Pentavalent Vaccines – When Did Vaccines Adopt the Bulk Model?

Vaccines designed to provide immunity to three diseases in one shot, like the MMR and DTP, have become the industry standard. It’s incredibly difficult to find single doses of these vaccines. The development and availability of five-in-one vaccines are more likely to make single dose vaccines even more of a rarity. Welcome to the age of pentavalent vaccines.

What’s the Skinny?

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations (GAVI) introduced pentavalent vaccines in 2001 (although pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur first licensed a pentavalent vaccine in 1993). The most commonly used pentavalent vaccines combine the DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) with vaccines designed to provide immunity for Hepatitis B and Haemophilus Influenza type-B (Hib), the bacteria that causes meningitis, pneumonia, and otitis. A typical vaccine schedule for pentavalent vaccines calls for the child to receive shots at 6, 10, and 14 weeks.

GAVI has been a big supporter of pentavalent vaccines and currently supplies 73 of the world’s poorest countries with these vaccines. These countries are primarily in Africa and across Asia, with Albania, Moldova, and Guyana also included in the list. In the 15 years since the introduction of pentavalent vaccines, their coverage has grown from 1% to 68% of people vaccinated in supported countries.

The Belle of the Ball

Why wouldn’t these vaccines be a priority? From the medical and pharmaceutical community’s viewpoint, a 5 in 1 vaccine provides many benefits. It’s easier to administer, creates less syringe waste, can be produced more quickly, and is cheaper to ship.

Pentavalent vaccines also increase coverage. Prior to the GAVI in 2000, fewer than 10% of low-income countries were giving the hepatitis B vaccine and even fewer were immunizing for Haemophilus Influenza type-B. The numbers vaccinated were minuscule in comparison to the 68% of people covered in these countries 15 years after the introduction of the pentavalent program.

Not Without Issues

The GAVI pentavalent vaccine program has been a success, although there have been bumps along the road. Quinvaxem, the most commonly used pentavalent vaccine, was suspended in Vietnam after nine children died post-vaccination in 2013. While Quinvaxem was reinstated within the same year in Vietnam, other countries in the region like Sri Lanka, India, and Bhutan also expressed safety concerns.

Breaking Out of the Bubble

Will pentavalent vaccines become the standard in all vaccine schedules the way the MMR and DTP replaced single vaccines? If you don’t think so, consider how difficult it is to find a mumps, measles, or rubella vaccine in any developed nation except Japan. Outside of Japan, they are no longer offered as separate vaccines. Since 2012, GAVI only supports Hep B and HiB as part of the pentavalent vaccine, making a similar restrictive availability more likely to become the standard for the rest of the world.

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Increase Libido and Treat Erectile Dysfunction with Natural Methods

There are a variety of things that can negatively impact a man’s sexual health. Stress, performance anxiety, relationship problems, health conditions, food consumption, and lifestyle choices are just a few. Erectile dysfunction and low libido are the most common sexual concerns. Fortunately, they also happen to be among the easiest conditions to address naturally with quick, simple, and effective methods.

1. Change of Diet

Food has a very powerful influence on our bodies. It can either help or hinder the body’s functionality.

When it comes to sex, there are a couple of significant ways diet impacts performance:

  • Blood flow – Erections depend on relaxed muscles that allow for greater blood flow to the penis. Therefore, it is important to look for foods that increase, not decrease, blood flow.
  • Testosterone – Testosterone is one of the primary ingredients in a man’s libido. Any foods that impact hormone levels will also impact sex drive.
  • Emotions: Stress and anxiety often inhibit libido. Foods that have a calming effect on the brain will improve the quality of sex.

Foods That Increase Libido

Food

How it Helps
Spinach Spinach has an abundance of magnesium.  Magnesium helps increase blood flow by decreasing blood vessel inflammation.
Peppers Spicy peppers increase metabolism, which makes the heart beat faster and pump more blood.
Ginger Ginger greatly improves artery health, improving blood flow.
Bananas Bananas are high in potassium. Potassium is needed to balance out an abundance of sodium, which decreases blood flow.
Potatoes Potatoes are another food with significant amounts of potassium, aiding blood circulation.
Fatty fish Omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in wild salmon, sardines, and tuna, increase dopamine production. Not only does dopamine improve circulation, it also increases relaxation, making sex more enjoyable.
Dark chocolate Dark chocolate increases levels of serotonin and dopamine, elevating mood and decreasing anxiety.
Pumpkin seeds The tryptophan in pumpkin seeds also increases serotonin production, making performance even better.
Oysters The zinc in oysters increases testosterone levels and enhances physical performance. The copper allows the body to absorb the zinc. On top of that, oysters have B12!
Pine Nuts Pine nuts are rich in testosterone-producing zinc.

Foods That Decrease Libido

Food

Why it’s Bad
Diet soda The aspartame in diet soda decreases serotonin production—and libido.
Microwave popcorn The acid found in the lining of  the popcorn bag can kill sex drive and cause long-term damage to the prostate.
Alcohol Alcohol is a well-known depressant that inhibits the ability to establish and maintain an erection.
Soy Soy can decrease sperm count and negatively impact libido.
Sugar Sugar can deplete testosterone levels, causing less interest in sex.
Licorice The glycyrrhizic acid in licorice decreases testosterone production.
Mint Menthol is another inhibitor of testosterone production.

A nutritious diet is essential for maintaining overall health, and sexual health is no exception.

2. Lifestyle

There are various life choices that can impact sexual health.

Exercise

Exercise improves overall health—including sexual performance. Not only will an increase in activity help prevent erectile dysfunction, exercise can also help reverse the condition. Exercise helps increase blood flow and improves blood pressure. Weightlifting increases the body’s natural production of testosterone, erectile strength, and libido.

Sleep

If the body doesn’t produce enough sex hormones, mainly testosterone, erectile dysfunction and low libido are likely. The body’s internal clock controls hormone secretions, and regulating that clock is dependent on healthy sleep patterns. The more regular the sleep cycle, the better equipped the body is to release hormones at the given time.

Smoking

Tobacco negatively impacts the entire body. When it comes to sexual health, its biggest influence is on circulation. Tobacco restricts blood vessels, including the extremely delicate vessels in the penis. Tobacco also decreases blood supply.

To quit smoking, consider one of these natural remedies.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is known to increase blood flow, which can help reduce erectile dysfunction. While the available evidence hasn’t proved acupuncture as an absolute cure for erectile dysfunction, it has proven effective to reduce stress.

While some erectile dysfunction instigators are physical, others are mental and emotional. Acupuncture may or may not address physical issues, but it can help reduce anxiety and stress—which negatively impact both libido and performance.

Medications

Erectile dysfunction and low libido can be side effects of various medicines like high blood pressure medicines, antidepressants, beta-blockers, heart medications, cholesterol drugs, anti-psychotics, and treatments to address male pattern baldness. Switching to a different drug or, better yet, a natural solution may have a positive effect.

3. Try Herbal Remedies

There are a number of herbal remedies for erectile dysfunction that have been popular in Eastern medicine for decades. While some herbal remedies haven’t been proven effective yet, others have shown significant improvements.

Ginseng

Korean red ginseng is a popular treatment for erectile dysfunction, though it may cause insomnia.

Horny Goat Weed

Chinese medicine has relied on the extract from this plant for years to enhance energy levels and balance the entire body, which can improve libido. It may also treat erectile dysfunction.

Rhodiola Rosea

Referred to as the ‘golden root’, this natural medicine is a relatively new cure for erectile dysfunction. Russians have used this herb to increase endurance and sexual performance. New studies have found it also reduces feelings of exhaustion and symptoms of erectile dysfunction.

Improving Sexual Health Naturally

In many cases, low libido and erectile dysfunction can be reversed with simple, natural cures. Give these suggestions a try and come back to tell us what you found most successful.

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Lavender: A Portrait of an Overlooked Panacea

For most people, lavender conjures memories of powdery-scented sachets in lingerie drawers, spray colognes, or dainty English soaps. Because of this nostalgic cosmetic association, this age-old garden plant has been mostly forgotten as a medicinal, even by seasoned herbalists. Lavandula angustifolia or true lavender is a gentle but highly effective multitasking plant ally for children and adults alike. This fragrant shrub in the mint family has tiny, purple flowers, but don’t let the lovely fragrance or size only connote cosmetic pleasantry. Lavender is highly therapeutic. It is capable of combating influenza and strep throat yet mild enough to calm the stormiest of tummy troubles in youngsters.

When infused gently in hot water, this lovely herb displays aqua hues that mellow to mauve as it fills the room with its fragrance. With such fairy glamor charms, this tea makes an easy internal medicine for nervous exhaustion, digestive spasms, tension headache and migraine, anxiety, panic attacks, chest infections, tonsillitis, bowel infections, excessive Candida, cold and flu, insomnia, and fevers including typhoid. Lavender can easily be combined with synergistic herbs such as lemon balm, chamomile, and rose petals to tailor its valuable properties for specific maladies.

On the other hand, lavender essential oils—true lavender and spike lavender–—are some of the most important oils in clinical aromatherapy that are capable of fighting drug-resistant infections including MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) when used topically.

When looking at the body of modern clinical studies, old herbal manuals, and scribbled notes of aromatherapists, it is easy to see why this humble plant should be one of the most important items to keep on hand at all times—in the medicine chest, the kitchen cabinet, and the travel case.

Uses for Lavender Tea

Allergies and Adrenal Support

Lavender is a natural immune booster, but it can also calm an overactive immune system that is responsible for multiple allergies or sensitivities. The adrenals, the body’s stress glands, can play a significant role in promoting equilibrium between both extremes, and lavender can help. When the adrenals are nourished and the more the parasympathetic nervous system kicks into temper chronic fight or flight response, there will be fewer allergies and less severe allergies.

Tip: To prevent the body from neutralizing the effects of long-term use, alternate weeks that you drink lavender tea. For example, after a week of consistent use, skip a week and then resume.

Recommended amount: 1-2 cups a day.

Anxiety, Depression, and Neurotransmitter Balance

Lavender—both its scent and chemical properties within the flowers themselves when ingested—affect the production of serotonin, a vital neurotransmitter found within the gut and the brain. When this neurotransmitter is imbalanced or deficient, a multitude of “mental health” conditions can manifest. An inhibitory neurotransmitter, serotonin plays a major role in taming excessive production of excitatory chemicals that are responsible for low immunity, disrupted sleep cycles, sugar cravings, and heightened pain. Regular consumption of coffee and other stimulants, prolonged stress, hormonal changes, and poor diet compromise and deplete our serotonin levels. In the simplest terms, serotonin imbalance directly affects many functions in the body including digestion as well as emotional wellbeing. When it is disrupted, it can be evident in many ways ranging from hormonal moodiness to eating disorders such as bulimia and certain types of depression to chronic anxiety. Lavender tea can offer wonderful and near-immediate calming effects by lowering the stress hormone cortisol and regulating adrenaline.

Recommended amount: 1-3 cups a day.

Blood Sugar Balance

 Lavender tea has balancing effects on the pancreas and insulation production, therefore it can be beneficial for blood sugar stability, especially for non-diabetic/reactive hypoglycemia.

Recommended amount: 1-3 cups of unsweetened tea a day.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Because of its effects on neurochemicals and the adrenals, lavender tea is helpful for some individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Recommended amount: 1-2 cups of unsweetened tea a day.

Digestive Balance

Chamomile has long been hailed as the quintessential herb for stomach upset, but lavender is also a heavy hitter when it comes to calming nervous bellies, nausea, gas, bloating, and griping pains. A warm infusion of lavender can also increase good intestinal flora while combatting yeast overgrowth. Lavender tea is also an excellent children’s remedy for tummy troubles, school jitters, nightmares, and stomach aches from nervous origins.

Recommended amount for adults: 1-3 cups a day. Recommended amount for little ones: ½ cup twice a day taken by the tablespoon if need be. A little local honey makes it a pleasant drink.

Energetic Properties and Emotional Influence

On the energetic level, lavender can soothe stormy emotions, stimulate peace where there is resentment or jealousy, and lift the mood.

Immunity

 An infusion of lavender flowers drunk a few times a week is a pleasant immune booster that can prevent illness during the flu season, guard against infections, and balance neurochemicals such as serotonin that play an important role in strong immunity. Lavender tea is also wonderful for sore throats, and an added touch of local honey enhances its healing and soothing properties. The tea can be drunk cold, at room temperature, or hot. The latter is useful in bringing down high fevers.

Recommended amount: 3-5 cups a week, skip a week and then resume.

Insomnia  

The scent of lavender and its effects on calming the body and inducing sleep are well known, but the herb prepared as tea gets little attention. A warm lavender infusion taken half an hour before bed can help the body wind down and calm racing thoughts.

Recommended amount: 1 cup of strong unsweetened tea before bedtime.

Muscle Tension and Headaches

Warm or hot lavender tea  can relieve tension headaches and muscle tightness (anywhere in the body, including the neck), and it may help migraines.

Recommended amount: 1-2 cups of unsweetened tea.

Caution: Because of lavender’s effects on neurotransmitters and insulin, those on antidepressants, diabetic pharmaceuticals, or sleep medications might need less of these drugs and should be monitored. Always ask your physician about contraindications regarding any medication. Also, despite lavender’s gentle effects, some individuals can be allergic to it. If any signs of allergic reaction occur, discontinue use.

How To Make Lavender Tea

Quick Method

Use 1-1 ½ teaspoons of dried organic lavender flowers per cup of water. Place the dried herb in a heat proof Pyrex measuring cup or a tea pot, pour boiling water over the lavender and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Strain before drinking. If preferred, add honey to taste.

Overnight Method for a Larger Quantity

Fill a 1-quart Mason jar with ½-3/4 cup of dried organic lavender flowers. Pour boiling water over the herbs, filling the jar halfway. Stir the herb mixture and then fill the rest of the jar with water until full. Put a lid on and cover with a towel overnight. Strain and drink. If preferred, add honey to taste. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Individual portions can be reheated.

Topical Use of Lavender Essential Oil

How to Use Lavender Oil Topically

Due to individual skin sensitivity, neat, or undiluted, application of lavender essential oil is recommended via the soles of the feet. Pores of the foot sole are the largest in the body and are therefore ideal for fast delivery of essential oils into the bloodstream. Inhalation of lavender essential oil can also have profound benefits.

Adults: For undiluted application to the soles of the feet, use 3-4 drops of essential oil maximum per foot. Apply to the soft part of the sole between the heel and the ball of the foot.

Children: Use 1 drop essential oil per sole of the foot or 1 drop of essential oil mixed into 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and massage on chest, belly, or any other part of the body. Avoid mucus membranes.

Tip: The easiest way to apply essential oils neat to the soles of the feet is to simply place an index finger over an essential oil bottle, invert the bottle, and then turn right-side up. The amount of essential oil dispensed on your finger should equal 1 drop. Be sure to allow oils to be absorbed before putting on shoes and socks.

Uses for Lavender Oil

Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, and Chronic Worry

Lavender essential oil is the premiere essential oil for afflictions of the nervous system that manifest as emotional or psychological conditions ranging from certain types of depression to PTSD. Dermal (skin) application and inhalation are both recommended for any of the above. Lavender essential oil is best used consistently, even when symptoms are not apparent. For example, a person who suffers from panic attacks will benefit from lavender by using it between attacks as a preventative measure as well as when symptoms are present. When inhaled, lavender essential oil immediately affects the limbic portion of the brain and works with the adrenals to regulate stress hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed. For inhalation, put a drop on a tissue and inhale as needed.

Cardiovascular Health

Dermal application of lavender essential oil has been shown to increase oxygen and decrease inflammation, thus making it beneficial for heart disease or the prevention of this condition.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed. Steam inhalation is also beneficial and can be used by dropping 3 drops of lavender essential oil into hot water and inhaling for ten minutes with a towel over the head.

Chronic Pain Syndromes and Inflammation

Rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other pain syndromes respond positively to a topical application of lavender. Lavender is a gentle analgesic that reduces pain, swelling, and inflammation. Steam inhalation of lavender can also benefit the body by reducing physiological stress responses and reducing inflammation.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed.

Steam inhalation: add 3 drops of lavender essential oil to hot water and inhale for ten minutes with a towel over the head.

First-Aid and Skin Health 

A drop or two of lavender essential oil applied to cuts, burns, wounds, and other injuries can instantly promote healing and stop bleeding. Immediate application followed up with daily re-application is recommended for best results. A few drops of lavender essential oil added to water in a spray bottle makes a wonderful sunburn soother that can also be used for inflamed skin condition such as acne, rosacea, and allergies. Lavender applied to the skin after radiation treatment can speed healing and ease pain. Lavender has been shown to decrease certain types of skin cancers, especially when combined with high quality frankincense essential oil.

Headaches

A few drops applied to the back of the neck, the temples, and the forehead can relieve headaches stemming from tension, stress, and allergies. Use as needed.

Immunity

Lavender essential oil is a powerful oil to use during the cold and flu season and is best used as a preventative.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed. Lavender essential oil can be combined with other immune-boosting essential oils such as clove or organic lemon. If combining, use 2 drops of lavender to 1 drop of lemon or clove.

Conclusion

In the world of alternative health, lavender is an all-around remedy with many more uses than those discussed here. It is also a gift for the frazzled spirit in challenging times. Here’s wishing you lavender’s beautiful benefits!

Recommended Reading:
Where to Find Dried Organic Lavender Flowers:
Author’s Recommended Brands of Essential Oil of Lavender, Spike Lavender, and Other Lavender Species:
  • Birch Hill Happenings
  • doTERRA
  • NOW
  • Young Living
Sources:
Books
  • Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss
  • Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier
  • Flower Power by Anne McIntyre
  • Goddess Consciousness by Marlaina Donato
  • Healing Oils, Healing Hands by Linda Smith
  • Multidimensional Aromatherapy by Marlaina Donato, CA
Online


How to Handle a Fever

You hear coughing, whining, or those dreaded words, “Mommy, Daddy, I’m sick.” A hand to the forehead tells you your child is burning up. Don’t panic. If your child is sick, a fever is an indication of an active, vigilant immune system hard at work.

Although the medical community has long known that a fever is the body’s way of fighting a bacterial or viral infection, many doctors still advocate the use of pharmaceuticals to bring down a fever without thought of the consequences – the possibility of a longer illness and a greater need for medical intervention.

Recently, there appears to be a shift in thinking. More conventional healthcare sites on the internet are stating that a fever is a natural and helpful process of the immune system. But even among these enlightened professionals, their opinions vary as to how high a temperature can reach and still be safe for a child or infant.

It is a good idea to know how your health care provider expects you to respond to fevers. When you are upset and worried about a sick child, it is not the best time to discover you don’t agree with your doctor’s treatment protocols.

The following is standard advice from the Web for when to call your doctor if your child is running a fever:

  • Newborn to 3 months old – Call immediately for any elevated temp
  • 3-5 months old – Call if temp reaches 101 or higher
  • 6 months old and up– Call if temp reaches 102 degrees or more

Your healthcare provider should never make you feel uncomfortable for calling with any concern about your child. On the other end of the spectrum, if you don’t call when your provider thinks you should, you might find yourself in an uncomfortable confrontation. Knowing your health care provider’s basic protocols – and knowing whether you agree with them -is an invaluable aid in choosing the right person to advise you. It is also a great tool to aid you in developing a strong and trusting relationship. If your health care provider doesn’t offer these protocols in writing (they should!), ask questions and take notes.

What Temperature is Considered a Fever?

Generally, an oral temperature exceeding 100.40F (which is 380C for those smart enough to be on the metric system) is considered a fever.

Our bodies regulate temperature within a limited range. Although individual baseline temperatures do vary, 98.6o is the typical baseline temperature. But temperature can also vary based on the time of day, activity level, layers of clothing, or even due to weather. It would be helpful to determine your child’s normal baseline temperature and regular variations before a fever occurs.

How to Take Your Child’s Temperature

The various ways to take a temperature produce different results. The most accurate methods are oral, rectal, ear, or axillary (armpit) measurements. The newest method, the temporal artery thermometer (swept across the forehead) is also gaining in popularity with reports of high accuracy. But before you use any type of digital device, read and follow the directions. If you have an old-fashioned glass thermometer, a comparison of results will assure the digital device is correctly calibrated.

The two best things about today’s digital thermometers, ear thermometers, and temporal artery thermometers is how fast they are and how they let you know when the reading is complete. Glass thermometers are very slow and require you to hold them in place for a full two to three minutes to gain an accurate reading. Holding any child still for three minutes is difficult at the best of times, much less when they are sick and fussy and you are holding a thermometer pressed into their armpit or rectum.

It is important to note that a temperature taken from the ear, rectum, or temporal artery thermometer will be half a degree to a full degree higher than an oral temperature. An axillary (armpit) temperature will be half a degree to a full degree lower than an oral temperature. Unless otherwise noted, the oral temperature is the temperature stated in everything from the definition of a temperature to warnings and directions for care unless otherwise noted. So, if you do seek medical care or medical advice for a fever, be sure to communicate the method you used to obtain your child’s temperature. For example, you would say, “103.40 rectal temperature.”

How to Support a Fever, and Let it Break Naturally

For decades, parents have been taught to bring down a fever with pharmaceuticals.

We stopped using aspirin for children in the early 1980s due to its association with Reye’s syndrome. The recommendation switched to acetaminophen (Tylenol).

But recent studies revealed an association between acetaminophen (Tylenol) and autism when it is given after a vaccine or during a viral illness. Also, acetaminophen is very hard on the liver. It is the nation’s leading cause of liver failure.

As far as pharmaceuticals go, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, etc.) is the last choice for fever reduction. It, however, has its own horrific side effects. WebMD offers an eye-opening list. Do you really want to give this drug to your child?

Instead of thinking in terms of treating or eliminating the fever, we should think in terms of supporting the body’s efforts to fight the illness. Fever is a good thing, as long as dehydration is avoided.

If you feel the need to bring down your child’s temperature, a cool damp rag to the forehead or back of the neck can be helpful, but immersion in tepid water is the most surefire way to bring down a temperature. If you choose to do this, don’t torture your child. Start with water that is warm enough for them to feel comfortable. So start with comfortably warm water and gradually cool it down by adding a little cold water at a time.

Bring toys to the tub. Preferably, you will want your child to stay in the water for 20-30 minutes at a time.

Hydrate,  Hydrate, Hydrate

Dress your child in a light layer of clothing and push fluids. If you are nursing, nurse more often. If you are bottle feeding, offer more formula and offer feedings more often. For older children, offer extra water throughout the day. Avoid sugary drinks (including moms that are breastfeeding).  If the body is hydrated properly a fever is likely to move up and down a few times and then break. Being properly hydrated before getting sick can be the difference between a fever that does its job and a dangerous fever requiring intervention. Check out this recipe. The cranberry lemonade can help boost kidney and liver function, which boosts immune function.

A fever that stays at a dangerous temperature is a sign of a dehydrated body. Incidentally, diarrhea indicates a high likelihood of being dehydrated. Mineral deficiencies with an infection cause temporary kidney failure leading to diarrhea, and fevers that don’t fluctuate and break. For more on the immune system see

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Hair Loss in Women: Why It Happens and What Can You Do to Stop It

There are few things as devastating for a woman as seeing her hair fall out at an unusual rate and feeling powerless to stop it. Fortunately, in most cases, hair loss can be reversed by a few lifestyle changes and the help of herbal remedies.

A person has around 100,000 strands of hair on the scalp, and it is normal to lose 50-100 strands every day. However, if more hair falls out, it can lead to bald spots or a thinning hair line — a problem that affects millions of women in the world.

Hair loss happens when the hair follicles are blocked or are not able to function properly. This can be a side effect of poor scalp circulation, vitamin deficiencies, improper diet changes, dental problems, stress, hormonal imbalances, and toxic hair products.

Bring More Circulation to the Scalp

Increased circulation to the scalp helps regrow hair because the scalp cells die or don’t function properly without enough blood and oxygen. You can bring more circulation by massaging the scalp and through the use of hair oils and herbs.

Massaging the scalp also reduces stress levels, another threat to healthy hair.

Massage the scalp at least once a week as a preventative. If you are experiencing hair loss, massage the scalp on a daily basis. If your hair is falling out at an extreme rate, keep the pressure gentle. If you are too rough, you may accidentally rip out weak hair stands.

Use Beneficial Oils in Your Hair

Using hair oils is a popular remedy in India. It is not only used for hair loss, but to grow thicker, longer, and healthier hair. When massaging the scalp, use a few of these beneficial oils to regrow hair. You should rub it on the spots that have been especially affected.

The nutrients in the oils help boost blood flow and circulation and also address a dry scalp issue. If the scalp is dry, and if you have dandruff, the hair follicles are blocked, leading to hair loss. Using oils will moisturize the scalp and stimulate the hair follicles to stop hair loss and regrow lost hair strands, and it will keep the existing hair stronger and healthier. A few oils to consider are:

  • Castor oil
  • Argan oil
  • Jojoba oil
  • Emu oil
  • Carrot seed oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Bhringraj Oil

You can also add a few drops of essential oils, such as rosemary essential oils, to speed up the healing process of your scalp.

Apply Herbal and Nutrient Rich Mixtures to Scalp and Hair

There are also many recipes of healthy mixtures you can make and put on your head overnight for nutrients to be absorbed directly into the scalp. This type of treatment is messier than the oils and requires you to wear a shower cap when sleeping, but it has worked for many people. It can also be fun to experiment because there are so many options out there.

  • Indian gooseberry – Mix one tablespoon of Indian gooseberry (rich in Vitamin C) with one tablespoon of lemon juice, massage into the scalp and leave overnight. Wash your hair in the morning.
  • Fenugreek – Make a paste from one cup of soaked fenugreek seeds (protein-rich), apply to hair and leave for 40 minutes.
  • Aloe vera – Use aloe vera juice or gel or the scalp, leave for a few hours, wash it off.
  • Licorice root – Mix one tablespoon of ground licorice root with one cup of milk and ¼ teaspoon of saffron.  Apply to scalp and leave overnight. Wash off in the morning.

Herbs that Are Beneficial for Hair

Ayurveda medicine and Western herbal medicine use herbs for hair health. These herbs boost blood circulation, heal the scalp cells, and promote hair growth.

In Ayurveda, the recommended herbs are:

  • Horsetail – rich in silica
  • Indian gooseberry or amla – vitamin C and antioxidants
  • Neem – fights dandruff
  • Ashwagandha – immune support

Western herbal medicine recommends the following:

  • Hibiscus – against dandruff, prevents premature gray hair
  • Stinging nettle – follicle health (taken internally)

Vitamin Deficiencies — Getting Enough Nutrients

If your body is deficient in vital nutrients, this can lead to hair loss. Simply taking a good multivitamin or even a multivitamin formed specifically for hair health may bring good results. There are also specific vitamins that are most important to hair health: biotin, iron, protein, and healthy fats.

Biotin: The Most Important Vitamin for Hair

Biotin or vitamin B7 is the most important vitamin for addressing hair loss. Biotin improves keratin – a protein that makes up hair, as well as skin and nails. If you have leaky gut or if your digestive tract is not able to absorb nutrients properly, you are probably deficient in biotin.

Food sources for B7 are:

  • Liver
  • Eggs
  • Salmon
  • Cheese
  • Avocado
  • Raspberry
  • Cauliflower

Vitamins and Healthy Fats for Hair

Hair loss can also be caused by a lack of iron (especially if you have anemia), protein, potassium, and protein. You may be experiencing a lack of iron if you do not eat red meat. Other sources of iron are chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, beans and lentils, and spinach.

Hair growth also requires a good amount of protein. If you are vegetarian or vegan, good sources of plant protein are beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, and some superfoods such as algae, goji berries, hemp, and chia seeds.

Potassium brings circulation to the scalp and boosts follicle health. You can get a lot of potassium from bananas.

Finally, it is important to get plenty of healthy fats. Salmon and avocados are two good sources.

Make Sure You Are Eating a Proper Diet

Hair loss can be a side effect of changing a diet too rapidly, switching to a diet that is lacking in nutrients, eating a high-glycemic diet, or going on a crash diet.

As a rule, avoid any crash diets, and avoid diets that are high in sugars (especially fake sugars), and processed foods.

If you just switched or are thinking of switching to a plant-based diet, make sure you do your research to find the best plant sources for all your vitamin needs, especially protein and iron.

Hormonal Imbalance Can Lead to Hair Loss

In today’s world, many of us live under high amounts of stress on a daily basis. This can lead to hormonal imbalances, a poorly functioning thyroid, and poorly functioning adrenals, all of which can lead to rapid hair loss. Addressing these underlying issues, including auto-immune disorders and chronic illnesses, is important for many people to regain a healthy scalp and strong, healthy hair. Also, it is important to recognize that some medications cause hair loss. If this is the case,  you will have to wait until you stop taking them to see real results.

Take Care of Your Emotional Health

Like stress, anxiety and depression can lead to hair loss.  To reduce your stress levels and to help alleviate anxiety and depression,  try yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, and journaling.

Address Dental Health

The connection of dental health with hair health is less known, but more studies have recently come out bridging the gap between the two. What the scientists are starting to find out is that any health issues in the mouth directly affect the rest of the body, including hair. Gum disease, cavities, and infections in the mouth all can lead to hair loss.

Switch to Natural Hair Products

Finally, some people experience hair loss simply from the toxins of the hair products they use. Most shampoos and conditioners, hair sprays, hair dyes, and other products, contain cancer-causing chemicals, as well as chemicals that ruin hair. These chemicals include sulfates, parabens, phthalate, artificial coloring, and artificial fragrances.

Switch to natural, organic shampoos. If you want to dye your hair, use henna instead of commercial dyes. While traditionally henna is red, more companies are now making henna hair dyes in shades of brown and black.

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Food, Nutrition, and Herbs for Insomnia

If your mantra in life is, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” you might want to take 5 minutes to rethink this strategy. Driver fatigue is responsible for an estimated 25% of all fatal and serious car accidents and a continual lack of quality sleep is directly linked to weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. You can pump the weights and crank up the cardio, but if you are not balancing your body with the healing powers of sleep, you won’t be able to stave off these debilitating symptoms and conditions forever. In fact, pushing your mind and body beyond its natural limits without rewarding it with well-earned sleep can result in chronic fatigue, adrenal dysfunction, and hormone dysregulation.

Not convinced? Research confirms that lack of sleep is also directly linked to:

  • Shrinking of the brain
  • Organ failure
  • Infertility
  • Memory reduction
  • Cancer
  • Depression
  • Obesity
  • Chronic illness
  • Premature aging
  • Reduced life expectancy

Luckily, stacking your fork with slumber-inducing snacks is easier than you think. But can you really eat yourself to sleep? Is it possible to create your best dreamscape while stuffing your face? Is your dinner your best doctor? Yes, yes, and definitely yes.

The Science of Sleep

There are more than a dozen interconnected hormones and chemicals responsible for the onset and execution of a successful sleep session. They’re all important ingredients for a dream feast, but having a bite-sized understanding of these primary components will see you to sleep in no time.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It’s a vital element of the system that regulates your internal body clock and natural sleep-wake rhythms.

How and when your body creates and releases melatonin is contingent upon light exposure in the day and the gradual onset of darkness in the evening. Levels start to rise from early evening, remain high and steady throughout the night, and begin to drop off in the early morning hours.

Healthy levels are attributed to the ability to fall asleep quickly, to reduced or eliminated sleep interruptions, and to being able to wake easily at consistent times. In addition, melatonin is a powerful antioxidant. It is capable of free radical scavenging throughout the entire body due to its ability to penetrate cell membranes and navigate the blood-brain barrier.

Though there is still much to learn about this heroic hormone, there is growing evidence that supports the positive impact melatonin may have on countless biological functions. From heavy metal chelation, Alzheimer’s Disease treatments, and obesity prevention to insomnia, immune function, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) treatment, melatonin is king.

Studies show, melatonin has a hand in:

  • Immune function
  • Jet lag recovery
  • Headache reduction (particularly cluster headaches)
  • Managing sleep cycle disruption due to night or shift work
  • Delayed sleep phase syndrome treatment
  • Controlling sleep disorders associated with autism, cerebral palsy, blindness, and ADHD
  • Reducing withdrawal symptoms after quitting smoking
  • Medication or pharmaceutical induced insomnia
  • Helping to fight certain types of cancer (particularly brain, breast, colon, lung, and renal)
  • Reducing the side effects associated with chemotherapy
  • Reducing the impact and instance of tinnitus
  • Protection from radioactivity
  • Prevention of gallstone development
  • Improved fertility

Studies suggest that it may be especially useful to treat sleep issues that are due to behavioral, developmental, or mental disorders.

Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is responsible for making melatonin and serotonin. Humans cannot synthesize it, and a lack of tryptophan would be lethal; it must be obtained from plant or animal sources.

This vital molecule is helpful in dealing with sleep disorders including sleep apnea, insomnia, and bruxism. It may also have a serious psychological impact, with low levels showing a correlation with depression, anxiety, irritability, and aggression. Conditions such as PMS, ADHD, and Tourette’s syndrome all show symptom relief when consistently healthy tryptophan levels are present.

Due to the link with both serotonin and melatonin, tryptophan induces feelings of calm, relaxation, well-being and sleepiness. It also assists your body in manufacturing and assimilating proteins for cellular function and efficiently assists with niacin production and conversion.

Cortisol

Cortisol is the flight-or-fight hormone responsible for a wide range of functions and reactions in the body. Produced in the adrenal glands, it is transported throughout the body via the bloodstream. Cortisol creates the rise and shine impulse that wakes you up in the morning. Maintaining homeostasis of this hormone is an essential component to finding that sweet sleep spot.

Cortisol levels peak between 8-9 am. and respond to daily activity levels. Production sharply declines between midnight and 4am. This balance creates what is known as a diurnal rhythm (being awake during the day, sleeping at night).

Depending upon the cells it is interacting with, cortisol can have a directly positive impact on your stress response, blood pressure, and inflammation reduction. It also influences blood sugar control, metabolism regulation, and memory formation.

However, both high and low cortisol levels will have a negative influence on your ability to fall and stay asleep.

Cortisol regulates energy by selecting the right nutrients the body needs to function. When elevated for extended periods of time, cortisol can interfere with weight, immune function, and chronic disease.

Experiencing a spike of cortisol late in the day or evening can induce an elongated stress response due to adrenaline release that prevents the yummy wind down after a long day. Similarly, dysregulation can cause unhelpful hiccups of cortisol through the night that interfere with a solid sleep state and those vital REM periods.

Excess cortisol may present as an inability to shut your brain down at night and racing thoughts that often focus on negative experiences in the past or worries about the future – otherwise known as being “tired but wired”.

Overproduction of cortisol can be caused by being overworked, routinely stressed, worn down, or chronically ill. Over time, this can manifest as adrenal fatigue, insomnia, sleep disruption, and depression.

Low levels will reduce the “cortisol awakening response”. Energy is often at a bare minimum, inducing a state of chronic fatigue. This can prevent initiation of other hormone cycles or incite overreaction of others, creating a negative feedback loop.

GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid)

GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter and the most important amino acid for sleep, muscle relaxation, and anxiety reduction. In short, it turns off the worrying thoughts that impede restful sleep and prepares the mind for mood balancing subconscious decongesting. These sedating effects have a huge impact on sleep quality and quantity.

GABA can be helpful with relaxation and the ability to fall and stay asleep. It has also useful in dealing with restless leg syndrome, muscle spasms, and even epilepsy.

Low levels of GABA can prevent you from going into a deep sleep, which allows minor distractions to wake you up and prevent you from nodding off again. In addition, low GABA is linked to depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders.

Poor diet, illness, age, and exposure to environmental toxins can all affect the GABA levels.

When to Eat

Eating yourself to sleep involves diet consciousness. Get familiar with the best foods for supporting those 40 winks.

Make sure you’re not consuming the wrong stuff at the wrong time. It confuses the natural flow of chemicals and hormones that orchestrate revitalizing rest, which can be a tripwire for general system dysregulation. All sources of caffeine should be consumed before 2 pm. For sensitive folk, this includes chocolate. Additionally, avoid taking Vitamin D supplements or Fermented Cod Liver Oil after 2 pm. Ideally, you should stop eating for 4 hours before bed, but at the very least, skip heavy, spicy, and/or difficult to digest meals within that time frame.

If necessary, eat a small high protein/high fat snack at 7pm or earlier to tide you over and keep your blood sugar balanced. A handful of nuts promotes tryptophan production. To keep nighttime interruptions to a minimum, stop drinking about 2 hours prior to bed.

Foods and Substances That Prevent Sleep

Trans fatty acids and industrial seed oils (vegetable, canola, margarines, and shortenings) promote systemic inflammation, that encourage biological stress. Foods with a high glycemic index will also interfere with natural sleep patterns by spiking blood sugar and cortisol response. These include simple carbs, sugar, fruit juices, sodas, and energy drinks.

Pharmaceuticals, Over the Counter Meds, and Substances

Medications can be seriously disruptive to sleep, but also very sneaky. It’s often difficult to ascertain whether those tablets are tampering with your sleep, particularly if you are taking multiple medications. Have a rifle through your medicine cabinet to check whether one of these top culprits is causing problems.

  • Alpha-blockers and Beta Blockers
  • SSRI antidepressants
  • Angiotensin II-receptor blockers (ARBs)
  • Cholinesterase inhibitors and ACE inhibitors
  • Second-generation (nonsedating) H1 antagonists
  • Glucosamine and chondroitin
  • Statins
  • Corticosteroids

Nicotine and THC (marijuana) could also be a factor.

The Best Sleep Diet

Let’s eat! It’s time to breakfast, lunch, and dinner ourselves into bed. These dietary additions will manufacture the building blocks of structural hormone and chemicals to balance and promote the best sleep.

Follow an organic, anti-inflammatory diet that excludes processed products and is high in whole foods, healthy fats, vegetables, and some fruits. Along with plenty of nuts and seeds, you’ll be able to load up on important antioxidants and phytonutrients while maximizing fiber intake. Be sure to keep your Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acid intake ratio within the 1:3-1:4 range.

Top Foods for Melatonin Management

  • Tart cherry juice
  • Bananas, oranges, pineapple
  • Tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet corn
  • Barley, oats, rice
  • Flaxseed, walnuts, almonds
  • Fenugreek and mustard seeds

Top Foods for Tryptophan Production

  • Seeds and nuts
  • Soy
  • Cheese
  • Red meat
  • Poultry
  • Fish and shellfish
  • Beans and lentils
  • Eggs

Top Foods for Cortisol Control

  • Cold water fish
  • Beef liver
  • Eggs
  • Greek or fermented yogurt
  • Flaxseed and walnuts
  • Chard (swiss, ruby, rainbow)
  • Citrus fruits and papaya
  • White beans

Top Foods That Promote GABA

  • Black, green, oolong tea
  • Halibut, mackerel, shrimp
  • Beef liver
  • Fermented foods
  • Jumbo oats and rice bran
  • Almonds and walnuts
  • Lentils

Other Foods for Sleep

There are lots of additional options and substitutes for getting the most delicious sleep. Switch regular potatoes for beta-carotene rich sweet potatoes, and that greasy side dish for some steamed dark leafy greens. Cook with coconut oil and drizzle a fresh salad with extra virgin olive or avocado oils. Incorporate grass fed gelatin and a dash of creamy milk into your smoothies.

In the evening, make up a brew of your favorite herbal tea. Chamomile, mint, lavender and St. John’s Wort are particularly soothing.

What Supplements Promote Good Sleep

Finding the right combination of supplemental additions to your diet and routine is extremely personal. There is no one-size-fits all approach, so careful experimentation and observation is an important part of finding what’s right for you.

Herbs

Vitamins and Minerals

Supplements and Extracts

Final Thoughts

Stop hiding your sleep worries under the bed. Make integrating these balancing practices into your routine a daily, lifetime habit. Eat yourself to sleep, sleep yourself to life.`

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Shaken Baby Syndrome – Child Abuse or Vaccine Injury?

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS, which is also known as abusive head trauma) is a diagnostic term for brain damage inflicted upon a baby or young child who has been violently shaken or thrown against an object. When a child presents with a subdural hematoma, retinal bleeding, and brain swelling, these three symptoms together are supposed to confirm the diagnosis.

The blood vessels in a young child’s brain are delicate. Their heads are large, and their necks are weak. When an infant or young child is violently shaken, the head jerks back and forth as the brain bashes against the inner wall of the skull, which can cause blood vessels to rupture and tears to form in brain and nerve tissue. Bleeding on the brain and swelling or bruising of the brain can occur, resulting in injury or death.

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There are about 1,300 reported cases of SBS in the U.S. per year. One in four of these babies dies from their injuries, while 80% of children who survive suffer lifelong disabilities.

There is, however, a rising concern that SBS is either over diagnosed, wrongly diagnosed, or an altogether non-scientific diagnosis.

Is SBS a Definitive Diagnosis?

In the last 15 years, the validity of the SBS diagnosis has come under fire with medical examiners, pediatricians, neurologists, other physicians, prosecutors, and judges reversing their belief that the classic triad for this diagnosis can only be due to child abuse.

The Washington Post reports that Gregory G. Davis, the chief medical examiner in Birmingham, Alabama and the board chairman of the National Association of Medical Examiners said:

You can’t necessarily prove [Shaken Baby Syndrome] one way or another — sort of like politics or religion. Neither side can point to compelling evidence and say, ‘We’re right and the other side is wrong.’ So instead, it goes to trial.”

The Washing Post also reports that the pediatric neurosurgeon, Norman Guthkelch, who…

…had a key role in the original hypothesis that led to Shaken Baby Syndrome. Now, he says the science is faulty and there should be an independent review of Shaken Baby convictions.”

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At trial, the outcome is swayed by the testimony of expert witnesses, the doctors who testify about the child’s symptoms, examination, and diagnosis. For many doctors, this diagnosis is ironclad. In their medical books, they were taught that presentation of the triad of symptoms is indicates SBS. That’s all there is to it, so that is what they say in court. But others are beginning to question the validity of the diagnostic criteria and the diagnosis itself. And some who question it are paying the price.

Dr. Wancy Squier

Physicians and scientists are supposed to keep an open mind. They know that science depends on keen observation and attention to detail. This observation and on-going questioning lead to fine-tuning diagnostics and to new discoveries. Sometimes new knowledge replaces earlier, widely accepted beliefs, especially the commonly held beliefs derived from textbooks. But when the impact of new hypotheses or the discovery of a mistake disrupts the status quo and places blame or liability on others, backlash can destroy a career.

Related: How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children

Judy Mikovits Ph.D. dared to reveal her discovery that many of our vaccines are contaminated with a retrovirus that is associated with chronic fatigue syndrome and autism. Rather than receiving recognition and accolades for her discovery, she was fired, arrested, and discredited.

Dr. Andrew Wakefield discovered a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism, how the vaccine damages the gut microbiome. He publically advocated for discontinuation of the MMR, for replacing it with singular vaccines rather than the triple dose. For this, he lost his license to practice medicine.

In March of 2016, Dr. Wancy Squier, a world-renowned neuropathologist, lost her license to practice medicine (which the British call being “struck off the register”). The Medical Practitioners Tribunal of the General Medical Council, the same tribunal that revoked Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s license, determined that she lied and misled the courts due to her testimony that refutes the diagnostic criteria for SBS. She is currently appealing their ruling.

Due to her Dr. Squier’s testimony, a parent has been released from prison, her conviction overturned. Other parents were found not guilty of their charges. Their children presented with the triad of symptoms which normally guarantees a conviction, but Dr. Squier’s experience and research has convinced her that the SBS diagnosis is unscientific and unsupported. After studying all the literature she could find regarding SBS she says, “I have found nothing which satisfies me that there is any scientific foundation for it.”

More than 350 doctors have written letters of support to the British Medical Journal on Dr. Squier’s behalf. Three other British doctors who are skeptical about the SBS diagnosis who previously testified in the courts with similar testimonies are now afraid of the consequences. They no longer testify in civil or criminal cases regarding SBS for fear of losing their licenses.

Misguided Justice Leading Misdiagnoses

The very act of prosecution and plea bargaining has led to the legitimacy of the diagnosis. When innocent mothers, fathers, and caretakers take a plea, saying in effect that they did shake a child (when they didn’t) their “admission of guilt” validates the hypothesis that the classic triad of symptoms is proof of shaken baby syndrome.

For example, an innocent man is accused of murdering his girlfriend’s baby, an infant that presented with the classic triad. He repeatedly states that he is innocent, that he never shook or otherwise abused the child. But now, he is facing life in prison. His lawyer convinces him there is no hope for acquittal – the evidence is too great, too ironclad. The accused has to make a choice. Does he go to trial when his lawyer assures him there is a 97% or more chance that he will be convicted for a crime he did not commit and will spend the rest of his life in prison? Or does he plead guilty in order to strike a plea bargain with a reduced charge and a 10-year prison sentence with possible early release for good behavior? If these are his only choices, of course, he takes the deal. But his confession adds to the growing body of evidence that the triad of symptoms is caused by child abuse – even though no abuse ever occurred.

SBS Symptoms and Vaccine Injury

Edward Yazbak, MD, FAAP detected a pattern when he was reviewing the pediatric records of four infants diagnosed with SDS. While looking for underlying medical conditions, he found intriguing similarities in the cases. Although the children were geographically distant from one another, they all had these things in common:

  • None were abused
  • All had complicated past histories
  • All had medical conditions that explained their symptoms (other than abuse)
  • All received the same three vaccines: Pediarix, HIB and Prevnar within three weeks of their apparent life-threatening event

Conclusion

While Dr. Squier fights for her license, there are a growing number of SBS convictions being overturned in the United States along with a rising concern that SBS cases, SIDS, and many cases of fractures are actually caused by vaccines. (Fractures can be due to vaccine induces rickets that causes soft bones). While the CDC and the FDA continue to deny the growing evidence of vaccine injury and death, many grieving parents who have lost their babies are serving time for crimes that never occurred.

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