Shhh...MMR Vaccine Debate

Italian Court Reignites MMR Vaccine Debate After Award Over Child with Autism

By Dr. Mercola

Many parents don't think twice about taking their children in for routine vaccinations, as they are an integral and heavily promoted part of the conventional medical system. But this decision has had life altering, and sometimes life-ending, ramifications for more children than you might expect.

Many hard core health activists are distressed that I do not promote the avoidance of all vaccines outright. Instead, I strongly urge you to invest the time to educate yourself about the potential benefits and risks of each vaccine prior to vaccination, and to make educated decisions based on what you conclude is likely to be the best course of action for your child.

While some vaccines appear to be safer than others, it's important to realize that each vaccination carries a certain amount of risk and vaccine risks can be greater for some than others due to biological and environmental factors, and the timing and types of  vaccines given. The risks of vaccination may be exponentially increased when re-vaccination takes place after an individual has already had a previous vaccine reaction, or when multiple vaccines are administered at the same time.

There are vaccines that historically have been associated with more side effects than others, and the combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine - MMR shot - is one of those.
The health risks associated with the MMR vaccine has been in the news for about 15 years, and we're undoubtedly going to see a re-emergence of questions about this vaccine in the coming days and weeks because the Italian health ministry recently conceded that the MMR vaccine caused autism in a now nine-year-old boy, who suffered brain inflammation and permanent brain damage after he was vaccinated.

Italian Court Rules MMR Vaccine Caused Autism

Valentino Bocca was given an MMR shot in 2004, at the age of 15 months. According to his parents, the change in his behavior was immediate. That same night he refused to eat, and he developed diarrhea during the night. It quickly went downhill from there. Within days he was no longer able to put a spoon to his mouth, and he spent nights crying in pain. His parents immediately suspected the vaccination, but were told this was "impossible." Valentino progressively regressed, and received the diagnosis of autism a year later.

In the final analysis, the Italian Health Ministry disagreed with the initial conclusion of the pediatrician, conceding that the vaccine was at fault.

As a result, a court in Rimini, Italy recently awarded the Bocca family a 15-year annuity totaling 174,000 Euros (just under $220,000), plus reimbursement for court costs, ruling that Valentino "has been damaged by irreversible complications due to vaccination (prophylaxis trivalent MMR)ⁱ." According to a featured article in the UK newspaper, The Independentⁱⁱ, about 100 similar cases are now being examined by Italian lawyers, and more cases may be brought to court.

"Luca Ventaloro the family lawyer, said yesterday: "This is very significant for Britain which uses, and has used, an MMR vaccine with the same components as the one given to Valentino.
It is wrong for governments and their health authorities to exert strong pressure on parents to take children for the MMR jab while ignoring that this vaccine can cause autism and linked conditions." The number of autism cases has risen sharply since the 1970s, with one in 64 British children affected," The Independent reportsⁱⁱⁱ .

Why is US Media in Black-Out on this Story?

It’s well worth mentioning that this story has yet to be addressed in the US media... The Daily Mail was the first paper in the UK to talk about it on June 15^iv. The Independent was the second to print an article, on June 17. The Daily Mail was the most substantive of the two. Their version included the following statements:

"Judge Lucio Ardigo, awarding compensation to the family... said it was ‘conclusively established’ that Valentino had suffered from an ‘autistic disorder associated with medium cognitive delay’ and his illness, as Dr Barboni stated, was linked to receiving the jab.   Lawyer Mr Ventaloro explained yesterday: ‘This is very significant for Britain which uses, and has used, an MMR vaccine with the same components as the one given to Valentino. ‘It is wrong for governments and their health authorities to exert strong pressure on parents to take children for the MMR jab while ignoring that this vaccine can cause autism and linked conditions.’

Claudio Simion, a leading member of the lobby group Association for Freedom of Choice in Vaccination (Comilva), adds: ‘The Rimini judgment is vitally important for children everywhere. The numbers with autism are growing. It is a terrible thing that the authorities turn a blind eye to the connection between the MMR vaccination and this illness.’”

The complete lack of coverage of this case in the US media is a potent example of how health information is flat out censored in the US. Is it any wonder so many Americans are still in the dark? Whether hearing about this case in the US media would sway you to believe vaccines may cause autism or not, the REAL story here is the fact that you’re not even being allowed to learn about it in the first place!

"Controversial" MMR Vaccine Research Replicated and Accurate

It's virtually impossible to read an article about the MMR vaccine without coming across a reference to British gastroenterologist Dr. Andrew Wakefield's 1998 research published in The Lancet, which suggested there may be a link between the MMR vaccine, chronic bowel disease, and autism. Ever since the article's publication, it has remained one of the most cited yet controversial studies on the topic of vaccine safety.

Few public health officials or doctors speaking about vaccination in the media today fail to drive home the point that Wakefield's research was subsequently "discredited" by the General Medical Council in Britain, while completely ignoring the facts about what his research actually showed, and the long list of studies done since then by other researchers that back up his initial findings.
Dr. Wakefield's 1998 study involved a retrospective case series analysis, which essentially reviews the clinical histories of a group of patients with a constellation of signs and symptoms that link them together and create a pattern. In this case, it was a group of autistic children with gastrointestinal problems, which led to the discovery of a novel bowel disease that Wakefield and his colleagues at the Royal Free Hospital in London first described.

But rather than celebrating the discovery of a tangible, treatable and potentially preventable serious health problem that could help those suffering with similar health issues, Wakefield's discovery became a hotly debated controversy in which Dr. Wakefield's personal and professional reputation was smeared.
Why?

Because the clinical story didn't end with bowel disease; it also included symptoms of regressive autism after receiving the MMR vaccine...

In the years following his 1998 finding, which linked the MMR vaccine to inflammatory bowel disease and symptoms of autism, Dr. Wakefield published another 19 papers on the vaccine-induced bowel disorder. All were peer reviewed, and none have been retracted. However, none of these 19 papers are ever discussed in the media.

The only study that keeps seeing the light of day is the original Lancet article from 1998. Another interesting fact is that, since that study, a large number of replication studies have been performed around the world, by other researchers, that confirm  Wakefield's initial findings. Yet you never hear a word about those either!

Learn more here. 

Soak Up Vitamin D Naturally

In Western New York, summer has finally moved in.  The sun is shining brightly and weekends are filled with barbecues and trips to the beach.

Don’t forget the sunscreen, right?

Not so fast.

Slathering on sunscreen could actually be causing deficiency in Vitamin D.

Some of the functions of Vitamin D include preventing cancer, boosting immunity, and maintaining healthy teeth and bones.  Those who are deficient often feel lethargic and catch colds and other bugs frequently.

Sunscreens can protect against both UVA and UVB radiation from the sun.  UVA radiation is associated with the aging and cancer-causing effects that we are all so worried about, but our bodies use UVB radiation to make Vitamin D! And Vitamin D actually protects us from those very problems.

Even low SPF formulas effectively block UVB rays and prevent our bodies from making Vitamin D.

Is it any wonder why Vitamin D deficiency is being called the new epidemic?

In fact, melanomas often occur on areas that are not exposed to sunlight, suggesting that there are other factors at play other than ultraviolet rays.  I’d guess it has to do with the inability of the skin to properly protect because of a deficiency of Vitamin D.

Dr. Joseph Mercola recently wrote about a boy who was so low in Vitamin D that he had rickets!  The cause was discovered when his mother reported that she was coating him from head to toe in sunscreen whenever he stepped outside.

Instead of sunburn, he was headed towards serious health complications because his body was prevented from doing what it was designed to do.

A usual, it distills down to common horse sense.

Don’t want too much sun for fear of a burn?

Wear protective clothing and spend part of the day in the shade.

Hell-oh!

Sunburn is never a good thing, but if it does occur, try my go-to natural solution.  Add a few drops of Calendula tincture to some cool water and gently pat it on the burn.  Cantharis 30 is also a great remedy should a burn occur.

Instead of depending on well-marketed skin products,  ill- informed dermatologists, and pop-culture edicts, buy yourself a jar of coconut oil, rub some into the skin and get outside.  And then thank God–the sun is finally here again.
*Some info in this article came the Dr. Mercola’s article that can be found here.

by Joette Calabrese

Homemaking Myths

Dispelling Myths About Homemaking

By Hannah on June 23, 2011 in Faithfulness

A few years ago I came across an article bemoaning the job of homemaking. I don’t recall the source because I certainly didn’t bookmark it {big smile}. The author would have convinced me to negate homemaking as a career if I wasn’t already a homemaker and hadn’t experienced the truth and fineness of homemaking first hand.  I believe these myths are worth airing out in the open once again.


Myth Number One: You need to be rich or at least well off to be a homemaker or stay at home mama.
Before our oldest daughter was born, a book shop nearby was going out of business and I picked up a short book titled, “You Can be a Stay at Home Mom”. It is long out of print and I don’t recall the author but it introduced me to the basics of being a stay at home mom and made me realize what was at stake. At that time Sean and I were making about the same income, neither one great (under $15,000), but both of us knew I should stay home with our new child.
When our bald headed beauty was born, our income was cut in half suddenly. We had Sean’s school loans, a mortgage, and monthly bills. Both of us drove beaters.   Mine was a red Ford hatchback and I could just squeeze our daughter’s carset into the back if I drove with my knees bent up under the steering wheel. We made do and were contented doing so, knowing that building and investing in our family would pay off in the long term more than anything else.
Some quick ways we lived differently and still do for the sake of building a family and home are:
1. Shopping second hand for just about everything: cars, clothing, and furniture.
2. Cooking from scratch.
3. Beginning to make a weekly menu.
4. Growing a small garden (in the city).
Over the years I have kept a home on a very, very meager income (below the national poverty level and without public assistance)and on a very spacious income. It can be done either way. The principles are the same.
Most American families cannot fathom living simply or being contented without “having”. Do you realize most German’s live well on $17,000 a year (according to the statistics). The difference is the German idea of living well and the American’s vastly differ. Most Americans think cable, two vehicles, luxurious vacations, and the freedom to buy what they want on credit are needs.

Myth Number Two: Being a Homemaker is bad for your marriage.
Yes, I can see how coming home to a (mostly) organized home and a hot fresh meal could badly influence your husband! Excuse my sarcasm for a moment. If, however, your husband is coming home to a complaining, nagging wife then, yes, your marriage will suffer. However, I believe it would be the wife’s heart issues that would be causing the marriage feathers to be ruffled and not the occupation of  homemaking.

Myth Number Three: Being a stay at home Mom may not be best for your children.
Now, is this because they are being screamed at all day or because they get read to and taught and nurtured?  I’ve never seen happier, more contented children than those with mothers intent on building their homes to the glory of God.
One of my pet peeves (a gentle way of putting it) is hearing people say that they don’t have the patience to be around children – as if God shorted them. Remember that “there is no partiality with God” the next time you hear this or consider it yourself.
Instead, let us work to develop the discipline to control ourselves and keep a quiet spirit. Then the patience comes. Patience is a virtue we allow God to develop in our spirits.
When you are challenged on this issue, encourage folks who think leaving the kiddos with anyone other than a parent to research the statistics on the matter.


Myth Number Four: Being a stay at home Mom is a waste of intelligence
Because negotiating world (home) peace is an easy thing to do, right?  And having to be an expert in everything from plumbing and poison control to kitchen chemistry and child behavior doesn’t take much intelligence? Let’s use our intelligence to better our families before letting it benefit a company we have no vested interest in. I don’t doubt that getting a paycheck might help us feel intelligent or recognized. Before I was a homemaker, I was a nurse.  I got recognized every two weeks with a paycheck for changing bandages, taking out stitches and holding retractors for the surgeon I worked for.  Woop-de-do.  I like my non-paycheck job much better.

Myth Number Five: Deciding to be a stay at home mom and devote yourself to homemaking will make you grieve for company.
Find like minded women.  If you are a homemaker or stay at home Mama, and you do feel like you need adult interaction during the time your husband is gone, invite a friend over for tea. It’s nice. I do it.
Cultivating a heart and home of hospitality is a good thing. Sitting around moping is not.

Myth Number Six: (This is a biggie in some Christian circles) Being your children’s mother keeps you from “real” ministry.
I cannot even imagine a good argument for this. I’ve never heard a scripturally supported one, though I’ve heard many.
Ministering from your home matters more and will more likely have a more positive impact on those around who need Christ (and perhaps a genuine friend) than being away from home during the week so you can use your gifts in a church setting. Bring baked goods to your neighbors, offer to watch a pregnant mama’s kiddos so she can rest or grow a little extra food that you share with a needy family. One of my girlfriends and neighbors ministers to me when she texts me from the grocery store to ask if she can pick up anything for me while she’s out. Ministering to your own little ones every day matters much. Just because they can’t give you recognition, a paycheck or testify up front on Sundays as to your faithfulness does not negate your home as a ministry.
Putting “ministry” before your children and family is like putting the horse before the cart in my mind. If we do not have the patience or will to minister effectively to our families, how can we minister effectively to others?

Read the full article here. 

Get Your PhD in Mothering

February 2, 2012 by Joette Calabrese

Recently I heard a mom declare, “I wish I had taken my job as a mother more seriously.  My kids might not have the chronic illnesses they suffer from today.”

Indeed.

Preparation for motherhood ought not to be random or casual.  It needs to be faced with the same kind of intent and commitment as getting your PhD.

Understanding how to prepare nutritious meals is key, setting them on the right moral path is paramount and treating their illnesses without detrimental drugs, downright fundamental.
Only a century ago, that’s just what mothers did.  They learned how to treat fever, coughs, injuries, colic and such without bowing to a modern medical paradigm of a synthetic pill for every ill.

Why?  Well, mostly because moms didn’t trust modern medicine.

Do you?

If you embrace medicine of commerce and seek frequent medical procedures, then the information I’m about to present is not for you.

But if you’re like mothers of old or even modern ones, who celebrate their knowledge of intelligent natural health, then read on.
An important place to begin is in knowing how to treat fever. Here’s the rule of thumb when treating a fever….

DON’T!

No aspirin, no Tylenol, no antibiotics.  Why?  Because fever is not an illness, it’s a symptom.  Treating symptoms is what drugs do. And we don’t like that paradigm because drugs don’t get to the root of the problem.  They only eliminate the signs of illness.
“She was convulsing. I was scared and so I had to give her something.”

Even febrile convulsions are nothing to fear in a normal child. In fact, if your child has them and you rush to the hospital, by the time you get there, they’ll have passed. There’s no conventional treatment anyway.  Further, a convulsion is a normal regulatory response which indicates a fast paced fever, not a high one.

“But the fever was already at 105.  I can’t do nothing.”
Brain damage occurs at 107.6 and it is rare indeed when a fever in a child goes beyond 106.  In fact, the higher the fever up to that point, the more capable of self cure.

“But he could barely sleep and it’s hard to watch him suffer.”
Why, certainly fever’s uncomfortable!  So?
Would you suppress vomiting if he had eaten bad chicken?
These are responses required for genuine health.
It is an understood truth of human pathology that fever cures.  In fact, a fever is often employed in uprooting chronic illness.   One of the foundational principles in homeopathy is that chronic illness is often the result of acute illness that has been stifled.
No tinkering with meds.  Just stand back and watch the miracle of the human body find its way to restoration on its own.
In the process, keep your child hydrated. Dehydration is the only true threat accompanying fever. So insist on quality liquids and maintain bed rest.

There are many methods that as a mom, you need to have in your bag of tricks. The most important is how to interpret illness; when to act and when not.

Join me and millions of educated moms who have found that genuine health begins with the comprehension of genuine health principles.

Get your PhD on how to care for your children as though  it is your only assignment in life.
Because it is.

Learn more here. 

 

To soak or not to soak?

Whole Grains, Demystified

May 17, 2012 by Joette Calabrese

Is there anything more inviting than the smell of baking bread? Freshly-baked bread spread with rich butter seems like one of the most wholesome things we could feed our families until we read about the problems associated with gluten, refined flours, or unsoaked grains. Perhaps, like I was, you’re confused by all the conflicting messages you’ve heard about whole grains. Let me explain to you what I’ve learned from the nutritional research of the Weston A. Price Foundation and Sally Fallon’s marvelous cookbook Nourishing Traditions.

Let’s first tackle the subject of gluten, a protein found in many grains. Wheat, rye, barley, and oats all contain gluten, wild rice, millet, and buckwheat do not. Gluten can be difficult for some people to digest, leading to annoyances like flatulence, bloating, and intestinal discomfort. More seriously, those with Celiac disease have a severe gluten allergy that causes intestinal tract damage and nutritional deficiencies.

If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I often encourage my clients to go gluten-free for at least a period of time to see whether the absence of this protein in their diets leads to physical improvement. Plus I’ve collected so many yummy gluten-free recipes! However, this doesn’t mean that I believe everyone needs to completely avoid wheat or rye products. In fact, those with gluten sensitivities may actually be able to tolerate some gluten-containing grains with proper preparation. One to try is spelt, an ancient member of the wheat family that may be easier to digest than modern varieties. The great thing about spelt is that it can usually be substituted for whole-wheat flour in recipes with similar results.

Maybe you’ve heard about soaking or sprouting grains before cooking, but are confused about why the process is beneficial. All grains contain some amount of phytic acid, an antinutrient that blocks the absorption of minerals such as calcium and magnesium in the intestines. Soaking flour or grains for at least seven hours in acidified water or cultured milk products like buttermilk or yogurt allows the enzyme phytase to begin breaking down phytic acid, neutralizing this potentially harmful compound and actually increasing nutrient availability. You can think of soaking as a type of predigestion. In fact, because gluten is partially broken down during soaking, soaked grains are generally more digestible for those with gluten sensitivity. You’ll find lots of great recipes using soaked grains in Nourishing Traditions.

Allow me to share one more delicious tip for making whole grains more digestible: eat your bread with a spread of raw honey. The pollen in raw honey contributes an enzyme called amylase (also found in saliva) that helps break down starch into sugar. In effect, you’re initiating the digestion process before you even start eating. How’s that for an easy –to-follow health suggestion?
Make it your goal to avoid commercial bread products, even those touted as healthy whole-grain options. They contain flours that have been stripped of their naturally-occurring vitamins and minerals then fortified with synthetic versions. If you love white bread, experiment with recipes using soaked whole wheat flour. The soaking process softens the wheat so much that it yields results very similar to refined white flour. If your schedule is such that bread making isn’t possible, look for artisan sourdough bread made with whole-grain flour. Fermenting also allows for the breakdown of phytic acid before consumption.

Then tear a piece of hearty bread and top it with a big chunk of cold raw butter. ‘Nothing like it!

Learn more here.

 

Takeing care of your hair the natural way

 

My Hair Do is From the Pantry;

By Joette Calabrese

 

Or How to Stay Lovely With Wholesome Products
Before venturing on the holistic path to wellness via homeopathy over 25 years ago, I was exquisitely chemically sensitive.    Compelled to examine the ingredients in the products I was using, I discovered that most of them included  unpronounceable and questionable ingredients.
At first, I looked to health food stores for goods that didn’t include chemicals and fragrances, but was disappointed to find that although marketed to the whole health industry, most were only packaged differently; not manufactured purely.

There must be methods that women used before the advent of the beauty market, I reasoned.  Where would a woman look for her beauty products if not in a store? …why the home!  And so  I began an exploration in  my pantry. When we step outside our comfort zone, vistas present.

One of my first considerations was  sugar and water  as a substitute for hair spray… When I was little I had a friend who had a doll with a dress that was stiff .  My friend told me the  dress had been  dipped in a sugar and water mixture that kept the fabric inflexible and in place. It had possibilities, but I  had images of swatting at yellow jackets  at a picnic  in a rigid  1950’s hair do. On to another idea.
Next, I considered a  cornstarch and water mixture.  The same image presented.   And at one point I whipped up egg whites and vinegar and tried to put it  through a misting bottle. ‘Just in case you’re tempted to try this;  don’t.   It doesn’t fit.

So after various trials and errors, I’ve distilled my methods to the few below.  You might try following my  tips that are natural, easy and fun and toss away the chemicals into the kitchen trash on your way to the pantry.  Here are the methods that have worked for me so far....

To learn more please visit  Joette Calabrese website here.