You HAVE GOT TO Be Kidding Me

I have no words for this. Oh, wait. Yes I do. How lazy can we possibly get??? If you want to know what I'm talking about, check out this story I found on foxnews.com:

Couch Potatoes Rejoice: Scientists Say 'Exercise in a Pill' Possible to Fight Obesity, Diabetes

One

If you went to the dentist for the first time at age 45, and your teeth were full of cavities because you had not taken proper care of them, would you then neglect to take your children? Would you leave them home to develop the same problems that you went in to get fixed?

This question is probably a no-brainer for you. Of course you wouldn't. You would take your child in so that they could be spared the trouble, the pain, and the expense of fixing years of neglect of their teeth. You would take your child in to prevent such a catastrophe.

Let me encourage you to do this in all areas of your children's health. You see, in our chiropractic office, we often see adults come in with severe damage to their spines. They are in pain and are willing to do just about anything to relieve some of it. Problem is, some of these patients have years of degeneration in their bones as a result of failure to properly take care of their spines. They can be helped, but once degeneration sets in, that bone doesn't grow back. Those bones will always rub one another, thus causing pain and unease (not to mention disease~but that's another post). Nevertheless, it is still extremely important for those patients to continue to get their spines adjusted, not only to help with the problems that have already developed, but also to prevent further problems from developing.

How does degeneration happen? Simple. It's just like a car's tires. If you never have the wheels on your car aligned, your tires will wear down. They won't last as long, and before you know it, you'll be replacing tires that should have lasted much longer. The same is true of your spine. Chiropractors correct misaligments (subluxations) in your spine. When these subluxations are corrected and your bones are in proper alignment, they don't rub against each other, and degeneration is prevented.

I can't tell you how many patients we have seen over the years who have had surgeries, spinal blocks, pain pills to "patch" their spinal problems and degeneration (and let me assure you, spinal blocks, pain pills, and often back surgeries are just patches). Let's go back to the tire illustration again. If your tires are misaligned, and you fail to align them, opting rather to put a patch over the balding on the edges, your tires are no better off. They will fail. You will have to replace them. It will cost you more money, more time, more hassle. A little prevention goes a long way!!!

Children fall. Kids have traumatic births (I mean, think of moving down that birth canal!). They get tossed around. They get subluxations. They need and deserve to have their spines checked. Not only does it help increase their immune systems, but it also prevents degeneration and pain as they age.

Don't leave your kids home to develop problems that you go in to get fixed. And if you haven't had your spine checked, I strongly encourage you to do so. It is SO important! If you don't know of a good wellness chiropractor (not all chiropractors practice wellness) in your town, let me know, and I'll do my best to find you one. It really could save your life!

I have another post planned on the importance of chiropractic and how it relates to allergies, asthma, the immune system, etc. Be on the lookout!

I'll leave you with this. Your tires can be replaced. Although it may be a hassle and expensive to constantly replace your tires because of lack of maintenance, they can be replaced. You only have one spine. Each of your kids has only one spine. It can't be replaced. No matter how much money you throw at doctors, it can't be replaced. Make sure your kids' spines are properly aligned. It's one of the greatest things you can do for their health!

Vaccination, Ignorance, Prejudice & Greed

Check out Barbara Loe Fisher's latest post about her experience at the Netroots NationProgressive Blogger Conference in Austin, Texas. She shares some really great information and has videos from the conference. Check it out:

Vaccination, Ignorance, Prejudice & Greed

Cholesterol Drugs for Our Kids?

This story keeps popping up in the news, and it's really frightening. The American Academy of Pediatrics is now recommending that some children as young as eight be given cholesterol-lowering drugs in order to prevent future heart problems.

Why would we give our kids cholesterol drugs when we could just feed them healthy foods? This makes absolutely no sense to me and is incredibly dangerous. You see, cholesterol drugs (statins) have the dangerous side effect of...are you ready for this...increased rate of heart disease! The following are some other dangerous side effects of statin drugs:

• Weakness
• Muscle aches
• An increase in cancer risk
  
• Immune system suppression
• Serious degenerative muscle tissue condition (rhabdomyolysis)
• Potential increase in liver enzymes so patients must be monitored for normal liver function

Mercola.com

To read more about this story and to find out how you can lower your kids cholesterol naturally, check out this article on Mercola.com:
Why Are Cholesterol Drugs Being Recommended for Eight Year Olds?

If You Live in the South, I'm Sure You're Proud

The south leads yet another poll. This time we lead the nation in obesity. According to a CDC survey, "More than 30 percent of adults in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee are obese." Another thing I found interesting in the CNN article I read this morning is that Colorado ranked lowest with only 19 percent.

Ok, can I just say that I am somewhat fascinated by Colorado? I have never been, yet I know a lot of people who live or have lived out there. In college, some friends went out there to "enjoy the land", to be "earthy", to "chill", to "find themselves", etc. It was kind of the cool thing to do. And in talking to those who have actually lived out there, I've learned that in Colorado, they're really healthy people. For the most part, they exercise, avoid drugs and medications when possible, and a lot opt for natural childbirth. In Colorado, that's the norm.

Again let me say, I've never been to Colorado. My hubby's been skiing out there, but I have never been. In all honesty, I don't know if I would enjoy the cold weather so much. However, their lifestyle is really attractive to me. I want to live in a region where health is important to people; a place where people take care of themselves so that they don't have to be on tons of medication; a place where people don't look at you like you've got a third eye because you choose to deliver your baby without medication or because you opt out of forced vaccination. How cool is that?!

There's a reason Colorado has so many healthy citizens. Hey South, I think it's time we study them and see how it is they got to be so healthy. Maybe then, we could get off of some of these embarrassing studies and polls.

Oh, and to read the whole CNN article, click the link below:

CDC Survey: South Leads Nation in Obesity

The 10 Seconds of Pain, I Can Handle

Yikes! I haven't found much time for this blog over the past week. Finding the deals around town has kept me pretty busy, I guess. But now I'm back. This particular post isn't going to share any major story I've found in the news. In this post, I am just going to share my heart.

As a mom who has chosen, based on massive amounts of research, not to vaccinate her children, it bothers me to hear that some people assume that I (and other parents who make the same choice) choose not to vaccinate my children because I can't handle watching my boys in pain as the shots are administered. Do you know that people seriously believe that I would withhold something "beneficial" from my children simply because I don't have the guts to watch them in pain for a few seconds? Seriously, people believe that. You may even believe that.

When I get that comment or hear it whispered, I never know whether to laugh (I mean, seriously???), to cry, to shout, to explain my stance, to offer research supporting my decision, or to just ignore it (which is what I usually do). In my mind I think what mother would withhold something "beneficial" from her children because of a few seconds of pain? I can assure you, if those mothers are out there, and maybe they are, I am certainly not one of them. I withhold vaccinations from my boys because I, without a shadow of doubt, believe they are harming children all over our country (and world). I firmly, 100%, believe that. You see, my boys' 10 seconds of pain I could handle. It's the lifetime of consequences from potentially dangerous chemicals being injected into their bodies that I can't. I don't force anyone else to agree with me; however, I would hope that people would give me more credit than to believe I would keep anything from my children that I thought could help them (especially when you're talking "saving lives").

I don't like to watch my boys in pain. I don't. Does any parent? I don't like to discipline my children. I do it, though. I do it because it is what God has called me, as a parent, to do. I do it because I LOVE my boys more than I hate to watch them deal with moments of pain. I love them so much and want only the best for them. That is why I discipline them, and likewise, that is why Channing and I have made the very tough and personal decision not to vaccinate them. It was a decision we made for our family. We realize that each family has to make its own choice.

We don't judge those families who choose in favor of vaccination, and I just ask that our family (and other families who have made the same choice) be extended the same lack of judgment. AND as always, research everything BEFORE you take the leap!

Blessings to you and your family!!!

More on Gardasil

A couple of days ago, I posted the latest news on victims of the Merck vaccine, Gardasil. I said in the post that I had a newsletter that you guys needed to see. I've got it for you. Check out Barbara Loe Fisher's article:



HPV Vaccine Victims Pile Up: $1.5B for Merck

Here is her opening paragraph:

While Merck has pulled in $1.5B from sales of GARDASIL vaccine worldwide, there are continuing reports that girls are being crippled and dying after getting the HPV vaccine fast tracked and licensed by the FDA in 2006. Although the roll-out of GARDASIL with an unparalleled multi-million dollar mass media advertising blitz has created a profitable market for the drug company that took huge losses from Vioxx injury/death lawsuits, the persistent reports of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) paralysis, arthritis, seizures and sudden loss of consciousness within 24 hours of vaccination continue to haunt the marketing campaign.

Check out the article to read more. This is definitely worth your time. If you have a daughter or have been considering getting this vaccine, you need to hear what your doctor may not tell you (he/she may not know himself).

Blackbox Warnings for Antibiotics

If you're living and breathing, chances are you have taken or have been prescribed antibiotics. I have. During my lifetime, I've been on countless rounds of antibiotics. Why? Well, because they're so accepted. Antibiotics are assumed to be safe and something that many assume always helps. What I didn't realize until I got older and started researching these things myself is that antibiotics are not always safe, necessary, or helpful. More often than not, they are over-prescribed and can be extremely dangerous. Because of the pressure many MDs feel to help complaining patients, they often prescribe antibiotics even when they know they won't help. You see, antibiotics are designed to help bacterial infections; however, they are often prescribed for viral...and they are absolutely useless for that. In those cases, they do WAY more harm than good.

I'm sure you've seen the news stories about superbugs which are being created by resistance to antibiotics. Because we, as a society, have over-prescribed and over-taken antibiotics, they are being rendered useless. We are creating much more dangerous superbugs which laugh at our antibiotics. Sad, but true.

I'm sure you've heard all of these things, whether you have chosen to heed the warnings or not, I don't know. What you may not know, though, is that some antibiotics are actually killing people. I read about some of these antibiotics in a Reader's Digest magazine a few months back and did a post about it. Now antibiotics are in the news again. This time because the FDA has ordered 'black box' warnings on some of these drugs. For those who don't know what 'black box' warning labels are, they are the strongest warnings issued by the FDA when it comes to medications. It's serious stuff because you may already know the FDA doesn't issue many (enough) serious warnings about medication, and when they do, it's often slow coming. Anyway...

According to an article on cnn.com, "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Tuesday ordered the makers of certain antibiotics to add a "black box" label warning -- the FDA's strongest -- to alert patients of possible tendon ruptures and tendonitis." The article says that in some of the cases where this happened, there was absolutely no warning. Scary, right?

The article goes on to say, "Public Citizen, founded in 1971 by consumer activist Ralph Nader, said more than 400 cases of tendon rupture and more than 300 cases of tendonitis in patients using fluoroquinolones were reported between November 1997 and December 2007.

"Because only a small fraction of cases are typically reported to the FDA, the actual number of ruptures and other tendon injuries attributable to the antibiotic is much higher," the group said."

As I say often, always weigh the benefits and risks of any medication you take. There is no such thing as a safe medication. Every single one carries some sort of side effect(s). AND research, research, research. Check out how other people have responded. And, give your body a chance to heal itself. That's the way God designed it.

Blessings to you!!!

On My Way to a Cleansed Liver

It's been a tough day. Channing and I just started a 21 day detoxification and purification cleanse. Channing is beyond thrilled. I, on the other hand, am counting down my 21 days as if I were in a prison. I'm the old fashioned southern girl. I like to eat...a lot! I am all about health, but nutrition is one area where I need a lot of work. I eat a lot and a lot of the wrong things. Give me candy, ice cream, and fried chicken fingers (from Guthries, of course), and I'm happy. Give me 10 supplements to take three times a day, along with boring meat and veggies (no Sonic slushes), and I'm a little sad.

This is Channing's second or third cleanse but only my first. Although I'm not excited about the process, I am thrilled about the impending results. I'm excited to clean out my liver because I know it is SO important. It's the filter of my body. It can only work well if it's not loaded with junk. Too, and my super main focus, is that I will probably lose some weight (Channing keeps reminding me that the liver should be my main focus. Yeah, yeah. That too. ;)). YEA!!! I am ready to lose what's left of the baby pooch.

The cleanse we're doing is from Standard Process. It's a great company that uses all organic supplements. And, according to Standard Process, there are approximately 80,000 synthetic chemicals registered for use in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that hundreds of these chemicals are present in our bodies. Research has shown that many of these chemicals can disrupt our immune, endocrine, nervous, and reproductive systems. Then they list the following as examples of external and internal toxins:

External Toxins:
Air and water pollutants
Caffeine
Cigarette Smoke
Cosmetics
Heavy metals
Household cleaning products
Pesticides and herbicides
Pharmaceuticals
Preservatives

Internal Toxins:
Ammonia
Carbon dioxide
Free radicals

We've had several patients in our office who have gotten GREAT results, so I'm excited to join their ranks. Now if I can just remind myself that this is good for me, I'll be doing well. ;)

7,802 Adverse Events Reported to CDC Since Approval of Gardasil

Curious about Gardasil, the vaccine that Merck developed to treat and prevent cervical cancer caused by HPV, a SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE? If you have considered getting this vaccine or have thought about having your daughter receive this vaccine, you need to read the article I found on CNN.

SHOULD PARENTS WORRY ABOUT HPV VACCINE?

A stand out quote:

Girls and women have blamed the vaccine for causing ailments from nausea to paralysis -- even death. Fifteen deaths were reported to the FDA, and 10 were confirmed...

I also received a super informative newsletter from NVIC on this subject that I am eager to share. As soon as I get the link for the information, I'll post it. YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU CONSENT.

Where Does the Lying End and the Truth Begin?

I don't really know what else to say about this other than BE CAREFUL! Check out this article from June 8, 2008's New York Times:

Researchers Take Drug Company Pay, Then Lie About It

Kidney Cancer Vaccine Does Not Impress

According to a study released Friday, a new kidney cancer vaccine has failed to improve a person's odds of avoiding remission after tumor-removing surgery.

Click the title below for the whole story:

Kidney cancer vaccine falls short in clinical trial: study

A No-Brainer

I recently had an anonymous poster ask me why I don't vaccinate my children. While I have shared my reasons throughout several posts on this blog, I came across this article today written by Barbara Loe Fisher. Fisher is the mother of a child who was injured by a vaccine. Her article is very well written and pretty much covers, word for word, my personal feelings on vaccination.
If you, too, wonder why Channing and I have opted out of vaccination, check out this article:

A No-Brainer: Obey the M.D. With the Needle or My Conscience?

My favorite quote from the article:

Therefore, vaccination is a medical procedure that could reasonably be termed experimental each time it is performed on an individual, whether that individual is healthy or has an undiagnosed health condition or genetic predisposition that could raise the risk for being harmed by vaccination.

Blind at Age Six After Taking Motrin

Read the heartbreaking account given by an 11 year old girl who was rendered near-blind after being given three doses of Children's Motrin.

11-Year-Old Girl Tells of Losing Sight in 'Motrin Blindness' Trial

I know some of you are probably thinking to yourselves, "How often does that happen? That is really rare. I don't need to stress over that happening to my kids." The thing is, that's probably exactly what her parents thought too. Children's Motrin is considered by many to be a safe drug. The thing is, there is no such thing as a safe drug. Every drug has side effects, whether you realize it or not. Certainly some drugs have more dangerous side effects than others; however, they all carry some sort of side effects.

That is why you really have to weigh the benefits and risks EVERY time you take a drug, of any kind. Just because it's sold over-the-counter doesn't mean it's safe.

We forget that God created our bodies to heal themselves and that we don't need a drug for every single thing that comes our way. I hope that you will think of that the next time some kind of ill comes your way or, most especially, when it comes your children's way.

God bless!