It’s that time again—books, new clothes, and first-day jitters. That’s right, ready or not, it’s back to school—tests, homework, and flu season included. Parents do their best to keep their children healthy and to excel academically, but adding essential oils to daily life can give students of all ages an added edge. Best of all, it’s easy and enjoyable! Children journey through life through their senses, so it is only logical that aromatherapy can be a friend during their greatest challenges, both in and out of the classroom.

Boosting Academic Performance with Aromatherapy

It has been shown that inhaling essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, and rosemary during study time and before taking exams boosts cognitive function, eliminates “brain fog”, and yields higher grades. Studies have also demonstrated that citrus oil, especially grapefruit, improves focus and mental performance before exams, public speaking, or performances. Let’s take a closer look at the five top brain boosters and how they can help young people excel during the school year:

Peppermint: Peppermint is the premiere essential oil to boost energy levels, especially on Mondays or rainy days when classwork feels like an insurmountable chore. It is also helpful for the apathetic child who is easily discouraged or distracted. Peppermint is highly effective as a study aid to sharpen memory, keep the mind alert, and increase concentration. How to use: Add a drop to a tissue, fold, and inhale for 5 minutes or so before taking exams or at intervals while studying. It can also be used in the morning to help wake up sleepyheads. Caution: do not use in cases of asthma unless it is certain that menthol can be tolerated. Substitute with grapefruit.

Lavender: Lavender is well-known for its calming properties, even for promoting sleep, but it also has a great reputation for boosting brain clarity, especially when inhaled before taking a test. Lavender essential oil has been shown to boost test scores up to 50%. How to use: Add a drop or two to a tissue, fold, and inhale for 5 minutes or so before taking tests or at intervals while studying. It can also be used to calm pre-exam nerves.

Lemon: Lemon is a “bright” oil that is excellent to clear foggy thinking, improve optimism and self-confidence, and improve test scores. Studies have shown that inhaling lemon essential oil prior to exams produced better grades with 54% fewer mistakes.

Grapefruit: Grapefruit essential oil, like lemon, promotes a “sunny” outlook, brightens the mood, and most of all, sharpens memory and boosts overall brain function—so much so, that this oil has been shown to be a powerful tool in improving symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia by inhibiting cholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is essential for brain health and memory retention. How to use: Add a drop or two to a tissue, fold, and inhale for 5 minutes or so before taking exams or at intervals while studying.

Rosemary: “Rosemary for remembrance” is an age-old expression from folk medicine and one that rings true. Rosemary essential oil improves memory in general and is highly useful before taking exams and during study time. It also provides the body and mind with a boost of energy during long school days or afternoon slumps. How to use: Add a drop to a tissue, fold, and inhale for 5 minutes or so before taking exams or at intervals while studying. Caution: Do not use in cases of epilepsy or seizure disorders. Substitute with grapefruit.

Boosting Your Child’s Immune Response with Clinical Aromatherapy

Essential oils can be your child’s best friend, not only for better grades but fewer sick days. These precious, concentrated essences from plants, fruits, and trees kill viruses and bacteria, increase oxygen in the bloodstream, and promote the production of white blood cells. They also balance the pH factor (acid/alkaline balance essential to life) and can increase the electrical frequency of the body. Disease and pathogens cannot thrive or survive in an oxygen-abundant environment, therefore, using essential oils topically throughout the school year can build your child’s defenses from the deepest level possible.

Parents are busy people, and children are not far behind with packed schedules, schoolwork, and extracurricular activities. Rest assured, arming your family and fortifying the immune system is easy to incorporate even in the busiest day. Here’s a closer look at the top three immune boosting essential oil combos and how they can make you and your family fight any bug that comes around this year:

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and Organic Lemon (Citrus limonum): Lavender and lemon essential oils, both considered “universal” oils, possess antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties and are heavy hitters when it comes to boosting the immune system and fighting illness. Gentle but powerful, both lavender and organic lemon essential oils are appropriate for all ages. How to use: At bedtime, apply 2 drops of each essential oil to the soles of the feet, 4 drops total. For children under the age of six, use 1 drop of each essential oil, 2 drops total. Allow the oils to be absorbed into the skin and do not shower after application. Use this combination for a week then switch to another combination for another week so the body does not build up a tolerance to the oils and lessen immune response.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) and Lemon Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora) Two more “universal” oils that have powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties are tea tree and lemon eucalyptus. When combined, these essential oils pack a heavy punch to any flu bug, infection, or cold. How to use: At bedtime, apply 2 drops of each essential oil to the soles of the feet, 4 drops total. For children under the age of six, use 1 drop of each essential oil, 2 drops total. Allow the oils to be absorbed into the skin and do not shower after application. Use this combination for a week then switch to another combination for another week so the body does not build up a tolerance to the oils and lessen immune response. Caution: Do not use lemon eucalyptus in cases of asthma unless it is certain that menthol can be tolerated. Substitute with juniper berry essential oil.

Clove Bud (Syzygium aromaticum) and Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus): Two more “universal” allies for the flu season, clove and eucalyptus can combat the toughest viruses. How to use: At bedtime, apply 2 drops of each essential oil to the soles of the feet, 4 drops total. For children under the age of six, use 1 drop of each essential oil, 2 drops total. Allow the oils to be absorbed into the skin and do not shower after application. Use this combination for a week then switch to another combination for another week so the body does not build up a tolerance to the oils and lessen immune response. Caution: Do not use eucalyptus in cases of asthma unless it is certain that menthol can be tolerated. Substitute with ravensara essential oil.

Aromatherapy can be something the entire family can use and enjoy—from the helpful hints in this article to innumerable other ways. This beautiful and effective healing modality is vast, and children’s needs are addressed differently, so please be sure to gather as much information as possible before diving into the realm of aromatic medicine. There are many good books on the subject, especially those written by Robert Tisserand.

DISCLAIMER

The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the material presented in this article is not intended to treat, prescribe for, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease or to replace conventional medical treatments.

Sources:

Donato, Marlaina. Multidimensional Aromatherapy. Ekstasis Multimedia, 2015

Young, Gary. Essential Oil Desk Reference. Essential Science Publishing, 2004

Further Reading:

How To  Correctly Use Essential Oils To Prevent the Flu and Other Illnesses

All too often those of us opposed to vaccines hear a simple, yet tired counterargument, “Well I had my shots as a kid and I’m fine.” The adults who make this claim don’t seem to realize the number of shots they received was far fewer than the number of shots on today’s vaccine schedule. And few of them follow the adult vaccine schedule.

In reality, the very well vaccinated are not a healthy bunch. They get sick regularly. This is particularly evident for those who get regular flu shots.

American children receive far more vaccines now than at any other time in U.S. history, and they receive more vaccines than children living in any other country. If vaccines were in fact so effective, one would think that America would have the healthiest children. This is not the case at all. Aside from starving children in 3^rd world countries, American children are among the sickest children in the world.

Big Pharma purports to have all the answers, except of course, what is causing all of these childhood illnesses. Rising rates of autism and other chronic illnesses are said to be a complete mystery (if you wish to be demystified simply read a vaccine warning insert). Despite their supposed cluelessness about our sudden epidemics of chronic illness, both the pharmaceutical companies and the government claim to “know” that “vaccines are safe and effective”. SIDS, asthma, ADHD, ADD, and autism are all considered to be mysterious diseases with an unknown or a genetic cause. This may sound good, but genetic epidemics are not possible, and there are few environmental toxins that could have such a widespread impact on children of all 50 states, at the same time. The most likely environmental toxins that could have spread to all American children simultaneously are toxins from food and vaccines. We at OLM side with the growing number of scientists who think that vaccines, pesticides, and GMOs are the main causes of our childhood illnesses, with vaccines as the primary cause of our nation’s rapidly declining health.

Below is a look at earlier vaccine schedules compared to the current vaccine schedule “recommended” by the CDC. CDC vaccine recommendations are becoming mandatory across the U.S.

A Historical Look at the Vaccine Schedule

As the number of scheduled vaccines has risen, so have the rates of now common childhood diseases including ADD/ADHD, SIDS, and asthma. Before the 1970s, ADD and ADHD were not even prevalent enough for a diagnosis to exist in the DSM. The first related diagnosis came out in the DSM-II as “Hyperkinetic Reaction of Childhood”. This was later changed to “ADD with or without hyperactivity” in the DSM-III in the 1980s. It was further clarified in later editions. The number of children (and adults) that have been prescribed ADD/ADHD drugs has skyrocketed over the past few decades. And asthma rates have also experienced a sharp rise over the years.

According to Harris Coulter, a medical historian and scientist, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) was not reported in the statistics before the rise of mass vaccinations because of its rarity. As vaccination rates have risen, so have SIDS rates. When Japan put a moratorium on all vaccinations before the age of two, their SIDS rate plummeted to almost nothing. Although they are every bit as scientifically adept as we are and highly technologically advanced, their schedule has less than half the recommended vaccinations as the United States schedule.

Just as not everyone can eat the same foods, not everyone can tolerate the same medications. It is incredibly naive to think that just because your child survived vaccines without severe injury, that no harm was done. As more and more vaccines are added to the schedule, the painful reality is becoming clear. Health does not need to be treated as a disease. How many more must die or become disabled by this practice before we wake up and realize what is happening? If you’ve been vaccinated, be sure to check out How to Detox From Vaccines (adults and children).

Further Reading:

• The MMR Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness
• Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• Scientists Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• How Plumbing (Not Vaccines) Eradicated Disease

Sources:

• Facts About Autism – Autism Speaks
• Identified Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder – CDC
• Past Immunization Schedules – CDC
• Recommended Immunization Schedule for Persons Aged 0 Through 18 Years – CDC
• Scientists Against Vaccines – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• The Year of Autism Epidemiology – Autism Speaks

We all know that fruit is good for us. The steady stream of research and articles on the subject reminds us constantly of the amazing antioxidant benefits of blueberries and how an apple a day keeps the doctor away. When we go to the supermarket, we know we are supposed to do the healthy thing and load up on fresh fruits, right? But are those fruits really fresh and really good for us? How far did those strawberries have to travel and what did they spray on them to keep them looking “fresh” in the middle of winter? Were they grown in a way that positively or negatively impacted the waterways and wildlife in that area, not to mention the farmers who grew them?

You can always make the choice to “vote with your wallet” as I like to say, and buy certified organic from the store, but this can be expensive for many of us, and the reality is still that if it’s not in season where we live, it had to travel a long ways to get to our produce section.

The good news is, there are many ways you can add more fruit to your diet, and still keep it healthy, local and good for the environment. There are plenty of small farms out there growing tree fruits and berries, and this is the perfect opportunity to get to know them. Buying, picking and growing fruit in quantity when it is in season is very economical, and although fresh fruit may not be available all throughout the year, there are some simple ways to store and preserve it at home so that you always know exactly where it came from.

Visit Your Local Farmer’s Market

If your town or urban neighborhood has a farmer’s market, this is the place to find your local fruit. Farmer’s Markets give you an opportunity to have a conversation with farmers directly about how they grow their crops, whether they are organic, and which varieties they recommend. Farmers tend to highlight freshness with the produce they bring to market, so you will know it was picked the day before or even early that morning. Some farmer’s markets also continue through the holiday season, allowing you to continue buying local fruit that farmers have stored in their own cold storage.

The other added benefit of a trip to your local farmer’s market is the community building aspect of getting to know your farmer and your fellow like-minded locavores. Throw in some live music and healthy food carts, and you can’t go wrong for a fun weekend activity. When a fruit is in season, expect to find whole flats available at discount prices that you can preserve for the year ahead. Some farmers also offer “seconds” or not-so-perfect boxes of fruit at a deep discount, that is perfectly good for canning or freezing.

U-Pick

I can’t recommend this option highly enough, especially if you have kids. While the low prices and feeling of self-sufficiency are reason enough to get your fruit in this manner, what it comes down to is that it is really just plain fun.

What’s not to love about making an outing to visit a farm, spending some time outside picking fruit, snacking as you go and maybe having a picnic lunch while you’re out there? You will get to know firsthand exactly where your fruit came from as you create good memories and start traditions to pass down in your family.

Farmers charge less per pound for fruit they don’t have to spend time picking, plus they will usually offer a discounted price based on your quantity, so stocking up for the year at a U-Pick farm really does pay off.

Grow Your Own!

You don’t need a lot of land to grow a lot of food. Depending on the size of your yard, you can plant fruit trees, berry bushes, and strawberry beds to create a productive, edible landscape. Raspberry patches can produce an incredible amount of fruit, strawberry beds planted with ever-bearing varieties can be harvested multiple times throughout the growing season, and a single dwarf fruit tree that is properly pruned can produce a massive amount of fruit. From the five blueberry bushes growing in our yard, we were able to freeze 30 quarts and have fresh berries to eat all summer.

Even if you live in a small space, raspberries and blueberries can grow in pots, dwarf fruit trees have been developed for patio growing, and strawberries can be planted in vertical containers with holes on the sides or in old gutters along your fence or balcony. You may not have room to grow enough quantity for preserving, but you can grow your fresh day-to-day eating fruit for the summer and stock up at the farmer’s market for long-term storage. Aside from the cost of plants, soil amendments and your water bill, this is a very low-cost option for securing your yearly fruit supply.

Go Gleaning

If you take a walk around your neighborhood in the fall, you may notice fruit trees on abandoned lots and in public spaces dropping fruit all over the ground. Urban foraging, or gleaning, is a great way to get your local, organic fruit and keep it from going to waste. Fallen fruit in parks and public areas creates a lot of mess and clean-up labor when it falls on sidewalks and lawns, so you are doing landscape workers a big favor.

You may also have a neighbor who is too busy or physically unable to harvest the fruit in their yard. It never hurts to ask if you can harvest from their trees, and offer them a portion of the fruit in exchange. It’s a good way to get to know the people in your neighborhood and build community. Some places even have gleaning groups that go around and help each other harvest fruit to share amongst themselves and donate some to local food banks. It is truly the “waste not, want not” principle in action, and it’s absolutely free.

Go Wild!

Few things can rival the flavor of wild berries, freshly picked from the vine. Blackberries, huckleberries, black cap raspberries, and a whole abundance of delicious fruits grow all around us in forests, fields, and the wild spaces. In some places, blackberries are so invasive that you don’t have to go far to find a patch to pick from. This, like U-picking, is a great activity for those with kids. Many families still carry on traditions of going on outings up into the high mountains to pick huckleberries in the late summer, to freeze and use in family recipes from jams to pies.

One of the best resources for where to find the best picking spots are your own grandparents or the elderly people you know. They have likely spent many a day out picking wild berries in their youth, and would enjoy sharing their experience and pointing you in the right direction. The other great thing about this method of gathering fruit is that it doesn’t cost a thing.

Preserve the Bounty

Here is the important key to keeping your fruit supply local. Many of us live in places where fruit doesn’t grow all year. Rather than going to the grocery store for a pint of strawberries from Mexico in January, why not thaw a pint of local strawberries from your freezer? Instead of buying a bag of dried fruit with added sweetener and preservatives, you can snack on a handful of delicious dried plums from your backyard.

If you spend the time stocking up over the summer, all the fruit you need is right there until it comes back into season the following year. Freezing, canning, dehydrating, and cold storing are all fairly simple methods of keeping your fruit supply local through the winter months. Things like apples, pears, and kiwis will often keep for several months in root cellars, garages, or any place that stays cool without freezing. Berries can be frozen in baggies or containers. Peaches, plums, and pears can be canned in a simple honey syrup, and jams can be made out of just about any kind of fruit you like.

For folks that are just plain busy, your freezer is your friend. Once you have gone about gathering and storing your fruit for the year, you will gain the satisfaction of doing things for yourself, some peace of mind, and closer connections with your food and your farmer. The Ball Blue Book of Preserving, and The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest by Carol Costenbader are a couple of excellent resources with instructions and recipes for canning and other preservation methods. Also, most state universities offer Master Food Preserver programs through their extension offices, similar to the Master Gardener program.

A Mountain Hearth Recipe for Strawberry Jam and Life

Ingredients

A local Farm
Friends and People You Love
4 cups fresh picked strawberries
3/4 to 2 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup water
3 tsp Pomona’s Pectin
4+ tsp Pomona’s calcium water (comes with pectin)

Take a trip out to your favorite local farm with your friends and the people that you love. Make a day of it, pack a picnic lunch, and enjoy the experience. Pick as large a quantity of strawberries as you can manage processing, and “vote with your wallet” to support your local farmer. Then it’s time to get your supplies, get home, and get to work, because fresh strawberries don’t keep long.

Mash the strawberries and stir in lemon juice and sugar. I always go with the middle ground and use about a cup. The cool thing about Pomona’s Pectin is that you can use whatever type or amount of sweetener you want. I like having options. Then boil your water and pulse in a food processor while adding pectin powder. Blend for about 2 minutes. Stir this into your fruit mash. Then add the calcium water until the jam starts to jell. Ladle into clean jars leaving about an inch head space and freeze. I keep mine up to two years in the freezer and it’s a wonderful year-round treat!

Recommended Reading:

• 80% Raw Food Diet

Sources:

• A Recipe for Strawberry Jam and Life – A Mountain Hearth
• National Farmers’ Market Directory
• U-Pick Farm Directory
• Create an Edible Landscape – Mother Earth News
• One Green World (Edible Plants Nursery)
• USDA Cooperative Extension Service Locator Map
• Ball Canning
• Pomona’s Pectin

The cure for a fever used to be more cowbell. But what’s the cure for an unending, unrelenting season of hotter than average summer weather, especially if you’re pregnant? Whether this is your first little one or you’ve been down this road before, figuring out how to efficiently solve problems is crucial. Why not take the same approach to how you cool down, using nutrient-rich and healthy foods to streamline your body’s cooling functions? Some of the best foods for a much-needed break from the heat also provide other pregnancy-related benefits. Here are some of the best two-for-one deals that you can nibble on through the last (and possibly hottest) months of summer. And you don’t have to be pregnant, or even female, to benefit from these foods!

Cool Down With Watermelon

Let’s start with the big guns here – watermelon. For many people, sweet and juicy watermelon is the ultimate summer fruit. Watermelon is a natural diuretic that helps with swelling while still replacing important nutrients. Approximately 75% of pregnant women suffer from some degree of fluid retention, and vitamins B, C, beta-carotene, and folic acid in watermelon are ideal for flushing that excess water while cooling you down. As an added side benefit, watermelon can also help regulate bowel movements. Pregnancy hormones and shifting organs can disrupt a regular elimination routine. Watermelon is a delicious summertime treat that can help you get back on track. Watermelon can be added to salads, but for maximum cooling and eating benefits, just leave yours in the fridge and enjoy it as soon as it cools down.

Stay Hydrated With Berries

Staying hydrated is key in surviving a hot summer, especially while pregnant. Berries also help you stay hydrated. Now is the time to be buying fresh berries, as the peak of summer makes them more plentiful and more delicious than ever. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cranberries are potent sources of antioxidants, which repair stress damage in the body. They are considered to be a cooling food in Chinese medicine, and their high water content can help promote alkalinity in the body. For a pregnant lady craving something sweet, berries are a great way to indulge that desire. They contain fiber, which slows down your body’s absorption of the sugar. The “more sugar, bigger baby” theory might be an old wives’ tale, but why not choose something sweet that comes with some cooling powers and a heaping side of nutritional benefits as well? Use berries as a snack throughout the day to help with the perpetual hungry feelings or try them in a creamy, healthy smoothie.

Benefits of Dark Leafy Greens

Dark, leafy greens provide cooling summer hydration along with other great health benefits. These bad boys are composed of 80 to 95% water (depending on which green it is) and though they might not have an immediately noticeable cooling effect, they could actually increase the body’s ability to regulate itself long term. The body’s temperature regulations occur in the brain, and greens like spinach and collards have been found to protect the brain from premature aging and stress damage. These greens are power packed with nutrients like vitamins A, C, K, and folic acid. Folic acid is an often discussed pregnancy nutrient, as it makes a difference in preventing birth defects, but some medical professionals disagree as to whether using folic acid supplements is actually doing more harm than good. Up your daily dose of dark greens for a little piece of mind and a more efficient summer cooling system!

Healthy Tea

Iced tea during a hot summer isn’t just good hospitality, it’s practically a cooling-off requirement. Since cutting back on any kind of caffeine like that in black or green tea is a pretty standard recommendation for any pregnancy diet (and caffeine can dry out the skin anyways), a good herbal tea is the solution. Red raspberry leaf is a great herb for pregnant ladies to know about. It contains vitamin B, iron, calcium, and magnesium and has been shown in research to reduce the time spent in the second stage of labor, improve circulation, and strengthen uterine muscles. There have been women who report red raspberry leaf has helped induce their labor, so it’s a good idea to do some research before you take it. Red raspberry (not the leaf) is a common ingredient in many readily available pregnancy teas, but to get the benefits from it, buy quality red raspberry leaf in herb or tea form from a company you trust. Mountain Rose Herbs has a great organic pregnancy blend that adds spearmint for that extra refreshment factor.

The Hotter the Cooler?

It might sound crazy, but spicy foods like hot peppers can also help you cool off. Yes they make you sweat more…but that’s actually the body’s way of expelling heat. We are always producing heat and your ability to remain cool depends on how fast you can sweat off that excess warmth. This method is most effective at cooling down the skin, and peppers also have other benefits. You’ll feel more alert, experience better digestion, and use the calories you consume more effectively. As peppers have been identified as a cause of heartburn (which some women experience during pregnancy), it’s important to take it slow and know what spice level is comfortable for you. Adding a little bit of cayenne to cranberry lemonade combines the benefits of berries and hot peppers and wraps it up in a refreshing summertime package.

Of course, these aren’t the only cooling foods available to you. It’s easy to fantasize about consuming one ice cream bar after another in an attempt to stop the sweaty madness, but after the short term buzz you’re left with an inner cooling system that is less able to reliably do its work. Choosing a cooling snack that pairs something nutritious with the heat relief you’re seeking is an efficient way to make your life (and baby’s!) a little easier.

Recommended Reading:

• Everything You Should Know About Watermelon
• 5 Foods for the Summer Season that Cool, Nourish, and Detoxify the Body
• Six Common Superfoods For Your Pregnancy Diet
• How to Get the Right Nutrition While Pregnant and Reduce the Risk of Birth Defects
• Acupuncture for Fertility
• Top 6 Superfoods to boost your energy!

Sources:

• 10 Cooling Foods to Eat in the Summer Heat – onegreenplanet.org
• Will Eating Watermelon Help Swollen Ankles – livestrong.com
• Leafy Green Vegetables – thescienceofeating.com
• Red Raspberry Leaf Tea in Pregnancy – Benefits of Raspberry Leaf – bellybelly.com/au
• Ten Ways Hot Peppers Help You Be Healthy and Lose Weight – naturalnews.com

The vaccine debate continues to heat up. Clear lines have been drawn between the “sane” pro-vaccine camp and the “insane, risk taking” anti-vaxxers.”  The media, the government, and Big Pharma maintain the schism between the two sides through propaganda and disinformation. They continue to lie, stating that vaccines are safe and effective. When anti-vaccine activists denounce current vaccines and vaccine schedules, they are accused of being irrational, conspiracy theorist nut cases. But let’s face it…these are the facts – not rhetoric – just facts:

Vaccine Ingredients

Today’s vaccines are filled with toxic ingredients – known neurotoxins, DNA, preservatives, and more. It is the toxic ingredients in vaccines that cause the most concern and are believed to be the primary cause of vaccine damage.

Vaccine Schedule

The current schedule for children recommends 67 doses for16 diseases by age 18. This schedule includes the HPV vaccine given to children as a prevention of an STD scheduled at age 11 – a vaccine linked to a high number of deaths and vaccine damage. (Statistically, the number of deaths is much higher than the number of deaths the vaccine is supposed to prevent.)

The vaccine schedule combines vaccines. More than one shot is often given at one visit. In addition, combination shots are given. The MMR combines the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations into one shot. The DPT combines diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus, into one shot.  (This combination is also called the DTP,  DTwP,  DTaP, or Tdap.)

Our country has the highest number of recommended vaccines in the first year of life and yet we do not have the lowest infant mortality rate. Not by a long shot.  The CIA World Fact Book ranks the U.S. infant mortality rate (death before 1 year of age) to be higher than 55 other countries. Finally the question is being asked, “Is there a link between our vaccines, the vaccine schedule and SIDS?”

Vaccines Linked to Autism, Brain Damage, and Death

There is no doubt that there is a vaccine/autism link. Though you can Google study after study claiming there has never been a study to prove a link between autism and vaccines, more than 80 exist. And, of course, most of the studies claiming there is no link are paid for by Big Pharma.

But set side the dueling studies and look once more at the facts. The government protects vaccines makers. A law was passed that prevents us from suing vaccine companies. A tax is placed on each vaccine and this tax is used for payments to victims and families of victims who have been damaged or killed by vaccines. These children include the children who became autistic and the children and adults who suffered other types of neurological damage or developed auto-immune disease as a direct result of vaccinations.

After payments reached more than 3.5 billion dollars, the government not only stopped reporting the amounts of payments made, they stopped publicizing the data altogether. After all, it is pretty hard to convince people that vaccines are safe and admit to paying out 3.5 billion dollars because they obviously were not safe to the victims.

There Is an Alternative to Conventional Vaccinations – Homeopathy

Homeoprophylaxis (HP) is the safe, effective means to educate the immune system and create the desired immune response. There are no injections of foreign substances into the body, overwhelming the immune system with toxins and attempting to elicit the correct immune response from an unnatural method of delivery.

Diluted and potentized disease products, called “nosodes” are used, one at a time, administered orally, to elicit an immune response. There are no detergents, additional viruses, DNA, mercury, aluminum, or other preservatives, antibiotics, or detergents. The nosodes, though made from disease products, are so diluted, it is not possible to catch the disease from them, as it is to catch a disease from a vaccination.

Homeopathy is not well accepted in the United States, though it is in other countries.

Imunizationalternatives.com states the following:

• The Indian government controls epidemics for thousands of people of malaria, Japanese encephalitis, dengue fever and epidemic fever with homeopathy.
• The Cuban government depends on homeopathy to manage its leptospirosis epidemics and dengue fever outbreaks in millions of people.
• The Brazilian government funded two large trials in thousands of children that successfully reduced the incidence of meningococcal disease in those given homeoprophylaxis.
• The governments of Thailand, Colombo and Brazil also use homeopathy to manage dengue fever outbreaks and epidemics.

This method has been used for more than 200 years and boasts a 90%+ efficacy as proven in clinical trials.

Health With or Without Vaccines

A healthy immune system, regardless of vaccination status, should be our first goal for ourselves and for our children. Diet is the foundation of health.

A whole food, plant based diet is key with 80% fresh, raw, organic, produce as its foundation. Our bodies require good fats with omega 3’s and clean water. To be healthy we must avoid processed, prepackaged foods with all the chemicals they contain including artificial flavors and colors, preservatives, MSG, sugar, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, and GMOs.

A nutrient dense diet is the goal. To learn more about a healthy diet check out 80% Raw Food Diet, and Make Your Own Total Nutrition Formula.

Conclusion:

It’s time to admit the truth and solve the problem. Today’s vaccines are a toxic brew. Our vaccines are maiming a generation and the death toll is climbing. Homeopathy does provide an alternative.

Further Reading:

• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• Doctor’s Against Vaccines.
• The MMR Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness

Sources:

• All Natural Homeopathic Immunizations – Homeoprophylaxis Is a Proven Alternative to Vaccines
• The World Fact Book, Rank Order – CIA Publications
• March 2015 Settlements in Vaccine Court: 117 Vaccine Injuries and Deaths – Health Impact News
• Homeoprophylaxis: Safe, Effective Alternative To Vaccinations

Let’s “pause” the discussion about mandatory vaccinations and push “play” on how best to keep the next generation healthy. According to Stephanie Seneff, PhD, a research scientist at MIT, by the year 2025 one out of every two children will be autistic given the current rate of increase. ¹

Dr. Seneff states, “Children with autism have biomarkers indicative of excessive glyphosate, including zinc and iron deficiency, low serum sulfate, seizures, and mitochondrial disorder.” We’ve been hearing this term “mitochondrial disorder” more and more lately. In July 2010, Hannah Poling’s family was awarded $1.5 million plus $500,000 annually for continued care after Hannah was severely injured from receiving vaccines for nine diseases at the same time– the typical recommended doses. The court determined Hannah had an “unknown mitochondrial disorder.” ²

In light of unknown mitochondrial disorders that may be lurking in children unbeknownst to doctors or parents, will the attempt to make them healthier by injecting more vaccines into them be successful? The effort to eliminate benign childhood diseases is not working. Bloating the vaccine schedule with more recommendations is not the answer. In the recommended schedule from the early 1970’s there are 23 doses of vaccinations for nine diseases.

If we take a look at the current schedule a whopping 67 doses of 16 diseases are recommended for children by age 18. Are our children healthier as a result?

According to a recent study by Neil Miller, the United States has the highest number of recommended vaccines in the first year of life. Thirty three other nations have a lower vaccine schedule and a lower infant mortality rate. Singapore, Sweden, Japan, Iceland, and France have some of the lowest rates in the world. ³

When penicillin was introduced in the 1940’s it was a wonder drug. Modern medicine had found the answer to disease. Kill the bacteria. What could be more effective and efficient than wiping out the culprits to ear infections, sore throats, wound infections and the like? Yet, today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with the American Academy of Pediatrics state that antibiotic-resistant infections, or super bugs, are one of the world’s most pressing public health threats. ⁵ Trying to eliminate bacteria hasn’t been a panacea.

Bacteria and viruses are lifeforms which ultimately “find a way,” not to be easily annihilated. Normal bacteria found in the intestine, female genital tract and oral cavity help prevent overgrowth of potential pathogens and aid digestion.⁵ Bacteria are the only living organisms which can fix nitrogen. They are therefore essential to all life on Earth. Developing another antibiotic or another vaccine is not the answer. What about viruses?

Current news reports tell us we have not eliminated measles mumps or chickenpox. These benign childhood diseases have a natural life of ebb and flow. We see their return despite vaccination rates. They also play a vital role in the education and maturation of the developing immune system.

Some believe that the choice to not vaccinate a child is irresponsible. Claims abound that disease outbreaks are due to the percentage of unvaccinated. These children are viewed with suspicion and distrust as if they are intentionally inflicting others with diseases that they somehow manage to avoid but pass along to others. Yet, according to the New England Journal of Medicine a mumps outbreak during 2009 and 2010 occurred primarily among fully vaccinated children. ⁶

If Mother Nature intended for these benign illnesses to educate the immune system, how can this be accomplished without the risk of serious complications? The answer is called “homeoprophylaxis” also known as “HP.”

HP is the use of diluted and potentized disease products, called “nosodes” to elicit an immune response. This response will educate the immune system in a way that has been clinically shown to reduce the incidence of both infectious as well as chronic disease.

The goal of HP is the same as conventional vaccination – disease protection and improved health. The differences are many. The most obvious is the purity of nosodes compared to conventional vaccines. HP nosodes contain no additives whatsoever. No antibiotics, no preservatives, no detergents no foreign DNA, or unknown viruses or foreign DNA are present.

HP nosodes are administered on small sugar pellets. They dissolve on the tongue and enter the system by way of the natural route past mucous membrane. Here the natural process of disease recognition can begin in the way that Mother Nature intended. Bypassing this route by injecting a substance directly into the blood stream is like an ambush attack to the immune system. There is no opportunity to mount a preliminary response in a biologically appropriate way.

HP is given one disease at a time, as the human economy can manage effectively. If a child is sick, it is best to allow him to get well before introducing any other diseases to his system. Most medical professionals would say it is inadvisable to be giving a vaccine at that time. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that you should not vaccinate your child if he is “moderately or severely sick, with or without a fever.” ⁷

To summarize, homeoprophylaxis, or HP, is a disease prevention method that uses diluted and potentized disease particles. It respects the immune system by only introducing one disease at a time through a natural route of administration passing through mucous membrane.

The nosodes contain no adjuvants, preservatives, antibiotics, or detergents, and are not grown on mediums such as animal tissues containing foreign DNA or unknown viruses.

HP has been utilized since the 1800’s and was even made obligatory by the Prussian government in 1838 during scarlet fever outbreaks. It is commonly used for epidemic diseases that pose the risk of death or disability, but can also be used for diseases with a low mortality rate, or when traveling to an area where a specific disease is endemic.

The benefit of homeoprophylaxis is that it “educates the immune system” in such a way as to either protect from the disease, or if it’s contracted, an asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic case will occur.

Since the 1800’s, HP has been used for scarlet fever, cholera,⁸ smallpox, polio,^9, 10 pertussis,¹¹ diphtheria,¹² influenza,¹³ meningitis,¹⁴ Leptospirosis¹⁵ and more. The application as an alternative to the recommended government immunization schedule is relatively new.

Dr. Isaac Golden, PhD (Australia) conducted a 15 year study with 3000 children receiving HP. He found that those children exposed to the diseases included in the HP program were effectively protected at a rate of 91%.¹⁶ He continues to collect data today.

A very interesting finding of his work is the improved long term health outcomes of children using homeoprophylaxis instead of conventional vaccination. There were also improved long term outcomes when compared with unvaccinated children. It seems that allowing exposure to the natural disease in energetic form carries this benefit without any of the risks. ¹⁷

To quote Dr. Golden regarding these findings, “The explanation of this result remains open, but I would suggest that HP remedies stimulate the energetic immune response and this must lead to a maturing of the response in an analogous way that infection with simple diseases can help to mature the physical immune response.” ¹⁸

In other words, triggering an immune response at the energetic level, using vibrational remedies as opposed to material doses of disease antigen, plays a role in maturing the immune system. This is accomplished similarly to how Mother Nature operates in the developing immune system – gently and carefully, single disease by single disease.

While vaccination does provide a variable level of protection against many infectious diseases, its safety is not confirmed with any degree of certainty. In particular, long term health consequences of vaccines have not been adequately researched. In comparison, homeoprophylaxis has provided 200 years of clinical evidence showing us that it is safe, devoid of any toxic components, and yields positive long term health effects. Include a level of protection comparable to or better than vaccines, and practitioners have genuine choices available when it comes to preventing potentially serious infectious diseases.

Parents and healthcare practitioners wishing to implement HP may want to attend the 1^st HP International Conference in Dallas, TX. Dr. Isaac Golden will be the keynote speaker.

Recommended Reading:

• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• Vaccine Side Effects and Why You Shouldn’t Vaccinate
• Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research

Sources:

1. [up] Half of All Children Will Be Autistic by 2025, Warns Senior Research Scientist at MIT – Alliance for Natural Health
2. [up] Sharyl Attkisson. CBS News. September 2010 – CBS News 
3. [up] Miller NZ, Goldman GS. Infant mortality rates regressed against number of vaccine doses routinely given: Is there a biochemical or synergistic toxicity? Human and Experimental Toxicology. 30(0) 1420-1428.
4. [up] Get Smart Programs & Observancesenters – CDC
5. [up] Microbes and Human Life – Life Materials Technologies Limited
6. [up] Mumps Outbreak in Orthodox Jewish Communities in the United States – New England Journal of Medicine
7. [up] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014) Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/vac-admin/contraindications-vacc.htm
8. [up] Von Boenninghausen, C. Baron.1984. Bönninghausens Kleine medizinische Schriften [Lesser Medical Writings] (ed. Klaus H. Gypser), Heidelberg, 1984.
9. [up] Eisfelder, HW. Poliomyelitis Immunization: A Final Report. Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy. V. 54, Nov-Dec 1961, pp. 166-167.
10. [up] Francisco Eizayaga MD. Treatise on Homeopathic Medicine published by Ediciones Maracel, Buenos Aires, Brazil, 1991
11. [up] Shepherd, D., (1967). Homeopathy in epidemic diseases (First ed.). Essex, England: The C. W. Daniel Company Limited. p.18.
12. [up] Chavanon, P. 1952. La Dipterie, 4th Ed, St Denis, Niort: Imprimerie.
13. [up] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.flu.gov/pandemic/history/1918/the_pandemic/fightinginfluenza/index.html
14. [up] Mroninski C, Adriano E, Mattos G. Meningococcin, its Protective Effect against Meningococcal Disease, Homœopathic LINKS Winter, 2001 Vol 14 (4) 230-4
15. [up] PubMed 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20674839 Bracho G1, Varela E, Fernández R, Ordaz B, Marzoa N, Menéndez J, García L, Gilling E, Leyva R, Rufín R, de la Torre R, Solis RL, Batista N, Borrero R, Campa C. Large-scale application of highly-diluted bacteria for Leptospirosis epidemic control. Homeopathy. 2010 Jul;99(3):156-66. doi: 10.1016/j.homp.2010.05.009.
16. [up] Golden, Isaac (2012). The Complete Practitioner’s Manual of Homeoprophylaxis. Victoria, Australia. p 93.
17. [up] Ibid
18. [up] Ibid

If your child is challenged with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, chances are you have both doctors and educators demanding you put your child on medication. Take heart. There are natural ways to help your child.

First and foremost, diet plays a crucial and primary role in managing your child’s health and symptoms. Diet management is simple, but overarching. Your child needs the healthiest possible diet, but then again, don’t all of us?

Diet

The healthiest possible diet consists of 80% raw, fresh, organic produce – more vegetables than fruit. This means salads, chopped up veggies to snack on, carrot slaw, coleslaw, kale salad, spinach salad, apple salad, fruit salads, smoothies and more. Whole foods are both nourishing and healing. If you eat meat, be sure it is organic. If you eat dairy, choose goat or sheep milk and cheese. Be sure to include healthy fats in the diet like coconut oil, avocados, and flax seed oil or a high quality, beneficial fatty acid supplement. Make sure your child’s diet is high in B vitamins or supplement B complex. Of course choose a whole food vitamin if you are supplementing – never synthetic.

If your current diet resembles the American Standard Diet, you’ll be focusing more on what not to eat that what to eat. To begin with, eliminate all artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. No BHA, BHT, MSG, trans fats, GMOs, high fructose corn syrup (or any corn syrup), and seriously limit or eliminate all sugars except raw honey. Never, under any circumstances, feed your child artificial sweeteners. It wouldn’t be a bad idea (at least in the beginning) to eliminate gluten as well. After several weeks on a really clean diet, you could add it back in and monitor results.

If your child has any known food allergies, completely eliminate offending foods.

Detox

Children with ADHD often have issues with heavy metals and other substances they need to detox. For children, it is best to work with a knowledgeable health care provider who practices chelation therapy and detoxification protocols.

The proper diet (as mentioned above) provides on-going detoxification the natural way. Make sure your child’s diet includes fresh garlic, onions, and cilantro – all of which aid in detoxification and chelation.

Sleep

Adequate, quality sleep is essential for ADHD challenged children to maintain impulse control and focus. Do you know how many hours your child requires? Do bedtimes in your home allow for this much sleep, including wind down time to fall asleep?

• Age 3-5 years: 11-13 hours
• Age 6-13 years: 9-11 hours
• Teenagers 14 and up: 8-10 hours

If your child has difficulty sleeping, again, this is another area where B vitamin supplementation may help.

Exercise and Earthing

Hyperactive children need to run and play. The more they exercise, the better they sleep and the more control they have over their bodies and their attention.

While skateboards, roller skates, bikes, trampolines, and the like will all be great aids for these kids, don’t forget that lack of impulse control leads to risky behaviors. Increased supervision may be required.

Encourage contact with the ground. Barefoot in the grass, laying in the grass, connecting with the earth – however it is done can help. (see below).

Unconditional Love and Positive Regard

Identify and celebrate your child’s strengths and unique abilities. Your child needs to develop a healthy self-esteem and there is little to no chance this will happen through the school system.

Throughout this child’s formative years, the message from most of the adults in his or her life will be one of disappointment, disapproval, and possibly disbelief ADHD is real.

Your unconditional love, respect, and appreciation will provide the emotional foundation your child needs to develop a healthy sense of self.

Conclusion

ADHD is caused by poor functioning of the frontal lobes of the brain. Everything that can be done to improve gut health, hormonal balance, and overall health, will help control symptoms. Grounding or Earthing may help as well.

Recommended Supplements:

• Vitamin B Complex

Further Reading:

• 80% Raw Food Diet
• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• Bouncing Off the Walls
• Nutrition needs For Your Children
• 5 Simple Ways to Encourage Your Kids to Eat More Fruits & Veggies
• Artificial Food Dyes and Kids: Not a Good Mix

Sources:

• Children and Sleep – National Sleep Foundation