What should you do about the Measles outbreak?

A friend informed me of this today ...

Measles Outbreak in Somerset County!!

and since then, multiple patients have been coming in mentioning it.

There is a lot of misinformation about this and I want to give you some life-saving advice.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

I know you're concerned, but let me give you some facts and dispel some myths.

First of all, these outbreaks happen in vaccinated populations all the time.

Measles outbreak in Massachusetts

Measles outbreak in Illinois

This article even claims that current outbreaks in vaccinated and unvaccinated populations are equal to pre-vaccination days!

So for those of you blaming the moms who are choosing not to vaccinate, this is obviously NOT the reason.  In addition, if the vaccines work so well, your vaccinated child should be fine.  If you're doubting that this is the case, there's probably more to the story.

As a (W)holistic Chiropractor, I see kids who are vaccine-injured more than I'd like to admit.  As a matter of fact, as one who was raised on the salary of a pharmaceutical employee, I thought it was complete poppycock when I first heard people blaming vaccines for autism.  "VACCINES SAVE LIVES!" Right? Those crazy conspiracy theorists need to find a better hobby! 

It wasn't until I was three months in practice, when I met my first vaccine-injured patient (MMR shot, in case you were wondering) who was actually getting a payout from the Vaccine Court, that I saw the light.  There was a special COURT for this????  And the government actually ADMITTED that she was hurt by the shot???  That really turned my world around.  

Since then, I have met many more.  Most of them had their reaction after the MMR vaccine while others couldn't tell since many vaccines were given on the same appointment.

So leave the moms alone. They're choosing what they know to be the safest option for their children.

BUT PEOPLE ARE GETTING MEASLES!!

Obviously, if vaccinated kids are getting measles, the vaccine isn't protecting them.  Herd immunity has been blamed for this effect but this is only a widely accepted theory; not fact.  And in the case of herd immunity, the vaccinated children would be safe. It doesn't work the other way around.  There are no studies that I could locate citing proof of herd immunity, anyway; just a compilation of data... but we must remember that correlation does not equal causation and this compilation would suggest that these measles outbreaks would be highly unlikely due to said immunity, so again, something doesn't add up.  

What is the medical world's response to these outbreaks?

MORE VACCINES, OF COURSE!

Because the 30 injections of formaldehyde, thimerosol (mercury), aluminum, and other toxic ingredients we've been injecting into these kids before they even started kindergarten weren't enough to keep them healthy.

Let's think about this.

30 or more doses of TOXINS injected into this tiny child's blood before they turn five years old.  30 or more doses of toxins into a 35 pound living creature. The EPA states that only 0.1 micrograms of mercury per kg of body weight per day is safe.  These kids are roughly 16kg.  And that doesn't even factor in the other ingredients.  There is also evidence that certain children may have a mitochondrial disorder making them specifically sensitive to these metals.

And this is supposed to make them healthier.

If something about that doesn't seem a little off to you, you MAY just be brainwashed by Big Pharma. I know I was.

What I think is remarkable about this particular study is that the conclusion is how necessary it is to vaccinate in highly populated households.  But what comes with a crowded dwelling?  

STRESS!

And this brings me back to my life-saving advice.

The worst thing you can do right now is work yourself into a tizzy.  

People get viruses all the time. And they don't get sick simply because they were exposed to something. Or because they went outside without a jacket. Or because they wore a wet bathing suit on a chilly evening.  Or because their hair was wet on a cold morning.  They get sick because they're STRESSED.  They aren't getting enough sleep.  They're overstimulated by tv's and other screen-based gadgets.  They're under-nourished, over-sugared, over-caffeinated, and their nervous system is fiercely trying to restore balance. Its last attempt is to knock them out for a while so their bodies get the rest they so desperately need!

So do yourself a favor, relax, eat a healthy meal, and get to bed early. This will all blow over shortly.  And if you've waited too long and end up with a sick day, your local (W)holistic chiropractor is here to help get you and your family's systems back in balance.

The Last Announcements of 2012

Dearest Patients and Wellness Advocates, I hope this holiday season is treating you well!  I know many of you received your special gift this week (and really hope you didn't have to use it yet!) and I'm glad it brought a smile.  After all, laughter is the best medicine!  Zack enjoyed playing Santa Paws as well (We know he loves lovin!  For a picture, check out Samsara Chiropractic's Facebook page!) Some announcements: First of all, a reminder that the office will be closed next week. (It's about time I take my own advice and take some vacation time! ;.) We will be in the office New Years' Eve from 10-1 but appointments are filling up fast, (I think we only have two left!) so call NOW! Normal hours will resume January 2nd. Second, most insurance deductibles start over January 1st. Many patients are already pre-paying at the current rate to save in the new year but all pre-pays MUST be complete by January 1st. Don't miss out! Third, I want to share some wonderful upcoming opportunities: The next Dinner with the Doc is  Tuesday, January 8th at 6:30pm at  Social 156 North Gaston Ave Somerville. "How To Kill The Common Cold!" Learn how to stop a cold in it's tracks.  Learn what REALLY makes you sick and how to naturally bring your body back into balance. Also, due to popular demand, we will be having an encore presentation of the movie, "Doctored" Saturday, January 19th at 3pm.  Make sure to RSVP with the front desk for all events!  We need to know how many chairs to provide and we need to advise the wonderful folks at Social how much food they need for us! Keep in mind that these events are included in the cost of your care, so I encourage you to take advantage of them!  I also know that many of you have friends or family that you have been trying to encourage to come see us. These events are a great opportunity for them to come and get their questions answered without any pressure or fees!  Our mission is to get our message out and provide care (and hope!) to those who need it.  I hope, since you were most likely in that place before finding us as well, that you will help us help them! Finally, some of you are aware that I organize an organic produce co-op pick-up point around the corner from the office through Purple Dragon. There are currently a very limited number of openings, but if you know someone who might be interested in getting high quality, affordable, local when available, farm-fresh produce every two weeks, please have them contact me.  I've been a customer of theirs for over 15 years and have never been disappointed. And on that note, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas. Stay safe! Yours in health, Dr. Redmond

Confessions of a Self-Abuser

Abuse is a tricky thing...

It can be blatant... or, more often than not,  it can sneak up on us in covert ways until our self-esteem has crumbled and we don't even know how we got to this sad, insecure place.

I suspect most of us have felt abused at some point in our lives, and the feelings said abuse harbors are certainly not pleasant...

But it occurred to me, as I was thinking one day, how often we abuse ourselves.

We overindulge in food, drink, sleep, and activity.  We work ourselves too hard in our careers and our workouts.  We criticize ourselves...  I mean, really, we are our own worst enemy!  And yet we get angry at others who would treat us with such disrespect!

This train of thought really shifted my approach to my diet and exercise... and to my life in general.

How can I get angry at others for treating me with the same standards (or sometimes better than) I treat myself?

So starting now, I have a new filter for all my decisions.

"In this choice, am I respecting my life and myself in the way I would want others to respect me?"

Certainly puts a new spin on that giant slice of cheesecake that keeps you from achieving your goal weight.

Or that cigarette that's polluting your lungs.

Or that neurotoxin we call "alcohol."

I'm not saying we can't indulge, but smoking, overeating, drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, pushing ourselves to exhaustion, going to bed too late... it's all just self-abuse!  And when we look at it through that lens, it certainly changes our decision making process.

How are you abusing yourself?  And more importantly, which abusive behaviors are you going to stop?

I don't believe in the Germ theory.

"I don't believe in the Germ theory."

I remember laughing at the absurdity of this statement when I was in chiropractic school.  After all, this is something we learn about from birth!  We get exposed to a germ, it infects us, and we get sick.  Done deal. Simple. There were actually people who claimed they "didn't believe" in this simple concept.  REALLY?  How could they be so ignorant? 

But one day, I decided to put my pre-programmed dogma aside and really think about this idea. 

Microscopic organisms (e.g. bacteria, viruses, fungal spores, etc) cover every surface we come in contact with (with the exception of perhaps the operating theater where surgery is preformed, and even then, germs get in).  They even cover our skin and line the walls of our digestive tract.  They reside in every orifice of our body.  Many of them are even beneficial and necessary to our survival!  This means that more than likely, we are actually exposed to the critters that cause colds and flus almost every day of our life!  Staph and strep are regular residents on and in our body.  If you want to know what else might be living on you and are immune to the heebie jeebies, click here. (Otherwise, just keep reading.)

So why don't we all have staph and strep infections all the time???

Because most of us have an extremely effective immune system!!  Our body is constantly working to keep our little ecosystem in balance. This is why a group of people can all be exposed to the same infected individual, but they don't all get sick.  So it really isn't as simple as just getting infected, is it?  Because if our body is properly cared for, we can defend ourselves!  The same concept applies when it comes to the diseases we are vaccinated against.  We can defend ourselves from those, too!  Aren't we amazing creations?!

There are many things we can do to strengthen our immune system to help fend off these invaders.  Stay tuned for that upcoming post. 

Looking forward to helping you have a happy and healthy Holiday season!!

Dr. Redmond