Author: Health Freedom Idaho

  • Vaccines, Vaccine Injury, & My Perspective as a Doctor & Mom

    Vaccines, Vaccine Injury, & My Perspective as a Doctor & Mom

    I’ve ordered thousands of vaccines in my career as a physician.   Until recently I had never considered vaccine injury as more than folklore.  Weeks ago I never would’ve believed a story about vaccine injured triplets….so the past few weeks have been difficult.  I have struggled to make sense of all that I have seen and learned.  I met a mother of triplets the other weekend, a very attractive white woman with years added onto her face and her smile.  She recalled to me the day her triplets were born.  She and her then husband were ecstatic that she was able to carry them for 36 weeks.

    At the time, mom was so happy that they were inside of her long enough to mature, they were born perfectly healthy.  I can totally relate since I am now twelve weeks postpartum. I had very similar worries carrying my little princess.  

    Mom’s eyes dropped though as I gave her a hearty smile of excitement.  The same day that her triplets were given their six-month check-up and vaccines, was the same day that all three of her kids checked out.  She said it was as if someone replaced her children with new ones.  They unlearned all they knew…regressed and screamed for days.  

    I stood there motionless and speechless.  She didn’t want my pity, nor my tears, she just wanted me to know.

    I’m a new mom, a sister, an aunt, a cousin, a friend, and a family medicine physician. I’m from a small town called Gary, Indiana.  As a matter of fact, I practice medicine about two blocks away from the house that I along-with my eight brothers and sisters grew up in.  My dad bought the house in the 60s, after he met my mom.  They both migrated to the Midwest to escape the blatant racial tension of the deep south, and the rest is history.

    …

    We all took an oath to first and foremost “Do No Harm.”  It’s been difficult. Throughout my tenure as a physician, I have watched while our academy has pushed certain medication that we find years later has been causing more harm than good…that hurts.

    I have witnessed the vaccine schedule grow from 16 doses of 4 vaccines from birth to six years old when I was a child, to the current recommendation of 49 doses of 14 vaccines between birth and age six, and 69 doses of 16 vaccines between birth and the age of eighteen….and we’ve been giving them on-time, sometimes five shots a day to help kids ‘catch-up’, and all without question.  Medical school and residency taught us all to do so.

    I guess I cant help but wonder if there’s a connection between the fact that when we had to give fewer vaccines we had fewer childhood diseases.  It is only human to wonder.  We had fewer learning disabilities, less asthma, less autism, and less diabetes.  Autism in particular was 1 in 500 in the late seventies and it has now skyrocketed to 1 in 50.  Why so many?  Why so soon?

    I am so sorry that I didn’t know that the government has paid out $3 billion to families injured by vaccines through the VICP (Vaccine Injury Compensation Program).  As a matter of fact, I assumed that all vaccines were very very safe.  They have to be because we give them to everyone’s kids, right?!??

    I am so sorry that I didn’t realize that there are tens of thousands of families on a list that have never received compensation because they couldn’t 100% prove that the vaccine created an injury (even though many of them can pinpoint the day and time that their babies’ lights dimmed).

    And until recently, I had never heard of a CDC scientist/whistleblower named Dr. William Thompson.  Dr Thompson was brave enough to come forward because his conscience was killing him.  I feel like such an ignorant ASS to say the least.

    Dr. Thompson revealed that a study conducted at the CDC showed a 236% increase in the rate of autism in African-American boys who received the MMR vaccine before the age of 36 months.  He states that an internal decision was made to change the study results to demonstrate that there was no increased risk…and he feels really bad about all the lives he ruined.

    The documentary Vaxxed plays a percentage of the four hours of voice recordings between the whistleblower/Dr. Thompson and another scientist.  
    All of this would be impossible to believe without those recorded phone conversations.

    Of course I am Black mom, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend.  As a Black physician, with a mostly Black patient base, I am very very concerned and very sorry. But I am also concerned as a person that loves all people and children regardless of race.  What does this information about one vaccine on one group of children infer about all vaccines and all groups of children?

    As a mom of a new tiny precious being and a doctor of many, I am left with so many questions:  Should vaccines be delayed?  Are any vaccines safe?  If so, which ones?  Are there more vaccine-injured victims that we even know about?  Should genetic testing be conducted on all children before we assume that they can tolerate all of those vaccines?

    And my most important question: Why won’t Congress subpoena Dr. Thompson so that we can really really know the truth about this particular vaccine.

    I have to thank Del Bigtree for taking the time to show me the data that I was inadvertently pretending not to see, and I really have to thank Dr. Thompson.  Without this information, we would never have known, and it all would’ve just been written off as mishmash of conspiracy theories.

    With what I now know, I cannot support mandatory vaccines for children.  Some kids respond well to vaccines, but others do not.  How can we be sure who will and who will not?  Should we really sacrifice one for many?  Parents have to have the right to choose!  Parents have to make their own informed decisions.   Parents deserve access to this information which has been buried so deep that even I, a practicing physician, hadn’t been aware of.

    I apologize from the bottom of my heart to any children and parents that I have unknowingly harmed.  I had no idea.

    Please ask questions and make the time to go see the documentary Vaxxed. Form your own opinions, do your own research, and then talk to your physician.   Demand to hear from Dr. Thompson, pass this information along to your loved ones, and start these conversations. We all deserve answers, and this is the only way to get any.

    People keep asking me if I’m scared to speak about this.  My realest fear is that we will continue to assume that these moms are making this stuff up.

    Sincerely,

    Rachael L Ross, M.D., PhD

     WATCH MORE about Dr. Rachel at the CA Rally : 

    This article originally appeared at: http://drrachael.com/vaccines-vaccine-injuries-my-perspective-as-a-doctor-and-mom/.
  • Idaho Immunization Exemption Form. New Form. Same Problem.

    Idaho Immunization Exemption Form. New Form. Same Problem.

    IDAHO STATUTES CLEARLY STATE: VACCINES ARE NOT MANDATED FOR DAYCARE or SCHOOLS.
    LAW CLEARLY STATE A PARENT’S WRITTEN STATEMENT IS AN ACCEPTABLE FORM OF IMMUNIZATION EXEMPTION. 
    When parents opt to submit the legally acceptable affidavit, Idaho Health Department declines it forcing schools deny the children’s registration.

    Regardless of your opinion on the efficacy of vaccines, it is unacceptable to allow the Department of Health to mandate any form for school enrollment as that violates Idaho statute. 

    Idaho Health Department NEW Immunization Exemption Form Draft 2017

    New Form. Same Problem. 

    Statute does NOT REQUIRE a parent to list specific vaccines.

    PROBLEM # 1. LISTING ALL DISEASES/VACCINE EXEMPTED.
     Again, the statutes do NOT require parents to provide this type of information.

    Per the Health Department Director Dick Armstrong, the parents have to supply the school with a list of the exempted vaccines because the school has no other means to know in the event of an outbreak. 
     FALSE!
    The Health Department maintains a database of all children born in Idaho and their immunization status with the system known as IRIS and the schools have access to that information.
     In fact, the IRIS system accessible by health data vendors, the Health Department, Schools and licensed daycares, as well as all doctors and hospitals. Your child’s private medical information is in the system unless you specifically OPT OUT with the Health Department.
     Here’s the Health and Welfare Department training for the schools providing step by step access to children’s immunization records. https://youtu.be/VeOCPN9On0U

    *** What then if a parent has chosen to OPT OUT of the vaccine tracking system IRIS?

    http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Health/IdahoImmunizationProgram/InformationforParentsFamilies/ImmunizationRecords/OnlineIRISOptOutForm/tabid/2495/Default.aspx

     In the event of an outbreak a parent would have to provide proof of immunization for that specific disease or be excluded from school.

    Here is a very recent example from Idaho.
     This is a Feb 17. 2017 Notice from the Coeur d’Alene Public School:
     In the event of two or more confirmed cases in any one building — which classifies as an official outbreak — students who do not have proof of an MMR vaccination, even if they have a signed exemption, will be excluded from the affected school to protect our students and staff.
     Idaho Code 33-512-(7) outlines exclusions related to contagious diseases.
     Exclusions would last 26 days from onset of the last confirmed case.

    **As a parent WHY am I so resistant to having the school have a list of the vaccines I choose to exempt my child from?
    The IRIS tracking system is in place as an OPT OUT system. Meaning they put the information in the system and its my responsibility to make sure I request its removal (each and every time my child visits a provider that gives vaccines.) I can’t access the system to make sure that information is not contained in the central database. Instead I am forced to trust a government agency who has been intimidating and discriminating against people for years with a form that isn’t legal. I feel CERTAIN that my disclosure of this information would find its way into that State IRIS database without my consent and without my knowledge.

    PROBLEM # 2. Acknowledging putting my child at risk…
     Again, the statutes do NOT require parents to provide this type of information.

    Per the Health Department Director Dick Armstrong, parents make the choice to exempt their children of vaccines then they should acknowledge they are putting their children at risk to get the disease.
     FALSE!

    Recent outbreaks prove UNVACCINATED CHILDREN ARE LESS LIKELY TO BECOME INFECTED IN AN OUTBREAK!

    NOTICE the Health Department’s own rule states that there are only 3 items required to invoke the exemption however their form continues to ask for extraneous information.

    There are 2 forms provided by the Department of Health in 2012 to the present. Legally you are required to make a statement of objection (you do not have to clarify that statement), your child’s name and birthday. Any additional information required by schools or the Health Department is illegal.

    RESOURCES:

    The state-prescribed form, based on IDAPA 16.02.15, is in violation of Code 39-4802 and 39-4804. The form developed by IDHW falls far outside the scope of Idaho Code 39-1118(2) and 39-4802(2).

  • The 1st WIN FOR HFI! HB 91 IRIS EXPANSION VOTED DOWN

    The 1st WIN FOR HFI! HB 91 IRIS EXPANSION VOTED DOWN

    Idaho HB 91 was designed to further expand the Idaho immunization tracking system. The greatest concerns of IRIS is the lack of privacy, security and the inability of parents to confirm their child’s private medical information is expunged when a family choose to OPT OUT. This system is in place to record vaccinations /immunizations (or lack thereof) of children. As Representative Packer said, the State doesn’t feel parents are responsible enough to keep accurate records. Your child’s medical information is automatically entered into a system accessible by health department vendors, health officials, doctors, schools and registered daycare. HB 91 would expand the data tracking with the mandated inclusion of adults.

    If you wish to opt your child out of the system you may do so by visiting: the Health and Welfare website

    CONCERNS OVER THE OPT OUT SYSTEM: 
    Citizens are unable to OPT OUT of this central database until AFTER the child’s private medical information is uploaded into the central database. The Health Department processes the written OPT – OUT request allowing the department several weeks to do so. This request must be made each and every time a person visits a medical facility that has the capability of administering vaccinations.

    To learn more details on the bill and the concerns from Health Freedom Idaho read our article.

    Numerous Health Freedom Idaho members called and emailed their concerns to the representatives. We were heard! And the results was 44 of our state representatives voted down HB 91 a bill fraught with privacy invasion. 

    Watch the entire House Debate from the archives:
    http://lso.legislature.idaho.gov/MediaArchive/ShowCommitteeOrMedia.do;jsessionid=92559A4CF43D605E802FDE4D77DC0D5Fchives

    How did your rep vote? Take time to send correspondence of thanks or perhaps a question why they voted for the expansion.
    THEY ARE LISTENING! Keep educating the legislators of your concerns.

    THANK THE 44 WHO VOTED AGAINST HB 91:
    (posted in small groups to avoid spam filters) send 4 separate emails of thanks addressing each group in the BCC field: 

    hscott@house.idaho.gov, pshepherd@house.idaho.gov, ssyme@house.idaho.gov, jthompson@house.idaho.gov, cntroy@house.idaho.gov, jtrujillo@house.idaho.gov, jvanderwoude@house.idaho.gov, ryoungblood@house.idaho.gov, czito@house.idaho.gov, bzollinger@house.idaho.gov

    shartgen@house.idaho.gov, lluker@house.idaho.gov, jholtzclaw@house.idaho.gov, pjordan@house.idaho.gov, rkerby@house.idaho.gov, mkingsley@house.idaho.gov, dmanwaring@house.idaho.gov, pmcdonald@house.idaho.gov, jmonks@house.idaho.gov, dmoon@house.idaho.gov, mmoyle@house.idaho.gov, nater@house.idaho.gov, jpalmer@house.idaho.gov

    lclow@house.idaho.gov, tdayley@house.idaho.gov, gdemordaunt@house.idaho.gov, sdixon@house.idaho.gov, jgannon@house.idaho.gov, tgestrin@house.idaho.gov, pgiddings@house.idaho.gov, khanks@house.idaho.gov, sharris@house.idaho.gov,

    randerst@house.idaho.gov,armstrong@house.idaho.gov, vbar@house.idaho.gov, mblanksma@house.idaho.gov, gchaney@house.idaho.gov, jboyle@house.idaho.gov, vburtenshaw@house.idaho.gov, gchaney@house.idaho.gov, dcheatham@house.idaho.gov

    Is your child in the IRIS database without your knowledge? 
    Here is the information to OPT OUT. http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Health/IdahoImmunizationProgram/InformationforParentsFamilies/ImmunizationRecords/OnlineIRISOptOutForm/tabid/2495/Default.aspx
    All children born in Idaho are automatically enrolled. All child who visit a primary care physician are automatically enrolled. All children who submit records to a daycare or school are automatically enrolled. 

  • MUMPS VACCINE doesn’t work

    MUMPS VACCINE doesn’t work

    HFI: The Mumps vaccine created by Merck doesn’t work. Merck is in the middle of a lawsuit that claims scientist were forced to FAKE the effectiveness of the vaccine.

    According to Stephen Krahling and Joan Wlochowski, both former Merck virologists, the Merck company engaged in all the following behavior:

    • Merck knowingly falsified its mumps vaccine test results to fabricate a “95% efficacy rate.”

    • In order to do this, Merck spiked the blood test with animal antibodies in order to artificially inflate the appearance of immune system antibodies. As reported in CourthouseNews.com:

    Merck also added animal antibodies to blood samples to achieve more favorable test results, though it knew that the human immune system would never produce such antibodies, and that the antibodies created a laboratory testing scenario that “did not in any way correspond to, correlate with, or represent real life … virus neutralization in vaccinated people,” according to the complaint. (http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/06/27/47851.htm)

    Mumps outbreaks from 2015 to present reflect that more than 80% of the individuals in the US contracting mumps had both ‘recommended doses’ of the MMR vaccine. Defying COMMON SENSE, health departments are considering recommending a THIRD DOSE of the ineffective vaccine. 
    This begs the question, WHO BENEFITS from the additional shot of vaccine that doesn’t work?

    Mumps Vaccine Ineffective more than 80% individuals with sickness were vaccinated

    Excerpt from the Washington Post Article: 

    Federal health officials are evaluating the benefit of an additional dose of the mumps vaccine because of the increasing number of mumps outbreaks since 2006. More than 5,000 cases of the contagious viral illness were reported last year in the United States, the most in a decade.

    Among the outbreaks in recent years, 19 occurred last year on college campuses. Arkansas has been battling an outbreak that began in one community last summer and has since infected 2,815 people, the largest recorded in that state.

    The mumps outbreaks have been occurring in communities with high rates of immunization and residents who often have received both recommended doses of the vaccine.

    Federal officials said Thursday that they are looking into whether mumps immunity decreases over time and whether there would be benefits to a third dose. State and local health authorities are particularly interested in that additional shot as a preventive measure, Mona Marin told the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

    “Although the disease has not been serious, the disruption and expense it has caused for local and state health officials has been significant,” said Marin, a viral diseases expert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

    Currently, the CDC recommends that children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine — for measles, mumps and rubella — with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age and the second at 4 to 6 years.

    This article originally appeared at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2017/02/23/rise-in-mumps-outbreaks-prompts-u-s-officials-to-weigh-third-vaccine-dose/?postshare=231487970043297&tid=ss_fb&utm_term=.1e7f786e4b40.
  • SB 1050 It was there and then…

    SB 1050 It was there and then…

    SB 1050 doesn’t grant NEW RIGHTS it merely preserves the rights that already exist in Idaho law.

    This content originally appeared on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBDk8N9lRVE).

  • Modern-day book burning by the Internet Gestapo

    Modern-day book burning by the Internet Gestapo

    HFI:  Be sure to read the steps you can take to make sure that you have access to independent news to form opinions on topics of science and health that concern you and your choices in health freedom. Blatant censorship is taking place on the internet via google. 

    This is a guest piece by Mike Adams from Natural News his entire site was just taken off google. ALL 144,000 pages.
    It does appear that yes, google has removed all matches to the actual Natural News website. You still get results, but none take you to his site!

    (Natural News) Late last week, I, Mike Adams, received a direct threat that warned if I did not take steps to destroy Alex Jones and InfoWars, I would be targeted for destruction in a campaign of smears, censorship and defamation.

    Instead of giving in to the enemy, I refused to take the bait and went public with details of the threat, warning everyone in the new media that sinister forces were now being pursued to undermine and silence every anti-establishment (and pro-Trump) voice on the internet.

    True to form, today the entire Natural News website has been blacklisted by Google, entirely without warning. This is just one of many censorship events that have all taken place over the last few days:

    • Last weekend, damning videos were leaked in a focused effort to take out Milo Yiannopoulos, a former Breitbart News editor and gay conservative who has openly supported President Trump. Milo was hit with an attack wave of “opposition research” and was forced to resign from Breitbart on Monday, citing the “cynical media witch hunt” that brought him down.
    • Yesterday, InfoWars was blackballed by AdRoll.com, an online advertising distribution company. According to Alex Jones, the blacklisting by AdRoll will cost InfoWars $3 million in annual revenues, possibly causing InfoWars to abandon plans of opening a Washington D.C. bureau to cover the Trump administration with real news (instead of the fake news from CNN and elsewhere).
    • The Shopify e-commerce platform was aggressively threatened by organized Leftists to dump the Breitbart online store and thereby deny revenues to Breitbart. Shopify’s CEO refused to kow-tow to the intimidation and censorship and has maintained a “neutral” position on political issues, focusing on running e-commerce platforms for everyone.
    • Today, Natural News has been hit by Google, which has blacklisted the entire Natural News domain and removed over 140,000 pages from its index. The take down of Natural News happened this morning, and it follows a pattern of censorship we’re seeing being leveled against other pro-Trump websites. Google sent no warning whatsoever to our “webmaster tools” email address on file with them. The shut off of Natural News was clearly driven by a human decision, not an algorithm. We’re currently attempting to determine Google’s claimed justification for censoring our entire website, and we hope to have NaturalNews.com restored in Google’s index.

    Some of the news now being censored by Google includes our laboratory testing of the U.S. water supply, where we conducted laboratory testing to discover that 6.7% of municipal water is contaminated with toxic metals. Google has also blacklisted our announcement of free laboratory testing services for Native American water supplies impacted by oil pipeline leaks. Also blacklisted is our exclusive coverage of the GlaxoSmithKline criminal indictment by the U.S. Justice Dept. and our interview with the whistleblower who helped achieved a record $3 billion settlement with the criminal drug company.

    Apparently, Google believes the public should no longer have access to these investigative journalism articles… and 139,997 more articles that cover activism, science frauds, drug industry criminality, political corruption and more. You are witnessing a modern-day book burning by the internet Gestapo that now decides what knowledge you’re never allowed to access… especially because much of that knowledge can help set humanity free.

    I describe it in more detail in this podcast: (article continues below)

    Silencing Natural News is all part of the globalist “script” for the enslavement of a population kept ignorant of reality

    …

    This is, in essence, nothing less than a modern-day book burning by anti-human globalists who are determined to keep humanity ignorant (and diseased).

    The real agenda of the humanity-hating globalist agenda is now on full display: It’s about total domination over all information so that humanity never learns that cancer can be prevented with vitamin D, or that glyphosate herbicide causes cancer, or that statin drugs are a multi-billion-dollar medical scam. The Sheeple are all slated to be sacrificed upon the altar of Big Pharma profits, and anyone who dares stand in their way will be eliminated by any means necessary.

    What you can do to fight this brazen censorship and assault being waged against humanity

    First off, stop using anti-truth internet gatekeepers like Google, Facebook, Yahoo and Twitter. They are quietly controlling your thoughts, ideas and beliefs by limiting your access to valuable resources like Natural News.

    Second, use GoodGopher.com as your search engine, as it provides you with uncensored search results from thousands of independent media websites (many of which are banned or penalized by Google).

    Third, bookmark NaturalNews.com in your browser and check it at least twice daily (we post new content each morning and each evening). Manually type it into your browser if you have to. From now on, never rely on some other gatekeeper to bring you to Natural News, because those gatekeepers are censoring all our content.

    Be sure to also sign up to our email newsletter using the form below. This email newsletter is one of the best ways we can reach you without being filtered out by other sources. As you might expect, Gmail censors our newsletters too, so don’t use a Gmail email address. (Yes, the censorship is an all-out assault.)

    Finally, make Censored.news a primary resource to watch for breaking news on important events that are being censored by the fake news media (CNN, WashPo, NYT, etc.).

    This article originally appeared at: http://www.healthnutnews.com/google-blacklists-natural-news-removes-140000-pages-index/.
  • Support SB 1050

    Support SB 1050


    SB1050 will be heard THURSDAY Feb 23, 2016 
    at the Senate Health Committee.
    JOIN US at 3 p.m. and stand together to protect HEALTH FREEDOM and our right to immunization exemption without intimidation

    IDAHO STATUTES CLEARLY STATE: VACCINES ARE NOT MANDATED FOR DAYCARE or SCHOOLS. LAWS CLEARLY STATE A PARENT’S WRITTEN STATEMENT IS AN ACCEPTABLE FORM OF IMMUNIZATION EXEMPTION.

    The Public Health Department refuses to accept a parents’ written affidavit, which leads many to wonder…
    HOW IS THAT LEGAL?

    Idaho’s Health & Welfare Department created a mandatory immunization form that falls FAR OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF CURRENT STATUTES and is discriminatory to the minority of parents who legally choose to OPT OUT of the full CDC vaccine schedule.

    Parents are forced to sign IDHW’s mandatory form that demands parents state that they are putting their children at risk. No parent should be forced to sign a form that is self-incriminatory in order to enroll their child into a daycare program or public school. Parents with moral conviction religious objections to injecting their children with abortion tainted vaccines are forced to claim membership to a specific denomination that rejects vaccination. The Health Department also requires lengthy explanation for religious and philosophical objections.

    The Public Health department is getting away with creating their own rules and children are being denied access to daycare and schools. 

    Regardless of your opinion on the efficacy of vaccines, it is unacceptable to allow the Department of Health to mandate a discriminatory form for school enrollment that violates privacy and is potentially self-incriminating. 

     This content originally appeared on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOYg5OP-SD8).

  • Herd Immunity: A clever marketing campaign

    Herd Immunity: A clever marketing campaign

    HFI: Continual outbreaks of ‘childhood diseases, and once again we are hearing references to the theory of “herd immunity.” The theory is the foundation for the mass vaccination campaigns around the world. It currently stipulates that in order to provide immunity to a population against contagious diseases like measles, you must vaccinate at least 95% of the population. Theoretically-speaking, with a vaccination rate of 95%, the diseases should be eradicated.
    The Idaho Health Department is pushing to have ALL individuals tracked in their immunization registry (H 91) in the name of ‘herd immunity’. 

    WHAT IS HERD IMMUNITY?

    In an epidemiological review paper titled “Herd Immunity: History, Theory, Practice,” written by Paul E. M. Fine and published in 1993, the author notes that the first “published use” of the term herd immunity “appears to have been” in a paper titled “The spread of bacterial infection: the problem of herd immunity,” written by W. W. C. Topley and G. S. Wilson and published in 1923. From Fine’s paper, it seems that the theory of herd immunity was originally developed based on some observations with mice and some “simple mathematical formulations,” but the paper is unclear about whether the theory was ever validated through some of sort scientific peer review process—as is commonly the case with theories that eventually come to be widely accepted as “proven science.”1 2

    In 1933, Dr. Arthur W. Hedrich, a health officer in Chicago, IL observed that during 1900-1930, outbreaks of measles in Boston, MA appeared to be suppressed when 68% of the children contracted the virus.3 Subsequently in the 1930s, Dr. Hedrich observed that after 55% of the child population of Baltimore, MD acquired measles, the rest of the population appeared to be protected. It was that observation that formed the basis for mass vaccination campaigns.4

    When the mass vaccination campaign for measles in the U.S. began in earnest in the mid-1960s, the U.S. Public Health Service planned to vaccinate over 55% (based on the Baltimore observation) of the U.S. population, and it announced that it fully expected to eradicate measles by 1967. When that didn’t happen, the Public Health Service came up with vaccination rate figures of 70-75% as the way to ensure herd immunity. When eradication was still not achieved at those rates, public health officials jacked up the rates to 80%, 83%, 85%, and ultimately to 90%.5

    The process by which the decisions to raise the rates is unclear. Was it based on some scientific methodology or assumptions? Or were the decisions simply made because officials felt pressure to fulfill their promises to fully eradicate measles? Did they ever consider pausing and re-evaluating the original premise behind the theory of herd immunity? Or did they trudge on, arbitrarily raising the bar?

    Now the rate is up to 95% to achieve herd immunity. But as we see with the continual outbreaks, even at 95% we still do not have full immunity. In China, the vaccination rates are even higher—99%. But there are also still measles outbreaks there.6 So is the answer 100%? And what if at 100% you still get outbreaks? We’ve gone from herd immunity supposedly achieved at 55% to herd immunity that is clearly not achieved even at 95%. At what point will public health officials have to confront the possibility that herd immunity may not be the best theory on which to base vaccination policy?

    The population of the U.S. stood at about 318.9 million in 2014.7 The “baby boomer” generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) account for about 24% of the total population.8 Many years ago, it was believed that childhood vaccines lasted a lifetime. It was not until relatively recently that it was discovered that most of these vaccines lost their effectiveness 2-10 years after being given.9

    Thus, for at least the past 40 years, the one-quarter to nearly 40% of the U.S. population represented by the baby boomers has had no vaccine-induced immunity against any of these diseases for which they had been vaccinated as a child. If you include those born after 1964, the percentage of the unprotected surpasses 50%. According to retired neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock, “If we listened to present-day wisdom, we are all at risk of resurgent massive epidemics should the vaccination rate fall below 95%.”9

    Given that at least half the population has effectively been without vaccine protection for many years, we should have experienced a massive resurgence in childhood infectious diseases. But this has not happened. In other words, we haven’t had herd immunity in the U.S., and yet the world hasn’t come tumbling down.

    The Misunderstood Theory of Herd Immunityby Marco Cáceres
    For the Spanish translation of this article, see “La Incomprendida Teoría de la Inmunidad de Grupo” in Argentina sin Vacunas.

  • 12 Toxins in Your Drinking Water

    12 Toxins in Your Drinking Water

    HFI: Let’s take a look at some of the nastiest water contaminants that may be pouring out of your faucet. Idaho Water District frequently tests the water for contaminates. Unfortunately, they ADD Fluoride to some community water sources. See if you are drinking fluoride. 

    1. Fluoride

    Adding fluoride to drinking water is a process that began back in the 1940’s to help reduce tooth decay. It sounds like a noble cause but fluoride is a neurotoxin and an endocrine disruptor. It can harm the thyroid gland and calcify the pineal gland. It’s so toxic that several countries have banned water fluoridation. Even some U.S. cities have caught on and started rejecting the process of fluoridation.[1]

    2. Chlorine

    Chlorine has disinfectant properties that make it useful for cleaning products and swimming pools. It’s even used to sanitize sewage and industrial waste. Chlorine is added to drinking water as a purification technique, despite not being completely safe.[2]

    Chlorine is a reactive chemical that bonds with water, including the water in your gut, to produce poisonous hydrochloric acid. Chlorine exposure can cause respiratory problems and damage cells. Long term effects include memory loss and impaired balance.[3][4]

    3. Lead

    Lead is the main toxin causing problems in Flint. Corroded pipes are releasing up to ten times the allowable amount of lead into the water. Lead is toxic to almost every organ and affects children the worst. Developmental issues, stunted growth, deafness, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and brain damage can all result from exposure to lead.[5] If ingested during pregnancy, lead can cause premature birth.[6] Lead exposure has even been linked to autism, prostate cancer, and reproductive problems for both men and women.[7] It’s damaging to the cardiovascular system and kidneys, too.[8]

    4. Mercury

    Although mercury is a naturally occurring element, “natural” does not mean “safe.” Mercury is extremely toxic and can cause brain damage, blindness, nerve damage, cognitive disability, impairment of motor functions, headaches, weakness, muscle atrophy, tremors, mood swings, memory loss, and skin rashes.

    A byproduct of mining and industrial practices, mercury vapor can linger in the atmosphere and ride the winds halfway around the globe.[9]

    5. PCBs

    PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are chemicals used for industrial purposes such as insulation, machinery, oil, paints, adhesives, electronics, and fluorescent lights.

    Although PCBs were banned in 1979, they’re still present in landfills and pose a danger to the environment. PCBs break down slowly and infiltrate the environment. They have been found in snow and sea water thousands of miles from where they were produced.[10]

    Animal tests have found PCBs to cause cancer and negatively affect the immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems.[11]

    6. Arsenic

    Arsenic, despite being poisonous, is used in a multitude of industrial processes. Environmental contamination may result from improper waste disposal, or from poorly-planned wells that hit a natural source.[12]

    Arsenic poisoning can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and even death in severe cases. Long-term exposure can lead to skin cancer, lung cancer, and bladder cancer. In Taiwan, arsenic causes “blackfoot disease,” a type of gangrene that causes blood vessels to die and rot.[12]

    7. Perchlorate

    Perchlorates are a key ingredient in rocket fuel and explosives. They dissolve easily and seep into groundwater from military and industrial sites. It’s believed that perchlorates have contaminated much of the Colorado river.[13] The problem is severe; almost all humans will test positive for perchlorates, which attack the thyroid.

    8. Dioxins

    Dioxins are released during combustion, such as burning of hazardous waste, forest fires, cigarette smoke, and burning oil and coal. They settle in the environment and destroy water sources.[14]

    Short term exposure can cause lesions and respiratory problems. Long-term exposure can affect the immune, nervous, endocrine, and reproductive systems. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has declared dioxins are carcinogenic. In developing fetuses, dioxin poisoning can cause birth defects or stillbirth.[15]

    9. DDT (Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane)

    DDT was used as an insecticide in the 1940s to combat insect-borne diseases like malaria and typhus. It had widespread use as an agricultural insecticide until it was banned in the United States in 1972 due to environmental concerns.[16]

    It remains in use in other parts of the world and is still a major health concern for all of us. DDT molecules are persistent and can travel vast distances in the atmosphere.[17]

    Animal testing has found DDT causes reproductive problems and liver damage. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has declared DDT is a cancer risk.[18]

    10. HCB

    Until 1965, HCB, or Hexachlorobenzene, was used as a pesticide. Production has been banned, but it is still formed as a byproduct from the production of other chemicals. A large dose can result in death. Smaller doses can lead to liver disease and skin lesions. The EPA has classified HCB as a probable cancer source.[19]

    In Anatolia, Turkey in the late 1950’s, over 4500 people suffered HCB poisoning as a result of tainted grain. Over 500 people died, including children. 30 years later, follow-up studies found that the breast milk of women in the area still contained up to 150 times the amount of HCB allowed in cow’s milk.[20]

    11. Dacthal

    Dacthal (dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, or DCPA) is an herbicide that contaminates soil and water sources. Unlike HBA and DDT, Dacthal is still in use today. Animal tests have found dacthal damages the adrenal glands, kidneys, liver, thyroid, and spleen.[21][22]

    12. MtBE

    MtBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) is a gasoline additive that can render large quantities of groundwater completely undrinkable. In 1996, the city of Santa Monica, CA found this out the hard way and the city had to shut down 50% of its water supply and pay for replacement water.[23]

    The health effects of MtBE are not understood. Animal tests have linked it to kidney damage, seizures, and problems with fetal development.[24]

    Further Concerns and Safety

    I need to clear up a common misconception. Some people are under the impression that they can remove toxins from water by boiling it. Boiling water kills harmful organisms but does nothing to remove toxic chemicals, compounds, salts, and metals.

    This is by no mean a complete list of all the toxins that might be in drinking water. Please keep informed of water quality issues in your area. If poor-quality tap water is a problem for you, I recommend investing in a quality water filter or glass-bottled distilled water.

    Do you have any water quality horror stories? Please leave a comment below and share your experience with us.

    References (23)

    1. “Are You Fluoridated? – Kelly Brogan MD.” 2015. 8 Mar. 2016.
    2. “Toxicological Profile for Chlorophenols.” ATSDR’s Toxicological Profiles Web Version (2002): n. pag. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    3. Facts about Chlorine.” CDC. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    4. O’Malley, Gerald F., DO. “Chlorine Toxicity.” : Practice Essentials, Background, Pathophysiology. Medscape, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    5. Cecil, Kim M., Christopher J. Brubaker, Caleb M. Adler, Kim N. Dietrich, Mekibib Altaye, John C. Egelhoff, Stephanie Wessel, Ilayaraja Elangovan, Richard Hornung, Kelly Jarvis, and Bruce P. Lanphear. “Decreased Brain Volume in Adults with Childhood Lead Exposure.” PLoS Medicine. Public Library of Science, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    6. “Learn about Lead.” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    7. “Relationship between chronic lead toxicity and plasma neurotransmitters in autistic patients from Saudi Arabia.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    8. Telisman, Spomenka, Bozo Colak, Alicia Pizent, Jasna Jurasovic, and Petar Cvitkovic. Lead Toxicity May Be Associated with Reproductive Toxicity and Prostate Cancer Initiation in Men.” GreenMedinfo, 16 June 2007. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    9. “Basic Information about Mercury.” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    10. “Polychlorinated Biphenyls:Basic Information.” EPA.gov. EPA, 8 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    11. “Polychlorinated Biphenyls: Health Effects of PCBs.” EPA.gov. EPA, 13 Jun. 2013. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    12. “Arsenic.” World Health Organization, Dec. 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    13. “Technical Fact Sheet – Perchlorate.” EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.): n. pag. EPA.gov. Environmental Protection Agency, Jan. 2014. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    14. “Learn about Dioxin.” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 10 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    15. “Dioxins and Their Effects on Human Health.” World Health Organization. World Health Organization, June 2014. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
    16. “DDT – A Brief History and Status.” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 5 Nov. 2015. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.
    17. “DDT.” Eco-USA. Eco-USA, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.
    18. “IARC Monographs Evaluate DDT, Lindane, and 2,4-D.” International Agency for Research on Cancer (n.d.): n. pag. IARC. World Health Organization, 23 June 2015. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.
    19. “Hexachlorobenzene.” United States Environmental Protection Agency, Jan. 2000. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.
    20. “Issues: Health. Healthy Milk, Healthy Baby: Chemical Pollution and Mother’s Milk: Hexachlorobenzene.” NRDC. National Resources Defense Council, 22 May 2001. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.
    21. Us Epa, Office Of Water (Ow). “Summary from the Health Advisory (HA) for Dacthal and Dacthal Degradates (Tetrachloroterephthalic Acid and Monomethyl Tetrachloroterephthalic Acid).” Summary from the Health Advisory for Dacthal and Dacthal Degradates (Tetrachloroterephthalic Acid (n.d.): n. pag. EPA.gov. Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.
    22. Cox, By Caroline. “DCPA (Dacthal).” Journal of Pesticide Reform 11.3 (1991): 17-20. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.
    23. “Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE): Drinking Water.” EPA.gov. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.
    24. “MTBE: What Is MTBE?” Cancer.org. American Cancer Society, 17 July 2014. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.

    This article originally appeared at: http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/12-toxins-in-your-drinking-water/.

  • Get Your Kids To Eat: Spinach

    Get Your Kids To Eat: Spinach

    It is hard to beat spinach when talking about nutrient packed greens. Just one leaf contains a sampling of more than 20 different nutrients. The list of benefits is nearly as long as the amount of nutrients: cancer fighting, blood pressure beating, bone strengthening, cardiovascular helping, brain boosting, skin smoothing, vision improving, inflammation reducing, energy increasing, and more. Spinach is a green smoothie staple for all!
    We eat it raw. Fresh, Crispy and full of flavor. 
    Some kids need a bit of dressing to ‘tone down’ the boisterous flavor of spinach. For these children we make a ‘real food’ dip.
    They enjoy spinach leaves in this special ‘ranch’ dressing. 
    Thanks to Wellness Mama for this homemade healthy ranch dressing with greek yogurt, olive oil and spices and no artificial ingredients!
    Serves: 4
    Ingredients
    • ½ to ¾ cup Plain Full Fat Yogurt or Greek Yogurt
    • 1 tsp (or more to taste) of dried dill weed
    • Sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 small clove of garlic
    • 6 TBSP olive oil
    • 2 TBSP parmesan
    Instructions
    1. Put yogurt, garlic and spices in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    2. Very slowly, add the oil so that it emulsifies.
    3. Use immediately, or store up to 1 week in the fridge
    What tricks do you use to get your kids to acquire tastes for healthy fare?