Author: Health Freedom Idaho

  • PHONE YOUR LEGISLATOR

    PHONE YOUR LEGISLATOR

    How to Phone Your Legislator

    Hours of operation are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on days when the legislature  is in session. When leaving a message for a legislator, please follow these guidelines:

    • Identify yourself to the person who answers the phone.  Be sure to say that you are a constituent in the legislator’s district.
    • Tell the legislator the issue or bill number you’re calling about.  Give the position and reason for your position.
    • Briefly explain the likely impact of a bill on your community and on the legislator’s constituents.
    • Be polite.
    • Keep party politics out of the discussion.
    • Say, “thank you” for your legislator’s consideration of your views.
    • If the legislator is unavailable, give the staff member your message.  Legislative staff are very good at relaying messages!
    Health & Welfare Committee Contact Information

    Each person has 2 State House Representatives and 1 State Senate per District. A great resource to FIND OUT WHO your legislators are and their contact information: http://openstates.org/id/legislators/

    These Legislators will be in their home town (unless campaigning) until the beginning of the Legislative session in January and will have more time to meet with you before the session starts. Then many stay in Boise during our 4 month Legislative session and are very busy at that this time.

    During the legislative session, HFI will send out Action Alerts requesting you contact your representative on proposed legislation. This will often involve a quick phone call or simple email. This shouldn’t be the only time you are in contact with your legislator. Taking time to develop a relationship with your elected official off season will allow you the opportunity develop an open line of communication based on mutual respect.

  • A Review of Last Legislative Session

    A Review of Last Legislative Session

    HEALTH FREEDOM IDAHO tracked the votes of our legislators in relations to FIVE bills in the 2015/2016 session.
    Here is a brief description of the bill as it relates to health freedom, parental authority and privacy.
    To see how YOUR senator and representative voted find your district. 
    Download the voters guide (PDF FILE) that provides a complete overview of Idaho’s legislator votes.

    THE BILLS Health Freedom Idaho Tracked Last Legislative Session:

    HO181 – FAILED
    Topic: NATUROPATHIC MEDICAL PHYSICIANS
    Adds to existing law to provide the Naturopathic Medical Physicians Licensing Act. This law would only allow Naturopaths from a few specific Naturopathic Schools to be licensed as Naturopaths. This number accounts for approximately 20% Naturopathss in Idaho, leaving the other 80% who would then need to warn their clients with a signed statement stating that they are not Naturopaths or leaving them to face misdemeanor charges. This would exclude people that have gained their Naturopathic training elsewhere such as Germany, the birthplace of Naturopathy. Causing Idaho to lose a lot of rich traditions of Naturopathy.

    SB1121 –  PASSED
    TOPIC: ELIMINATES PRIVACY; REMOVES CONSENT IN SHARING OF HEALTHCARE DATA.
    This law poses a threat to our privacy and rights.  Introduced and passed in 2015, allows Immunization Registry sharing of information with the Idaho Health Data Exchange without consent.  Opt-out options do not address concerns about previously shared data released to third parties.

     
    SB 1294 – PASSED
    TOPIC: VACCINE ADMINISTRATION BY PHARMACISTS: REDUCES LEGAL AGE OF VACCINE ADMINISTRATION TO 6.
    This bill allows pharmacists to prescribe and administer vaccines for person 6 years or older.  Like all pharmaceutical products, Vaccines may cause reaction in some individuals.  Pharmacists do not know patient’s medical history, do not have access to their records, may never see a patient again so are unaware of reactions.  Pharmacists have no liability for adverse reactions in the vaccines they administer.

     
    SB 1231 – held over
    TOPIC: RELATES TO CHIROPRACTORS: AMENDS EXISTING LAW & ELIMINATES OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE ADVANCED NUTRITION TO PATIENTS.
    Amends existing law to revise restrictions on prescribing, dispensing, independently administering, distributing, directing or suggesting to patients certain drugs, substances or products.  Prevents chiropractors from administering IV supplements and providing advanced nutrition to their patients.

     
    HB 113PASSED
    TOPIC: PARENTAL RIGHTS: FURTHER DEFINED AND PROTECTED.
    This Bill was introduced and passed into law. It adds to existing law to provide the parental right to direct the care, custody and control of children; to provide the parental right to direct the education of children; to restrict interference with fundamental parental rights and to provide that this act shall not invalidate the Child Protective Act, to authorize a claim, defense and appropriate relief and to provide for attorney’s fees. The original form of this bill was positive for parental rights, however, it passed with amendments that were of concern to parental rights advocacy groups.   

    Become an educated voter-  SIMPLY.

    1.  Do you know your district? Do you know your legislators?
    Easily Check:  http://openstates.org/id/legislators/

    2. learn about their voting, their sponsers, their promises/commitments:
    Health Freedom’s Voter’s Guide
    VOTESMART.org
    IdahoFreedom.org
    Republican Liberty Caucus  
    Ballotpedia.org

  • MMR Controversy Reignites

    MMR Controversy Reignites

    Is there a connection between vaccines and autism?
    Recently, fraud at the CDC was uncovered. They knew of a 340% risk of autism and still recommended the MMR vaccine.  

    CDC senior scientist confesses “omitted data” on MMR vaccine safety, while whistleblower virologists accuse vaccine manufacturer of fraud, will the truth out at last? 

    Important developments have come to light in the long-running measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine controversy, but practically no mainstream media are covering the story; and if they do, they tell a very partial tale.
    William Thompson, a senior scientist with the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released a statement via a law firm saying [1]: “I regret that my coauthors and I omitted statistically significant information in our 2004 article published in the journalPediatrics.  The omitted data suggested that African American males who received the MMR vaccine before age 36 months were at increased risk for autism.”

    Meantime, pharmaceutical Merck is facing at least two federal court cases over the MMR vaccine, and may well also have to defend itself in US Congress [2]. Representative Bill Posey (a longtime critic of the CDC) and his staff are now reviewing a thousand documents that William Thompson has turned over to Congress.

    The controversy was ignited by UK pediatrician Andrew Wakefield in the late 1990s (see [3] The MMR vaccine Controversy*, SiS 13/14). As a result, Wakefield not only lost his job, the paper he coauthored with 12 other researchers reporting a potential link between MMR vaccine, autism, and gastrointestinal inflammation was unilaterally retracted by the Lancet and “discredited”, and he was struck off by UK’s General Medical Council for serious professional misconduct [4]. Since then, Wakefield has been subject to almost universal vilification by the medical/scientific establishment and the mainstream media. He is still blamed for “measles epidemics”, including the one that appeared to have started in California’s  Disneyland, but has actually been traced to the Philippines [5]. Wakefield is consistently wrongly accused of being ‘anti-vaccine’ [6]. He had only advised against the MMR triple vaccine, recommending instead the single vaccines including the one for measles, which governments have since withdrawn.
    Merck, the sole manufacturer of MMR vaccine had stopped making the single vaccines since 2008 [7].

  • Dreaming of fruit in the dead of winter

    Dreaming of fruit in the dead of winter

    Growing your own food is the best way to know what you are eating.
    Every garden should have at least three fruit trees. Tips, hints and organic gardening secrets.
    Thinking about a buying a fruit tree? Start here! Tricia helps you make an informed decision when it comes to picking a fruit tree variety. Fruit tree questions? They have so many resources for you!

  • Cures Act Kills Informed Consent

    Cures Act Kills Informed Consent

    December 7, 2016
    The “21st Century Cures Act” just passed the Senate and heads to Obama, who will sign it.

    HR 6 – 21st Century Cures Act which looked to be dead in the water was secretly thrown into HR 34 at the last minute – a bill that was actually for tsunami detection, forecast, warning, research, and mitigation to create a 900+ page bill. We have a runaway government, who’s interest is not the safety of the public, that is clear. (see more about the evolution of this bill from NVIC )

    What does it really mean?

    Vaccines will be fast -tracked and require LESS safety testing

    HR 34 allows the approval of drugs by the FDA vaccines “with the least BURDENSOME means.” Drugs should require the MOST rigorous testing, not the least burdensome means.

    Now your child’s vaccines are going to be developed with even LESS testing than before, and will all be fast-tracked to production. Government mandated vaccines and an exponentially growing vaccine schedule the vaccine manufacturers will make lots and lots of money.
    Keep in Mind: The vaccine manufacturers having ZERO legal liability for their products, and 300 new vaccines in the development pipeline – the pharmaceutical industry literally cannot lose, no matter how many lives are destroyed.  

     “The 21st Century Cures Act is a drug company stockholder’s dream and a consumer’s worst nightmare,” said Barbara Loe Fisher, NVIC Co-founder and President. “Making experimental drugs quickly available for the sick and dying, who voluntarily choose to use them, is one thing, but Congress should not be greasing the skids to license experimental vaccines that government will recommend and legally require healthy children and adults to use. It is a prescription for disaster.”

    Medical testing no longer requires informed consent. 

    Even more ominous is the section 2263 the elimination of informed consent. What is informed consent ? Permission granted in the knowledge of the possible consequences, typically that which is given by a patient to a doctor for treatment with full knowledge of the possible risks and benefits.  Now all patients receiving treatment by any medical doctor may be, WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE, enrolled in a clinical trial for drugs and devices as long as there is “minimal risk” to the patient and the practitioner, and as long as there are “safeguards”.  The effect of this act is to leave “safety” to guesswork and rationalization, and to allow the medical establishment to assess harm in drugs and devices in a manner in which

    (1) the patients are not informed that they are in a clinical trial, and
    (2) they have no right to say “No” to being part of an experiment.

    If they are harmed during the trial, they cannot know that they should sue because any ill effect of the experimental drug or device cannot be traced to the experiment. This allows the medical establishment to experiment on the population with impunity. 
    The act does not specify “minimal risk”.

    This provision makes no sense logically, or scientifically, and is dangerous. We use clinical trials not only to study the efficacy of drugs and devices, but also to determine their safety profiles.

    Please watch the video of Senator Elizabeth Warren speaking out against this bill (in the first comment of this post), for more information. 

    This bill along with Obama’s November 4th Executive Order, The Global Health Agenda and the CDC’S new proposed rule in October to detain and quarantine anyone, any city, indefinitely and to release them only conditionally are not coincidences. These are all movements against our Health Freedom, our Human Rights including the Nuremberg Code and they take away our Informed Consent. 
  • Vaccine Culture War in America. Are You Ready?

    Vaccine Culture War in America. Are You Ready?

    How did a handful of measles cases at Disneyland turn into a full-scale assault on civil and human rights in America?

    CALIFORNIA: MEASLES OUTBREAK ENDS.  ZERO DEATHS. 
    There was NO transmission in schools or day cares.
    And yet, the California legislator pushed into law TWO bills that will permanently affect schools and day cares. 
    The daycare and school children will be forced vaccinated and their preschool teachers and daycare providers will as well. 

    Thousands of families voiced opposition to a vaccine mandate that keeps children out of schools and demands that preschool teachers and daycare owners be vaccinated on a state mandated schedule. Legislators ignored them. Pockets lined with pharma contributions and being directed by lobbiest, California’s legislature closed its doors to health freedom.

    Could something like this happen in Idaho? 

    Unfortunately, no state is exempt from the temptation of big pharma’s money. Recently one of American’s strongest vaccine promoters Paul Offit came to educate the Health and Welfare department. He also joined a campaign to generate legislation that would remove a parents authority over the health and well being of their child. Eyes are on Idaho to begin to chip away our freedoms and push us away from the freedom to choice the healthcare options best suited for our individual children. 

    You have seen it in the news just this week. “Doctors are Afraid” What are they afraid of? 

    Well according to articles by KVIP and KTVB those doctors are afraid of the 271 six-year-olds in the state that aren’t up-to-date on their two shots of measles vaccines before kindergarten. The fear-mongering is very strong. The propaganda piece ‘study’ written by vaccine patent holder manipulated numbers to try generate ‘fear’ of vaccine exemptions throughout the state. 

    Here’s some of those figures: 

    Looking for detailed information about the ‘study’? J.B. Handley has put together a great article : Deconstructing the “Hot Spots” hoax from Pharma shill 

    It is as Barbara Lowe Fischer says, a vaccine culture war. And they are using FEAR to take away our freedom.
    Look at these facts about California’s vaccine mandates.


    1. Measles cases 133 out of a population of 320,090,857.
     (US Census Bureau) 
    WHY is 133 cases considered LARGE this year when it was over 600 cases last year and it wasn’t even mentioned in the media? 

    2. When did the definition of ‘majority’ become less than half of the total number?  CDC: “The majority of people who got measles were un-vaccinated.” <source>
    California Department of Public Health reports that of the 133 confirmed CALIFORNIA residents only 57 were un-vaccinated. <source>

    3. If the vaccination rates have remained fairly constant why has there been a fluctuation of reported cases? 
    <see graphic above>
    Learn more about the strain of measles discovered in this ‘outbreak’


    4.  Looking at this data <chart 3> shows that abolishing personal belief exemption would not significantly reduce the number of measles cases in California in the future. 
    1) 132 out of 134 California measles cases since December have occurred in counties where the percentage of personal belief exemptions is already significantly below 5%. 
    2) Most notable is LA County (with over a quarter of all measles cases state-wide) which has 1.62% of kindergarten entrants with PBE and 12.28% conditional entrants.
    3) Conditional entrants have nearly triple the impact on state-wide vaccination rates of kindergarten entrants as compared to kindergarten entrants with personal belief exemptions, and 7.5 times the impact on Los Angeles county vaccination rates in particular.
    4) Approximately 20% of CA measles cases since Dec. 2014 have occurred in counties with OVER 95% of kindergarten entrants fully vaccinated against measles.
    5) Only 45% of measles cases have occurred in individuals under age 20. – researched by 
    Kim Swensrud Loutzenhiser

    MEASLES is a self limiting sickness. It has caused NO DEATHS in the US in the past decade. This ‘outbreak’ has run its course and there are no new reported cases in the past 10 days. 
    – March 23, 2015

    Chart 1: CDC’s OWN STATISTICS PROVE VACCINATIONS
    HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE NUMBER MEASLES CASES

    Over a 15 year period, the measles vaccine has NO EFFECT / NO IMPACT on the outbreak of the disease. The vaccination rates remain constant and the outbreak rates fluctuate drastically. 
    Chart 2: Measles cases and related deaths were at a constant decline PRIOR to the introduction of vaccines.

    Deaths due to measles was on a decline PRIOR to the introduction of Measles Vaccine


    Chart 3: Herd Immunity is ‘achieved at 95% vaccination rates’. 132 out of 134 cases occurred in counties where the percentage of personal beliefs exemptions is significantly below 5%


    Additional Concerns include…

    CDC: financial conflicts of interest:
     http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/health/policy/18cdc.html

    Vaccines are pharmaceutical products that cause injury and death for some.  The United States Government has paid out more than $3 billion dollars to vaccine victims. Many more people have adverse reactions. Nobody can predict who will be harmed from vaccines.

    Merck, the maker of the MMR II vaccine, acts unethically in the interest of public health:

    – See more at: http://vaccineimpact.com/2015/vaccine-war-in-america-attempts-to-legislate-mandatory-vaccines-all-across-the-u-s/#sthash.Brq8sCDY.dpuf

    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/business/14vioxxside.html
    http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/business/14merck.html

    http://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-270B-613
    http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/21/business/21merck.html?_r=0 
    http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE9B811S20131209

    Religious Grounds for opposing vaccines: aborted fetal cells use to create vaccines
    http://www.cogforlife.org/prove-it/

    The science of vaccine failure in highly immunized populations is acknowledged:
     http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905323/
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1646939/
    http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000359.htm
    http://news.sciencemag.org/…/measles-outbreak-traced-fully-

    The science of toxicity of vaccine ingredients is acknowledged:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22235057
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16866298/
    http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/political-pulse/os-us-rep-bill-posey-looking-at-immunizationautism-20140909-post.html
    http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f3037

  • Why Won’t CDC Do the Study?

    Why Won’t CDC Do the Study?

    There are NO officials US government – sponsored studies comparing the health of vaccinated to unvaccinated children. 

    Watch VACCINE BEAT #3: Why Won’t CDC Do the Study?

    There are several independently funded studies have been done in the US and overseas. The majority of these studies have been conducted abroad, but many involve American children.
    What do these studies show? The research demonstrates conclusively that unvaccinated children enjoy far superior health when compared to those vaccinated. Unvaccinated children experience almost no incidence of autism, autoimmune disorders, asthma, allergies, diabetes and other common childhood diseases which have reached epidemic proportions in recent years.

    The Research Studies

    One of the most comprehensive studies is an ongoing comparative survey by German homeopathic physician Andreas Bachmair. Bachmair is conducting an independent study comparing the health of vaccinated to unvaccinated children with 17,461 participants.

    This research has found a significant increase in the following diseases in those vaccinated: asthma, allergies, bronchitis, otitis media (ear infections), hay fever, herpes, neurodermatitis, hyperactivity, scoliosis, epilepsy, autoimmune disorders, thyroid disease, autism and diabetes. Furthermore, Bachmair discovered three other studies which substantiated his findings. To see the chart with the comparison in diseases, visit this link provided by the Vermont Coalition for Vaccine Choice.

    For comprehensive survey results for this published study, see this link.

    The majority of those who participated were Americans, with 25 percent of participants comprised of Germans. Ninety-nine percent of those who chose not to vaccinate their children reported to be happy with their decision. Because this study is ongoing, study numbers will vary depending on the report viewed. [1]

    Bachmair’s reports further demonstrated that the unvaccinated children very rarely suffered from the following heath conditions: dyslexia, speech delays, bed wetting, celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, GERDs. [2]

    more research findings located at https://vactruth.com/2016/06/03/vaccinated-vs-unvaccinated/

    Research On Autism And Neurological Disorders

    In the Amish community of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, one in 4,875 children were diagnosed with autism. Of the four total Amish children diagnosed, one had been exposed to high levels of mercury from a power plant and three others, including one adopted outside of the community, had been vaccinated. This rate is extremely low to non-existent compared to those vaccinated. Similarly, the Amish of Ohio show that one out of 10,000 children are diagnosed with autism.  In the general US population, one in 45 children is now being diagnosed with autism. [4, 5]

    In a Homefirst Health Services survey in which 90 percent of children have had no vaccinations, none of the 35,000 children had an autism diagnosis. Furthermore, these children had extremely low asthma rates.

    Conclusion

    While government groups maintain that no studies have been done to compare the health of vaccinated to unvaccinated, the reality is that several comparative studies have been completed by independent researchers in the US and in other countries.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention refuses to conduct such studies, claiming they would be unethical to perform. In reality, these studies could easily be performed, since many educated parents choose to not vaccinate their children.

    The evidence is overwhelming. Studies completed in New Zealand, Germany, Africa, Great Britain and the United States have come to the same conclusion. Unvaccinated children enjoy far superior health on all measures of disease entities.

    References:

    1. http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/survey-results…
    2. http://vactruth.com/2014/02/26/unvaccinated-children-health
    3. http://www.vaxchoicevt.com/science/studies-comparing…
    4. http://www.vaccinationcouncil.org/quick-compare-2/
    5. http://www.thevaccinereaction.org/2015/12/cdc-1-in-45-children…
    6. http://www.vaccinationcouncil.org/quick-compare-2/
    7. McKeever and TM. American Journal of Public Health. June 2004. V 94.
    8. Kemp, T. et al. Epidemiology. November 1997. 678-80.
    9. Fallon, Sally, Cowan, Thomas, MD. The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Childcare. New Trends Publishing, 2013. 112, 317.

  • ACTION ALERT: Petition to ban neurtoxic additive to our water

    ACTION ALERT: Petition to ban neurtoxic additive to our water

    New York – November 30, 2016 – A coalition of environmental, medical and health groups have served the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a Petition calling on the Agency to ban the addition of fluoridation chemicals to public water supplies due to the risks these chemicals pose to the brain, reports the Fluoride Action Network (FAN).

    The Petition, which includes over 2,500 pages of supporting scientific documentation, explains that “the amount of fluoride now regularly consumed by millions of Americans in fluoridated areas exceeds the doses repeatedly linked to IQ loss and other neurotoxic effects.”  Signers  include FAN, Food & Water Watch, Organic Consumers Association, American Academy of Environmental Medicine, International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, and Moms Against Fluoridation.

    “If EPA applies its own risk assessment guidelines to fluoridation, we believe it will agree that fluoridation poses an unacceptably high risk to the brain,” says attorney Michael Connett, FAN legal adviser.

    The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) authorizes EPA to prohibit the “particular use” of a chemical that presents an unreasonable risk to the general public or susceptible subpopulations. TSCA gives EPA the authority to prohibit drinking water additives.

    Subpopulations especially vulnerable to fluoride’s neurotoxic effects include infants, the elderly, kidney patients, and the nutrient deficient (e.g. iodine and calcium). Evidence also suggests that African-Americans may suffer disproportionate harm as well.

    EPA scientists characterize chemicals with human evidence of neurotoxicity as “gold standard” chemicals warranting assessment priority.  Not only is there human research on fluoride neurotoxicity, it is so extensive that fluoride is classified alongside lead, mercury and PCBs as one of only 12 chemicals “known to cause developmental neurotoxicity in human beings.” (Lancet Neurology)

    At EPA’s request, the National Research Council (NRC) reviewed fluoride toxicology research and concluded in 2006, “It is apparent that fluorides have the ability to interfere with the functions of the brain.”

    Since NRC’s review, 196 fluoride/brain studies have been published, including 61 human studies.

    Contrary to claims that only high doses of fluoride are linked to brain damage, studies of fluoride-exposed human populations consistently find neurotoxic effects at water fluoride levels well below the EPA’s “safe” level (4 mg/L).

    One recent study from China found that children ingesting just 1.4 milligrams of fluoride each day suffered a 5-point loss in IQ. Some children living in fluoridated areas in the United States ingest doses comparable to this level.

    Research also shows that some Americans have fluoride levels in their urine and blood that equal or exceed the levels linked to cognitive deficits.

    “As with lead, fluoride is a neurotoxic and endocrine disrupting substance that has no place in our drinking water,” Connett states. “The EPA should follow Europe’s lead and end fluoridation.”

    EPA has 90 days to respond to the Petition.

    To access a copy of the Petition, click here.

    RESOURCES: 
  • Kid-Friendly Cough Syrup

    Kid-Friendly Cough Syrup

    This Idaho family approved cough syrup is especially helpful with a congestion-related cough.

    The Components

    Lemon Juice

    Lemons are good for detoxing the body, in this case from an illness. They are also high in vitamin C, which is immune boosting. It is naturally anti-viral and anti-inflammatory. It’s also good for breaking up mucous that may be on the throat causing the cough.

    Honey

    Honey, especially raw honey, is well known for its many benefits. It is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and full of antioxidants. If you’re careful with only slightly heating this and you buy local raw honey it should help even more with an allergy related cough due to honey’s ability to help arm your immune system for dealing with local allergens.

    Coconut Oil

    Coconut oil has many amazing properties, but the important ones here are the anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. All these make it perfect for fighting winter colds and viruses. It has even been shown that coconut oil can bolster the immune system by improving white blood cell counts, which directly fights viruses and infections.

    Together this syrup fights inflammation, bacteria, and viruses while soothingly coating the throat and breaking up mucous.

    How to Make It

    4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

    1/3 Cup Honey (Preferably Raw)

    2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

    Pic 1

    Place in a small pot and gently heat on a very low temperature, just enough to melt the coconut oil and warm the honey to mix easily.

    Pic 2

    For long term, you should store in the refrigerator but I leave it on the counter for a few days when there is illness in the house. Near the stove or warm crock pot (I use mine often for making broth when sick) will keep the coconut oil melted. Otherwise the coconut oil will solidify and you will need to melt it again before administering.

    Administer usually 3 times per day one tea spoon for child, and double dose for adults…

    Add-ins

    We’ve also added a bit of oregano oil into the syrup when fighting off something pretty bad. Oregano oil is an amazing natural antibiotic. Be sure to use a high quality essential oil for ingestion.

    Cayenne pepper or Apple Cider Vinegar can also nicely break up the mucous causing many coughs.

    This article originally appeared at: http://www.modernalternativehealth.com/2014/03/04/kid-friendly-cough-syrup/

    Another favorite source for natural treatments is Heather’s blog http://www.mommypotamus.com/

    How do you treat coughs at home? What other things would you add?

  • PANDAS: A Scary and Controversial Disorder

    PANDAS: A Scary and Controversial Disorder

    Could a sudden, severe change in a child’s behavior be brought on by something as common as strep throat? Many experts — and distraught parents — say yes. We dig deeper to find out what’s going on, and which children are at risk.

    PANDAS syndrome sometimes referred to as PANDAS disease is an acronym for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associate with Streptococcal Infections. The syndrome is characterized by a strep infection which leads to an adverse immune response resulting in inflammation of a child’s brain. When this occurs, the child very quickly starts to display significant and life altering symptoms including:

    • OCD
    • Tics
    • Anxiety
    • A change in personality
    • A regression in schoolwork such as handwriting and mathematics skills
    • Restrictive eating
    • Heightened sensory sensitivity

    While there is not yet any sort of unanimity of medical opinion regarding the syndrome, the PANDAS Network has conservatively estimated that PANDAS may affect around 1 in every 200 children although medicine.net puts the figure closer to 1 in every 2,000 although they go on to say that a proper diagnosis is often overlooked.

    The difficulty doctors have in making a proper diagnosis of PANDA syndrome is because many common symptoms are associated with the illness. Indeed a number of researchers and experts in the field recommend that PANDAS is included with similar neuropsychiatric conditions such as PANS and CANS.

    Some parents, if they can even get a doctor who will diagnose PANDAS (it’s not exactly main-stream just yet), choose to use long-term antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals to cure the syndrome.

    Such was the case with Beth Alison Maloney, the author of Saving Sammy, a book about her son’s battle with, and subsequent curing of PANDAS. It worked for Sammy, and he was cured of PANDAS, without any diet changes even, but I do wonder about the long-term health effects of long-term antibiotic use.

    Overcoming PANDAS/PANS required a comprehensive whole body approach to healing. from http://www.thefamilythathealstogether.com/pandas-syndrome-how-we-healed-it/

    Too often, if parents realize the diagnosis, they are led to believe that strep or some other pathogen is the cause of the problem and may spend years giving antibiotics or trying to suppress immune function. While such measures may result in relief for some typical children who were never beset with previous autoimmune issues, for those on the autistic spectrum, such regimens often only result in greater problems of inner ecosystem imbalance and immune dysfunction. There is mounting evidence that implicates antibiotic use in the development of autism in the first place, and repeated long-term dosing can often result in regression and further complications.

    Rather than suppression, a holistic approach deals with the underlying cause of autoimmunity; that the immune system, overworked and overwhelmed, has lost its ability to distinguish pathogen from brain cell and is attacking the area of the brain responsible for checking repetitive thought and movement. A holistic approach involves strengthening the immune system so that it can regain its vision to distinguish self from pathogen. For more and more children, a combination of nutrition, homeopathy, and herbs are making the difference. For each child the protocols must be individualized, but a comprehensive approach takes into account these steps:

    • Gut healing: A leaky gut, whereby undigested proteins, pathogens, and toxins can pass into the bloodstream provoking inflammation and immune reaction generally underlies autoimmunity. It also makes absorption of nutrients difficult which adds to immune dysfunction. Over 70% of the immune system is in the gut. Gut healing is a multistep process that can be helped with herbs and healing nutrients in conjunction with dietary changes.
    • An anti-inflammatory diet: Respecting bio-individuality, a diet that eliminates foods contributing to inflammation, allergy, and sensitivity for each person, to calm the fires of inflammation and give the immune system a needed healing rest is essential. This generally begins with removing the most well-known contributors to inflammation and immune reaction: gluten, GMOs, refined vegetable oils, dairy products, processed foods, chemical additives, pesticides, refined flours, fried foods, and sugar. Foods that serve to quell inflammation are key. A nutrient dense diet of real food that promotes a slightly alkaline internal Ph is essential to healing. Note: It is a common misconception that allergy testing can define a child’s food intolerances. Most of the food reactions our children face are not true allergies, but are due to the child’s inability to properly digest or process the chemicals (natural or artificial) or proteins in the food. These foods will not test positive as allergens, yet can be causing chronic inflammation and immune reactivity. more on a healing diet: The GAPS diet 
    • Homeopathy: This system of energy healing supports and strengthens the immune system and was key to my own son’s healing. Remedies are determined on the basis of the totality of the individual child’s symptom picture. During acute PANDAS episodes, when the child can often take on a completely different symptom pattern, an intercurrent remedy may be recommended based on the individual child’s symptom picture.
    • Anti-inflammatory herbs and nutrients that help to strengthen and support a healthy immune system are a key component of the healing process. One family found success using: 
    • Cell salts that are appropriately determined for the individual can help with nutrient absorption and healing the gut and nervous system.
    • Detoxification: Toxic overload can often contribute to the immune system’s overwhelm. Toxic metals, mold, and chemicals in the environment can act as triggers or contribute to ongoing immune dysfunction. Eliminating common environmental triggers in the home environment in combination with gentle, natural methods to improve the child’s own detoxification capacity are important. One family found success using: Diatomaceous earth, oregano leaf tincture, and intestinal tract defense

    • Balance the inner ecosystem: We have more microorganisms in our bodies than human cells and an imbalance significantly impacts immune function. Overgrowth of yeast, bacteria or parasite invasion must be overcome in order for the immune system to heal. Homeopathic methods to balance the inner terrain, such as the use of appropriately indicated bowel nosodes, particular in the wake of antibiotic use, can provide tremendous healing. To kill pathogens and candida: biocidin, monolaurin, grapefruit seed extract, and happy belly

    A dozen years ago, PANDAS was unknown to most health practitioners and the options for healing were limited. Today, we are blessed to have a wealth of holistic knowledge that provides true hope for healing autoimmunity as well as the support of a growing community of well-informed parents.

    http://www.thefamilythathealstogether.com/pandas-syndrome-how-we-healed-it/

    Story after story of healing can be found at the facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/recoveringkids2/