Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Does red meat shorten your life?
There is a new study out that shows eating even moderate amounts of red meat regularly can shorten your life as much as 30%. So what does this really mean? What I would challenge is for the people who do these studies to do one that shows the effects of GRASS FED BEEF. That is what we SHOULD be eating, and yet many stores don't even carry grass fed beef. Some butchers I have asked have not even known the difference. Grain fed (i.e. corn) beef is not good for us OR the cow. Cows cannot digest corn so by that very fact they are given antibiotics so that the corn does not produce e.coli and they bleed internally. But corn fattens the cow and is a cheap GMO crop so they feed it to them anyways. Grass on the other hand is what cows normally eat and when they do, their bodies know how to digest it and in response, their meat has more of the right ratio of Omega's, the good fats our bodies need. So, if you are using meat from a standard grocery store, the news story may be true. However, if you find grass fed beef and use that as your red meat source, I venture a guess it will not have that detrimental effect on your health. The study also looked at hot dogs and such and the rise in cancer. Most standard hot dogs are filled with nitrites and nitrates which do in fact increase your risk of cancer. We use Applegate Farms hot dogs which are pure grass fed, organic beef with no nitrates or nitrites. If you wanted to make hot dogs back in the days of doing it yourself, that's what you get in Applegate Farms. I love them! Many hot dogs also have dairy or wheat in them as well, hidden in there so if you or your child are on a GFCF diet, those are additional concerns. The grass fed beef is certainly more expensive but if you don't spend money on feeding your body and preserving your health, you are not doing yourself any good. I have said it before, if you are trying to be healthier and want the biggest bang for your buck in terms of organic, going organic for your meat, dairy and eggs would be the first step. The other stuff can come later. The meats and dairy have higher concentrations of pesticides and antibiotics so you are really making an impact by going organic with these things. At this rate, our girls will be hitting puberty by 7. The effects of hormones are real and they are in most meats and dairy. Remember, we are what we eat and that applies to the animals that feed us! Now eating a whopper a day surely isn't going to do yourself any good, but in moderation organic grass fed beef can offer you benefits in the way of good, healthy omegas!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Correction to shampoo/baby wash post
As I reread ingredients on Nature's Baby shampoo/body wash last night, I noticed something very disheartening. Their product contains both citric acid and sodium benzoate. I pointed out in an earlier post that the combo of these two ingredients creates benzene which is a highly toxic chemical that is often in soft drinks. It is only excreted very slowly from the body, which means it is given plenty of time to do damage to our bodies since our bodies can't get rid of it quickly. It can be absorbed through the skin also. I have written to the company for an explanation. But for the time being, it is out of here. I will go back to my earlier post and delete that brand.
Monday, March 9, 2009
GFCF bread recipe
I have been thinking about making M some bread with my "special" blend of flours I came up with. I still was wondering about the yeast though. So, I got onto Autism Action Plan yesterday and posted a question to Dr. Woeller about the yeast and whether it would be an issue, especially since he did show a mild allergy to it on the IgG test. Dr. Woeller replied within a few hours stating that the yeasts are different and bread yeast won't become pathogenic like candida can but to introduce and give in moderation, hurray!! I will say it again, I LOVE that I can get online (on a weekend no less) and post a question and have my doctor answer me in the matter of hours, all for $37 per month, well worth it! Click the banner at the top of my blog if you want more info. Anyways, once we got that go ahead, we started making bread. I use the following recipe for any baked goods for M:
2 cups rice flour (you can mix 1/2 white rice and 1/2 brown rice if you'd like)
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
I mix up a big batch, put the lid on and shake until well mixed. Then I use as a general "flour" sub and make sure I add about double the oil and about 50% more liquid since the coconut flour will suck up the liquid.
We used the standard white bread recipe and used our breadmaker. We doubled the oil AND water and the rest of the recipe was the same. When it came to the kneading function, my husband did open the lid and "help" it along with a spatula. It will not stick and form a ball like regular wheat since it does not have the "glue" of the gluten. And I don't like the gums like xantham which is why I experimented with flours and combos to come up with the one above. Here is the finished product and M loving it this morning as "toast" with some coconut oil on top as "butter".
2 cups rice flour (you can mix 1/2 white rice and 1/2 brown rice if you'd like)
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
I mix up a big batch, put the lid on and shake until well mixed. Then I use as a general "flour" sub and make sure I add about double the oil and about 50% more liquid since the coconut flour will suck up the liquid.
We used the standard white bread recipe and used our breadmaker. We doubled the oil AND water and the rest of the recipe was the same. When it came to the kneading function, my husband did open the lid and "help" it along with a spatula. It will not stick and form a ball like regular wheat since it does not have the "glue" of the gluten. And I don't like the gums like xantham which is why I experimented with flours and combos to come up with the one above. Here is the finished product and M loving it this morning as "toast" with some coconut oil on top as "butter".
Vinegar as a safe weed killer
So here is yet one more thing to love about vinegar. And I already do, love vinegar that it. I have come to believe that and baking soda can accomplish just about anything and cure many ills. So I put some vinegar (5%) acid in a 98 cent spray bottle from Wal-Mart and started spraying to see what would happen. Well, here's what happened:
It worked best when the weeds got more sun. Here are a few links about vinegar as a weed killer, one even gives more "recipes" and I think I will try the one using dishwashing soap as well. But, if you are looking for a safe alternative to the toxic weed killers and don't want your kids rolling in poison and then tracking that all through your house for the rest of your family to encounter, then maybe give this a try. Boy, that was peppy for a Monday morning, wasn't it? But seriously, everytime I see the landscapers spraying that awful teal liquid all over the weeds it kills me to think of that stuff on my kids and being tracked through my house for us all to absorb. Does this mean I can give up my screwdriver and bucket and the tedious task of pulling weeds? Probably not but it can certainly help with a good portion of them, in a safe way! And by the way, the reports that I read said that yes, this will slighly acidify the soil but that it changes back very quckly so don't worry about changing the PH of your soil. Here are some links:
It worked best when the weeds got more sun. Here are a few links about vinegar as a weed killer, one even gives more "recipes" and I think I will try the one using dishwashing soap as well. But, if you are looking for a safe alternative to the toxic weed killers and don't want your kids rolling in poison and then tracking that all through your house for the rest of your family to encounter, then maybe give this a try. Boy, that was peppy for a Monday morning, wasn't it? But seriously, everytime I see the landscapers spraying that awful teal liquid all over the weeds it kills me to think of that stuff on my kids and being tracked through my house for us all to absorb. Does this mean I can give up my screwdriver and bucket and the tedious task of pulling weeds? Probably not but it can certainly help with a good portion of them, in a safe way! And by the way, the reports that I read said that yes, this will slighly acidify the soil but that it changes back very quckly so don't worry about changing the PH of your soil. Here are some links:
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Vaccine Contamination "Accident"
OK at the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theory movie gone bad, a big pharma company has "accidentally" contaminated flu vaccines with the live avian flu virus in 18 countries. Isn't that just lovely? Click here for the full story. By the way, while you are there enjoying that uplifting story, take the time to click the link and sign the petition that would protect you from forced vaccinations when/if this avian flu "pandemic" hits. If they keep injecting it into unsuspecting people maybe that will be sooner rather than later. Reminds me of the pox infected blankets to the indians and the Tuskegee syphilis experiment on the African Americans. Boy, we know how to take care of our people, don't we?
Save our FRESH, HEALTHY food!
Friends,
Help stop a former Monsanto executive from working in the White House!
Currently America is in the middle of a record food safety crisis and it could get a whole lot worse.
There's a possibility that former Monsanto executive Michael Taylor and irradiation proponent Dr. Michael Osterholm will be named to top food safety spots in the new Administration.
We need your help to defend America's food supply. Write Secretary Vilsack ( AgSec@usda.gov ) and tell him to stand strong on food safety.
Ask Secretary Vilsack to say no to Taylor and Osterholm.
1. Michael Taylor, a former Monsanto executive, whose career literally fits the definition of the revolving door between government, lobbying and corporate interests. Before serving on the Obama ag transition team, Taylor made a name for himself rotating in and out of law firms, Monsanto, the USDA and FDA. While at the FDA he helped write the rules to allow rBGH into the American food system and our children’s milk.
Now we’ve learned that Taylor may be in line to run an office in the White House on food safety!
2. On Monday, Secretary Vilsack is set to announce the appointment of Dr. Michael Osterholm, a food safety expert, to lead the Food Safety agency at the USDA. According to Food & Water Watch, Osterholm has been “a zealot in promoting th[e] controversial technology (of irradiation) as the panacea to contaminated food.”
Irradiation allows food processors to nuke disease from contaminated food at the end of the production line, while ignoring the root problems that create unsafe food.
For Osterholm, the recent peanut butter fiasco apparently was just another example of how irradiation could save the day. "Clearly it's a problem where the raw peanut butter or paste is consumed and not cooked," Osterholm said.About the magnitude of America’s most recent food safety crisis, Osterholm said, "The recall has reached a level that is far beyond what's necessary."Try telling that to the relatives of the nine people who died and to the over 600 sick individuals across the country."This was like peeling an onion," Osterholm continued. "It demonstrates the magnitude of processed food in this country."Well, at least he got that much right…
The problem, Osterholm doesn't take constructive criticism of his favorite technology lightly. In 1999 he wrote an editorial calling food safety advocates who questioned the safety of irradiation terrorists.
This doesn't sound like the type of leader that the USDA needs right now. If you think this is bad news, let the Administration know about it!
Join Food Democracy Now! in calling for true reformers to be placed in positions at the USDA, FDA and beyond. We need a food safety system with some teeth - one that is independent of corporate interests.
Write Secretary Vilsack and ask him to reconsider these decisions. If you’d like to see Food Democracy Now! grassroots work continue, please consider donating as little as $10 or $25. We need all your support to be able to create the change that is needed at the USDA.Thanks again for helping make this a success, it's time to join together to create Sustainable Change.
Best,
Dave
Please cut and paste the below email and send it to Secretary Vilsack at the following address.AgSec@usda.govDear Secretary Vilsack,I ask that you take the lead in helping America protect the safety of its food supply by appointing a real reformer at the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) position and advising President Obama not to name Michael Taylor to any position in the administration.Please appoint someone other than Michael Osterholm, who has proven to be too biased in favor of a single technology that has been ineffective in stopping food safety outbreaks and is something that most American consumers don’t want.I took the President at his word when he said he would close the revolving door in this new administration and I know that you want to lead a new era at the USDA.
Please appoint true reformers to positions within the USDA to help you transform America’s food and farm system for the 21st century.Thanks for your consideration.Sincerely,
Help stop a former Monsanto executive from working in the White House!
Currently America is in the middle of a record food safety crisis and it could get a whole lot worse.
There's a possibility that former Monsanto executive Michael Taylor and irradiation proponent Dr. Michael Osterholm will be named to top food safety spots in the new Administration.
We need your help to defend America's food supply. Write Secretary Vilsack ( AgSec@usda.gov ) and tell him to stand strong on food safety.
Ask Secretary Vilsack to say no to Taylor and Osterholm.
1. Michael Taylor, a former Monsanto executive, whose career literally fits the definition of the revolving door between government, lobbying and corporate interests. Before serving on the Obama ag transition team, Taylor made a name for himself rotating in and out of law firms, Monsanto, the USDA and FDA. While at the FDA he helped write the rules to allow rBGH into the American food system and our children’s milk.
Now we’ve learned that Taylor may be in line to run an office in the White House on food safety!
2. On Monday, Secretary Vilsack is set to announce the appointment of Dr. Michael Osterholm, a food safety expert, to lead the Food Safety agency at the USDA. According to Food & Water Watch, Osterholm has been “a zealot in promoting th[e] controversial technology (of irradiation) as the panacea to contaminated food.”
Irradiation allows food processors to nuke disease from contaminated food at the end of the production line, while ignoring the root problems that create unsafe food.
For Osterholm, the recent peanut butter fiasco apparently was just another example of how irradiation could save the day. "Clearly it's a problem where the raw peanut butter or paste is consumed and not cooked," Osterholm said.About the magnitude of America’s most recent food safety crisis, Osterholm said, "The recall has reached a level that is far beyond what's necessary."Try telling that to the relatives of the nine people who died and to the over 600 sick individuals across the country."This was like peeling an onion," Osterholm continued. "It demonstrates the magnitude of processed food in this country."Well, at least he got that much right…
The problem, Osterholm doesn't take constructive criticism of his favorite technology lightly. In 1999 he wrote an editorial calling food safety advocates who questioned the safety of irradiation terrorists.
This doesn't sound like the type of leader that the USDA needs right now. If you think this is bad news, let the Administration know about it!
Join Food Democracy Now! in calling for true reformers to be placed in positions at the USDA, FDA and beyond. We need a food safety system with some teeth - one that is independent of corporate interests.
Write Secretary Vilsack and ask him to reconsider these decisions. If you’d like to see Food Democracy Now! grassroots work continue, please consider donating as little as $10 or $25. We need all your support to be able to create the change that is needed at the USDA.Thanks again for helping make this a success, it's time to join together to create Sustainable Change.
Best,
Dave
Please cut and paste the below email and send it to Secretary Vilsack at the following address.AgSec@usda.govDear Secretary Vilsack,I ask that you take the lead in helping America protect the safety of its food supply by appointing a real reformer at the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) position and advising President Obama not to name Michael Taylor to any position in the administration.Please appoint someone other than Michael Osterholm, who has proven to be too biased in favor of a single technology that has been ineffective in stopping food safety outbreaks and is something that most American consumers don’t want.I took the President at his word when he said he would close the revolving door in this new administration and I know that you want to lead a new era at the USDA.
Please appoint true reformers to positions within the USDA to help you transform America’s food and farm system for the 21st century.Thanks for your consideration.Sincerely,
Ibuprofen for use in gut inflammation and.or yeast treatment
Last week there was lots of discussion on the Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) Yahoo group about high dose Ibuprofen for treatment of gut inflammation. One parent posted their treatment protocol from their Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) doctor. It called for 20 mg/kg of Ibuprofen dosed for 10 days and then off for 20 days. This parent reported lots of success, in addition to use of LDN for immune modulation and reduction of inflammation.
Then yesterday I get another email from another parent giving a link to an abstract with research showing Ibuprofen is actually effective both with and without Diflucan. Evidently it interferes with the integrity of the cell membrane and that alone can lead to the death of the yeast and/or with Diflucan can kill it as well.
I logged on to Autism Action Plan and posted a question to Dr. Woeller about this. He responded this morning and thought this was interesting research and followed up with his own blog, which can be read here. He links to the original study that I sent him so I will not link to that too, you can find it on his blog. This is just his blog, not even what he has on Autism Action Plan. I will say it again, if you are trying to battle Autism and need some additional help from an AWESOME doctor, click the banner at the top of my blog and join Autism Action Plan. The cost is very small in comparison to what you get. I get to ask questions 24/7 and he responds very quickly. I can share research like this on Ibuprofen and then he can take that to the next level by following up in a way I cannot. He has access to other DAN! doctors and lots of other sources. He has so much info on Autism Action Plan and then you add in the twice weekly live chats, that is a lot of information at your fingertips. I brag about how well my son is doing and it is largely due to the guidance we get from Dr. Woeller.
Then yesterday I get another email from another parent giving a link to an abstract with research showing Ibuprofen is actually effective both with and without Diflucan. Evidently it interferes with the integrity of the cell membrane and that alone can lead to the death of the yeast and/or with Diflucan can kill it as well.
I logged on to Autism Action Plan and posted a question to Dr. Woeller about this. He responded this morning and thought this was interesting research and followed up with his own blog, which can be read here. He links to the original study that I sent him so I will not link to that too, you can find it on his blog. This is just his blog, not even what he has on Autism Action Plan. I will say it again, if you are trying to battle Autism and need some additional help from an AWESOME doctor, click the banner at the top of my blog and join Autism Action Plan. The cost is very small in comparison to what you get. I get to ask questions 24/7 and he responds very quickly. I can share research like this on Ibuprofen and then he can take that to the next level by following up in a way I cannot. He has access to other DAN! doctors and lots of other sources. He has so much info on Autism Action Plan and then you add in the twice weekly live chats, that is a lot of information at your fingertips. I brag about how well my son is doing and it is largely due to the guidance we get from Dr. Woeller.
BPA in blenders/food processors
I got an email from a friend and former co-worker, Beth, that was very disturbing. It is a story all about BPA (the bad stuff in many plastics) that are found in our blenders and food processors. Here is the link.
So what are you to do if you can't just run out and buy all new stuff? Here are my recommendations:
* Keep the plastics out of the dishwasher, the heating in high temps begins the release of the toxins.
* Only blend/process cold stuff.
* Blend and process and remove food immediately to avoid prolonged exposure, store in glass or ceramic.
* Never reheat in your food processor chamber.
Sometimes it seems inescapable. You try and try and still find these toxins in the things that are closest to our foods. My mother in law bought me a kitchen aid food processor 2 years ago for Christmas. I love it and was so bummed to see it on the "bad" list. But, like many, I can't afford to run out and buy all new stuff right now. So, I will use the one I have but I will no longer be throwing hot food into my processor.
So what are you to do if you can't just run out and buy all new stuff? Here are my recommendations:
* Keep the plastics out of the dishwasher, the heating in high temps begins the release of the toxins.
* Only blend/process cold stuff.
* Blend and process and remove food immediately to avoid prolonged exposure, store in glass or ceramic.
* Never reheat in your food processor chamber.
Sometimes it seems inescapable. You try and try and still find these toxins in the things that are closest to our foods. My mother in law bought me a kitchen aid food processor 2 years ago for Christmas. I love it and was so bummed to see it on the "bad" list. But, like many, I can't afford to run out and buy all new stuff right now. So, I will use the one I have but I will no longer be throwing hot food into my processor.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Rally at the Capitol regarding services being slashed
Whew!! What was supposed to be a rally from 11 am - 1 pm ended up being an all day event. Cindy and I headed down to the Capitol, picking up Hila on our way in a caravan situation. We navigated our way through and found parking and walked on over. The turnout was impressive. I am not good with crowd estimations so I won't even try. But, there were all disabilities represented it seemed. We realized a little late that the Senate was going to be in session and by the time we meandered over, the gallery seating was full. We eventually stood in the lobby and watched on TVs. There wasn't a lot we could hear or understand really. After their session we kind of wondered "well what now?" since it was about 12:30. Cindy and I walked over to move the car and decided to try and sit in on the House session. We got there early and got seats. It was anticlimactic to say the least. It seemed a little like the "bring your child to work day" episode. Certain legislators would get up and "introduce" their little friend(s) from the gallery. We had quite the showing of folks from the humane society as well as the senior citizens bus group from Tucson. I gave Cindy more than one "are you kidding me?" looks. It was pretty ridiculous at times. There was this auctioneer-type lackey who kept saying the motions like he was hawking some of grandma's old furniture at an estate sale. I had a hard time understanding him. The only person who acknowledged the presence of the disabled community was Krysten Sinema. I just loved her, more on why later. After that we kind of looked dumbstruck. We headed downstairs again and basically felt that both sides decided to "reconvene" on Monday, maybe they thought the angry mobs would have subsided by then and they could slash our budgets with nary a peep, who knows. So off to the kiosk we went where you can leave you comment on a bill or request time to speak on the floor. I did mine and while Cindy was doing her's I noticed that the budget appropriations committee was supposed to be meeting right after the house and senate were done with their earlier sessions. Off we went to find that room. The first 2 were full so they did an overflow for the crowds. We took seats right near the TV. It was delayed about 45 minutes due to a closed door session of the senate. And then once they did start we had to hear the 1st on the agenda, community college budgets. Then on to the main event. Here's a rundown:
Aboud - had to leave to catch a plane, pointed out that if we cut music therapy rates by 55% then some clinics will be forced to close and that is a doubly bad thing. Loved her.
Aguirre - had just met with music therapists and parents, understood the need for this modality. Loved her.
Sinema - She was a ball of fire, she stood up to those good ole boys and didn't let them jerk her around. And, I guessed that she was also a lawyer (in addition to being a social worker) because she did the old "only ask a question that you know the answer to" and pointed out the lunacy of some people's theories and ideas. You could tell it stuck in their craw that this little "girl" was in their building and not backing down. LOVED THIS GIRL!!!
Kavanaugh - Said that "maybe we should drop music therapy altogether", needless to say did not like this man and sent him an email "explaining" this modality since his ignorance was clear. Boo, hiss.
These people can be found on our state legislation webpage if you care to drop them notes about what is going on. Basically unemployment rates are rising which is causing a budget crisis. Our developmental disabilities agency was already facing a deficit, even before the rise in unemployment and recent cuts. But, I am not sure WHY unemployment insurance is lumped into DDD (dept. of Dev. Disability). Most (2/3) of DDD's funding is with federal money = they cannot reduce benefits or they lose that money. That would create an even bigger deficit. So.....they had to cut music therapy, CPS response to level 4 threats and of course homeless and administration meaning support coordinators, CPS officials, etc. Then Kavanaugh basically said "how DARE you cut CPS benefits!!!!! Kids could be at risk!!!!". Well, our kids are at risk for further delays if we slash our services too. And, this is the SAME body that charged DES with "figuring out" what to cut. So, you throw it on DES and then make THEM out to be the bad guys. I laughed because Member Sinema was the ONLY person to point that out, that group approved the cuts. They didn't care that 2/3 of the DES programs are basically untouchable and they needed to cut $150 million. It was THEIR job to figure it out and now take the heat for those decisions. And yes, I am a parent effected by this and NO I do not hate Dr. Blessings. I see this as an incredibly difficult and jacked up decision that must be made and I could see how hard it was for her. She wasn't the one who said things must be cut, she was just the one given the ax to do the dirty work.
There it is in a nutshell. We left early because it was already 5:30 and frankly I had a headache and wanted to see my kids at least a little before leaving for 4 days. So I can't tell you what else was said. I had really had enough anyways. So off of here to finish packing, see you guys on Wednesday or so. But here are some photos of the day:
Inside the House
Me and the Coester Cares Therapy Clinic Group (part of them anyways). I am standing next to Keith, Matthew's awesome music therapist. Brian, the clinic owner is next to him and then two other therapists.
Me and Hila in front of the Capitol
Me and Cindy in front of the Capitol
A look at one group of the crowd.
Aboud - had to leave to catch a plane, pointed out that if we cut music therapy rates by 55% then some clinics will be forced to close and that is a doubly bad thing. Loved her.
Aguirre - had just met with music therapists and parents, understood the need for this modality. Loved her.
Sinema - She was a ball of fire, she stood up to those good ole boys and didn't let them jerk her around. And, I guessed that she was also a lawyer (in addition to being a social worker) because she did the old "only ask a question that you know the answer to" and pointed out the lunacy of some people's theories and ideas. You could tell it stuck in their craw that this little "girl" was in their building and not backing down. LOVED THIS GIRL!!!
Kavanaugh - Said that "maybe we should drop music therapy altogether", needless to say did not like this man and sent him an email "explaining" this modality since his ignorance was clear. Boo, hiss.
These people can be found on our state legislation webpage if you care to drop them notes about what is going on. Basically unemployment rates are rising which is causing a budget crisis. Our developmental disabilities agency was already facing a deficit, even before the rise in unemployment and recent cuts. But, I am not sure WHY unemployment insurance is lumped into DDD (dept. of Dev. Disability). Most (2/3) of DDD's funding is with federal money = they cannot reduce benefits or they lose that money. That would create an even bigger deficit. So.....they had to cut music therapy, CPS response to level 4 threats and of course homeless and administration meaning support coordinators, CPS officials, etc. Then Kavanaugh basically said "how DARE you cut CPS benefits!!!!! Kids could be at risk!!!!". Well, our kids are at risk for further delays if we slash our services too. And, this is the SAME body that charged DES with "figuring out" what to cut. So, you throw it on DES and then make THEM out to be the bad guys. I laughed because Member Sinema was the ONLY person to point that out, that group approved the cuts. They didn't care that 2/3 of the DES programs are basically untouchable and they needed to cut $150 million. It was THEIR job to figure it out and now take the heat for those decisions. And yes, I am a parent effected by this and NO I do not hate Dr. Blessings. I see this as an incredibly difficult and jacked up decision that must be made and I could see how hard it was for her. She wasn't the one who said things must be cut, she was just the one given the ax to do the dirty work.
There it is in a nutshell. We left early because it was already 5:30 and frankly I had a headache and wanted to see my kids at least a little before leaving for 4 days. So I can't tell you what else was said. I had really had enough anyways. So off of here to finish packing, see you guys on Wednesday or so. But here are some photos of the day:
Inside the House
Me and the Coester Cares Therapy Clinic Group (part of them anyways). I am standing next to Keith, Matthew's awesome music therapist. Brian, the clinic owner is next to him and then two other therapists.
Me and Hila in front of the Capitol
Me and Cindy in front of the Capitol
A look at one group of the crowd.Vaccine court victory for one family
We have a victory of sorts, just weeks after the "vaccine court" ruled against families with children damaged by vaccines, they rule in favor of the Banks family for the same thing. They did it quietly, without all the fanfare of the previous rulings. Here's the article:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/02/government-concedes-vaccine-caused-childs-autism-conceals-diagnosis-with-word-games.html
The downside for most of us is that many of us didn't see dramatic changes after vaccines, or we noticed changes but they were brushed off by our pediatricians and we didn't think to follow up with EEG's and MRI's. What about all the environmental crap that our kids have been exposed to before we knew just how dangerous these things were and got them out of our food and homes? In this day and age, why is it so hard to understand Autism is in part environmentally caused? How can we continue to pollute our bodies with bad food with additives we can't even pronounce, GMO food, pesticides, herbicides, toxins in our baby bottles like BPA, etc. etc. without ramifications? Unfortunately for us, the list can go on and on too with toxins. There has been a recent concession from the National Institute for Health (NIH) saying the further research of vaccines and environmental toxins as antecedents for Autism in a specific subset of kids with mitichondrial disorders. That catch phrase has gotten a lot of attention and is still promoted as "rare". I would say less rare than people think. My son, very mild end of Autism, DOES indeed have a mitochondrial dysfunction. You know what? So do I more than likely. Kids get their mito from moms. Got chronic fatigue?? Then you have a mito issue too. I have joked for years that I have chronic fatigue. Maybe it wasn't just trying to do too much and "in my head". I have started some of the same mito support supplements as my son. Do you think insurance would give us a 2-for?? Probably not. I am getting at the point that I rejoice that some families are getting settlements and even more than that, vindication for us all that this aggressive vaccine schedule and other environmental toxins DO contribute to Autism. But for the majority of us, we are neurologists with access to testing like John Poling, we didn't suffer seizures in our child that required heavy medical documentation. We experienced small changes, hints that told us something was taking our kids away from us. So we persevere. We challenge "modern" medicine with our hokey witch doctor tactics (said completely tongue in cheek in case you are unaware of my use of heavy sarcasm) and we trudge on. We probably won't ever get a big settlement. That is OK by me. What I hope in all of this we gain recognition that we are not crazy and an understanding and awareness of what we are doing to our kids. And with that said, off to the Capitol for a rally to save our music therapy!!
http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/02/government-concedes-vaccine-caused-childs-autism-conceals-diagnosis-with-word-games.html
The downside for most of us is that many of us didn't see dramatic changes after vaccines, or we noticed changes but they were brushed off by our pediatricians and we didn't think to follow up with EEG's and MRI's. What about all the environmental crap that our kids have been exposed to before we knew just how dangerous these things were and got them out of our food and homes? In this day and age, why is it so hard to understand Autism is in part environmentally caused? How can we continue to pollute our bodies with bad food with additives we can't even pronounce, GMO food, pesticides, herbicides, toxins in our baby bottles like BPA, etc. etc. without ramifications? Unfortunately for us, the list can go on and on too with toxins. There has been a recent concession from the National Institute for Health (NIH) saying the further research of vaccines and environmental toxins as antecedents for Autism in a specific subset of kids with mitichondrial disorders. That catch phrase has gotten a lot of attention and is still promoted as "rare". I would say less rare than people think. My son, very mild end of Autism, DOES indeed have a mitochondrial dysfunction. You know what? So do I more than likely. Kids get their mito from moms. Got chronic fatigue?? Then you have a mito issue too. I have joked for years that I have chronic fatigue. Maybe it wasn't just trying to do too much and "in my head". I have started some of the same mito support supplements as my son. Do you think insurance would give us a 2-for?? Probably not. I am getting at the point that I rejoice that some families are getting settlements and even more than that, vindication for us all that this aggressive vaccine schedule and other environmental toxins DO contribute to Autism. But for the majority of us, we are neurologists with access to testing like John Poling, we didn't suffer seizures in our child that required heavy medical documentation. We experienced small changes, hints that told us something was taking our kids away from us. So we persevere. We challenge "modern" medicine with our hokey witch doctor tactics (said completely tongue in cheek in case you are unaware of my use of heavy sarcasm) and we trudge on. We probably won't ever get a big settlement. That is OK by me. What I hope in all of this we gain recognition that we are not crazy and an understanding and awareness of what we are doing to our kids. And with that said, off to the Capitol for a rally to save our music therapy!!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Organic Acid Test results and yeast/bacteria and gut dysbiosis
So...I know I have been lagging on posts, I apologize. Life has been super crazy and will be even crazier as I plan to head out of town this weekend, alone, no kids! Did you hear my little cheer right there? I love my family but it has been a while since I have been away from them with no other purpose than pure enjoyment and relaxation. So I am super excited. But, I needed to share what else I am cheering, M's recent Organic Acid Test (OAT) results. We got them back last week and had our follow up call with Dr. Woeller yesterday. Since June he's had 4 elevated yeast markers. As of last week we have just 1 elevated marker (and it wasn't even Arabinose, the biggie we were really fighting) and it is just slightly above "normal". His clostridia bacteria was still quite elevated but was half of what it was in the last testing period (October 2008). I am confident in saying that his gut dysbiosis is very close to being healed, HURRAY!!! The next step is to add in ACTOS which is for brain inflammation. That is the off label use, it is usually prescribed for diabetics but the "side effect" has been very effective against brain inflammation. I am so thrilled to be progressing so well. We are close to the end of the treatment protocol schedule. In about 6 weeks we may be able to tackle viral issues which I truly feel are the heart of my son's Autism. He had chicken pox twice, 6 months and 3 years of age. Viruses, specifically Herpes which is what chicken pox is, have been shown to spark Autistic-like symptoms in children. We also have a history of viral issues on both sides of our families. I feel this is key for my son. My husband asked me this morning "so what does that mean if we are the end, do we stop everything?". My assumption is then we do the testing thing. We try removing some supplements and see what happens. We try adding in "no-no" foods and see what happens. I am just so thrilled to be so close to the antiviral approach. We had LOTS of work on M's gut before we could even think about antivirals and we are almost there. I can't smile big enough. It has been hard work, between the diet and supplements but it has worked and more than the lab results, EVERYONE notices what a different child my son is now. He loves playing with kids and he is so expressive and does the "normal" 20 questions with everyone now. And people poo poo biomed? We would be no further than we were last summer without biomed. We are not at the end of our journey by any means but I think it is so crucial to celebrate each small milestone. A new word, heck even a new sound! A new food that is tried, a new attempt to reach out into their little worlds, all great things to celebrate as we all work towards the goal, getting rid of Autism in our kids. I know the road will still be very bumpy and we are not over every last hurdle but I need to take the time to celebrate how far we have come!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Safer bath products
Here are a few recent questions:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Terri! What cream do you use in addition to the salt baths? My daughter has very sensitive skin and usually always breaks out with any soap or creams we use even with shampoo! any suggestions on what to use and where to get them?Thanks! Kristy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well Kristy, I have not made the Epsom Salt lotions myself but when I do I plan to use either pure cocoa butter or some pure Jojoba or coconut oil. The skin is the largest organ so using products you would feel ok eating is best. The fewer chemicals being absorbed into your child's body is best. I try and limit any petroleum products and all the products with lauryl sulphate and laureth sulphates. The pure products are easier for the body to absorb and less likely to have a reaction. Emu oil may be another very good alternative. We use a prescription medication called Low Dose Naltrexone and it is in an Emu oil base and it has a lot of success as a carrier oil without any negative reactions. I get my stuff at either Sprouts or Whole Foods, I need to check Azure Standard to see if they carry them. I hope that helps!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Terri! You don't know me but I was referred to your website from Shari and I find it very informative. I am trying, one thing at a time, to become more conscious about what I am putting into and on my boys bodies. I want them to be healthy and strong and to live to their potentials. I truly appreciate all the research and work that you do to help inform others. Anyways... my questions are: What do you feed your children for lunch? and What products do you use to wash their bodies, brush their teeth, lotions, etc?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Taryn,
Thanks so much for the great comments. And good for you for caring about this stuff. Your boys are very lucky!!! I covered a little about lotions above. I use California Baby body wash/shampoo/conditioner for my kids (see pictures above). I have also used some Burt's Bees stuff too. I use Spry gel instead of regular toothpaste, we avoid fluoride for the kiddos too. The Spry gel uses Xylitol which inhibits bacteria growth = inhibits cavities.
Lunches usually consist of a combo of protein, fat, veggies and fruit:
Protein:
* Applegate Farms Hot Dogs
* Applegate Farms lunch meats
* Low oxalate diet black eyed peas burgers with shredded veggies
* Left over dinners like chicken, spaghetti, salmon, bean burritos with rice tortillas, different rice dishes, etc.
* Applegate farm bacon
Veggies:
* Steamed and mashed sweet potatoes
* Steamed and mashed acorn squash (add a little cinnamon for a sweeter/different taste)
* Cucumbers and tomatoes
* Carrot sticks and celery with peanut butter
* Bubbies pickles
* Broccoli "trees" with a little ketchup for dipping
Fruit:
* Mainly pears or mangos because we are fighting yeast
* Sometimes apple slices
* Fruit cup in pear juice
My son won't eat avocado but my daughter loves them so she eats sliced avo frequently at lunch. They are so healthy with great fats. They also love yogurt (coconut milk) with lunches as well.
I hope that helps!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Terri! What cream do you use in addition to the salt baths? My daughter has very sensitive skin and usually always breaks out with any soap or creams we use even with shampoo! any suggestions on what to use and where to get them?Thanks! Kristy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well Kristy, I have not made the Epsom Salt lotions myself but when I do I plan to use either pure cocoa butter or some pure Jojoba or coconut oil. The skin is the largest organ so using products you would feel ok eating is best. The fewer chemicals being absorbed into your child's body is best. I try and limit any petroleum products and all the products with lauryl sulphate and laureth sulphates. The pure products are easier for the body to absorb and less likely to have a reaction. Emu oil may be another very good alternative. We use a prescription medication called Low Dose Naltrexone and it is in an Emu oil base and it has a lot of success as a carrier oil without any negative reactions. I get my stuff at either Sprouts or Whole Foods, I need to check Azure Standard to see if they carry them. I hope that helps!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Terri! You don't know me but I was referred to your website from Shari and I find it very informative. I am trying, one thing at a time, to become more conscious about what I am putting into and on my boys bodies. I want them to be healthy and strong and to live to their potentials. I truly appreciate all the research and work that you do to help inform others. Anyways... my questions are: What do you feed your children for lunch? and What products do you use to wash their bodies, brush their teeth, lotions, etc?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Taryn,
Thanks so much for the great comments. And good for you for caring about this stuff. Your boys are very lucky!!! I covered a little about lotions above. I use California Baby body wash/shampoo/conditioner for my kids (see pictures above). I have also used some Burt's Bees stuff too. I use Spry gel instead of regular toothpaste, we avoid fluoride for the kiddos too. The Spry gel uses Xylitol which inhibits bacteria growth = inhibits cavities.
Lunches usually consist of a combo of protein, fat, veggies and fruit:
Protein:
* Applegate Farms Hot Dogs
* Applegate Farms lunch meats
* Low oxalate diet black eyed peas burgers with shredded veggies
* Left over dinners like chicken, spaghetti, salmon, bean burritos with rice tortillas, different rice dishes, etc.
* Applegate farm bacon
Veggies:
* Steamed and mashed sweet potatoes
* Steamed and mashed acorn squash (add a little cinnamon for a sweeter/different taste)
* Cucumbers and tomatoes
* Carrot sticks and celery with peanut butter
* Bubbies pickles
* Broccoli "trees" with a little ketchup for dipping
Fruit:
* Mainly pears or mangos because we are fighting yeast
* Sometimes apple slices
* Fruit cup in pear juice
My son won't eat avocado but my daughter loves them so she eats sliced avo frequently at lunch. They are so healthy with great fats. They also love yogurt (coconut milk) with lunches as well.
I hope that helps!!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
How to find out what toxins are in your child
Stacy asks "I have recently been turned on to your blog from the enlightened homemaker's blog whom I don't know personally but I am drawn to her knowledge as I am yours. I have two sons and one daughter. I don't see signs of Autism in them however my youngest is only 7 months and at 5 months I did take him to get his first set of vaccines. My oldest completed the series and I believe he is fine but then I wonder, he is so sensitive to the wind blowing and has melt downs over it. He also has meltdowns over water being too hot or cold (when everyone around him would be fine about the temp) too much noise or attention bothers him. Anyway, whether or not he is on the spectrum he probably has toxins in him. I am a big juicer, gardener, essential oils user but I feel I am lacking in so many other ways and now I am having discussions with my husband as what to do with our youngest son to finish his vaccines or not. I probably need to go back and read every post you have written, thank you so much for this blog as it has made me more introspective and aware. Where can I start? Where do you take your kid to see what toxins are in them? Sorry this is so long, I have so many questions but I guess I'll begin there. Thank you again!"
First off, thanks for reading my blog and asking questions, I love it! And way to go for delaying all vaccines until 5 months with your youngest!! That alone is a good thing!! It sounds like you are on a great path already with juicing and essential oils use. Your oldest son sounds like he may have some sensory issues. I am not an OT and this is just my opinion. And EVERYONE has sensory issues to an extent so do not take this to mean there is anything "wrong" with your child. But, those issues you describe (sensitive to wind, temperature, and noise) are all very indicative of sensory issues. My son has many of the same ones, especially noise. We did the Wilbarger Brushing Protocol years ago and that helped him a lot in calming down his nervous system. But, some kiddos are just a little more "sensitive" than others. Seems like maybe your son is in that category.
Moving on to how to find out whether your child has toxins in them. Tricky, tricky. Unless you want to start seeing a naturopath and doing a blood draw (which is not fun, speaking from personal experience here) I would suggest a different route. I would suggest maybe finding a good naturopath in your area. We started seeing Dr. Carrie Rittling at East Valley Naturopathic Doctors (www.eastvalleynd.com). But, my personal Naturopath suggested to give Thuja to my son and daughter, it is a homeopathic remedy designed to help the body handle and excrete the toxins from vaccines. Dr. Matthew Baral, head of pediatrics at the School for Naturpathic Medicine here in Tempe is in charge of bringing in what vaccines. He spoke at a local support group meeting the other night. He touched on this issue. He he also has a clinic for Autism treatment here, partnering with Dr. Jeff Bradstreet. He stated a few things, some I did not catch fully. He stated that they do a Vitamin A protocol along with other supplements.
Here are some things that I would recommend:
* No vaccines before age 2.
* Never give vaccines on a day where your child is showing signs of illness (any runny nose, any fever).
* Never give vaccines on a day where your child is showing signs of an allergic response (food allergy, eczema, etc).
* Give support supplements at the guidance of your naturopath to help mitigate the negative reactions of the vaccines.
* No flu shot, ever.
* No Rota virus vaccines, ever.
* No Hep B vaccine, unless of course your child is having unprotected sex or sharing needles with others on the playground.
* Epsom salts baths or creams. Epsom salts really help detox your body. We do nightly baths for the kids. About a 1/2 cup per bath, waist deep, as warm as they can tolerate and hopefully for at least 15 - 20 minutes. You can also do a cream.
* Big one for helping detox is just keep the junk out. No hydrogenates oils (trans fats), reduce preservatives, dyes, etc. What you cannot pronounce and do not know what it is / does should not go in/on your body. Reduce toxic load in your house, use safer cleaning products, lotions, shampoos, nothing with parabens and lauryl suphates, etc. You skin is your largest organ, choose healthy things to put on it, the junk does get absorbed. Do no buy "flame retardant" sleepwear. It is treated with arsenic. That gets absorbed into their little bodies while they sleep, when they should be regenerating. If you really worry about your kids burning up in a house fire, maybe you have a little work to do around the house to make that less likely. Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors for peace of mind and leave the toxins out of their sleepwear. Old Navy has non treated sleep wear. There are many, many other things but these are big ones. Reduce the plastic usage in your house, get rid of teflon, go organic if possible. All these little things help keep your body functioning and removing those toxins.
* Make sure your child is having regular bowel movements. This is HUGE. If they are not, get them some magnesium citrate. This is a huge way to get the junk out of their systems. Pee, poop, sweat, the ways we detox. Good exercise is also helpful.
* If you really want to do testing for heavy metals, you can do a hair analysis. It is not 100% reliable and the lack of metals in the hair will actually tell you more. We excrete metals through our hair so you often will find a sibling of a child with Autism who has higher levels of metals in their hair because their body is actually getting rid of them, and the child with Autism's body will hold onto them. But this is the least invasive test.
* Seeing a holistic health professional will be your best bet to maximize your body's detox pathways though, I highly recommend a naturopathic doctor.
I hope that helps Stacy!
First off, thanks for reading my blog and asking questions, I love it! And way to go for delaying all vaccines until 5 months with your youngest!! That alone is a good thing!! It sounds like you are on a great path already with juicing and essential oils use. Your oldest son sounds like he may have some sensory issues. I am not an OT and this is just my opinion. And EVERYONE has sensory issues to an extent so do not take this to mean there is anything "wrong" with your child. But, those issues you describe (sensitive to wind, temperature, and noise) are all very indicative of sensory issues. My son has many of the same ones, especially noise. We did the Wilbarger Brushing Protocol years ago and that helped him a lot in calming down his nervous system. But, some kiddos are just a little more "sensitive" than others. Seems like maybe your son is in that category.
Moving on to how to find out whether your child has toxins in them. Tricky, tricky. Unless you want to start seeing a naturopath and doing a blood draw (which is not fun, speaking from personal experience here) I would suggest a different route. I would suggest maybe finding a good naturopath in your area. We started seeing Dr. Carrie Rittling at East Valley Naturopathic Doctors (www.eastvalleynd.com). But, my personal Naturopath suggested to give Thuja to my son and daughter, it is a homeopathic remedy designed to help the body handle and excrete the toxins from vaccines. Dr. Matthew Baral, head of pediatrics at the School for Naturpathic Medicine here in Tempe is in charge of bringing in what vaccines. He spoke at a local support group meeting the other night. He touched on this issue. He he also has a clinic for Autism treatment here, partnering with Dr. Jeff Bradstreet. He stated a few things, some I did not catch fully. He stated that they do a Vitamin A protocol along with other supplements.
Here are some things that I would recommend:
* No vaccines before age 2.
* Never give vaccines on a day where your child is showing signs of illness (any runny nose, any fever).
* Never give vaccines on a day where your child is showing signs of an allergic response (food allergy, eczema, etc).
* Give support supplements at the guidance of your naturopath to help mitigate the negative reactions of the vaccines.
* No flu shot, ever.
* No Rota virus vaccines, ever.
* No Hep B vaccine, unless of course your child is having unprotected sex or sharing needles with others on the playground.
* Epsom salts baths or creams. Epsom salts really help detox your body. We do nightly baths for the kids. About a 1/2 cup per bath, waist deep, as warm as they can tolerate and hopefully for at least 15 - 20 minutes. You can also do a cream.
* Big one for helping detox is just keep the junk out. No hydrogenates oils (trans fats), reduce preservatives, dyes, etc. What you cannot pronounce and do not know what it is / does should not go in/on your body. Reduce toxic load in your house, use safer cleaning products, lotions, shampoos, nothing with parabens and lauryl suphates, etc. You skin is your largest organ, choose healthy things to put on it, the junk does get absorbed. Do no buy "flame retardant" sleepwear. It is treated with arsenic. That gets absorbed into their little bodies while they sleep, when they should be regenerating. If you really worry about your kids burning up in a house fire, maybe you have a little work to do around the house to make that less likely. Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors for peace of mind and leave the toxins out of their sleepwear. Old Navy has non treated sleep wear. There are many, many other things but these are big ones. Reduce the plastic usage in your house, get rid of teflon, go organic if possible. All these little things help keep your body functioning and removing those toxins.
* Make sure your child is having regular bowel movements. This is HUGE. If they are not, get them some magnesium citrate. This is a huge way to get the junk out of their systems. Pee, poop, sweat, the ways we detox. Good exercise is also helpful.
* If you really want to do testing for heavy metals, you can do a hair analysis. It is not 100% reliable and the lack of metals in the hair will actually tell you more. We excrete metals through our hair so you often will find a sibling of a child with Autism who has higher levels of metals in their hair because their body is actually getting rid of them, and the child with Autism's body will hold onto them. But this is the least invasive test.
* Seeing a holistic health professional will be your best bet to maximize your body's detox pathways though, I highly recommend a naturopathic doctor.
I hope that helps Stacy!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Paul Offit sued for "Autism's False Prophets" - VERY LONG
I had already started thinking of a blog this morning in the shower, before reading about the lawsuit against Paul Offit. Last night I was reading Age of Autism's articles on the recent proceedings of the GMC regarding Andrew Wakefield. Here is the story:
http://www.rescuepost.com/files/deer-response.pdf
If you don't know who Andrew Wakefield is and you are touched by Autism, you should. The Reader's Digest condensed version is he is a gastroenterologist who did a study in the UK on kids with severe gut issues who also were on the Autism spectrum. He did biopsies and had them (independently) tested and was the first to show vaccine strain measels embedded in the gut lining of these kids. Vaccine strain, not community acquired. You see, vaccines can go a little haywire when you bypass the "normal" immune response of acquiring a virus through mucous membranes (mouth, nose, eyes, etc). When it is injected, the body doesn't always know what to do with it and sometimes the viruses can do things viruses do, wreak havoc in the body. So, anyways, he was the first to put the connection together between the MMR vaccine and Autism. He was (is) vilified and tried both in the press and the courts.
Smells a lot like the Valerie Plame-Wilson affair here. Remember Valerie Plame-Wilson? She was the CIA operative who was "outed" by our own government because her husband exposed a lie that former President Bush told about weapons of mass destruction. Joe Wilson was a former ambassador who was asked to do some recon work while on an unrelated trip to Africa (I believe, all facts should be double checked, my brain is full and tends to forget small details that are not immediately necessary). So, when Bush went on to have a press conference about weapons of mass destruction supposedly being bought by Saddam Hussein, he lied about the threat level. Since Joe Wilson was the one to provide the real data to the CIA/White House officials (that the threat was absolutely empty, no such transactions were happening), he wrote an editorial exposing that lie. Well, in return for his service to our country, he was vilified, his wife outed and potentially exposed, their lives and safety were threatened, they were professionally black balled and all clients of Joe Wilson's business were "encouraged" not to do business with him. Old school Mafia style here. All because he was exposing a lie that was fed to the American people. Now I have to say, I hate that kind of thing. The big guy squashing the little guy when he has truth on his side to cover up and make sure their cash cow doesn't dry up. Some members of our government tried to shut them up by these coercive techniques. It didn't, they held their ground, and suffered for it. God bless them. Many would not have had the fortitude to withstand what they did. Read her book "Fair Game" for a much better account than I gave.
This whole business with Andrew Wakefield, and now Paul Offit, sounds very similar. Why is Paul Offit being sued? He used a fabricated email "conversation" in his book, "The False Prophets of Autism". He puts together two things that never really happened together for the purpose of making a pro-biomed parent/activist look like a raving lunatic. Read more here:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/02/columbia-university-press-and-dr-paul-offit-sued-for-autisms-false-prophets.html#more
He needed a juicy plot and since he didn't have one in real life, he created one. You know, this guy is the co-inventor of Rota-Tec, the rotavirus vaccine. Do you think he will say anything other than vaccines are safe??? So, this all started when a member of Generation Rescue posted data about the school she worked for on the Generation Rescue message board (a private board btw). She did not use her name, her school name or any children's names. She just used statistical data about Autism rates at the school where she worked. However, someone took it upon themselves to track down personal info about her, her daughter, her daughter's therapies, and presented the info all to her employer. They tried to say she had questionable judgement as an employee and as a mother. The co-founder of Generation Rescue found out about this and was understandably upset. Generation Rescue was fonded by parents of a child with Autism intent on helping other parents who want to use a biomedical approach. They pair people up in their areas so they have a mentor so to speak. You can read the rest of what happened in the link above.
I am asking my fellow Autism blogging mamas (and dads too!), how would YOU feel if someone read your blog, disagreed and then decided to track down personal info about you, your child, the rest of your family and tried to jeopardize your career and your family? We are all at risk with these dirty, shameful tactics. All in the name of protecting the already soiled name of vaccine safety?? Really????? We cannot stand for this. We are an ever-growing community. We need to stick together. This pisses me off. To think someone would question someone's parenting for using biomedical treatments???? What next, banning Centrum and vitamin C from Wal-Mart shelves??? Why are so many children progressing after years of stagnation on "traditional" pediatric advice (get some speech and ABA and hope for the best)? Why is Jenny McCarthy's son healed and no longer diagnosed with Autism? Whether you like her or not, impressive what she has been through with her son. And my own friend, a Generation Rescue Angel whose story I shared recently on my blog, what of her son who also has lost his diagnosis? IS THIS NOT SCIENCE????? Is my son not proof enough?????? A year ago he was screaming with anxiety and fear of going NEAR the integrated class and now he is a fully participating member, no extra assistance required. The only change? Biomedical treatment protocols overseen by a LICENSED PHYSICIAN whom I trust. Replenishing your child's needed vitamins and minerals and understanding the normal detox pathways and encouraging them rather than clogging them with toxins should be the norm, not the unusual. Understanding the role of yeast, viruses and bacteria in the gut process and how they can hinder brain function is not a crime!! Why is the statement "you are what you eat" so scary? Why is removing certain offending foods from our children's diets (without ANY harm or nutritional deficits) criminal? I would wager that my children are healthier than most American children based on what I have learned through this journey with Autism. I do not say that in arrogance, but with humbled thanks at how much I have learned about ingredients in the mainstream food supply. Why are there more preservatives and chemicals in food today than real whole food ingredients? What happened to meat, veggies and fruit? Why must this movement be vilified? Because it defies "conventional" doctrine? Because it may cut into vaccine profits? Shame on you, those who engage in this kind of villainy.
There is a story that is pretty appropriate here:
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. What food might this contain? The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr.Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me." " I cannot be bothered by it."The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. "Be assured you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
When one is threatened, we all are threatened. Are the days coming with vaccinations at gun point? Will CPS be called because we give our children supplements? What next? Our civil liberties and our abilities to care for our precious children must not be taken away. Meet a "warrior" mom or dad and you will meet a parent with fire in their hearts and eyes to help their child(ren). They will stop at NOTHING to ease their child's pain and suffering from unseen causes. They will stop at NOTHING to heal their child and give them the chance every child in this world deserves, a healthy body and normal development not marred by toxins. You can tell us by the bags under our eyes from sleepless nights from being up with their child who will not sleep, or from researching and reading more ways to help our children once our child(ren) finally do sleep. We carry the weight of the world on our shoulders after watching our children slip away or never progress as expected at all. We have cried the tears that come from hope that starts to slip of the future we envisioned for our children. And then we cry even more tears at the idea that those futures ARE just as bright as we first thought, just with more work involved to get there. We struggle with stares and frowns when our child melts down in public because their sensory system is too overwhelmed, others chalking it up to bad parenting. We endure criticism from the very group designed to help us, our mainstream pediatricians. We look "outside of the box" out of necessity. We read research which takes us weeks to really understand. We learn neuro chemistry as our side job. We become experts of our children. We know our children in ways others will never. Do we need to preface our blogs with "These are my own personal statements and do not reflect the feelings of anyone else and please don't twist them and use them against me to the detriment of the very people I am attempting to help in this journey". All families touched by Autism should be watching what happens.
http://www.rescuepost.com/files/deer-response.pdf
If you don't know who Andrew Wakefield is and you are touched by Autism, you should. The Reader's Digest condensed version is he is a gastroenterologist who did a study in the UK on kids with severe gut issues who also were on the Autism spectrum. He did biopsies and had them (independently) tested and was the first to show vaccine strain measels embedded in the gut lining of these kids. Vaccine strain, not community acquired. You see, vaccines can go a little haywire when you bypass the "normal" immune response of acquiring a virus through mucous membranes (mouth, nose, eyes, etc). When it is injected, the body doesn't always know what to do with it and sometimes the viruses can do things viruses do, wreak havoc in the body. So, anyways, he was the first to put the connection together between the MMR vaccine and Autism. He was (is) vilified and tried both in the press and the courts.
Smells a lot like the Valerie Plame-Wilson affair here. Remember Valerie Plame-Wilson? She was the CIA operative who was "outed" by our own government because her husband exposed a lie that former President Bush told about weapons of mass destruction. Joe Wilson was a former ambassador who was asked to do some recon work while on an unrelated trip to Africa (I believe, all facts should be double checked, my brain is full and tends to forget small details that are not immediately necessary). So, when Bush went on to have a press conference about weapons of mass destruction supposedly being bought by Saddam Hussein, he lied about the threat level. Since Joe Wilson was the one to provide the real data to the CIA/White House officials (that the threat was absolutely empty, no such transactions were happening), he wrote an editorial exposing that lie. Well, in return for his service to our country, he was vilified, his wife outed and potentially exposed, their lives and safety were threatened, they were professionally black balled and all clients of Joe Wilson's business were "encouraged" not to do business with him. Old school Mafia style here. All because he was exposing a lie that was fed to the American people. Now I have to say, I hate that kind of thing. The big guy squashing the little guy when he has truth on his side to cover up and make sure their cash cow doesn't dry up. Some members of our government tried to shut them up by these coercive techniques. It didn't, they held their ground, and suffered for it. God bless them. Many would not have had the fortitude to withstand what they did. Read her book "Fair Game" for a much better account than I gave.
This whole business with Andrew Wakefield, and now Paul Offit, sounds very similar. Why is Paul Offit being sued? He used a fabricated email "conversation" in his book, "The False Prophets of Autism". He puts together two things that never really happened together for the purpose of making a pro-biomed parent/activist look like a raving lunatic. Read more here:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/02/columbia-university-press-and-dr-paul-offit-sued-for-autisms-false-prophets.html#more
He needed a juicy plot and since he didn't have one in real life, he created one. You know, this guy is the co-inventor of Rota-Tec, the rotavirus vaccine. Do you think he will say anything other than vaccines are safe??? So, this all started when a member of Generation Rescue posted data about the school she worked for on the Generation Rescue message board (a private board btw). She did not use her name, her school name or any children's names. She just used statistical data about Autism rates at the school where she worked. However, someone took it upon themselves to track down personal info about her, her daughter, her daughter's therapies, and presented the info all to her employer. They tried to say she had questionable judgement as an employee and as a mother. The co-founder of Generation Rescue found out about this and was understandably upset. Generation Rescue was fonded by parents of a child with Autism intent on helping other parents who want to use a biomedical approach. They pair people up in their areas so they have a mentor so to speak. You can read the rest of what happened in the link above.
I am asking my fellow Autism blogging mamas (and dads too!), how would YOU feel if someone read your blog, disagreed and then decided to track down personal info about you, your child, the rest of your family and tried to jeopardize your career and your family? We are all at risk with these dirty, shameful tactics. All in the name of protecting the already soiled name of vaccine safety?? Really????? We cannot stand for this. We are an ever-growing community. We need to stick together. This pisses me off. To think someone would question someone's parenting for using biomedical treatments???? What next, banning Centrum and vitamin C from Wal-Mart shelves??? Why are so many children progressing after years of stagnation on "traditional" pediatric advice (get some speech and ABA and hope for the best)? Why is Jenny McCarthy's son healed and no longer diagnosed with Autism? Whether you like her or not, impressive what she has been through with her son. And my own friend, a Generation Rescue Angel whose story I shared recently on my blog, what of her son who also has lost his diagnosis? IS THIS NOT SCIENCE????? Is my son not proof enough?????? A year ago he was screaming with anxiety and fear of going NEAR the integrated class and now he is a fully participating member, no extra assistance required. The only change? Biomedical treatment protocols overseen by a LICENSED PHYSICIAN whom I trust. Replenishing your child's needed vitamins and minerals and understanding the normal detox pathways and encouraging them rather than clogging them with toxins should be the norm, not the unusual. Understanding the role of yeast, viruses and bacteria in the gut process and how they can hinder brain function is not a crime!! Why is the statement "you are what you eat" so scary? Why is removing certain offending foods from our children's diets (without ANY harm or nutritional deficits) criminal? I would wager that my children are healthier than most American children based on what I have learned through this journey with Autism. I do not say that in arrogance, but with humbled thanks at how much I have learned about ingredients in the mainstream food supply. Why are there more preservatives and chemicals in food today than real whole food ingredients? What happened to meat, veggies and fruit? Why must this movement be vilified? Because it defies "conventional" doctrine? Because it may cut into vaccine profits? Shame on you, those who engage in this kind of villainy.
There is a story that is pretty appropriate here:
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. What food might this contain? The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr.Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me." " I cannot be bothered by it."The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. "Be assured you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
When one is threatened, we all are threatened. Are the days coming with vaccinations at gun point? Will CPS be called because we give our children supplements? What next? Our civil liberties and our abilities to care for our precious children must not be taken away. Meet a "warrior" mom or dad and you will meet a parent with fire in their hearts and eyes to help their child(ren). They will stop at NOTHING to ease their child's pain and suffering from unseen causes. They will stop at NOTHING to heal their child and give them the chance every child in this world deserves, a healthy body and normal development not marred by toxins. You can tell us by the bags under our eyes from sleepless nights from being up with their child who will not sleep, or from researching and reading more ways to help our children once our child(ren) finally do sleep. We carry the weight of the world on our shoulders after watching our children slip away or never progress as expected at all. We have cried the tears that come from hope that starts to slip of the future we envisioned for our children. And then we cry even more tears at the idea that those futures ARE just as bright as we first thought, just with more work involved to get there. We struggle with stares and frowns when our child melts down in public because their sensory system is too overwhelmed, others chalking it up to bad parenting. We endure criticism from the very group designed to help us, our mainstream pediatricians. We look "outside of the box" out of necessity. We read research which takes us weeks to really understand. We learn neuro chemistry as our side job. We become experts of our children. We know our children in ways others will never. Do we need to preface our blogs with "These are my own personal statements and do not reflect the feelings of anyone else and please don't twist them and use them against me to the detriment of the very people I am attempting to help in this journey". All families touched by Autism should be watching what happens.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Quality supplements
Tiffany asked a great question, how do you find good quality supplements. That can be a tricky navigation. Here is an article about how supplements are regulated:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/herbal-supplements/SA00044
If you are asking what we do, then here is my answer. First off, my son's specialist recommends a certain company, New Beginnings Nutritionals http://www.nbnus.com/ and that is where we buy most of his supplements. They deal with only reputable companies who can provide certificates of purity, etc. These folks specialize in the Autism spectrum so you are going to get supplements free of wheat, dairy, corn, soy and yeast most commonly as those present challenges to children on the spectrum. However, there are several supplements we can't get through those companies and here's what I do. I head to our local health food store (like Whole Foods, Sprouts, Henry's, Wild Oats). There you are presented with a plethora of options. Ask for the manager of the vitamin/supplement department. They are usually very knowledgeable about the brands they stock. As them for their recommendation. If that doesn't work, I look for brands that I know and trust and that have the USP endorsement. I also look for supplements without a lot of extra "stuff". For example, Tiffany you mentioned Wal-Mart. We started using Aloe Vera juice as a digestive support for our whole family. I found a brand, George's, that is pure aloe vera. But, if you look at a brand wal-mart carries it has citric acid and I think sodium benzoate. Now, from a previous post you would know that both ingredients are undesirable, especially in a supplement. But, the combo is AWFUL. Citric Acid + Sodium Benzoate = Benzene which is a carcinogen (cancer causing agent) that our body only excretes VERY VERY slowly. GREAATT. So, you've got this cancer causing agent that now is floating around in your body for a long time because your body can't get rid of it quickly. Yeah, sign me up! Not. The same holds true for ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium benzoate. When you see those 2 combined, run far away. Check your Sprite can....and many sodas actually. Good times, good times....
Supplements are tricky, I totally get that. I look for bottles with purity statements, the USP endorsement and basically JUST the herbs you want and the cellulose capsule as ingredients. I don't buy supps at Wal-Mart so I don't even know the deal there. My guess is not high quality. Naturopaths can also point you in the right direction for good brands and many even stock supplements in their office (at least ours do). I feel that a good quality supplement can go along way towards preserving your good health. Pharmaceuticals generally have many side effects. Take Lipitor for example. My husband was on that for about a decade. We started seeing a chiropractor and he was the first to tell us all the side effects (as opposed to the doctors who put my husband on it in the first place). Lipitor can weaken muscles. Well, the heart IS a muscle. So when you look at what Lipitor is for, reducing cholesterol to avoid a heart attack, you are reducing the risk of heart attack from one problem (cholesterol) but increasing it due to another (weakened heart). Seems rather counterproductive. We started seeing a naturopath who recommended Niacin, one of the B vitamins. You have to look at the upside and downside to pharmaceutical treatments. These changes are not for everybody.
Now on to your question of how to get your husband on board. Wow, if I had a quarter for every wife/mom who asked me that. Even with dietary changes for Autism, men seem so much more reluctant. I am lucky, my husband knows I am a research freak, if I say it is safe that means I have researched and researched and researched again and feel comfortable, which means a lot for me. He is on board. I have actually MADE him read studies/data instead of just going along with my suggestions which he is inclined to do. I feel that if someone reads the data and understands WHY we choose these changes, they will stick with it. With my son's diet, my husband sees what happens when my son gets something he is intolerant of, he becomes a lunatic, screaming and melting down at the drop of a hat (my son, not my husband, lol). The extra work of his diet is worth it, I'd rather spend that time cooking/shopping than dealing with meltdowns all day. For some people (and I know many) they don't buy it. I don't know your husband so it is hard to give any input there. I guess it depends on what you are trying to change. If it is supplements, maybe ask for a trial period. You try something for a time and then evaluate how effective you think it was, no harm, no foul. Supplements are not like pharmaceuticals, they take longer to work so several weeks may be warranted. And, if your body is heavily polluted with toxins from poor diet, pharmaceutical use/etc., some natural remedies like homeopathy won't seem effective at all. Many people blow them off because they "don't work for me" when in reality if they had cleaned their body a bit they would find effectiveness. When you body comes to rely on pharmaceuticals, that is what it will need. But, if you clean it up, it will respond to more natural remedies.
I just heard a mainstream doctor talking this morning about the common cold lasting 1 1/2 weeks. Friday I felt a cold coming on. No surprise, I have a child in preschool and am around a lot of kids coughing and sneezing, plus therapy clinics, social groups, etc. Germs are plentiful. Add to that I have been partaking in some pre-Valentine's day treats, running full speed, staying up too late, etc. I started pumping the Vit. C, olive leaf extract and going to bed early. I took advantage of yesterday and took it easy, lots of vit c, supplements, epsom salt baths with eucalyptus oil, and rest. I feel better today and if I don't push it, I bet by tomorrow it will be practically gone. This is only my 2nd tiny cold this season. Not bad considering I have friends battling the same cold for weeks, even needing steroids and a nebulizer, YIKES. Can I get hit with that? Absolutely. I am just as likely to come down with the flu as anyone, it all depends on the strength of your immune system. Listening to your body and pumping it full of stuff that helps fight off viruses and bacteria will go along way in preventing you from getting sick and healing you faster if you do. And loading your body with toxins (poor diet, soda's, etc) means more work for your immune system which then takes away its ability to fight cold and flu viruses.
I hope that helps. And I appreciate your questions, you don't learn if you don't ask!!!
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/herbal-supplements/SA00044
If you are asking what we do, then here is my answer. First off, my son's specialist recommends a certain company, New Beginnings Nutritionals http://www.nbnus.com/ and that is where we buy most of his supplements. They deal with only reputable companies who can provide certificates of purity, etc. These folks specialize in the Autism spectrum so you are going to get supplements free of wheat, dairy, corn, soy and yeast most commonly as those present challenges to children on the spectrum. However, there are several supplements we can't get through those companies and here's what I do. I head to our local health food store (like Whole Foods, Sprouts, Henry's, Wild Oats). There you are presented with a plethora of options. Ask for the manager of the vitamin/supplement department. They are usually very knowledgeable about the brands they stock. As them for their recommendation. If that doesn't work, I look for brands that I know and trust and that have the USP endorsement. I also look for supplements without a lot of extra "stuff". For example, Tiffany you mentioned Wal-Mart. We started using Aloe Vera juice as a digestive support for our whole family. I found a brand, George's, that is pure aloe vera. But, if you look at a brand wal-mart carries it has citric acid and I think sodium benzoate. Now, from a previous post you would know that both ingredients are undesirable, especially in a supplement. But, the combo is AWFUL. Citric Acid + Sodium Benzoate = Benzene which is a carcinogen (cancer causing agent) that our body only excretes VERY VERY slowly. GREAATT. So, you've got this cancer causing agent that now is floating around in your body for a long time because your body can't get rid of it quickly. Yeah, sign me up! Not. The same holds true for ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium benzoate. When you see those 2 combined, run far away. Check your Sprite can....and many sodas actually. Good times, good times....
Supplements are tricky, I totally get that. I look for bottles with purity statements, the USP endorsement and basically JUST the herbs you want and the cellulose capsule as ingredients. I don't buy supps at Wal-Mart so I don't even know the deal there. My guess is not high quality. Naturopaths can also point you in the right direction for good brands and many even stock supplements in their office (at least ours do). I feel that a good quality supplement can go along way towards preserving your good health. Pharmaceuticals generally have many side effects. Take Lipitor for example. My husband was on that for about a decade. We started seeing a chiropractor and he was the first to tell us all the side effects (as opposed to the doctors who put my husband on it in the first place). Lipitor can weaken muscles. Well, the heart IS a muscle. So when you look at what Lipitor is for, reducing cholesterol to avoid a heart attack, you are reducing the risk of heart attack from one problem (cholesterol) but increasing it due to another (weakened heart). Seems rather counterproductive. We started seeing a naturopath who recommended Niacin, one of the B vitamins. You have to look at the upside and downside to pharmaceutical treatments. These changes are not for everybody.
Now on to your question of how to get your husband on board. Wow, if I had a quarter for every wife/mom who asked me that. Even with dietary changes for Autism, men seem so much more reluctant. I am lucky, my husband knows I am a research freak, if I say it is safe that means I have researched and researched and researched again and feel comfortable, which means a lot for me. He is on board. I have actually MADE him read studies/data instead of just going along with my suggestions which he is inclined to do. I feel that if someone reads the data and understands WHY we choose these changes, they will stick with it. With my son's diet, my husband sees what happens when my son gets something he is intolerant of, he becomes a lunatic, screaming and melting down at the drop of a hat (my son, not my husband, lol). The extra work of his diet is worth it, I'd rather spend that time cooking/shopping than dealing with meltdowns all day. For some people (and I know many) they don't buy it. I don't know your husband so it is hard to give any input there. I guess it depends on what you are trying to change. If it is supplements, maybe ask for a trial period. You try something for a time and then evaluate how effective you think it was, no harm, no foul. Supplements are not like pharmaceuticals, they take longer to work so several weeks may be warranted. And, if your body is heavily polluted with toxins from poor diet, pharmaceutical use/etc., some natural remedies like homeopathy won't seem effective at all. Many people blow them off because they "don't work for me" when in reality if they had cleaned their body a bit they would find effectiveness. When you body comes to rely on pharmaceuticals, that is what it will need. But, if you clean it up, it will respond to more natural remedies.
I just heard a mainstream doctor talking this morning about the common cold lasting 1 1/2 weeks. Friday I felt a cold coming on. No surprise, I have a child in preschool and am around a lot of kids coughing and sneezing, plus therapy clinics, social groups, etc. Germs are plentiful. Add to that I have been partaking in some pre-Valentine's day treats, running full speed, staying up too late, etc. I started pumping the Vit. C, olive leaf extract and going to bed early. I took advantage of yesterday and took it easy, lots of vit c, supplements, epsom salt baths with eucalyptus oil, and rest. I feel better today and if I don't push it, I bet by tomorrow it will be practically gone. This is only my 2nd tiny cold this season. Not bad considering I have friends battling the same cold for weeks, even needing steroids and a nebulizer, YIKES. Can I get hit with that? Absolutely. I am just as likely to come down with the flu as anyone, it all depends on the strength of your immune system. Listening to your body and pumping it full of stuff that helps fight off viruses and bacteria will go along way in preventing you from getting sick and healing you faster if you do. And loading your body with toxins (poor diet, soda's, etc) means more work for your immune system which then takes away its ability to fight cold and flu viruses.
I hope that helps. And I appreciate your questions, you don't learn if you don't ask!!!
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