Category: Holistic Health

Naturopathic, alternative medicine and chiropractic health care

  • How psychiatric drug use & lack of dietary support play a prominent role in school shootings VIDEO INTERVIEW

    If you are concerned about reports of violent, depressive and anti-social behavior and the use of psychotropic and pharmaceutical drugs to treat it, I’d like to share my conversation with Dr. Karen Lee from Wholistic Vitality on Wellness Wednesday. Our discussion focuses on using dietary support to recover from panic, anxiety, insomnia, depression and related symptoms, Leaky Gut, GMOs, psychiatric drugs and how to support brain and nervous system function naturally. 

    This webinar is germane to current conversations on school shootings and unstable behavior, and how to consider getting out from underneath dependence on psychiatric drugs that have documented side-effects.  

    What is the connection between psychiatric drug use and the expression of anti-social and violent behavior? I thought psychiatric drugs were supposed to be effective in treating these types of symptoms?

    Documentation on psychiatric drugs used to treat mental illness shows a list of side-effects that match what we are seeing in individuals who are perpetrators of the very crimes we are reading about in media reports. There is a growing list of events where the perpetrators of violent crimes were on some type of psychotropic medication. 

    A study published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology in June 2014 shows psychotropic drugs could make people nearly six times more likely to kill themselves. In August 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported: “Antidepressant medications have been shown to increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior. In a pooled-analysis of short-term, placebo-controlled trials of nine antidepressant medications, patients taking an antidepressant had twice the risk of suicidality in the first few months of treatment than those taking placebo. The long-term risk is unknown.”

    I healed from digestive issues that were causing insomnia, panic, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts with the GAPS Diet from Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride, M.D., author of Gut and Psychology Syndrome. Dr. McBride has many years of research, clinical experience and success in healing patients and with her own son who was diagnosed with autism at a young age. She provides educational presentations, and has a web site with more information here.  

    If you have experienced insomnia or panic and anxiety symptoms, learn more about how I recovered from these chronic issues which affected me for over 20 years: The GAPS Diet for insomnia, panic, and anxiety. I did this without drugs and using real, healing, traditional foods.

    What if I experience other symptoms such as violent/angry outbursts, anti-social, disassociative and disaffective behavior. Could GAPS or similar protocol help?

    Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride specifically addresses symptoms associated with ASD (autism spectrum disorder), ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity, dyspraxia, learning disorders, depression, and even schizophrenia in her book Gut and Psychology Syndrome. She explains how chronic nutrient-deficiencies and imbalance of gut flora in the digestive tract and immune system contributes to and/or causes these syndromes. Our brains and nervous systems cannot function optimally without real nutrients and digestive tract support which promotes optimal flora balance. 

    Processed foods and synthetic nutrients in these products and supplements exacerbate symptoms because:

    1) Our bodies cannot absorb artificially-created nutrients from food laboratories; they need natural, living nutrients from real, organic foods with corresponding cofactors that allow for maximum absorption and dietary support. 

    2) Products with harmful ingredients such as preservatives, flavor enhancers, dough conditioners, modified food starch, MSG and others represent a majority of what’s available on the consumer market. These products add to the insult of nutritional deficiency and cause the body to become overloaded with toxins that contribute to a large number of chronic health issues including auto-immune disease such as diabetes, asthma, autism, ADHD/ADD, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory issues such as liver congestion, heart disease, stroke, obesity and cancer. 

    Our environments and diets affect our gut lining, the blood-brain barrier and mechanisms by which our brains and nervous systems function. Based on the research and my own observations, experience, it is definitely no stretch so say that those with ANY mental and psychological disorders could realize a reduction in psychiatric symptoms and benefit from the GAPS protocol. 

    Statistics on mental illness and insomnia

    From Mental Health America’s web site: anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses in America; over 21% of adults (42.5 million) are affected by these debilitating illnesses each year. (2012) 

    According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America:

    “…anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older (18% of U.S. population). Anxiety disorders cost the U.S. more than $42 billion a year, almost one-third of the country’s $148 billion total mental health bill, according to ‘The Economic Burden of Anxiety Disorders’,  a study commissioned by ADAA (The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry,60 (7), July 1999).”

    Clearly we have decades of these reports showing that mental illness has a significant impact on our well-being! 

    A report from Medco shows the use of medications used to treat psychological and behavioral disorders increased 22 percent between 2001 and 2010:

    “…more than one‐in‐five adults was on at least one of these medications in 2010. Women are far more likely to take a drug to treat a mental health condition than men, with more than a quarter of the adult female population on these drugs in 2010 as compared to 15 percent of men.”

    From Sleep Education:

    Among adults in the U.S.:
    • 30 to 35% have brief symptoms of insomnia.
    • 15 to 20% have a short-term insomnia disorder, which lasts less than three months.
    • 10% have a chronic insomnia disorder, which occurs at least three times per week for at least three months.

    I would guess those numbers are probably higher due to the fact that not all incidences are reported. I never wanted to be someone who relied on medication for anxiety, but at least a few times before I resolved my issues with food, I became desperate and took drugs.

    What I learned is that those drugs didn’t solve the actual cause of the problem. In fact, things only became worse while taking those medications.

    Data on psychiatric drug use and violence-inducing effects of these medications on behavior and mood

    36 school shooters/school related violence committed by those under the influence of psychiatric drugs

    Here is a list of the total number of people taking psychiatric drugs for mental illness in the U.S. 

    Kelly Brogan M.D. on the violence-inducing effects of psychiatric medication. 

    James Corbett report on SSRI usage (psychotropic medications) and school shootings, including prescription medications Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, and Celexa:

    The FDA claims that “antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teenagers and young adults within the first few months of treatment.” The Ministry of Health in Japan has stated, “There are cases where we cannot rule out a causal relationship of [hostility, anxiety, and sudden acts of violence] with the medication.”

    Can I stop taking drugs and recover from sleep issues, anxiety, panic disorder, depression, and unstable behavior naturally?

    I am not a doctor and I cannot guarantee a change or improvement in anyone’s unique situation. As I stated in my discussion with Dr. Karen Lee, individual results on the GAPS or similar protocol will vary with the individual’s unique health profile and situation. The truth is, results are largely dependent on your own commitment to healing and wellness. Ask yourself this question: do you believe adapting dietary and lifestyle changes would be worth eliminating dependence on prescription drugs that may only be managing symptoms, rather than getting at the root cause of your problem? 

    If the answer is yes, you have nothing to lose but fear and chronic health issues. I highly recommend listening to my conversation with Dr. Karen Lee about how GAPS allowed me to overcome issues that crippled my life for over two decades. I am so grateful for the gift of restored sleep and improved health and wellness given to me by a healing diet that includes real, traditional foods. 

    When you consider that patients who are prescribed these psychotropic drugs are not accurately informed by doctors about the documented risks which carry 286 drug regulatory warnings, 278 studies, and over 400,000 adverse reaction reports filed with the U.S. FDA, it starts to become apparent that anyone would have much to lose by becoming dependent upon these substances; drugs that are scientifically observed to cause chemically-alterting effects on the body, and with dangerous side effects. 

    You could say that you have everything to gain by changing your diet and using real, nutrient-dense foods to help overcome nutritional deficiencies and gut dysbiosis that could very easily be connected to debilitating psychiatric symptoms. 

    More information: 

    Alternatives to psychiatric drugs

  • Alternatives to Psychiatric Drugs

    In the U.S. alone, nearly 80 million people are taking psychiatric drugs, including 8.5 million children, with more than 1 million between the ages of zero to five  (source: IMS Health Health Vector One National database). The issue of informed consent is practically non-existent in the field of mental health, as patients are not accurately informed of the documented risks of psychiatric drugs which carry 286 drug regulatory warnings, 278 studies, and over 400,000 adverse reaction reports filed with the U.S. FDA.   

    Number of Children on psychiatric drugs in the United States

    0-1 Years                274,804
    2-3 Years                370,778
    4-5 Years                500,948

    6-12 Years               4,130,340
    13-17 Years             3,617,593

    The American Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association and the National Institute of Mental Health all admit that there are no medical tests to confirm mental disorders as “disease,” but do nothing to counter the false idea that these are biological/medical conditions when in fact, diagnosis is simply done by a checklist of behaviors.

    This is not to say that children cannot experience emotional or behavioral difficulties (see alternative non-drug solutions), but these diagnosis of mental disorder are not the same as diagnosis of verifiable diseases or medical conditions.   There are no genetic tests, brain scans, X-Ray or any scientifically proven test to verify mental disorders as disease, requiring dangerous drugs to “treat” them.`

    Patients are prescribed medications to treat symptoms and yet they are not informed of the serious side effects. The side effects of these anti anxiety, antidepressant and anti psychotic drugs are linked to heart attacks, psychosis, suicidal ideation, diabetes, stroke, mania and sudden death. As if that weren’t bad enough, there’s also the fact that many of the high-profile public shootings in recent years were perpetrated by young people on such drugs, so not only do kids have the risk of dying when they take these medications, but they could also take out a whole classroom or movie theater with them.

    In fact, at least 36 school shootings and/or school-related acts of violence have been committed by those taking or withdrawing from psychiatric drugs resulting in 172 wounded and 80 killed. (source) Despite 27 international drug regulatory warnings on psychiatric drugs citing effects of mania, hostility, violence and even homicidal idealization, and dozens of high profile shootings/killings tied to psychiatric drug use, there has yet to be a federal investigation on the link between psychiatric drugs and acts of senseless violence. See full list in this article

    In a study of thirty-one drugs that are disproportionately linked to reports of violence toward others, five of the top ten are antidepressants.  These are Prozac, Paxil, Luvox, Effexor and Pristiq.  Two other drugs that are for treating ADHD are also in the top ten which means these are being given to children who could then become violent.  One could conclude from this study alone that antidepressants cause both suicidal thoughts and violent behavior. This is a prescription for mass shootings.  

    No one can talk their way out of explaining how a person who is previously non-violent and given antidepressants suddenly becomes violent or suicidal.  There are multiple cases of children who have committed suicide days after starting to take an antidepressant. 

    Fortunately, there are numerous, non-drug, non-harmful safer alternatives to giving kids mind-altering medications.

    Psychiatric medications affect a child’s brain chemistry and could impact their development in irreversible ways, so it’s important for doctors and parents alike to reserve them as an absolute last resort. Some degree of anxiety is normal in children as they start to understand the way the world works. Life is full of ups and downs, and children who learn coping strategies when they’re young will have a valuable skill that can serve them well throughout their lifetime. There are lots of good coping mechanisms that can help children with depression, anxiety, and those who have been labeled with ADHD.
    Please note: The information in these pages is passed on to you as is. By noting the information, we are making no medical recommendations, nor are we implying any warranty on the products or services as they are presented by the authors. We recommend and encourage you to seek out information to make the appropriate decision for your child or student.

    • Change of diet has been successful to help children with anxiety, manic depressive episodes and even rages. This includes 
      • Anti-inflammatory herbs and nutrients 
        • Supplements/ eating foods high in B6 and Zinc, Magnesium, Omega Oils
      • Elimination of wheat, dairy and food chemicals such as colors and preservatives
    • Dr. Weil – This bestselling author and renowned M.D. opens doors to other means of addressing ADD and ADHD symptoms.
    • Naturopathic care
    • Chiropractic Care
    • Homeopathy
    • www.brainbalancecenters.com – Holistic view of your child & non-medical approach
    • Tapping is free and effective!
      https://www.facebook.com/TappingSolutionFoundation/videos/786950801494963/
    • Meditation, yoga and

    RESOURCES: 

    INFORMED CONSENT:

    If drugs are recommended for your child, print off summaries of international drug warnings/studies on whatever type of drug is being recommended and provide this to the doctor/psychiatrist recommending drugs and ask if they are aware of the international studies and warnings on these drug risks (unfortunately, many doctors get their information on drugs safety from Pharmaceutical representatives)

    For ADHD Drug Warnings and Studies click here

    For ANTIDEPRESSANT Drug Warnings and Studies click here

    For ANTIPSYCHOTIC Drug Warnings and Studies click here

    For ANTIANXIETY Drug Warnings and Studies click here

    Or to find studies and warnings on specific brand name drugs such as Ritalin, Paxil, Adderall, Concerta, Zoloft, Risperdal, simply type in name of the drug in CCHR’s Psychiatric Drug Side Effects Search Engine here

  • Elderberry syrup is better than a shot to avoid the flu

    Logic and evidence-based proof that elderberry syrup is the better choice to boost immunity against the flu. That’s right! Elderberries have been proven to both boost the immune system and shorten the duration of cold and flu symptoms significantly. 

    What Are Elderberries?

    Black elderberry extract (Sambucus species) has been reported to have been used for years by native Americans, mostly against rheumatism and fever. Sambucol is a natural remedy with antiviral properties, especially against the human influenza virus. Elderberry is used for its antioxidant activity, to lower cholesterol, to improve vision, to boost the immune system, to improve heart health and for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections and tonsillitis. Bioflavonoids and other proteins in the juice destroy the ability of cold and flu viruses to infect a cell.

    Elderberry Evidence

    Believe it or not (Believe it, buddy!) elderberries have been studied in REAL labs!   In fact, they have been studied in double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized studies.  (That’s more than we can say for some vaccine studies!).  Elderberries have been proven to both boost the immune system and shorten the duration of cold and flu symptoms significantly.

    At the Bundesforschungsanstalt Research Center for Food in Karlsruhe, Germany, scientists conducting studies on Elderberry showed that elderberry anthocyanins enhance immune function by boosting the production of cytokines. These unique proteins act as messengers in the immune system to help regulate immune response, thus helping to defend the body against disease.

    Study #1

    A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study.

    Results: 

    1. Sambucol was shown to be effective in vitro against 10 strains of influenza virus
    2. Sambucol reduced the duration of flu symptoms to 3-4 days
    3. Convalescent phase serum showed a higher antibody level to influenza virus in the Sambucol group, than in the control group.
    4. Sambucol is beneficial to immune system activation and in the inflammatory process in healthy individuals or in patients with various diseases.
    5. The results of this study show that all Sambucol elderberry formulations have a strong stimulatory effect on inflammatory cytokine production by human normal monocytes.
    6. The study was not funded in any way by the company which produces and markets the product of Sambucol in Israel.The study can be found here

    Study #2

    Here is another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in Norway.  Patients received 15 ml of elderberry or placebo syrup four times a day for 5 days, and recorded their symptoms using a visual analogue scale.

     Results:

    1. Symptoms were relieved on average 4 days earlier and use of rescue medication was significantly less in those receiving
      elderberry extract compared with placebo.
    2. Elderberry extract seems to offer an efficient, safe and cost-effective treatment
      for influenza.
    3. None of the patients reported any adverse reactions related to the medication. (The same can NOT be said for the flu shot!)
    4. A complete cure was achieved within 2 – 3 days in nearly 90% of the elderberry-treated group compared with at least 6 days in the placebo group.
    5. The results of our study show that elderberry syrup is also effective against influenza A virus infections.
    6. In view of its in vitro and in vivo efficacy on influenza A and B viruses, elderberry extract offers an efficient, safe and cost-effective supplement to the present armamentarium of medications for the prophylaxis and treatment
      of influenza.This study can be viewed here 

    DIY Elderberry Syrup

    Hippocrates Is Said To Have Called This Plant . . .
    His “medicine chest,” and for thousands of years it’s been revered in folk medicine for its healing properties. (source) Now studies are starting to confirm what tradition has long held: elderberries are a delicious and effective way to support immune function during cold and flu season.

    Unlike fire cider, which supports the immune system through an infusion of pungent and spicy herbs, this elderberry syrup recipe uses a sweet and simple decoction of berries and honey. Learn HOW TO from easy video tutorial from mommypotomus

    Study # 3 

    Here is a placebo-controlled, double blind study was carried out on a group of individuals living in an agricultural community (Kibbutz) during an outbreak of influenza B in Panama in 1993.

    Results

    1. A significant improvement of the symptoms, including fever, was seen in 93.3% of the cases in the SAM-treated group within 2 days, whereas in the control group 91.7% of the patients showed an improvement within 6 days.
    2. A complete cure was achieved within 2 to 3 days in nearly 90% of the SAM-treated group and within at least 6 days in the placebo group.
    3. Considering the efficacy of the extract in vitro on all strains of influenza virus tested, the clinical results, its low cost, and absence of side-effects, this preparation could offer a possibility for safe treatment for influenza A and B.
    4. Sambucol Elderberry Extract and its formulations activate and boost the healthy immune system by increasing inflammatory cytokine production.
    5. The most striking increase was noted in TNF-alpha production (44.9 fold).
    6. Sambucol was shown to be effective in vitro against 10 strains of influenza virus.This study can be viewed here

    Conclusion: The Flu Vaccine Just Doesn’t Measure Up
    10% ‘effective’ flu shot in 2018 and the CDC and Health Department campaigns still encourage people to load up on the toxic shot.

    The evidence speaks for itself.

    • The elderberry has no known harmful side effects, but the flu shot does
    • The elderberry syrup works with your natural immune response system, the flu shot does not
    • Elderberries have been proven to be effective against 10 strains of the flu
    • Elderberries have been proven to shorten the duration of colds and flu
    • Elderberry syrup is safe for pregnant women and children over 1 year of age (due to the honey content) (Check with your doc before starting/stopping any health regimen)
    • The flu shot is even less effective in senior citizens and children under 2 years of age (Those who need it the most! Read more here)
    • The flu shot has never been tested in pregnant women
    • There have been reported deaths and serious injuries proceeding the flu shot (Seizures, narcolepsy, convulsions, encephalomyelitis, facial palsy, facial paresis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, hypoesthesia, myelitis, neuritis, neuropathy, paresthesia and syncope just to name a few) Read more here.
    • The flu mist is a live virus and can spread the flu to others up to 21 days following the application (Isn’t that what we’re trying to avoid!?)

  • The Healing Journey: Essential Oils

    Hi, Friend! My name is Amy, and I am a wife and mama to four beautiful children. I am here to share with you my story and how I became passionate about people and wellness. 

    About eight years ago my husband and I were forced into a position where we no longer had health insurance. With a new baby and being first-time parents in our early twenties, I found myself panicked and overwhelmed. All I had ever known was standard health care. Get sick, go to the doctor, get meds, get better. And so the cycle went. 

    The crisis

    Now we were in a whole new ballpark. I was discovering what it meant to be a mom, while reexamining all that I knew to be true. I began learning that our bodies were beautifully created and designed to heal themselves, and that God had given us all the tools we needed within food and nature, to live above the wellness line. Turns out our grandparents’ generation had it right – there truly are amazing healing powers in rest, hydration, sunshine, and real food.

    The research

    For the last eight years I have devoted myself to learning all I can about the various ways to assist the body holistically. I was up to my ears in research. I discovered there was a great deal of information on health that I had never learned while visiting the doctor’s office. From the occasional glance at naturally-minded mom blogs to deeper research into scholarly papers and medical journals, I found all of this new information fascinating, and it truly felt as if a million neurons were firing at once.  

    The Culprit

    As I researched, I found that many of the health issues we face today result from a clogged liver and a destroyed gut flora. My family was struggling to function and I felt powerless to help.

    The change

    I slowly started moving towards a holistic approach. We changed our diets, began filtering our water, utilizing Epsom salt baths – anything I could do to help our bodies detox and teach our immune systems to fight properly. Over the course of this journey, we added more children to our family and became even more natural-minded.

    Essential Oils: Helpers In Our Healing

    That’s when I was introduced to essential oils.  I love telling my children that essential oils are our helpers. They “teach and encourage” our body to do what it is designed to: heal. The oils alone do not heal us. They are a piece to the puzzle. Their molecular structure is similar to ours, and therefore our bodies view them as allies, rather than harmful antagonists. Our bodies welcome the help and support essential oils offer. 

    I was fascinated to learn that essential oils are adaptogenic, meaning they never push the body beyond what it needs. Unlike what we are used to in the “over the counter” and pharmaceutical world, where medicines can help prevent symptoms through working against the body, at the terrible cost of causing greater harm – essential oils are different. They work with the body. 

    Integrity and Purity: My Young Living Story

    About four years into our journey we were introduced to Young Living. Previously, I was buying essential oils from our local health food store. I was stunned to find out that the labeling of these oils was not regulated, and that manufacturers could put “100% essential oil” on their bottles but in reality only needed to legally have 5% of the oil in the actual finished product. They also did not need to disclose the other 95% of the ingredients contained within. Because of this, I made the decision to try Young Living, as they are the only essential oil company that actually has certified therapeutic essential oils through the ISO (International Organization for Standardization).  I am passionate about integrity and purity, and because of that I decided to work alongside Young Living. I chose to take the time to personally visit their farms and have been a part of the distillation process. Young Living owns, co-ops, and partners with farms to bring the highest quality essential oils to homes of families all over the world. The plants we harvest have never encountered herbicides, pesticides, or other harmful contaminants.

    One Drop Can Actually Make An Impact

     As for our personal experience with the switch from store-bought to Young Living oils, my husband and I noticed immediate benefits. We no longer needed to use oils constantly to accomplish our wellness goals. With Young Living, we typically use one drop or even just a touch of the reservoir to support us and keep us above the wellness line.  As our family has journeyed through this life and come to experience various common health ailments, we have been amazed at how essential oils support our body systems. In our home we use essential oils daily (primarily aromatically to support our respiratory and endocrine systems). 

    Empowered to heal

    Lavender, affectionately known as the “swiss army knife” of essential oils, brings greater clarity and focus, and makes for a peaceful and calm environment. We also use it along with tea tree to support healthy skin. As a mom, I find great pleasure in my littles and their antics along with lots and lots of chaos – can any other parent relate? Therefore, I love supporting our limbic systems with blends like Stress Away which bring about feelings of peace and tranquility, and Joy, which is uplifting and grounding – all at the same time. 

    One of our very favorites is Peppermint. Historically, it was a valuable herb. We have found that using Peppermint Vitality helps our digestive systems and promotes healthy bowel function. 

    My personal favorite essential oil is Frankincense. I encourage everyone to have one bottle on hand, as it supports every single body system from the immune system to the endocrine system. These oils have been such a vital addition to our health routine and we feel so empowered by the knowledge of how these oils work with our bodies we no longer fear a lot of things we normally would in the realm of health, because of our confidence in plant based materials supporting our bodies! 

    Recently I had a bout with strep throat and was so blessed to use Thieves Cough Drops, which has a powerful menthol agent derived from peppermint. I loved that I could use a product free from dyes, artificial flavors, and sweeteners, to bring comfort to my throat. It was truly the only thing that eased the pain enough for me to swallow at all!

    Of course, every individual is unique, and what works for my family may not work for yours. That being said, my heart in all of this is to empower and equip people to take their health back. 

    We must get away from the fear and doubt in our ability to heal, and replace it with a confident hope that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. My most fervent prayer is that you are moved in a way that you feel confident and empowered. My hope is that you can come away having learned that essential oils can be a radical blessing in your health arsenal. And, with an open mind to accept these benefits, they will make an undeniable impact in your life, as you continue seeking health freedom.

    This post was sponsored by Amy DeBois, a Young Living Distributor and health passionista. You can learn more about her story, the power of essential oils and purchase options at her website 

  • Older adults’ forgetfulness tied to faulty brain rhythms in sleep

    Sleep is so vital to health.New findings published in the journal Neuron have found that older brains may forget more because they lose their rhythm at night, “during deep sleep, older people have less coordination between two brain waves that are important to saving new memories.” The study was the result of an effort to understand how the sleeping brain turns short-term memories into memories that can last a lifetime. NPR, December 18, 2017.‘>2

    After a night’s sleep, researchers had the volunteers take a test to see just how many word pairs they could still remember. And what they found was that their performance was directly related to how well their “slow waves and spindles had synchronized during deep sleep.”NPR, December 18, 2017.‘>4

    A likely reason that older brains lack the of coordination of brain waves is that as we age, the part of our brain that involves the production of deep sleep naturally begins to atrophy (and, people with more atrophy had less rhythm in the brain). And this atrophy can be much worse in people with Alzheimer’s.

    However, Walker’s study also seemed to suggest that “it’s possible to improve an impaired memory by re-synchronizing brain rhythms during sleep,”1  The Idaho Child Fatality Review Team presents its annual report on child deaths occurring in Idaho annually.  Grossly missing are the statistics for deaths or critical injury of children due to medical error.  In Idaho, there is no billing code, no procedure or outcome code for medical errors. Due to the lack of tracking, hospitals and staff cannot identify common links or circumstances in order to prevent similar tragedies in the future.  For the last several years our Legislators have been pressured by out-of-state vaccine advocate Paul Offit through the local Wingate organization Let Children Live, to write laws that would force parents to use standard allopathic care or face criminal charges and the removal of their children from their family. <See Bill 1182 from 2017> Forcing families to seek government mandated medical treatment, that is statistically shown to be the third leading cause of death.

    More than a decade ago, a landmark study by the Institutes of Medicine — “To Err Is Human” — called for a national registry to track medical harm and bring greater accountability. That hasn’t happened. Instead, it has been largely left to individual hospitals and practitioners to address and learn from incidents of patient harm. Idaho has no such tracking system in place. 

    At an Idaho St Luke’s hospital, an infant was given an adult dose of medicine. The baby died. The nurse administering the fatal dose of erroneous medicine was not held liable since there wasn’t an intent to do harm to the child. The young family left with grief of their infant’s death cause wholly by the hospital error.

    Looking to malpractice figures in Idaho, we see hundreds of doctors and nurses have erred in providing care to patients resulting in license suspension and revocation. Other research has revealed that, medical error by pediatric hospital staff is as high as 67%. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15342846

    Unfortunately, Idaho has no program in place to report adverse events and medical errors. Without the tracking of these vital statistics, Idaho doctors and hospitals can shield their fatal lapses in care, diagnostic mistakes, and dosage errors from public scrutiny. Some of these errors are FATAL.

    Over the course of the last several years a local organization, promoted by out-of-state vaccine advocate Paul Offit has been attempting to sway public opinion about criminal exemptions offered to families who choose to opt out of allopathic treatment systems. Under the guise of removing the ‘faith healing’ exemption, Offit’s team has tried to manipulate the child neglect code to criminalize parents who choose alternative means of care for their children. 

    This group intends on manipulating public opinion with false statistics and paid ‘news reports’ to convince people into the belief that hundred of children die without medical care. When asked to substantiate the statistics that they throw around, they are forced to admit, they have none. However, the articles they post and the air time they buy at news stations, don’t require them to validate their claims, so they are easily able to manipulate the public and pressure the legislature to change laws reducing parental authority modality of care for our sick and injured children.

    We must be vigilant to stand in resistance to groups that’s intent is to undermine parental authority. The statute’s being attacked don’t just apply to those who avoid all medical treatment. The bill 1182, brought forward by Offit’s group, specifically attacked parents who might seek a second opinion in treatment option. Health Freedom Idaho is grateful that our Legislators have said, year after year, that laws are already in place under Child Protective Services and mandated reporting are adequate to protect children from abuse.

    Read More About 

    Medical Error The 3rd Leading Cause of Death

    Death of August Elliot in Idaho caused directly by Medical error

    Faith Healing Workgroup testimony Jean Fischer  

    Idaho Pediatric Death Statistics. These are the only statistics available for cause of death. These do NOT take into account medical error. 

  • Medical error takes the life of sick child

    Two year old Connor died from a disease that he was vaccinated against. The parents were persistent to take the toddler in to a variety of medical facilities, all the doctors failed to diagnose meningitis. The vaccines failed him. The medical community failed him. We, at Health Freedom Idaho, are heartbroken for this family, following doctors orders and the medical establishment’s protocols, still their child died. Human error in the medical field, is the third leading cause of death. This is why it is critical that parents have the opportunity to choose the modality of healthcare for their child. Having ‘faith’ in allopathic medicine doesn’t guarantee long life. Doctors are not gods, while they might have ‘good intent’ they don’t always give life-saving advice. Doctors repeatedly told the parents to give him Tylenol. Tylenol is **not safe** and should not be recommended for a sick kid. Over-vaccination is not safe and should not be recommended for a healthy kid.

    “Connor had received all of the necessary vaccines. A physician with the Florida Department of Health, which is investigating the root cause of Connor’s illness and any potential connection to the child-care center, also said Connor and a 2-year-old boy at the center who died on Dec. 10 were up to date on their vaccinations.”

    During the two weeks between the day that Connor first went home ill on Nov. 21 and the day he died in the intensive care unit at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, the Minceys said they took their son at least three times to the pediatrician, and to the emergency room at Jackson Memorial Hospital and then to Nicklaus Children’s.

    Each time, the Minceys said, doctors sent Connor home with a prescription for Tylenol and other medications but no warning that his condition was worsening and potentially fatal.

    “It’s been a nightmare,” Donald Mincey said, adding that he had to remove Connor’s bed from the boy’s bedroom because it was too painful to see now. “I look over and I want to see my baby.”

    In retrospect, the Minceys said, Nov. 28 was a key date. They had taken Connor to the emergency room at Nicklaus Children’s with a fever of 103 degrees, Judd Rosen said. But doctors there suggested the Minceys instead take Connor to an urgent care center, which provides a lower level of care. 

    “He’s dying in our arms,” Donald Mincey said. “The doctor told us to come back in four to six days. He had lost mobility by then. He couldn’t even stand. To keep giving this child Tylenol and Motrin … and he’s not improving. We knew something wasn’t right.”

    The following day, on Nov. 29, as Connor’s condition worsened, the Minceys said they took their child back to the pediatrician. Judd Rosen said the pediatrician — the lawyers wouldn’t name the doctor on Thursday — advised the Minceys to take Connor back to the emergency room at Nicklaus Children’s, where he was admitted and given antibiotics for the first time.

    This article originally appeared at: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article189883244.html.

  • The Immunity Power Pack Giveaway

    It’s cold and flu season, but that doesn’t mean we need to succumb to its power without fighting back! The best way to do that is to bolster your immune system year-round through natural foods and remedies so that it’s in battle-ready mode when viruses and bacteria armies attack. But with our increasingly hectic lives and superbugs floating around, even health warriors occasionally catch an unwanted cold or flu and need extra support. 

    That’s why we’re giving away this Immunity Power Pack! Our thanks to The Karlfeldt Center for sponsoring this giveaway full of natural flu and cold health remedies.

    To enter the giveaway, please use the widget below. Every action you take in the widget earns you more points for the giveaway. You can earn up to 11 entries, which improves your chances of winning! 

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    About the giveaway sponsor: The Karlfeldt Center is a comprehensive Boise naturopathic health treatment center that provides proven natural healthcare solutions for all ages and conditions. They treat the cause, not the symptom! The goal The Karlfeldt Center is to investigate the underlying cause of dysfunction and see the body as a complex interconnected system as opposed to simply masking the symptoms with drugs or unnecessary surgeries. 

    In the comments below, please share what natural remedies do you use to fight back when the cold or flu strike!

    You are the keeper of your immune system. Here are some additional articles on how you can build it up and keep it strong. 

    Using Vitamin C to Recover From Illness and Disease  |  21 Natural Remedies Instead of the Flu Shot  |  Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels to Boost Immunity, Lower Depression and Cancer Risk  |  Apple Cider Vinegar, a Silver Bullet for Health  |  Turmeric Tea, an Anti-Inflammatory Remedy

  • Vitamin C: How to Recover from Disease and Illness

    Vitamin C is EXTREMELY effective in resolving illness, along with plenty of rest, avoiding toxins and consuming a traditional, real food diet. 

    Take Liposomal Vitamin C in teaspoon doses every 1/2 hour to bowel tolerance, then scale back. 

    High doses are not dangerous and can resolve many illnesses including pneumonia, respiratory ailments, colds, flus, sore throats (including strep), and childhood diseases. This approach has proved to work where conventional medicine fails, and the body can develop natural immunity and life-long protection against other disease including cancer. Read about the benefits of Liposomal Vitamin C and intravenous (IV) Vitamin C here.

    Informative presentations on the importance of Vitamin C from Dr. Suzanne Humphries, M.D., internist and nephrologist:

    Short version

    Long version

    Vitamin C and sepsis 

    Sepsis is a complication that can arise from various illness including respiratory infections such as sinus, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Remember that conditions such as pneumonia and meningitis, which can lead to sepsis if left untreated, are NOT contagious. They are secondary conditions that can develop after a cold or flu. What matters is the terrain or health of the individual: immunity, nutrition, exposure to toxins and support from rest, stress relief, etc. Read more: Why diet, environment, toxin exposure and lifestyle MATTER.

    Keep in mind: even if you received ALL available vaccines for meningitis, it wouldn’t guarantee protection from those strains AND does nothing to protect against the MANY other causes. One could even argue that piercing the skin, which bypasses many important immune system functions, and injecting antigens along with toxins (which are intentionally put in vaccines so that they “work”) could even *create* a short-cut to the meninges and blood stream, which could be why some people develop meningitis shortly after receiving vaccines (which is not limited to meningitis vaccine either).

    What about vaccines?

    Some children who receive vaccines appear to be “fine”. However, there are many health disorders associated with vaccines which have been dismissed as “normal”, but have been confirmed to be connected to vaccines by science, doctors, parents reports, and the vaccine inserts themselves. Many vaccine inserts list symptoms or reactions that are repudiated by conventional medical thinking as having a connection to vaccines. Some include autism, seizures, digestive and bowel disorders, eczema, behavior and mood disorders, ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and other infections, headaches, asthma, muscle pain/stiffness, fevers, neurological damage, auto-immune diseases, and more. Other vaccines or root causes have been directly linked to sickness and disease including polio, smallpox and Zika. These “diseases” have been misdiagnosed or found to be attributed not to viruses but toxins including DDT and BHC used decades ago. Read more about polio from GreenMedInfo.

    Other diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox and even the flu are not life-threatening. Populations have contracted these diseases for centuries and survived, and been granted natural immunity as a result. After the body builds natural immunity, protection against other disease such as cancer is present. Here is one study citing protection from having contracted mumps.
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2951028/

    Of course there are people who have died who contracted these diseases. However, examining individual causes of death is critical. When looking at other factors involved in mortality of these diseases, in a majority of cases, malnutrition and sanitation are present. In third-world countries, for example, this is typically the case. Vitamin A and Vitamin C, as just two examples, have been found to be extremely effective against disease such as measles, and if administered, have high success rates for recovery.

    When we consider these and other factors such as the fact that vaccines contain harmful ingredients such as aluminum, formaldehyde, and mercury (just to name a few) which are recognized by the WHO and EPA as carcinogenic, conventional medical intervention such as vaccination becomes more of a risky venture.

    More from the Weston A. Price Foundation about the role of in nutrients healing disease and vaccination:

    Vitamin A

    Vaccination

    Traditional remedies for childhood illness

    Read No Vaccine Needed: Natural & Effective Healing Protocols for Disease on how conditions such as pertussis, chicken pox, shingles, meningitis, influenza, mumps, measles, rubella, hepatitis B, polio, small pox and anthrax can be successfully treated with Vitamin C, with scientific and medical discussion and references.

    Read more in this discussion on herd immunity. 

    21 natural alternatives to the flu shot.

  • Dark Days: It’s Time To Test Your Vitamin D Levels

    Winter is almost officially here and we all know what that means: it’s the darkest time of the year. This is the ideal time to test your Vitamin D levels, since our blood serum concentration of Vitamin D has a significant impact on your immunity, mood and even our cancer risk! Cold and flu season can be less serious when your Vitamin D levels are optimized. 

    The optimal Vitamin D level for health and disease prevention is between 60 and 80 ng/mL. 

    Depression susceptibility: below nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) may increase your risk by as much as 85 percent, compared to having a vitamin D level greater than 30 ng/mL.

    Type 2 Diabetes risk: people with a median level of 41 ng/mL present a diabetes rate of 3.7 per 1,000. Those with a median serum level of 22 ng/mL have a diabetes rate of 9.3 per 1,000. 

    Pre-term birth risk: up to 59% of preterm birth (which represents 28% of newborn deaths during the first 30 days of life) could be prevented by optimizing the pregnant woman’s vitamin D level to 40 ng/mL.

    Breast cancer risk: levels above 60 ng/mL can lower risk by 83% compared to women with levels below 20 nl/mL

    There are various ways to test your Vitamin D levels. Some of our favorites are at-home prick tests such as those provided by Vitamin D Council and Grassroots Health. Both tests are around $60 and include personalized lab reports.

    There are numerous health issues that Vitamin D can play a supporting role in preventing or reducing symptoms, such as autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disease, dry eyes, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, bone injuries, neurological disorders, dental health and much more. 

    High-Dose Vitamin D Increase the Need for Calcium, Magnesium and K2

    Something of note also is the interplay between vitamin D, calcium, magnesium and Vitamin K2. While it’s important to supplement with quality vitamin D3 to optimize your levels, you may also need to increase key minerals and vitamin K2 so that all are working properly in your body. 

    When these four key nutrients are imbalanced, there may be symptoms of vitamin D toxicity or increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The latter is most often caused by taking calcium supplements when vitamin K2 levels are low, which then causes overabsorption of calcium. This then in turn may cause calcium deposits in your heart and kidneys. 

    A proper calcium to magnesium ratio is important, since magnesium keeps calcium in cells so they can function better. The historical healthy calcium-magnesium ratio has been 1-to-1. 

    Magnesium and vitamin K2 also complement each other, as magnesium helps lower blood pressure, which is an important component of heart disease. 

    Thus, when you supplement with any of the following: magnesium, calcium, vitamin D3 or vitamin D2, remember to take all the others into consideration as well.

    (Statistics from Dr. Mercola article and various studies). 

    Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy Must Be Considered for Healthy Babies

    Protect Our Children NOW! is a GrassrootsHealth campaign launched in 2015 to combat vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women worldwide.

    Research conducted through this project reveals up to 59 percent of preterm births — which are responsible for 28 percent of newborn deaths during the first month of life — could be prevented simply by raising pregnant women’s vitamin D to a level of 40 ng/mL.

    Preterm babies are also more likely to suffer health problems later on, including a higher risk of ADHD, cerebral palsy, autism, asthma,22,23 intestinal problems, pneumonia, vision problems, hearing loss and dental problems.24,25,26 Your vitamin D status during pregnancy can even influence your child’s future risk for cardiovascular disease.27,28

    As of 2015, the U.S. had a preterm birth rate of 9.6 percent, meaning nearly 1 in 10 babies were born prematurely. The U.S., while one of the most advanced countries in the world, ranked No. 130 in preterm births out of 184 countries in 2010.

    Protect our Children NOW! is a cost-effective, reproducible program that protects children by ensuring pregnant mothers are vitamin D sufficient, and could go a long way toward improving these abysmal statistics. Among non-Caucasian women (among whom vitamin D deficiency is more common and prominent) the reduction in risk was even greater.

    In this group, the preterm rate prior to the start of the study was 18 percent. Those who achieved a vitamin D level of 40 ng/mL by their second test had a 78 percent lower preterm birth rate — reducing the preterm birth rate to just 4 percent!

    preterm birth rate for womenpreterm birth rate non-white women

    Aside from halving the risk for preterm birth, vitamin D optimization also protects the mother by reducing her risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and prenatal infections by approximately 50 percent.29 If you are currently 12 to 17 weeks pregnant, you can join the join the GrassrootsHealth pregnancy study for free and test your vitamin D level from the comfort of your own home.

    If you are planning a pregnancy, or are more than 17 weeks pregnant, you can take control of your and your child’s health by using the D*Action test kit. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to monitor your vitamin D status.

    So, now it the time to get tested and to optimize your levels for a healthier winter and year ahead! 

    Photo by Mira Kemppainen on Unsplash