5 myths of vaccines

"Vaccines: Top 5 myths about childhood vaccines" was the title of an article on the front page of MSN Health. I just couldn't pass this up.

Now before I get started I'll throw out my disclaimer. This will only be for information purposes to try and get you to think outside of the box a little and make informed decisions when it comes to injecting your child or yourself with anything. I am not telling you whether or not to vaccinate your child - only you can make that choice. (and YES, it is a choice)

The reason I am writing on this because "they" call it the 5 myths. According to my trusty iPhone dictionary app., the definition of myth is "an imaginary or fictitious thing; an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution." So let's take a look at these 5 "myths" (I think I've already used up my quota for quotation marks and I'm just getting started).

Myth #1: Vaccines aren't necessary

This myth is anything but a myth. In fact, it couldn't be any farther from a myth and closer to the truth. The only way vaccines would be completely necessary would be if our body could not code an antibody for whatever illness we are being vaccinated against. Your body is more than capable of killing off any infection you are told to vaccinate against. Your immune system has the ability to code for several trillions of antibodies for diseases we haven't even discovered yet. In fact, your immune system can code for more antibodies than your own DNA would allow for. In order for this statement to be true, then all children who do not get vaccinated would surely acquire the sickness and die because the body would not be able to defend itself from such a powerful infection like those "they" want you to vaccinate against.

Myth #2: Vaccine side effects are dangerous

This one is very puzzling to me. Why did "they" set up special government funds that pays millions and millions of dollars every year to parents whose children were permanently or fatally injured from a vaccine. But here lies the thought process of the system. Your little boy or girl is a necessary sacrifice to ensure "herd immunity" or higher public health. If their side effects are so minor, then why do "they" make it so hard for the public to get a true list of side effects.

Myth #3: Vaccines cause autism

I guess this one is a partial truth. It's not the vaccine causing autism but the mercury they use to preserve the mercury that does the damage. I personally know 2 families with children who were fine until receiving a round of vaccines containing mercury and soon developed autism. Mercury is one of the most dangerous neurotoxins known to man. I don't care how many methyl groups you add to it. IT'S TOXIC! Do not be fooled that they have removed mercury from the vaccines. They have only lowered the amount in them. All the stats show an exponential growth in autistic children right along with the increased use of mercury containing vaccines. Just because the vaccine makers haven't produced research to show a definite link, and why would they, doesn't mean there isn't a connection. It's like the OJ thing. No definite connection was ever made but most people know he was at least connected to it if not guilty of committing the act. All they have to do to silence the accusations is inject newborns and toddlers with mercury and observe for any side effects. They won't do that research because they know it's not safe.

Myth #4: Vaccines are given too early

This one cannot be called a myth because they are given too early. There is a much less lower risk of adverse reaction with delayed vaccination. We're talking about injecting newborns with mercury, aluminum, animal parts, formaldehyde and much more. You can't tell me that it's not dangerous to do that to a body with little or no immune system to defend itself. It's also safer to break up the shots into single shots and not all at once. MMR is the equivalent of taking 3 different vaccines. It's a lot easier for a young immune system to defend itself against 1 vaccine at a time than 3 to 6.

Myth #5: It's OK to skip certain vaccines if you have safety concerns

This one down right makes me mad. Here's the translation: You don't have a choice parents! Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.........oh yeah.....and...WRONG! This multibillion dollar industry would love for you to believe that you don't have a choice on whether or not you want to all vaccines, a few vaccines, or no vaccines. You always have a choice. These are your kids, not theirs. 2 of my 3 kids have never been vaccinated against anything and my oldest stopped at age 2, and none since. Guess what?! They are all healthier than most of the kids we know. The two that have been adjusted since birth and no vaccines have never had ear infections. My oldest had ear infections all the time before we stopped vaccinating and adjusting him. I"m not saying vaccines cause ear infections. I'm saying when you give the support an immune system needs to be healthy and not drug it the first chance you get, the better it works.

Here are the 3 real myths about vaccines "they" want you to believe:

#1 All vaccines are totally effective
#2 All vaccines are safe
#3 Vaccines are mandatory, you have no choice

I have no problem when my patients tell me that they vaccinated their children. Far be it from me to tell anyone what's best for their kids. All I ask is for parents to make educated decisions.

My question to Dr. MD and Mr. Pharmaceutical

I was searching for ingredients on a supplement I heard someone started taking and realized that the company does not advertise the ingredients on their website. HUGE RED FLAG!!!!! You better know who you are buying your stuff from because no vitamin company has to put in their pills what they say are in the pills! That is my public service announcement for the day...

Anyways, that's not why I'm writing.

As I was scrolling down websites, I clicked on a blog that supposedly had the ingredients listed somewhere. Going down the page to find it, I came across a post that was about why vaccinations are good and why we should continue to "stick to the schedule" to preserve public health. I'm sure you can all hear me rolling my eyes even as I type that.

I couldn't help but think, "What public health?" I don't know what country they live in, but the one I live in is not getting healthier and healthier! We, collectively, are getting sicker and sicker. My question to them is very simple:

Why should we continue to follow down their path if it is not making us healthier?

The medical model we live, and die (ironically), by has been in place for about the last 50 years. The AMA and pharmaceutical companies have brainwashed the public and instilled unnecessary fears in our minds to the point that if we sneeze, we need to take something; if our child's temperature goes up a degree or so, we need to run them to the doctor's office.

A major foundation in our medical model for public health is our vaccinations. A majority of us and our kids have been vaccinated routinely for the past 40+ years. So if they are a key component of us being healthy, then why have we not gotten healthier over the last 40+ years? We are the highest medicated society in the world, so why are we not the healthiest? We have the best doctors and surgeons here, so why do our preventable, chronic, degenerative disorders keep increasing as time goes by?

Does health come externally (medicine, vaccines, etc.) or does it come from within (immune system, proper nutrition, etc.)?

I know that I don't have all the answers to the United States health problems. But looking at the track record of how things are going following their model, I want more for me and, most importantly, my family.

The table is now open for discussion...

Truly Inspirational

As I sit here in my office today answering emails, I came across a forward from my favorite mother in the world. Yes, I know she is my only mother, but she is still my favorite. As long as she tells me I'm her favorite (and only) son, then I can tell her she's my favorite mom.

I was glad to see that it was not a long storybook forward that I have already received a thousand times before. The message was simple "Do not judge a book by its cover," and a link. I noticed it was a YouTube link, so I had no idea what to expect. Once I clicked on the link, I immediately realized that it was an excerpt from the show Britain's Got Talent. Mainly because of the huge billboard that could be seen.

Earlier this morning on the way to work, I caught the tail end of a conversation from good ole' Kidd Kraddick about some lady on a talent show that shocked everyone when she sang. Allegedly, she has only sung for her cats in her house until that moment.

She came out on stage in a very plain outfit and definitely did not have the body that would turn many heads upon entering the room. During the brief interview when she revealed she wanted to become a professional singer, you could actually hear the crowd laughing at such a ludicrous dream for her. Surely, this 47 year-old woman was out of her prime and out of her league. Obviously, this was just another cruel attempt for some producer to have a new butt for their jokes.

From the first note sung, the crowd screamed with applause and the look on the judge's faces were of total shock. I, myself, even thought that this had to be fake somehow. This angelic voice could in no way, shape, or form belong to the woman who stood there on TV. As I sat here listening to the clip, the room must have become very dusty or full of allergens because my eyes began to water. How wrong was I to make preconceived judgements about someone and whether or not they could do something? This 7 minute clip should be a prime example as to why we don't judge people before we know them because sometimes, just sometimes, we might be wrong and miss out on something beautiful.

Please take 7 minutes out of your day to watch this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

What is healthcare?

I was listening to educational stuff this morning when a couple of big questions popped in my head that I thought I should start a dialogue with. For you English nuts, I believe I just ended a sentence with a preposition and I should not. OK.....

What is health care and, for that matter, health insurance?

If I ask that to an audience, someone almost always answers, "It's for when you're sick."

If health care and health insurance is only to be used when you are sick, then where does the health come in? Should it be renamed to sick care and sick insurance?

If most MDs are only trained in sickness, then why do we rely on them to manage our health?

What are you doing to prevent your body from breaking down physically, mentally, or nutritionally?

If we waited for our cars' engines to make funny noises before changing the oil, then how "healthy" would our cars be?

If we waited for a toothache to go to the dentist, then how healthy would our teeth be?

Should I wait until my body breaks down before I choose to seek help? If so, would it cost more money to fix a broken down body or maintain a healthy one?

I really look forward to any comments on this one....

Beef, it's what's for dinner! (cue the music)

Yesterday, when I loaded MSN as I often do, I noticed a story on the front page entitled "Too Much Red Meat May Shorten Lifespan." Then, as I'm sitting at home last night and the evening news comes on I hear the anchor say, "Up next, maybe all that red meat isn't good for you after all." Now I thought I should definitely write about this since the media seems to be freaking out about it.

I find it amusing when a "new study" is published that says exactly what wellness professionals have been saying for a long time and the media acts like it's some new revelation. I saw another article on MSN's front page a couple of days ago that said, "New Study Shows Being Overweight Shortens Lifespan." Of course, my first reaction is, "No way!" in the most sarcastic tone possible.

It is true that too much red meat is not that great for your health. Red meat is pro-inflammatory. In my opinion though, the biggest problem with red meat is all the junk they feed to the cows to bulk them up and fight infections. I'm referring to hormones and antibiotics. This could also lead me into my "We are not cows so we should not drink cows' milk" speech, but I'll save it for another day.

Now before we all denounce beef and all the deliciousness it has to offer, hear me out. Beef is very good for you, but like all things, it should be eaten in moderation. We were created as omnivores, which means we are meant to eat plants and animals. Red meat is very nutritious and contains B vitamins that are very difficult to get and absorb from other places. There are also other essential vitamins and minerals in it as well. Please exercise your googling abilities to check for all its components.

Eating a normal portion of red meat 2 or 3 days a week is moderate enough. The healthier the cow was that gave you your meat, the healthier your meat will be for you. Grass-fed beef is very good, only it has a higher price tag. I am also intrigued with why produce and meats that have cost less to produce cost more in the store. Anyways. I hope this has calmed some fears. Just take it easy and you'll be just fine. Throw in some chicken or fish from time to time (not pork).

As always I look forward to your comments...

"Dr. Rob I think I need a new mattress!"

Today is going to be short and sweet as I know most of you have shorter-than-normal attention spans on Monday mornings. I myself think the weekends are much to short and am never happy to hear the alarm go off early Monday morning.

So, this is a fairly common concern people share with me either before we start care or soon after we start care. Pain in the neck, back, and/or hips in the morning upon waking. The complaint could also be just general tightness. Although in some cases a new mattress would be very beneficial, it is usually not the culprit here.

The biggest problem here is positioning!

Most people do not consider the positions they are sleeping in at night. If you stay in a static (meaning not moving) position for as many as 8 hours, poor positioning of yourself can most definitely either cause problems or aggravate any problems that may already exist. The trick to sleeping correctly is maintaining the most normal alignment for your spine and joints as possible.

The two positions are laying flat on your back or lying on your side with a thin pillow between the knees to prevent them from crossing over and torquing. For a little more comfort on your back, adding a thin pillow behind the knees to cause a slight bend will relax the muscles in the lower back. The worst possible position to sleep in is on your stomach and 1 or both arms above your head. Another big no-no is sleeping on multiple or very thick pillows.

Usually, when my patients correct their sleeping habits, they are able to have more restful sleep and do not wake up with those little aches and pains. This is a much cheaper alternative than buying an expensive mattress. Now sometimes, you just need a new one but most of the time it's the positioning. I know it's hard for some of you to accept it is the user and not the equipment. I have added a photo illustrating proper sleeping positioning to further drive home the point.

As always I look forward to hearing your comments...

"Sorry doc. I can't come see you today. I'm sick!"

I normally hear that statement from time to time, but this year it seems as though that phrase is thrown my way much more often. 2 thoughts immediately come to mind. First, why the heck are so many people getting sick this year compared to others? Second, how ironic is it that a patient says they can't come see the doctor because they or their kids are sick?

As I sat in my chair this morning, my mind began to wander. I began to think about the first question in particular. It seems like people are getting sick left and right at a much higher rate than usual. Now, I haven't done any formal research, that is strictly an observation. Why are people, in general, getting sicker and sicker? Why has this past year seem like the worst it's been in a long time? I have a theory with a very simple explanation.

Are you ready? My answer can be given in one word...............STRESS!

I know most of us blow off stress because everyone has it, but this is some really serious stuff. This past year has been filled with nothing but stress for all of us. The economy, the stock market, layoffs, etc. Pick your poison because there's plenty to go around. All this on top of our normal every day stuff we deal with. All of this stress adds up.

Our bodies are designed to cope with stress through the use of certain hormones. Back in the day when we were cruisin' through the forest looking for food and a tiger jumps out, our body should immediately pump out stress hormones that divert blood and oxygen away from your gut and out to your muscles so you can fight off or run away from it. Once you are removed from that situation then your body is supposed to stop producing them and all goes back to normal. Your body is only designed for short term exposure to these hormones.

Fast forward to today. Now we are working 50 to 60 hours a week, paying bills non-stop, helping the kids with homework, coordinating after school activities, maintaining relationships, maintaining our houses and cars, and dealing with all the new problems the bad economy has brought on each of us. Hopefully by now you are seeing how stressed out our bodies are.

So what does that have to do with our health? A LOT!

Our bodies are chronically producing the stress hormones just so we can make it through each day. This spells bad news for several systems in the body. There is definitely too much of a good thing here.

Recently, there was a bandwagon for cortisol with respect to weight loss. Cortisol is one of the main stress hormones in the body. Over exposure to it has a looooooooong list of side effects. It can cause high blood pressure, lead to type 2 diabetes from messing with your bodies ability to regulate blood sugar, cause hormone problems as it interferes with estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, cause trunkal obesity, and depresses the immune system. Those aren't all the side effects, just some of the major ones.

It's funny because that list actually describes the general population and the problems we are seeing more often. Oh yeah, high cholesterol is in there as well.

So let's bring it home. The collective "we" have greatly increased our stress level this past year and one of the first things that most people cut out are those things we do to improve our health. I'm talking about gym memberships, vitamins, and organic fruits and vegetables. So stress levels go up and healthy things go down. Even if we don't stop the normal healthy things we do, the scales are still tipped on the stress side because of all the new stuff.

The more stressed your body is, the easier it is to get sick. Getting sick now costs you more money because you have to take time off work and pay for doctor visits, and pay for medications. Now when the company looks over their list of employees they have to lay off, will they be more inclined to keep someone who uses all their sick days and then some plus all the insurance claims leading to a higher premium to the company, or will they keep the employee who rarely uses their sick time and never goes to the doctor? I'm just trying to be real and not rain on anyone's parade.

It is very important now, more than ever, that you keep your body healthy. You have to find ways to tip the scale back in favor of health to counter balance the stress and its affects.

A lot of my patients have told me that they missed the flu while the rest of their family passed it around. Some that did get sick have told me they only felt the affects for a day or so while others were down for a week or two. It's no accident that people under regular chiropractic care get sick less often. Your immune system is a direct extension of the nervous system and there is no point where one ends and the other begins.

The theme here is if you do not incorporate changes to your lifestyle to counterbalance the stress in your life, you will begin to experience a downward spiral of health. Be sure to drink at least 1 quart of water a day for every 50 pounds of body weight, eat your fruits and vegetables, do some type of exercise continuous for at least 20 minutes, and by all means get adjusted from time to time.

As always I look forward to your comments....