Monday, August 4, 2014

My top ten things a natural momma should have!

When I became pregnant, I was already very "naturally" minded.  I was raised naturally minded, so I had a really good foundation for directing where I wanted to go with pregnancy, childbirth, health choices for infancy and childhood, etc.  Yes, I am still learning and adjusting what is ideological and what is practical, and every family has their own balance.  Through my long journey as a "neo-hippie" as I like to call myself, and my much shorter time as a "crunchy momma", I wanted to share somethings that I use all the time, for a variety of uses, that I think people might like to know about for the sake of taking similar journeys!  :D  I want products that I use often to be safe for my children, pets, and husband to get into, and not get  hurt :)  I also want them to be as affordable as possible...but have high value, lots of uses, etc.  So here's my list...

1.  Coconut oil!  I know that some people are allergic, but generally, it is highly UN-allergenic.  It is also widely available too!  Walmart has Spectrum brand, I believe Target has at least one kind, and local grocery stores have it also.  My BJ's Wholesale and Sam's Club both have raw organic coconut oil for decent prices!  It is NOT the best and highest quality, but it is doable...I like doable.  Tropical Traditions has GREAT coconut oil...one of the best brands...and they often have sales.  So if you have the capital to invest in bulk coconut oil, this is a great option :)  (note- coconut oil is OFTEN solid at room temperature and white in color.  It becomes clearish when it is liquid...sometimes, depending on temperature of the room, it might be a mix of solid and liquid.  This is all normal...do not worry about it :)  )
 
 
    Things I use coconut oil for:  cooking, skin care (for me and baby-even as a newborn), toothpaste, deodorant, first aid care, diaper rashes, carrier oil for essential oils, etc.
 
 
2.  Dr. Bronner's liquid soap!   I LOVE this soap...clean ingredients, very affordable, I can get it at my Target and my health food store.




Things I use Dr. Bronner's soap for - body wash(for Samuel especially as a newborn), hand soap, in a foamer with essential oils for a face cleanser, laundry and dish detergent, mixing with essential oils for a cleaner, an emulsifier for mixing essential oils with water (for spraying them on something)...and the list could go on...
 
3.  Medicinal teas, and especially, echinacea tea.  I have been drinking echinacea tea basically ever since I could remember when I was sick.  It actually tastes good (slightly minty?), and helps to stimulate the immune system and help recover when sick. My family has personally used this with great success.  Here's a good article to jumpstart your research on this if you are curious - echinacea article. There are several flavors by the brand Traditional Medicinals, and my favorite is the one with elderberry, which also has immune boosting properties.  This particular brand of teas is available at Walmart, Target, health food stores, many grocery stores etc...natural medicine isn't always hard to procure :)  This brand has MANY different teas for a variety of things...I've tried at least half a dozen of their teas and they have always worked great for me!  They have my endorsement! 
 
4.  Good vitamins!  I often get questions about vitamins!  I am a big believer in a good vitamin goes a long way.  I also think that food doesn't contain as many nutrients as it used to, and many of us do not eat a nutrient dense diet, for a variety of reasons (cost, availability, insanely busy with life, etc.) so having a good supplement will definitely help with your health.  I personally LOVE the Garden of Life brand of vitamins.  They are whole food, minimally processed, usually organic...they are just a great brand of products above and beyond, and extremely affordable.  Are there many good brands of vitamins on the market?  Yes...can you get good vitamins from multi-level-marketing(MLM) companies like Essante Organics, doTERRA, Usana, etc?  Yup!  But they aren't typically priced as affordably...and even some of those big MLM don't have whole food vitamins, or have a lower quality form of certain components in the vitamins.  So, for the money, availability, practicality, and quality - Garden of Life is your best bet!  Health food stores have this brand readily available.  They also have great meal supplements too!  Right now, I am taking their Kind Organics line of a one-a-day multi.  I took their RAW line of prenatals(next baby, I will probably use the Kind line...it is relatively new, and I love that it is all organic!).  I have used their Vit C, Vit D3, Vit K2, etc....it is really a great resource to know you can get affordable vitamins and know they work!  (Local people, Paradise Health and Nutrition has the best price on this line of vitamins.  Period.  I have only found better prices when Vitamin Shoppe has it 50% off or BOGO...which is rare)


 


5.  Essential oils!  I don't want to get involved in the debate of the brands - Young Living vs. doTERRA vs. Aura Cacia vs. ______ brand.  It isn't a war I like to participate in.  I personally have chosen doTERRA for a variety of reasons that you may ask me about.  They, however, do not have every kind of oil that I may or may not want.  For different oils that I would like, or a different blend (Although, doTERRA's blends are WONDERFUL!) I use Ananda Apothecary or Mountain Rose Herbs.  I can honestly say, doTERRA's On Guard (immune blend), Breathe (for respiratory issues - great for allergies and the sniffles!), Balance blend, etc. have done wonderful things for me.  Elevation blend even got me out of a postpartum depression-esk funk.  Essential oils have made my life way easier in so so many ways...very thankful for them!  I do ask that you do not use them without due care.  They can be very strong, cause harsh reactions, etc.  But they are generally safe for SOME kind of use from newborn to elderly...and I am more than willing to help educate and there are tons of helpful resources online as well! 



6.  Bragg's apple cider vinegar!  This is not a joke.  Vinegar is an essential part of my home.  Specifically Bragg's brand.   This has helped me personally with sore/strep throats, food poisoning, UTI's, cleaning, general stomach pain/indigestion, headaches, cleaning, etc...it is really a gem in my house.  I think every natural house should have a big 'ole bottle and make sure you don't run out.  My local grocery store, Walmart, health food store, etc. has this wonderful item!  Also, it is very affordable.  Go.buy.this.now.


7.  Baking soda.  I buy this at my BJ's Wholesale in a giant bag.  I clean my cloth diapers, carpets, stainless steel pots and pans, glassware, toilets, sinks, showers, etc. with baking soda.  Not usually exclusively...but it is a great aid.  I often pair doTERRA's On Guard cleaner concentrate with it.  Works like a charm!  I also bake and cook with it.  There is also a concept of nutritive value in it with some people simply lacking in bicarbonate, or the baking soda able to help certain ailments.  Also, it is very affordable to have around. 


8.  A diffuser.   Diffusers are great for humidifiers, air purifiers, diffusing wonderful essential oils into the air, and then the wonderful benefits of those being inhaled.  I LOVE my diffusers!  The important part of getting one is getting one that is safe for essential oils - usually ultrasonic is the way to go.  They typically range in price from 25$ to higher heights of 200$+.  They are way safer than the scented candle/scented outlet plug-in/ugly gel thing thats sits on the back of the toilet/potpourri in a bowl-options...those things are full of chemicals, dangerous to eat or rub on the skin, and don't actually help clean the air...they also give my father and I headaches and other allergic issues, so we're not fans...and I may be a bit bitter...but that is for a different story :)



 
9.  Nose Frida!  This seems like a silly thing...a snot sucker...but for the child that will not blow their nose and the infant that doesn't know how, this is great.  It isn't very versatile...it has kind of one function.  But it works great!!!  And I don't know any child that doesn't end up with a stuffy nose or runny nose at one time or another.  Got mine at Target, Amazon has it too!  LOVE :)


 
 
10.  Natural healing books.  There are many great books on the market...if the internet were to go down (or electricity) and you have limited resources, having a good hard copy resource to help you through a health situation would be great.  Here are many books that are great resources...Barnes and Noble, Walmart, Amazon, etc. have many of these...while I am a fan of electronic books for the sake of space, I think there is a reason for a hard copy book.  I have several of the ones pictured, from sales at Barnes and Noble, gifts from friends and family...so I have a small natural library started at this point :)  My mom used many of these with us when we were kids...even helpful stuff for pets in them! 


 
 
Feel free to add you own natural favorites in the comments section!!! :D
 
P.S. - feel free to message me to ask questions of me too!  If I don't have a good answer for you, I will definitely try to find one!



Monday, June 2, 2014

Health Rant #6 - a vaccination sequel....

Greetings readers!  Here is a sequel  to my vaccine blog post from several weeks ago.  I wanted to write something that covers the diseases that are commonly vaccinated for, but also address what disease is, and the importance and function(or what we know of it) of the microbiome.  Antibiotics get covered a bit…this post is a bit all over the place…but I feel like all of the info is necessary to understand the point…which, overall, is that vaccines aren’t necessary for good health and wellness.
First, pull up the cdc1,2 vaccine schedule(adults’ is the 2nd one, but I’ll be following the child’s for the sake of this post).   I want to make something very clear…anything can kill you.  Walking across the street, any variety of disease, driving in a car, drinking a glass of water, and food (in excess, or poisoning from it).  So as we carry on in this post, keep in mind what “disease” means – according to Merriam Webster – disease: “an illness that affects a person, animal, or plant : a condition that prevents the body or mind from working normally.”3 And then there’s the medical definition – disease: “an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions, is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms, and is a response to environmental factors (as malnutrition, industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective agents (as worms, bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects of the organism (as genetic anomalies), or to combinations of these factors.”3  “Disease” doesn’t necessarily mean “germs”…or obviously “sick”….it is an impairment of the normal state of the living animal.  So every time you have diarrhea, a cough, runny nose, etc. you are technically “diseased”, because your normal state is impaired.  A chronic disease is one that lasts 3 months or more(i.e. diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome,  eczema, etc.).  Diseases are everywhere.  They happen all the time.  The best thing we can do, is try to arm our defenses – our immune system, to handle the pathogens.  (Definition of pathogen: “a specific causative agent (as a bacterium or virus) of disease” 4)  There are hundreds and thousands of pathogens.  Some we are bombarded with daily…some not so much. 

About the microbiome - the bacterial cells in and on our body, that help us in ways we are still discovering,  that outnumber human cells ten to one!  Sometimes, we encounter “germs” that make us sick(they overtake our immune system, bringing on disease), some protect us, while others seem to have no effects at all.  When we take antibiotics, we disrupt the normal functions of the microbiome.  Some of those protective bacteria die off, making an opening for other forms of disease, like asthma and allergies6.  The microbiome has also been shown to play a role in absorbing and rejecting nutrients and as well!  You can’t just eat vitamins and assume that your body is using them.  Often they just become very expensive urine and feces, because your body and microbiome aren’t functioning correctly.7 This is often seen as a person who is often sick, or “under the weather”…they might be eating some nutritious foods, and not able to absorb the nutrients…even obesity can be linked with your microbiome!  If I can make one thing clear, I want this to be heard, loud and clear- your microbiome is extremely important.  Your body isn’t absorbing the nutrients in the food, and is in something of a starvation mode, and therefore, you don’t burn the fat you should be.  Or, you are storing what few calories you take in, because your body thinks it is in a famine.8 The microbiome is literally tied to almost everything in health right now.  http://chriskresser.com/ is a great resource for scientifically based, alternative medicine, with lots and lots of research about the microbiome!  We need to love on those bacteria keeping us alive, not keep killing them off.  I highly encourage you to research this.  It is relatively new in science, only the last 10 years or so J
How does one get a well-developed microbiome?  It seems important for warding off disease (normal state being impaired – i.e. illness, weight gain, allergies, etc.).  Well, there are several steps to having a good microbiome.  Ideally, a healthy pre-natal period(no use of antibiotics…or at the very least, the use of good probiotics after the use of antibiotics)…a vaginal, antibiotic-free birth, exclusively breastfeeding for at least 6 months, eating fermented foods (kefir, yogurt, real pickles/sauerkraut/pickled foods/raw dairy products(only from trustworthy sources), etc.)9,10  So I am not saying never use antibiotics, but go with caution, and know that antibiotics are regularly fed/injected into conventionally raised animals.  So you ARE getting antibiotics through conventional milk, meats, fish, cheeses, etc.  Organic is definitely a better option…best option is to know your farmer J. Now, some of us can't control what our mothers did or not do, and we don't often have those details.  So encouraging a good microbiome through fermented foods, specific starches and fiber, and a good probiotic supplement is so important if we really want to have a healthy gut....many a nutritionist will tell you, "it all begins in the gut!"  Chris Kresser, Jordan Rubin, Weston Price, and most up to date alternative health practitioners will emphasize how important the microbiome is to good health...we have a symbiotic relationship with billions of cells living in and on us...they help us and we feed them...

So, we have covered disease, pathogen, and microbiome.  Let us continue. 

A good microbiome and in turn, immune system, will ward off disease.  It doesn’t have to be exposed to it more than once to do so11.  Basically, your T-cells can identify a foreign pathogen when it enters your system through the normal routes(nose, skin, eyes, mouth, etc.).  You don’t have to have an antibody for that specific pathogen.  The story of vaccines tells you that antibody = immunity.  And that vaccines = antibody = immunity.  And this is simply not true.  Toxins impair the immune system, making it difficult to ward off disease, even if you have been exposed before.12  Stress, lack of nutrition, lack of sleep, etc. all hurt the body ultimately.  There are a few diseases that get a bad reputation, because they CAN be bad, or they are "vaccine preventable"…but I tend to think that the vaccine alternative for the disease is worse than getting the disease itself(and that the vaccine doesn’t protect you as much as it is promised to).  Vaccine efficacy depends on the microbiome13.  Yes, you read that correctly, your gut needs to be in good shape for the vaccine to work best.  Essentially, if you decide to vaccinate or not, it all comes back to the microbiome being the main source of defense for your body’s overall health.  Antibody titers(how much antibody you’ve produced to recognize a particular pathogen) don’t mean immunity, vaccines don’t mean immunity14…it is nearly a guessing game of who is “immune” or not.  Therefore, it is simply better to be healthy, in my humble opinion.  Especially, since there is a lot of evidence to support that vaccines hurt the microbiome because of the antibiotics contained in them(plus, we aren't entirely sure how they do or do not respond to the toxins.  If vaccines aren't tested for carcinogenic properties, they certainly aren't tested for microbiome effects!)!  There is some evidence that the toxins in vaccines hurt the body more than help it.  So let’s delve into the diseases that are “vaccine preventable” and see what they are, how to prevent them, how to treat them, and what is associated with the vaccine! (and if they are actually scary at all!)  Let us start at the beginning of the CDC schedule and work through the first 18 years OR SO(I will not be covering the flu vaccine, meningitis, or HPV – if you have questions about those, please contact me privately, and I’d be happy to answer any questions J )  None of the information I present is intended to treat or diagnose a person or illness.
Note:  SIDS is higher in countries that vaccinate heavily(like the USA)45..  You cannot vaccinate away disease without proper nourishment, water, sleep, good living conditions, etc.  Also, as I was writing this post, and I read through the package inserts.  I would have to double check, but pretty much all of them that I can recall, said pretty clearly: “_______vaccine has not been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential or impairment of fertility”…so before you go an assume they’ve been tested extensively, and are super safe, keep that statement in mind.  The vaccine has NOT been thoroughly tested.   Virtually every, if not every single, insert said that statement.  Also, main causes of death in babies and children in the US are genetic problems, accidents, SIDS, and cancer.  3 of those 4 main causes could be linked to vaccines, but no one wants to test it too thoroughly…they might not be linked at all…but it would be nice to test for those things, before injecting them into a person’s body.

Birth:

Hep B –  According to the WHO15, it is a virus.  It hurts the liver, which can become inflamed.  It is transmitted by blood(from mother to baby, contaminated injections-usually drugs, and sexual contact).  The most common treatment of it is rest, drinking fluids, and eating well.  It normally resolves itself without any medication.  Sometimes, children CAN get a chronic infection – this is rare.  Also, look at the risk factors…generally speaking, most children have a nearly 0% chance of getting Hep B.  And since it rarely requires medication, I wouldn’t be too concerned.  Since it is a virus that attacks the liver, things like milk thistle and lemon essential oil with a cleansing tea, like Echinacea would be excellent in helping to fight the infection while supporting the liver. 
The Hep B vaccine has aluminum, yeast protein, formaldehyde, and a bunch of other toxic ingredients, in addition to the inactive hep b virus.  It takes at least 3 doses to be effective, the immunity will wear off by the time the child is sexually active-(excluding extreme circumstances), and the last dose administered between 6-18 months old1.   There is no evidence yet, that vaccinated babies retain their “immunity” into adulthood.16  The risks of the vaccine include death, fevers over 100 degrees, vomiting, influenza, nausea, multiple sclerosis, febrile seizures, Bell’s Palsy, encephalitis, eczema, lupus, and the list continues.17
So we have a rare disease, that doesn’t normally need medication vs. a vaccine that hasn’t been shown to be effective for babies that has possible, proven side effects of death, brain damage(encephalitis), seizures, and MS…

I find this vaccine to be unnecessary for my family and potentially dangerous.

 2 months:

Hep B- (see birth)

Rotovirus – It is “a leading cause of severe diarrheal disease”- basically, smelly diarrhea.   It is unclear how it is spread.  Pretty much every child gets it at some point, by the time they are 3 years old.  It is rarely life threatening.  Dehydration is the most common side effect.  5% of deaths under the age of 5 years old, are due to rotovirus.  And 95% of rotovirus deaths are in Asia and Africa – where malnourishment and living conditions are severe. 

                The vaccine doesn’t work well in breastfed babies, it is now recommended you STOP breastfeeding for 2 or 3 DAYS to let the vaccine work better18…yeah, stupid right?   Not only is it REALLY bad for the breastfeeding mom, it is bad for the baby also.  The vaccine is a live virus, so if the breastfed baby fights the live virus so well in the vaccine, it would also fight it well if it came across it naturally.  If you are nursing, this vaccine is completely unnecessary.  If you are formula feeding, I would still say this is unnecessary…because it is diarrhea, not the bubonic plague.  Stay hydrated, change those smelly diapers, and get on with life. 
Side effects of the rotovirus vaccine19 – diarrhea (yes, the vaccine can and does cause the thing it is meant to prevent), vomiting, irritability (like babies need extra doses of THAT!) otitis media (fancy way of saying chronic ear infections, intussusception (an extremely painful, and potentially life threatening bowel disfunction, often requiring surgery), seizures, etc…..  No – possible rotovirus diarrhea vs. possible chronic ear infection and possible permanent bowel problems ….I’ll risk possible rotovirus, and breastfeed.  Rotovirus is also very treatable through a variety of methods.  Generally, it resolves itself in 3 to 9 days, and the vaccine has only been around since 2006 – a total of 8 years(it is for infants only – under 32 weeks of age).  No current adult has been vaccinated for it in infancy, nor did our parents fear us dying from it. 
With proper nourishment, this is a completely normal, easy, disease to go through…and seeing as how the vaccine can cause the disease, because it is a live virus vaccine, and the side effects CAN be quite severe. 

                       I find this vaccine to be unnecessary for my family and potentially dangerous.

DTaP –We need to break this one down further:
              Diphtheria-this disease is NO JOKE!  The rates of death from it are pretty high…as much as 20% in children, and 10% in adults.  However, it is rarely contracted.  Only 5 cases in the last 10 years, according to the CDC20.   A healthy baby is not going to contract it because it isn’t prevalent…it is sickly, impoverished, overcrowded populations that suffer from this disease.  There are antitoxins that are able to treat this also.  Generally, it is “flu like symptoms” though.
                Tetanus-Also no joke!  It is typically in fecal matter of farm animals, it doesn’t live in the presence of oxygen, and it produces excitotoxins that are neurotoxins.  An antitoxin can treat it, and the tetanus immunoglobin is an effective way to prevent it, if you have been contaminated.  The circumstances for contamination are a deep puncture wound, with fecal matter in it, and the wound doesn’t bleed (bleeding shows an oxygenated environment which the tetanus bacteria cannot live in).  You can clean it out with peroxide to oxygenate it also.  You can’t “catch” it from someone.  Tetanus still happens in America, but with basic first aid, and if necessary, a tetanus immunoglobin, you should be fine.  Again, if you do get it, it can be treated with antitoxin also.
                acellular Pertussis – aP J  “whooping cough”, “hundred day cough”….we’ve all heard the horror stories.  Infact, the DTaP shot is the only way to prevent it….so they say.  It is caused by the pertussis bacteria, and it lives in the throat, and has a “whoop” sound after the cough.  It CAN be dangerous, left untreated, because you can cough so much that you don’t have time to breathe.  You can vomit you cough so hard…it can be really rough…or it can be nothing more than a cold with an annoying cough. 
               As far as treatment for pertussis.  The media and CDC say that the vaccine is the ONLY way to prevent it.  Infact, it has a 100% transmission rate.  If you have never had the vaccine, and never had whooping cough, you will get it if you are exposed.  But there is a little discrepancy about the “never had the vaccine” part.  The vaccine has been shown to be completely ineffective.  Infact, the more “immune” you become to it, the more likely you are to GET it!  42% MORE LIKELY!21 And here’s some stats on a recent outbreak in Vermont.22    If you look up those numbers, you’ll see, that people who don’t get the vaccine get WC…and kids who’ve had 5 and 6 doses of the vaccine, still get WC…   Now, I’m not saying this to diminish the seriousness of this disease.  Babies DO die from whooping cough.  But generally, a healthy, breastfed baby will survive it just fine.  There are steroid treatments that the Western medical field would prescribe if your baby/child contracted whooping cough.  Or, you can go with the natural, safer, and more effective route of high doses of vit c.  I know I know…trust a vitamin INSTEAD of a “proven” technique of steroids or antibiotics?  Well, yes.  That is what I’m suggesting.  Dr. Suzanna Humphries has set up and established a vit c protocol for whooping cough, and I know people, who have infants, who had whooping cough, and have treated it effectively, quickly, and safely with this method.23 Another option is antibiotics, because it is the pertussis bacteria that cause the disease, but as previously shown in the section on the microbiome, you really want to avoid antibiotics at all costs.  Also, something a bit upsetting about the DTaP vaccine, is that you can become an asymptomatic carrier of pertussis and actually end up giving it to other people without knowing it.  Since the vaccine offers no protection, you can give it to other vaccinated and unvaccinated people.24   Also, getting the vaccine ENHANCES the chances of a parapertussis infection.25  Best article on whooping cough and the recent outbreaks all with cdc and medical journal citations!
            Now, the problems with the DTaP shot on the whole – It has been linked with SIDS and Autism…on the package insert.  In the clinical trials, the Tripedia vaccine of DTaP CAUSED autism and SIDS…but that vaccine isn’t used…anymore.  So who knows how many cases of SIDS and autism during its use were causes by this “needed” shot.  Here is the Tripedia insert26.  Please keep in mind, the FDA allowed something this harsh on the market.  As to the regular DTaP vaccine commonly administered to babies NOW, side effects include: encephalopathy (brain swelling, leading to brain damage), SIDS, fever, Guillain Barre Syndrome, seizures, etc.27  I’m sorry…SIDS is still listed…so trying to avoid a severe cough, you may not only give your child a shot to “protect” them, which may in turn, cause them to be more likely to get parapertussis, and might cause them to spread pertussis more readily…but it may also kill them through SIDS.  Here’s the ingredients - Aluminum Hydroxide, Bovine Extract, Formaldehyde or Formalin, Glutaraldhyde, 2-Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 80. 28 (all ingredients to any of the vaccines can be found at the #28 reference.

I find this vaccine to be unnecessary, extremely hazardous, and potentially life threatening.

HiB – Haemophilus influenza – it is a bacteria that can cause pneumonia, meningitis, and illness of that nature.  It is typically treated by antibiotics.  The bacteria often live in/on the human body without any problems.  Sometimes, they can cause infection.   It is typically contracted by children under the age of 5.  
              This is a highly toxic shot.  It is also somewhat new to the CDC schedule(1988- before I was born, so I’m calling it “new”).  Most 80’s babies and prior didn’t get this vaccine.  HiB deaths were also extremely rare.  My mother didn’t fear me getting HiB and dying.  “In 1995, out of 74 Hib disease cases where age and vaccination status were known, 41 or 55 percent had received at least one Hib shot; 22 were appropriately vaccinated for their age; and 18 had completed the primary series."”29 - not worth it to me. Another study showed 38% of the 164 cases in 3 years were “true vaccine failures”.30  What stands out to me is that there were only 164 cases in 3 years.  Another point, 43 of those were true vaccine failures.  So in the 3 year where there were literally, billions of people living and dying in the US, only 164 cases of HiB?  Is this really a big danger?  HiB is really rare as far as diseases go, in my opinion, and 18 out of 74 cases (nearly 1/3), were fully vaxed…..doesn’t sound very effective to me.  And considering how many people are fully vaccinated for it, and still get it, I just question why I need to give it to my infant, especially when it is so rare.  Some of the ingredients, depending on the brand include formaldehyde, thimerasol, ammonium, aluminum, formalin….31   Side effects of the HiB vaccine – most of them are mild- fever, pain, etc…the “normal” side effects…however, there has been a link between this specific vaccine, and type 1 diabetes32.  This is very alarming, especially considering how many children are diagnosed with diabetes in today’s world.  Diabetes effects sooo many things in life, and increases risks for just about every other life threatening issue, this doesn’t seem worth the risk.  So few cases of HiB actually happen these days, and many of the ones that do, are fully vaccinated, type 1 diabetes is just not something that I’m willing to risk.  I’m even delaying my child from eating a diet with any grains until he is 18 months old, why would I risk his healthy diet with a shot that really doesn’t guarantee protection and has such a life altering side effect. 

I find this vaccine to be unnecessary for my family and potentially dangerous

PCV- This is the pneumococcal series…it might expose the baby to 7 or 13 strains of this bacteria, depending on the specific brand.  It is extremely new to the CDC schedule(2010).   It is supposed to protect you from varieties of strep bacteria that could lead to pneumonia and the like.  It is treated with antibiotics, if it gets treated at all.
Here are some of the side effects - Bronchiolitis, pneumonia, UTI, acute gastroenteritis, asthma, aspiration, breath holding, influenza, inguinal hernia repair, viral syndrome, URI, croup, thrush, wheezing, choking, SIDS, conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, colic, colitis, congestive heart failure, roseola, sepsis. 34
                Ingredients – ammonium, aluminum, polysorbate 80, etc.31  I think I’ll take my chances without this vaccine.   I survived just fine without it, infact, I don’t think I ever even had a sick visit to the doctor my entire childhood.  My mom treated everything I ever had at home.  A healthy child, that gets sick from time to time, will most likely recover from just about anything.  An immunocompromised person will have a lot more of a struggle with illness, which is why it is important they stay healthy…but this vaccine doesn’t ensure that your child will be more healthy than the unvaccinated person…infact, I think just the opposite…the toxins in this vaccine compromise the immune system…not help it.  I think I would reinforce with herbs, essential oils, and probiotics if my child were at serious risk of contracting something, either these diseases, or something else. 

I find this vaccine to be unnecessary for my family and potentially dangerous.

IPV – inactivated polio vaccine. Duh, why NOT vax for polio!? Because, according to the CDC, 95% of polio cases have no symptoms at all. Because it isn’t deadly almost ever. Because the vaccine doesn’t actually prevent polio effectively….I had polio as a teen…3 days I was sick…yup, it was pretty painful…but it was 3 days…I drank tea, watched Disney classic movies, and ate soup :-P My unvaxed mom and vaxed sister did not get any symptoms, and my vaxed father DID get symptoms a few weeks later. Neither one of us have had any complications…we also haven’t gotten it again. Polio is a big scary word, and not a big deal…and seeing as how the vaccine didn’t protect my father and I, and the disease didn’t attack my unvaxed mom, I am not worried again, 95% off all people who “get polio” have ZERO symptoms, or are called asymptomatic.  There is a super small chance that your child could get paralytic polio.  It is more common in foreign countries with tainted water supply.  However, this vaccine has had very limited efficacy.  I know we all think we “erradiacted” polio in the US.  Unfortunately, it was renamed shortly after the vaccine didn’t work so well.  It “hides” under new names like aseptic meningitis, Gullain Barre Syndrome, Bell’s palsy, etc.  These things would have all been considered “polio” in the 40’s.  But after the vaccine was introduced, all these new labels came out.  And polio was already on a huge decline before Salk and Sabin’s vaccines came out.  The polio craze was largely a result of the depression and poor living/working conditions.33  The ingredients are pretty awful for this vaccine…formaldehyde, antibiotics, vero cells, etc.31  And the side effects are – myalgia, anaphylactic shock, febrile convulsions, anorexia, etc. 35 

I find this vaccine to be just plain unnecessary for my family, ineffective, and potentially dangerous.

 That is the 2 month schedule. Repeat that for 4 and 6 months, basically anyways. Hep B is given at 6, not 4. And at 6, start adding in the flu shot. That becomes yearly now. Also, some docs think that babies should get it twice a year for several years…because one just might not be enough.

At 12 or 15 months:
MMR – measles, mumps, and rubella (german measles).  Let’s break these all down. These are all super scary words…
 Measles- is from a virus and presents, often, as a fever or a cold, with a rash.   In the natural remedy world, it is often treated with extra vit a…it seems to help a lot.  Cod liver oil, spinach, carrots, etc. are all rich in vit A.   Infact, it helps to prevent measles deaths.36   Once again, we see a vitamin very effective with a disease, making is much less scary.  My mom and pretty much everyone of her generation got the measles, without any fright.  The Brady Bunch did an episode about the measles, and it was quite funny.  The media of the 70’s, versus the media now, are 2 completely different stories.  We hear  in the 70’s – annoying rash, fever, have to stay home, very contagious, no big deal.  We hear nowadays – killer disease, horrible rash, blindness, super contagious, needs immediate medical attention, extremely big deal!!!  Is it annoying?  Yup!  Is it life threatening??  Extremely unlikely.  The mortality rate BEFORE the vaccine came out was 3 in 10 million….basically a zero percent chance(depending on how mang significant figures you use) of dying from the measles. 
Mumps – this also presents as a “flu like” illness, but with some swollen glands.  There is a SMALL risk of sterility in males from the mumps (there needs to be a few factors present, which you are welcome to research.  As a mother of a son, I’m not worried and I’ve done enough research for this blog post :-P ).  Unfortunately, the vaccine doesn’t really work.  Infact, Merck lied about the mumps portion being effective and there is a lawsuit pending.37 In the recent mumps outbreak from 2009-2010, 1521 cases were reported, 55 had swollen testicles (which CAN lead to sterility, but it is rare…and 55 out of 1521 is pretty rare….so we’re looking at a SMALL percentage of sterility problems)  75% of the people affected had gotten the 2 recommended doses of the MMR vaccine.  88% had at least one of the shots.  In some cases, it was as much as 93% had at least one shot.  The vaccine simply didn’t give immunity to A LOT of people…and it is spreading.  More and more people are coming down with the mumps in the area of the outbreak.  It was originally contracted in the UK, just fyi(reason #10,000 why herd immunity doesn’t work – people travel…)  Because of this outbreak, the CDC now wants a 3rd shot for extra protection.  I’m sorry, if two didn’t “immunize”, I have zero confidence that a third will.38 
Rubella – also called “German measles” or ” 3 day measles”.  This is literally an easy-peasy disease.  By the time the rash is moving down toward the legs, it is fading from the head.  Again, just flu-like symptoms with a rash.  The seriousness of this disease is when you are pregnant, it CAN under extreme circumstances, cause issues with the baby if you get this while pregnant, still extremely rare.  This was once considered a “normal” childhood disease, and so women who get it as a child, don’t have to worry about getting it when pregnant, because getting the disease generally offers lifelong immunity. 
Now, the MMR  vaccine.  Recently, there was an outbreak (outbreak means 3 or more…so if you hear of an outbreak, this does not mean hundreds of people running in ER doors with near death experiences…there was an outbreak of measles in Orlando – one family, all four children had measles -considered an outbreak…no one was hospitalized and there were no reported side effects.) in NYC where a lady was fully vaccinated, caught the measles FROM the vaccine, and gave it to four people – 2 vaccinated persons and 2 non-vaxed persons. 39   So read that again - 60% of the outbreak was fully vaccinated and caused by a vaccinated person! 
Side effects of the MMR vaccine – diabetes, myalgia, encephalitis, measles, Guillain-Barre syndrome, pancreatitis, pneumonia, otitis media (chronic ear infections), and a ton of other side effects…after all, it is 3 diseases, and all the side effects that come with them.  And the side effects that typically come with vaccines too…40   As to the ingredients – everything from chick cells to aborted fetal cells, to antibiotics are in this stuff.  (Note- there is no metal adjuvant.  No aluminum or mercury…even though some people think that is has metals – it does not.)

No thanks, I’ll take my chances with the diseases.  This vaccine is ineffective and potentially dangerous.  (Note: this vaccine is often associated with autism.  Many, many parents, all around the globe, can point to this vaccine and claim this is why their child is now autistic.  If you wish to look into those stories, I highly encourage it.)

Varicella – chicken pox. I had it, you probably had it…pretty easy disease.  Again, flu like symptoms with an itchy rash- no biggie.  It is largely an “economic vaccine”. Theoretically, it is supposed to prevent the pox, and therefore, the time the parent needs to spend time at home with the sick child. Well, it turns out, this is a “live” vaccine. You can get the pox from the vaccine itself. Also, the vaccine is a bred up virus…turns out, it is a smidge different than the common one that circulates wildly41…so your kid could get the pox from the vaccine…and still get the natural pox from someone else. I have a good friend who had this vaccine, and has had chicken pox 3 times. 3 stinking times! It is also the vaccine responsible for the skyrocketing rates of shingles IN CHILDREN.42 It is pretty dangerous in children too.
As to side effects of the vaccine, not including chicken pox and shingles – encephalitis, pneumonia, aseptic meningitis, fever, rash, bacterial infections, etc. 43 Ingredients – human lung cells, MSG, antibiotics, guinea pig cells, and it just goes on and on the awful things in it…

Again, I find this vaccine to be unnecessary for my family and potentially dangerous.

Hep A – Hepititis A - also, sounds super scary! It is basically a stomach bug (to the people infected)…but it is an inflammation of the liver.  It is normally caused by contaminated food or water from someone who is already infected, or fecal matter in your food.  It normally resolves itself without any meds also. So if you do get hep a, it is pretty safe anyways. Stay hydrated and you’ll be fine.  You can treat it with natural liver supporting herbs and detoxifiers if you really want to.  Generally, you just medicate symptomatically. :-P So here we are again, like rotovirus, a kinda stupid vaccine.
Side effects of the vaccine – vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, upper respiratory tract infections, encephalitis, multiple sclerosis, anaphylaxis, etc.44  Ingredients – aluminum, human cells, formaldehyde, antibiotics, etc.

Again, I find this vaccine to be unnecessary and potentially dangerous.

18 months old:
 Hep B(3rd dose), DTaP(4th dose), IPV(3rd dose), Flu shot (which I won’t get into here, many provax doctors are anti-flu shot…just sayin’) Hep A (2nd dose).


Then, your child still isn’t immune, or might not be.  SO, let’s make sure, and give them more of what they have already gotten:
4-6 years:
Varicella/chicken pox(2nd dose), MMR(2nd dose), IPV(4th dose), DTaP (5th dose)
11-12 years:
  Tdap (DTaP booster…cause 5 shots isn’t enough…), HPV and Meningococcal.  And you’re still getting yearly or twice-yearly flu shots.  I could go into more detail about Tdap, HPV, Flu shot, and Meningococcal…but this blog post is already horribly long. 
~
I’m a researching mom…I researched my baby carrier…I researched children’s medicines (like Tylenol versus Motrin versus herbs/essential oils)…I have researched baby foods galore…and breastfeeding versus formula…and I could go on and on…and I have spent a minimum of 50 hours just researching for this blog post alone(and hundreds of hours researching this topic).  I promise you that your pediatrician hasn’t spent hundreds of hours researching vaccines…ok, not promise, but it is unlikely.  Most pediatricians that I know, that have researched vaccines extensively, are not nearly so eager to push them on their patients.
Also, there is recent data to suggest that other side notes of vaccines include : the myelin sheath of neurons being damaged – leading to brain damage/learning disabilities46, thimerasol(mercury, in the form of ethyl mercury) is still in almost all vaccines in trace amounts, although not listed on the ingredient list47; and while you think the amount of vaccine damage reported would be 100% of the damage, the FDA admits that it is only 10-20%, and other estimates come up even lower than that.48  And if you are at all curious about the old schedules, you can find it at Chop.edu49
This isn’t intended to diagnose or prevent disease…but to hopefully encourage to you make a more informed decision about your health and your child’s health.  While I know you want to trust your doctor in all things, just look at the ingredients…use some common sense…60 years ago, these vaccines didn’t exist, but we didn’t have plagues sweeping through the nation.  Anyone, clearly looking at the ingredients, must question the necessity for the vaccine.  You want your child to eat healthy things, but inject them with toxins and illness(bypassing the natural barriers and processes by which we contract a disease)…think about it…
Happy researching,
Becca H.

Works Cited:
(1) http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html
(42) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23358727
(45) http://het.sagepub.com/content/30/9/1420.short
(46) http://www.tested.net/vaccine/AlMyelin.pdf

Monday, May 26, 2014

Cupcakes....truffle cupcakes...

So when I cook or bake, I often fly by the seat of my pants, rarely measure anything, throw stuff in a pan or bowl till it looks or smells just right...but I was told I was not allowed to let this fall into the annals of Becca's memory, never to be made the same again...so here it goes...you're lucky I actually measured stuff this time...

... I had this idea....I love chocolate truffles, and anything with ganache really...why not make a ganache filled cupcake...."truffle cupcake"?
So I used this recipe for chocolate cupcakes:

  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
  • 2 ounces of your favorite chocolate (You can use any plain chocolate that you like except white chocolate or candy melts. The chocolate doesn't have to be one typically earmarked for baking - any chocolate bar that isn't flavored and doesn't contain mix-ins like nuts, Rice Krispies, nougat, etc. will work.)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (4 1/2 fluid ounces) vegetable or canola oil, measured in a liquid measuring cup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup (2 3/4 ounce) full-fat sour cream
  • 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) cocoa powder (natural or dutched will both work with this recipe)
  • 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) room temperature water, measured in a liquid measuring cup.


Follow the hyperlink for the instructions...


For the ganache filling: I used 3/4 of a cup of heavy cream and a tablespoon of butter and brought that to a simmer, and poured it over 1 oz of 60% cacao chocolate, 1oz of semi sweet chocolate, and two handfuls of milk chocolate chips(you want about 5 or 6 oz of chocolate in total)....I used ghiradeli brand for all my chocolate...they are one of the few brands that does still use real vanilla and just seem to have overall better flavor than Hershey's or Nestle(and they are the only other brands readily carried at my local grocery stores).   Of you want to use a pricey Godiva, go for it....I just think the quality of the chocolate is important!  Now, mix this warm cream/butter with the chocolate until smooth and set it aside.  Microwave it for ten seconds if it doesn't get smooth...but it should!




When the cupcakes are done, let them cool for about fifteen minutes...this is often a good time to make the ganache.  

Then, I took a paring knife and cut little circles into the tops of the cupcakes and took out the "core" of them.  Don't go all the way do to the bottom though...you still want some bottom to the cupcake.

Then I put about half the ganache into a ziplock bag and cut a tiny hole out of the corner, and poured the ganache into the prepped cupcakes.  If you overfill them a tad, that is ok...it settles a little I'm the next stage. 




This is where it gets time consuming.  You need to refrigerate the cupcakes at least an hour to let the ganache settle and firm up....otherwise, you won't be able to frost them.  I chilled them overnight, so all I had to do was frost them the morning of the event I took them too!

Then, for the frosting:
1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream - simmering
1/4 cup of high quality ghiradeli white chocolate chips
1 stick of softened butter
4 cups of confectioners sugar
Vanilla bean ppwder(optional)
A few tablespoons of cold whipping cream.

I put the chips in my mixer and poured the simmering cream over them and mixed it on low for about a minute.  Scrape down the bowl if needed and mix some more...it should be pretty smooth.  Then add the stick of butter.  Mix until well combined!  Then add the four cups of sugar, vanilla bean powder and mix...it will not look quite right...and might just become an ugly white lump in your mixer...slowly add the cold cream as needed, until it whips nicely.  I piped my frosting, so it needed to be firm to hold shape, but soft enough to pipe.  If it gets too soft, add a bit more sugar.  

I just piped the frosting in little flowers on top, and sprinkled a pinch of espresso powder to garnish on the frosting.


The white chocolate frosting doesn't melt into a blob of butter cream when warmed either.  I left these in the car on a hot Fl day for over an hour, and the ganache became like a lava cake, but the frosting held it's form really well.  

These cupcakes were a hit at the bridal shower I took them to....super tasty, impressive, and worth all the effort.  I hope you enjoy them!

Happy baking,
Becca H.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Why I'll keep enjoying my Chipotle....

There's a frustrating trend in the world right now...boycotting.  "I boycott them because they take this _____ political stance!" "I can't stand that company, so I'm boycotting them for _____reason."  - you get the point.  Today, I saw several of my Christian friends post an article titled "Chipotle Tex-Mex Chain, Founded by Open Homosexual, Promoting Sodomy in Pride Parades Nationwide".(an article from over a year ago)  And I just wanted to say "so what?  Are you going to stop eating burritos because of one man's support/opinion on something?"  Well, these friends are pulling the "Bible route" on things.  In the Bible, it does mention homosexuality as a sin, in both testaments, with great emphasis on how bad it is.  Ok...that's fine...it mentions a whole lot of other bad sins too...and that all sins are equal in the eyes of God.

Let me explain...

You will NEVER find a company that agrees with you politically, economically, socially, and religiously.  You just won't...

To the Christian who says "there's nothing wrong with Chick-fil-a...they are great in all those areas!" I beg to differ...God says to treat your body as a temple in the New Testament, with strict dietary rules in the Old.  CFA has both MSG and aluminum in their standard and spicy breading...they have pesticides and/or GMO's in most, if not all, of their food...even their salads aren't "good for you"...so this company is in direct disregard for the Scriptures...and essentially you sin by supporting them, right?  Many of the large farms that the produce comes from basically have slave labor, and the Bible says to treat your servants well...doubt that is happening...and to take care of the land...GMO's have caused way more pesticide use and have damaged lands, farmers, the farming industry, cause excess waste and pollution, etc....commercial farming of chicken produces huges amounts of waste and pollution...you get the point...

Many companies like Gap, Ford, Citigroup, Johnson and Johnson, and MANY MANY others support the right to chose abortion...you, faithful Christian, have you looked up all of those companies and boycotted them as well?  In your opinion, abortion = murder, so you are supporting murderous companies by your actions....

Target and Starbucks and many other companies support gay rights....did you stop patronizing them?  I love both those places and could care less about their social/political stance...because they have clean stores, good employees, good benefits, and treat their customers well...more than I could say about Walmart and Dunkin Donuts.

And then there's the issue of the local front - do you ask your server at a restaurant, or the cashier at the grocery store, or the manager of wherever you are, what all of their political and religious beliefs are?  Because, I am 100% sure, they won't line up with every detail of your's.  And you, by your patronage, are supporting them...(P.S. Please PLEASE tip your server...they make substantially less than minumum wage...20% is a standard tip...and if they did a million things for you, throw them an extra buck or two...they worked hard for all those little details to come together.)  So are you making sure your server is not gay, adulterous, fornicating, stealing, lying, murdering, honoring their parents, having no other gods before the Lord, etc.?

And most things in America are often "Made in China"...China is polluting the Earth at a rapid rate, is in political turmoil, martyring Christians, terrible working conditions in the factories, force abortions on pregnant women, etc....so don't buy anything made in China either...

Now, back to Chipotle.  Personally, I think it is a bit immature to single out the particular issue of homosexuality and come down so hard on them for this(when it is obvious, every company you patronize will have some flaws somewhere...whether it be child labor, bad pay to the workers, bad effect on the ecology/economy of the area it is in, etc)...when almost two years ago, you were proudly supporting Truett Cathy and his Biblical stance on marriage...and how this was America, and you have the right to believe what you believe!  Indeed, we do.  So does Mr. Ellis of Chipotle.  Chipotle DOES have some really great values...like treating their animals and farmers really well, using local and/or organic produce when possible, treating their workers well(their turnover rate is really low at the restaurants I patronize), good value for the food - giant meals for a decent price...and when all is said and done, maybe a penny or two is going to the thing you just cannot support...

Christians are most often criticized for being hypocrites.  And rightly so...ALL humans are hypocrites at SOME point in their life.  We just happen for be very vocal about certain things, while completely neglecting others.  Jesus specifically said to pay attention to the log in your eye before the splinter in someone else's.  Paul also said not to judge the unsaved, because that is God's job...

If I had a business, with a good product, for good value, with mostly "good principles", and someone did not use me because I go to church, how upsetting would be that be?  I know that members in every church have differing ideas...you may not agree with everything your pastor or deacons say or do, or what their secretaries say or do...but you still give the church money, and pay their paychecks, essentially. 

You aren't going to agree with everything, or be completely ok with where your money goes...stop stressing about it, and enjoy the life that you're given.  If you feel really convicted about it, then ok, stop giving money to something...but realize you're picking and choosing and probably supporting another company somewhere else that is doing the same thing, and you simply don't know about it.  There are much more productive things you could do...write an email to the company, pray for the leaders of the company, keep patronizing those places, and be a good example of a Christian that is loving people, no matter if you agree with what they're doing.  It is quite possible to love someone while disagreing with their behavior.  I'd rather not split hairs over one thing or another...Christ partied with tax collectors and other unsavory folks...He took on the uneducated and lowly fishermen...He didn't boycott them... 

Friday, February 28, 2014

Dear Baby,

Dear Baby H...
        today, I peed on a plastic stick...I had a feeling you were inside of me...but Daddy didn't believe me.  All my friends are getting ready to have their babies in the next month or two and I was so sad, because I didn't know I had you. 
        My whole life, I wanted to be a mommy.  But things weren't looking good for that.  This came up, that came up, my health became a bit weird...I was so scared I would never have you.  I cried, and prayed, and talked with Daddy, my friends, and Nana too! 
        And today, when I looked at that stick, it showed a + sign...God has funny math you know....1+1=3.  I am going to go to the doctor on Monday and probably a lot more in the next several months.  I am going to spend a lot of money and time...loving you! 
      You already make me tired, and sometimes sick to my stomach.  You make my heart flutter with joy and my smile can't fall off my face.  Daddy told me today, "Don't tell anyone, we need to go to the doctor to be sure first!  Honey, stop smiling!  All our friends will know immediately from that smile that you are pregnant!"  But I can't stop smiling, and I don't care if everyone figures it out...I'm just super happy today.
      That silly little stick changed my entire day...and you will change my entire life.  What a special blessing you are to Daddy and I.  I can't wait to count your fingers and toes and see what hair color you have (I'm voting for blonde or red...but Daddy says brown).  I want to hear you laugh and hold you when you cry....
It is pretty crazy that less than 12 hours ago, I peed on a stick...and it changed everything...I cannot believe how much I love you little Baby...

One year later - 2/28/2014

Baby Samuel James...your hair is brown...your eyes are still steely gray...they haven't decided if they will be blue or brown yet...you weigh about 17.5 pounds...where did my little baby go!?  You are 15.5 weeks old..and my heart overflows with joy!  Your daddy is a wonderful husband to me, which helps me be a better mommy, and a great daddy already to you...he holds you when you cry, he sang to you the first time he held you in the hospital(most precious moment of that day, besides getting to hold you myself!)...he makes the funniest faces when he changes your dirty diapers...he hums and bounces you, and loves you like no other!  You definitely changed our world...and we wouldn't have it any other way! 
One year ago, I found out that you were coming...and I'm so glad you did.  You are a constant example of God's grace and blessing!  We are so proud at how healthy you are and how fast you're growing and learning.  You just started liking Baby Einstein videos, grabbing things around you, testing out your voice, and playing in your jumperoo! 
You are my sunshine, my joy, my little love, and my son, whom I love with all my heart.