrible effect on our pets, with the ever rising behavioral problems and rates of cancer…our children are having a “correlational” effect with vaccines….We are not even questioning the need for these vaccines.  Some of you reading this might delay or select certain ones….I can promise you, the disease, either isn’t that bad, or isn’t a problem, or your child won’t ever be exposed to it. And if your baby contracts a disease that there is a vaccine for, or has a serious reaction, there is no guarantee that wouldn't have happened anyways.  Or, because you are healthy, it will pass easily, and will be an afterthought as part of your life….  When doctors tell you that your child is going to die without vaccines…he forgets to tell you they might die because of them…
                I am not also saying that preventing disease is a bad thing....there are safe, natural ways to do so.  I am also not saying to never use antibiotics...they have done and currently do save many a life....but be careful, and go cautiously...a cold or mild fever is not a good reason for antibiotics...and most up to date doctors would agree.  (P.s. There are antibiotics in vaccines!)
               So I am begging you, stop worshipping Western Medicine, ridiculing unbelievers, and blindly following doctors without evidentiary support...try to think through the idolatrous culture so very prevalent...of exalting Western Medicine above God's design...putting man's methods and "science" above logic and God's guidelines for health...

                  We so firmly stand on the premise that all children are fearfully and wonderfully made...and yet, never put our "money on that"...we cut off their blood flow immediately upon exiting, we scrub them down till their fresh skin is pink, antibiotic their eyes even without any evidence for infection, inject them with chemicals in the name of "vitamins"...and then another injection of deactivated viruses and more poison....just to get the ball rolling on their health...doesn't sound like you actually believe that they are wonderfully made after all.

                    God made wonderful babies and wonderful boobies to feed them...this system was designed by God...no, humans haven't done it better yet...

Know better, do better!

In health,
Becca H.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Your father smelt of elderberries...and didn't need a flu shot?

          To my dearest readers,
        It is ever pressing that the darkness of flu season is approaching...children are back in school, they have become the breeding grounds of all illness, convening daily for a ritualistic growing campaign for the ever demonized "flu"...

         Last flu season*2013*, one of the "worst ever", (note: doesn't it seem like EVERY year is the "worst ever"...:-\  Don't buy into the hype...), passed seamlessly for my family.  My mom and closest friend BOTH got some funky, whammy of a bug.  I saw my mom during said "bug", I was unaffected, as well as my infant son and husband...However, I heard a few awful stories of people who died of the "flu" last year.  It sounded super scary...it really did....and I am sure, for some, it really was!

Until I looked for information on this...
            A. it wasn't always confirmed it was actually the FLU, influenza VIRUS (antibiotics do not work on the true flu, as the flu is viral, and antibiotics work on bacteria, not viruses...if your doctor doesn't check for viral or bacterial, and prescribed you an antibiotic, go with caution.  An antibiotic will make things MUCH worse if it is a virus, and either way, will leave your body open to another infection.  I believe that antibiotics should really be used in life-threatening situations ONLY, with extreme caution...I have other suggestions in this blog, for immune boosting, healthy alternatives!)...almost every disease presents with some common "flu-like symptoms".  Fever, aches, chills, etc...pretty much every disease can fall under that category at some point during the illness...
            B.  No case history was given of these people's medical history...that's a huge privacy issue.  BUT the media labeled them "healthy and young" almost always...but, unless that reported has seen medical records, examined the post mortem body, and is a doctor...oh, and is acquainted with them personally, I highly doubt that "healthy and young" is anything more than an opinion, stated as fact. 
            C.  It was always noted when they didn't receive a flu shot.  Emphasis was often placed on this "fact" (which I still think is a violation of HIPPA), and again, just an opinion.  Did the reporter know 100% that these deceased didn't get a flu shot?  How can they speak with authority on that AND release that information?  How about the deaths from the flu, in people who DID receive the flu shot?
            D.  Personal observation - I had NEVER seen such a push for the flu shot, as I did last year, in all my life.  I would go to my local Target, Walmart, Publix (grocery store), etc. and saw posters, signs, stickers on name tags, etc. to stay well - get your flu shot.  Multiple signs outside of every pharmacy - GET YOUR FLU SHOTS HERE!  It felt like a barrage of flu shot propaganda to stay healthy via injection of toxins and deactivated viruses.

         I don't think C. and D. are unrelated...there is a huge push in modern America for vaccines.  Even in "unbiased" journalism.  Whether or not you are for or against vaccines, is unimportant.  The issue I have is the misinformation on the matter, and what can we do instead. And from anecdotal issues, I know MANY people who ended up MUCH sicker for having the shot...a friend who is a hospital volunteer comes to mind - she got her flu shot, didn't know that there were any risks at all, thought it was required...  Her asthma flared up to the point she had to go back on to regular steroid use.  She became extremely ill for about 4 months - missed weeks of school (and volunteering), lost a bunch of weight (not that she was overweight) due to not eating well and loss of appetite, and just had issue after issue.  I talked with her about the illness (no mention of the shot) and she said "I got the flu shot and everything went downhill.  Next year I am going to decline because I never want to be this sick again!  I have felt awful for months now.  I hate being like this!"  < maybe this was all a coincidence...maybe not.

          Now, here are some stats on the flu shot:
 1.  It is NOT tested on pregnant women for efficacy (if it will work or not) OR SAFETY! 
"Safety and effectiveness of Fluzone Quadrivalent have not been established in pregnant women or children less than 6 months of age." (source: FDA)

"Safety and effectiveness of AFLURIA have not been established in pregnant women or nursing mothers" (source: FDA

"Safety and effectiveness of FluMist Quadrivalent have not been established in pregnant women, nursing mothers, geriatric adults, or children less than 2 years of age." (source: FDA)

"Safety and effectiveness of FLULAVAL have not been established in pregnant women or nursing mothers." (source: FDA)

Infact, there is an increased risk of miscarriage if you get the flu vaccine while pregnant. Also, if it isn't safe for under six months, how is it safe for a fetus?   No, it isn't listed on the package inserts, because they haven't been tested for safety...see where I am going with this? 

Find your package insert here if you are curious!


2.  The flu shot is about 50% effective according to the CDC...and 1% effective in independent tests...and then that efficacy varies depending on what age group you are in.  <2 years old, there is no evidence that the shot is beneficial at all.  And it is becoming commonplace to recommend 2 shots a year!  If you are over 65, there is no evidence that it is helpful then either...and there have been no efficacy tests on the high dose version, that is always promoted to seniors. 
"Data demonstrating a decrease in influenza disease after vaccination with Fluzone High-Dose are not available." (source: FDA)  
So the high dose, "more effective", vaccine is merely marketed as such, not actually proven to be.
"If an individual has had 5 consecutive flu shots between 1970 and 1980 (the years studied) his/her chances of getting Alzheimer's Disease is 10 times higher than if he/she had one, 2 or no shots. " - Hugh Fudenberg, MD...just stuff to consider...

And while most flu vaccines contain inactivated viruses (note: it is not a dead virus!  Viruses aren't technically alive, therefore, cannot die..only be inactivated...) and there is some evidence that dormant, or inactivated viruses can reactivate.  It is still under investigation, but it is wise to not jump the gun on injecting viruses.

Here's plenty more from scientific journals about flu vaccine and side effects:

A recent one from British Medical Journal showing the error of injecting flu virus.

Vaccinated are more likely to spread flu in their breath.

Healthy people have died from this vaccine also.  You can google that information for yourself :)

OK, so I have harped on a sore issue for a long time...now onto the prevention part!

FLU PREVENTION!  (these are all safe while pregnant, under your doctor or midwife's supervision.  I took almost all of these at some point while pregnant - using a good brand is important, and this whole post isn't intended to treat or diagnose any illness.  Always talk to your healthcare provider, especially when pregnant!)

1.  Vit D3 - This study shows that Vit D supplementation helps with flu prevention, specifically in school age children.  Personally, since I have started taking Vit D semi-regularly, I have not gotten the flu.  Now, you hate pills, or your child doesn't like taking pills or won't/can't, there is a convenient spray option, that actually tastes good!  Harvard Health attributes Vit D (and a few other vitamins, including vitamin C) to better health...so overall, it isn't going to hurt to probably take a little extra.  You can always have your Vit D. levels tested as well.  (also, this is safe while pregnant.  I took nearly 10,000 IU's while pregnant!  And didn't get sick even once!)

2.  Vit C - There is some evidence that Vit C can help kill cancer, it prevents scurvy, and help with a variety of other things.  It really is a wonderful thing, especially when sick.  Clearly, this is a good idea when you are ill.  Here's a good one:  Vit C supplement  (Also, safe while pregnant in reasonable doses, especially the brand I referenced, because it is in whole food form, not isolate)  Vit C is also used in natural whooping cough treatment - and I know many people who have used it successfully, on infants, with no antibiotics.  Very safe and effective! 



3.  Colloidal Silver - this is highly debated.  I won't put tons of info on this, but anecdotally, people claim this to be a wonderful option for all sorts of ailments.  I don't have any myself, but I wouldn't be opposed to buying it.  It is really hard for this to be toxic(really large quantities would have to be ingested), so there isn't much risk...the debate is if there is any benefit.  I leave it to you to research this one and make that choice for yourself.  (Use caution when pregnant!)

4.  Elderberry - Studies show that this is excellent for the immune system.  Hands DOWN!  The beauty of this little berry is that it is safe for pregnant women (in moderate amounts, as with anything natural or pharmaceutical, just because it is 'safe' doesn't mean it should be consumed in excess...food, in general, is safe too...and water...but excess of either is no longer safe)  Sometimes it is made with sugar, honey, or stevia.  If you are pregnant, keep in mind, that honey MAY have botulism (super rare, but tread with caution...I ate  raw eggs, honey, etc. while pregnant, but it was a risk I knew I was taking...and just because honey is pasteurized, doesn't make it safer than raw honey.  Raw honey actually kills botulism...the problem is the spores.  They CAN survive in raw honey.  So don't feed your infants raw honey is you are worried - infants should only be having breastmilk anyways, till 6 months old(or formula if that is what you use).  A developed adult gut can handle the spores, and shouldn't pose a problem....anyways, I digress...)  Elderberry is a great, safe way to boost the immune system.  It is also easy to make yourself!  It doesn't take long, and one batch last me quite a while, and I was able to give some away as well!  You can purchase elderberry kits or syrup(if you are local) directly from me, at None of Your Beeswax!  You also can buy elderberry syrup, already made, at most drug stores - please try to brew your own, or buy from a local brewer - much better taste and quality.

5.  Echinacea - another hotly debated immune helper.  There are MANY ways and parts of the plant to take this - tea, capsule, leaves, flower, root, extract, etc.  So, finding any TRUE studies comparing this, is hard, because there are so many ways, and different parts, and then there's the subjectivity of the individuals studied, conflicts of interest, etc.  Anecdotally, I have used this countless times for colds/flu, even as a small child.  My husband and I usually take it via tea (Traditional Medicinals brand).  The best part of that is that it tastes good for a medicinal tea, like a minty tea, and it is readily available at Walmart, Publix, Vitamin Shoppe, health food stores, Target, etc.  The extract has been shown to be quite potent also.  Most health food and natural stores should carry this.  You would dilute it in water and drink it quickly.  The benefit to the extract is that is gets in your blood stream quickly.  Echinacea is so cheap and handy, I always have some in the house, sick or not, just incase.  This is also safe while pregnant.
 
6.  Apple Cider Vinegar - Bragg's brand is the best...that needed to be stated first!  I have used this for sore throats, UTI's, flu and colds galore!  There are many home remedies that use this.  I personally find that if I am feeling even slightly under the weather, I drink a glass with about 2 tbsp. of vinegar, some raw honey, a big ole dump of organic cinnamon, and I usually never "get" what was coming...  This is again, safe for pregnant women (see the honey blurb in #4 - Echinacea).  I used this if I ever felt a sore throat, headache, or "bleh" feeling while pregnant...worked like a charm.  I was never actually sick my entire 41 weeks of pregnancy.  This is also cheap and useful, so I always have it in the house.  It is also readily available through Publix, Walmart, health food stores (if your health food store DOESN'T have this, it is in the wrong category of stores), and I think Target also has it...**Edt:  many places now carry raw, organic "with the mother" apple cider vinegar - all the brands I have tried seem to be on par with Bragg's!

7.  Essential oils - I use DoTERRA and Mountain Rose Herbs brand.  The ones that help with flu symptoms are Oregano, On Guard, Breathe (for congestion mainly), Purify (use it in the air in the "sick rooms"), and Frankincense.  There is a lot of debate what is safe to use with infants and children.  I have used On Guard, Breathe, and peppermint on Samuel, and "purified" the room he would sleep in before he was in it, even under 6 months old.  There is a lot of debate on this one too, so research it yourself.  I know dozens of people who have used them safely from birth to old age.  It is important to dilute in a safe carrier oil if you choose this route, and know that some EO's cause respiratory issues in infants or children...or CAN cause them would be a better way of putting it.  With my family, they have only helped us become healthier, and I just love them...and I really think they have made "natural parenting" so much easier, even with the cost!


Now...what if you already have the "flu", cold or have a fever...what should help with it?

A.  Bone broth - you make this from the bones of good animals, in a crock pot, kettle, or the likes, for a very long time.  The nourishment comes from the bones, but needs to be cooked a good long while to render that nourishment.  The whole idea that chicken soup is good for you while sick is actually true.  But the standard chicken soup from the STORE is not the same thing...you need to make your own stock for the benefits, as most commercial stocks do not take this time and effort!  One big batch lasts me a LOOONG time!  And it is great to cook with too!  Here's an easy recipe!  (Safe while pregnant)

B.  Willow bark - willow bark is wonderful!  It is the natural Tylenol in this unnatural world!  It is fascinating because it has been used by Native Americans for hundreds of years, and is wonderful for headaches and fever.  Now, it does NOT taste good!  It is bitter as all get out...My mom, wonderful natural lady she is, didn't really like many things about Tylenol when we were kids, so she used this for our fevers more often than not.(Turns out, Tylenol is really awful for infants and children...it is bad for adults, but at least we know what we are doing to ourselves, and can properly express what we are feeling.) She would put a good squirt of extract in a little glass, with water, and make us drink it down super quick.  Then, she would give us some tasty orange juice to make it worth our while.  You can mix the extract in juices or teas if that makes it easier to take down :). I have never had the tea form of willow bark, only capsules or extract.  From personal experience, the extract seems to work better on both Daniel and I.  I am sure the tea would yield similar results. 
(generally safe while pregnant!  Certainly safer than the recommended Tylenol!)

(Capsules don't often work as well, because the herb basically has to digest and nutrients to eventually come out, all in the short time it is in your body...and if your body is sick, it may not be sending as much energy to the digestive tract, and therefore, not absorbing as many nutrients...teas and extracts already have a lot of those nutrients readily available, and I think are just more effective at treating these issues.  That being said, they don't often taste good...) 



 C. Essential oils - these help with recovery as well as prevention, see above, #7 :)  (mostly safe while pregnant, depending on the oil)

D. Wet sock therapy - I have a natural momma friend who SWEARS by this method!   Note: I would not do this while pregnant.  Changing body temps drastically isn't great to do while pregnant(especially warming up), and would only do this if my midwife approved. 

E.  Teas - I drink a variety of teas when I am sick...Echinacea tea (see above #5), green tea for its cleansing effects, antioxidants, and mild caffeine (keeps me going to the bathroom and a bit of energy!), chamomile is always wonderful, especially if you are having trouble sleeping or stomach upset.  This one has chamomile and lavender, so it is great, especially if you or the child is suffering with anxiety while not feeling well.  If making tea makes you stay hydrated by drinking more fluids better, then please do that.  (generally safe while pregnant!)

F.  Water, water, water!  It is so very important to stay hydrated, so as to fuel your body with the means to remove the waste, as well as transport important nutrients through the body.  I don't love to drink water when sick, so I typically do "shots" of apple cider vinegar and water, and drink lots of teas, mainly herbal...see above - E.  (safe while pregnant)

G.  Juice - if you are going to drink juice while sick, it is best that it is fresh juice, meaning, juiced in your house.  Ginger is great while sick (strong though, keep that in mind), orange juice is great for you while sick too, because of the vit C and dose of healthy sugars for readily available fuel, but most store bought OJ is so processed and altered, most of the vit C is damaged or reduced, so it is not a good source of Vit C anymore, despite claims on the bottle.  Air, light, heat, etc. all change and denature the Vit C, so it is best to have it fresh, and as minimally processed :)  Keep in mind, sugar hurts the immune system to some extent, so if you can get your vit C without getting sugar, that is the best course of action.  (safe while pregnant)

H.  Sleep - this may be the best thing ever while sick...of course, mommas have a hard time with this, when littles are about.  SO good luck...  If you have no children, and are sick, and able to call out of work, consider yourself blessed and sleep for the rest of us!  (safe, and recommended while pregnant :) )


So that is it, I think...if you made it this far, congrats.  Sorry if I am long winded in this, and many other blog posts, but I want to be thorough! 

Here's to health, wellness, and no flu shots,

Becca H.

P.S. Here is some caution on Tamiflu and why not to use it!
P.P.S my favorite article on fevers and Tylenol.