Vaccinations – Good or Bad? By Margie Donde
I am often astounded at some holistic health practitioners, Kinesiologists included, who promote alternative therapies and yet are themselves stuck in using the medical model for their own health and that of their families. Vaccinations/immunisations are one area where they seem to be particularly uninformed. I am unsure if this is only in South Africa or if it is a world wide phenomenon. I wonder if it is because we accept the claims of the protection provided by vaccination without question, and drug companies certainly have a vested monetary interest in promoting vaccinations.
Did you know that Merck, one of the largest drug companies in the world makes R1 billion dollars in one year from the Infant hepatitis B vaccine alone?
The medical viewpoint is that while vaccination involves some risks, the benefits outweigh these, and while a small percentage of children are left permanently brain damaged or die after being vaccinated many lives are saved from the procedure of vaccination and whole populations can be protected from dangerous diseases.
Vaccination is becoming an increasingly emotive subject and the purpose of this article is not to advocate one way or the other. It is merely to provide information so that parents can make an informed decision and we, as Kinesiologists can become aware of the possible consequences and how it may affect the work that we do.
If you are a Specialised Kinesiologist and are not familiar with the consequences of vaccinations when working with clients, I urge you to find out more. Andrew Verity’s workshops, Healing Principles and Kinesiopathy, are 2 workshops that will give you information on vaccinations and how do to deal with the suppressions that they cause. You will also find out about the use of homeopathic nosodes and how they can be used in conjunction with or in some cases instead of vaccinations.
I think it safe to say that most parents are unaware that there are any risks involved in having their children vaccinated. This is starting to change. Recently Oprah Winfrey interviewed Hollywood moms Jenny McCarthy and Holly Robinson Peete on her show, both whom have vaccine injured children. Jenny Mc Carthy has written a book about her son who developed autism after an MMR shot. Parents of vaccine injured children have been saying for many years that after vaccination their child became brain damaged or died and yet the medical profession have in the past refused to listen and have passed it off as coincidence or unprovable.
In a Cape Times article on 28 June 2005, Reverend Lisa Sykes started a crusade against the use of thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative used in vaccines. She believes that this vaccine preservative was responsible for her child developing autism.
In an article entitled ‘Officials gone Wild’, Jenny Thompson of HSI reported on a Maryland (New Jersey, USA) state attorney who threatened parents with jail if they could not explain why their children had not received the required vaccinations. New Jersey became the first state to require flu shots and pneumonia vaccines for all children who attend preschool or licensed day care centers. She reported that the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination (NJAICV) put out the following information:
* ‘There is no clear evidence that the flu shot provides any health benefit for children under the age of two
* The first time a flu shot is given, two doses are required
* The EPA safe limit of mercury is 0.1 microgram (that's ZERO.1) per 2.2 pounds of body weight, but a flu shot contains 25 micrograms of mercury, so the mercury level from two doses of the shot is perfectly safe for a child who weighs well over 1,000 pounds
* Prevnar, the pneumonia vaccine, is prone to adverse side effects and has been linked to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of pneumonia bacteria’.
If you know how vaccines are produced you may be shocked. I certainly was! Vaccines are produced in varied ways using live organisms which require attenuation or killed vaccines that require the use of radiation, heat or chemicals. Vaccines are often grown on bovine serum, monkey kidney cells, chicken embryo, genetic material (RNA and DNA) as well as yeast and human protein. Many vaccines include toxic metals such as mercury (as described above) and aluminum and various chemicals.
The way that vaccinations stimulate the immune system to respond is very different from the way natural immunity is stimulated in children or adults. Besides the added chemicals and heavy metals in a vaccination, it is introduced into the human system in a way that by-passes the body’s normal response pathways.
In an article entitled ‘Controversies in Medicine: Are we asking the right questions about vaccinations?’, Dr Bernard Brom MB ChB (UCT), CEDH (France), Dip Acup (Natural Health Journal) explains:
“The human immune system developed over many thousands of years and is extremely complex, and the body maintains several lines of defence. The skin and mucous membranes are the first barrier to any foreign substance. It is here that the first warning bells begin ringing, ensuring that the body’s internal defences are prepared…... Within the body are further defence systems including the white blood cells, lymphatic system, complements, the reticulo-endothelial system and a general chemical defence system maintained by the body….. The method of injecting vaccines permits entry through a route different from the natural way immunity develops. While cuts and scratches may allow entry of micro-organisms into deeper tissue this is not the natural route for the common infectious diseases of children. There is also the fact that the viruses or bacteria used in vaccines have been changed either by attenuation or by being killed, as described above. In addition the other additives in the vaccines must influence the body’s response in many unknown ways”
It is often pointed out by drug companies that infectious diseases have decreased dramatically since the introduction of vaccinations. This has been questioned.
There is evidence to show that the incidence of infectious diseases was already decreasing by the time vaccinations were introduced. Infectious diseases seem to go through cycles where they peak and then subside naturally. The records show that smallpox was not necessarily eradicated by the smallpox vaccination programme as is commonly thought. Only 10% of children in developing countries received the vaccination in the first place and the disease was eradicated in certain tropical countries without mass vaccination. Even the Lancet reports that there was already a natural decline in whooping cough deaths before 1957 when the vaccine was rolled out on a national scale, and therefore, there is no evidence that vaccination played a major role in the decline in incidence and mortality in the trend of events. There have also been numerous measles epidemics at schools and universities among children who have been vaccinated. A survey covering 30 states in the USA conducted in 1978 revealed that more than half of the children who contracted measles had been adequately vaccinated.
And here is something else to consider - in an article entitled “Should I Vaccinate My Child” (Dr Raoul Goldberg BSc (Med), MBChB (Wits), CEDH (Hom) Natural Medicine Journal) Dr Goldberg noticed that children after illness have favourable changes to their health, behaviour, emotions and school progress. He says “Such case histories have convinced me that these infectious illnesses are very special childhood illnesses which have immense benefit for healthy development and for future health”
So it seems that nature in its wisdom may just know what she is doing. Childhood illness may indeed have very specific function and may be extremely necessary not only to train the immune system to respond appropriately but to also promote growth and learning.
I think it is important for parents to make an informed decision when it comes to vaccinating their children. They should familiarise themselves with what can happen if they don’t vaccinate and what can happen if they do. Weleda Pharmacy in Johannesburg regularly runs a talk by Camilla Sanua on vaccinations. She talks about the incredible leap in learning that children have after childhood illness and how one can see this in their drawings. While she does not advocate what parents should do she represents both sides of the story adequately. She also talks about the use of Homeopathic nosodes instead of vaccinations
Other websites to check out are www.weleda.co.za
THIS ARTICLE IS INTENDED SOLELY FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE AUTHORS AND THE SPECIALISED KINESIOLOGY COLLEGE OF SOUTH AFRICA ARE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PRESENTING ANY PART OF THIS ARTICLE AS A PRESCIPTION FOR THE READER NOR EVEN RECOMMENDING ANY NATURAL PROCEDURES. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS A COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER.
Sources:
* Jenny Thompson http://www.healthiertalk.com
* www.mercola.com/2000/feb/6/vaccine.htm
* www.weledapharmacies.co.za
* "NJ Requires Flu Shots for Preschoolers" Linda A. Johnson, Associated Press, 12/14/07, ap.org
* "Act Now to Step Four New Mandatory Vaccines for New Jersey's Children Including Mercury Containing Flu Shots for Children as Young as 6 Months!" Action Alert, New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination, December 2007, njaicv.org
* Controversies in medicine: Are we asking the right questions about vaccinations?
* By Dr Bernard Brom
* MB ChB (UCT), CEDH (France), Dip Acup
* Porter R. The Greatest Benefit to Mankind. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1997: 426.
* Steward GT. Vaccination against whooping cough – efficacy versus risks. Lancet 1977; 29 January: 234-237.
* How Vaccines work by Jenni Beasley (www.neuro-intelligence.com)
The importance of Organic by Bronwyn Murray
Organic” is neither a concept, theme, nor marketing ploy. It is, first and foremost, an agricultural method. If you're an organic consumer keen to change your lifestyle to embrace organic principles, you might be feeling somewhat confused. It appears that the internet, health shops, healthy living and "green" magazines all over the planet are blazing away with "certified organic" this and "100% natural" that for modern living. But what is organic? When it comes to skin care, body care, shampoos, lotions and other personal care products, how precisely do we define the word "organic"?
In skin care and cosmetic manufacture, the term “ Organic ” refers to ingredients which have been grown, processed or extracted from living nature without the use of chemical pesticides, fungicides, growth regulators or stimulants and without having undergone any processing, e.g. an ingredient remaining in its unrefined state.
"Nowhere do the terms 'natural' and 'organic' take more of a bruising than in the beauty industry," according to New Vegetarian and Natural Health publications. "Most cosmetic companies utilising the term 'organic' on their label are using the chemistry definition of organic - meaning a compound which contains carbon... By using this definition they can say that a toxic petrochemical preservative such as Methyl Paraben is 'organic' because it was formed by leaves that rotted over thousands of years to become oil."
Unwittingly, consumers are paying high prices for "organic" products under the misconception that they are materially different to the non-organic products on the shelf. Beauty care manufacturers have set out to develop their own standards for organic processing. Many insist that their products simply cannot be made in a manner compliant with existing organic standards and want to list hundreds of synthetic processing ingredients as allowable for organic personal care. For now, organic personal care products using toxic ingredients and, at the very least, misleadingly labeled will continue to crowd the shelves of health shops, spas and beauty salons.
WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING ONTO YOUR SKIN?
It is very important to understand the importance of what you put onto your skin, into your bath or onto your hair because around 60% is absorbed through your skin into your bloodstream. Blood capillaries just under the skin's surface circulate the contents of your cosmetic products throughout your body. Some compounds are more active when absorbed through the skin than when taken orally (by mouth) which is why some drugs are administered via skin patches e.g. nicotine patches, HRT and certain slow release medications. A group of researchers in 1999 at Stanford University found they were able to deliver a DNA vaccine to laboratory mice as effectively by rubbing it onto their skin as injecting it into muscle. The skin is the largest organ of the body and as much as 1.5 – 2kg of chemical ingredients from creams, toiletries and other dangerous ingredients used in sunscreens may be absorbed into our bloodstream through our skins each year.
Our bodies store these chemical deposits in our cells and it is a hard task, sometimes impossible for the human body to excrete these contaminants. Not a very healthy thought! There are many reasons why we should discontinue the use of chemicals in our kitchens, our bedrooms, our bathrooms, our foodstuffs and most definitely in our beauty and skin care products. Each day worldwide more than 170,000 synthetic chemical substances are in daily use and around 80,000 of these substances may come into contact with your skin. Replacing chemically made products with Natural/Organic products will preserve and protect your family's health & you will all feel much better and healthier, have stronger immune systems and get sick far less often. Surely we all aspire to this?
The Victorian Garden products are free of petrochemicals and are 100% biodegradable & environmentally friendly - we are extremely fussy about our ingredients. We are also passionate about animals and environmental issues and do not use any animal ingredients or test our products on animals.
We encourage you to help protect and preserve our environment and your own health – choose something natural instead of a synthetic product filled with chemical ingredients. This applies to your foodstuffs too! Improve and protect your skin and your health. Cellular regeneration is the key to a youthful skin and The Victorian Garden products are packed with nutrients and proteins which feed and energise your skin. Essential oils (plant oils) can calm your nervous system, alleviate stress and improve your health. Traditional herbs and flowers and African indigenous plants have long been known for their therapeutic & medicinal properties and their antiseptic and healing powers have been used for centuries both medicinally and cosmetically.
For further information on Organic Skincare and our full Product Range Pricelists please contact me
082 614 0027
bronmurray@mweb.co.za
Pilates by Marlene Liebenberg
Pilates as a method of training and exercise has experienced quite a boom in popularity over the last few years, in fact it is regarded as the fastest growing fitness trend in America. Why is it then that people so often ask me; ‘So, what exactly is Pilates?’ It seems that there are still a large number of people out there that have not heard about the benefits of this wonderful training method.
I will try to explain and answer this question as best I can.
Pilates is an innovative mind-body exercise method that is very focused on body awareness, good posture and easy and graceful movement. It improves flexibility, agility and the range of motion that we loose in joints as we get older. It is also a great exercise form for the treatment and prevention injuries. Pilates is known to help alleviate back pain and is often recommended by Physios and doctors to patients that suffer back pain. Sounds too good to be true? Not really. It is a safe, sensible exercise system using a floor mat or equipment, that will help you look and feel your best. The ‘matwork’ comprises of a series of exercises that are all done on the floor (on exercise mats). This is often done in group classes and if presented correctly can be very challenging. Certain ‘props’/’assists’ can be used to make exercises more challenging or to support movements when that is needed.
Mention Pilates equipment and people say: “oh, yes, using that big ball!” Well yes, and no. Equipment in a Pilates studio is somewhat like the equipment that you would find in the Cardio section of a gym. However these are specific Pilates equipment, using springs and bodyweight as resistance. It has rather strange names like the ‘Reformer’, the ‘Cadillac’, the ‘Chair’, the ‘Ladder Barrel’ – all of which one van perform a number of different exercises on which are also adapted according to your abilities.
No matter what your age or condition, it WILL work for you!
Let’s look at the benefits that Pilates offers:
A refreshing mind-body workout Pilates gets your mind in tune with your body. By emphasizing proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and complete concentration on smooth, flowing movement, you become more aware of how your body feels, where it is in space, and how to control its movement. The quality of movement is valued over quantity of repetitions. Proper breathing is essential, and helps you execute movements with maximum power and efficiency. An added benefit is the learning to breathe properly can reduce stress levels.
Build strength without "bulking up" Conventional workouts tend to build short, bulky muscles - the type most prone to injury. Pilates elongates and strengthens, improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility. A body with balanced strength and flexibility is less likely to be injured.
Develop a strong core Pilates develop a strong "core," or center of the body. The core consists of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine. Control of the core is achieved by integrating the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle during exercises.
Create an evenly conditioned body and prevent sports injuries In conventional workouts, weak muscles tend to get weaker and strong muscles tend to get stronger as we compensate for the weak ones by using the stronger ones more. The result is muscular imbalance - a primary cause of injury and chronic back pain. Pilates conditions the whole body, even the ankles and feet. No muscle group is over trained or under trained. Your entire musculature is evenly balanced and conditioned. There is a lot of focus on correcting imbalances throughout the workout and many adjustments and modifications are made to the different exercises in order to help correct these imbalances.
Learn efficient patterns of motion Pilates works several muscle groups at the same time in smooth, continuous movements. By developing proper technique, you can actually re-train your body to move in safer, more efficient patterns of motion - invaluable for injury recovery, sports performance, good posture and optimal health.
Be confident and safe No other exercise system is so gentle to your body while giving it a challenging workout. Many of the exercises are performed in reclining or sitting positions, and most are low impact and partially weight bearing. Pilates is so safe, it is used in physical therapy facilities to rehabilitate injuries and even during pregnancy. It is also a great exercise form for older people and children.
And be challenged Pilates is also an extremely flexible exercise system. Modifications to the exercises allow for a range of difficulty ranging from beginning to advanced levels. Your
instructor will workout what level of exercise best suits you, and increase the intensity as your body conditioning improves.
Pilates produces amazing results in many diffirent aspects as an exercise form and is well worth a try. It compliments all other forms of exercise and sport and many athletes’ makes it part of their workout routine. Give it a try; you might just get totally hooked!!