If you understand the null hypothesis, the burden of support is with those who disagree with it.

I have mentioned the recombinomics reference twice and you can find the link on the SWINE FLU thread if you are asking for support for the creation of the swine flu and others.

If you are looking for support that vaccines don't work, I looked up some new ones and added several to my collection. It has convinced me to be stronger in my principles than ever before. Thanks for the encouragement. Here's one you can read online:

"Resurgence of Disease in a Highly Immunized Population of Children"
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/331/1/16

I'd be most interested in hearing your response to it. Especially in regards to the following:

• "Eighty-five percent of the children 6 to 12 years old who had pertussis had received four or more doses of the DPT vaccine."
• "We cannot claim that one vaccine is less efficacious than the other, since a properly designed efficacy study has not been performed."

What I find amusing is that even though the older children were the ones coming down with pertussis, and these "who had been appropriately immunized", their conclusion is to recommend an "accelerated schedule of DPT vaccination". Huh? These children were timely vaccinated appropriate for their age, and yet more got the disease not only "correlated" with doses received, but at an older age. So we need to step up the vaccination schedule?

I have no reason to believe these researchers were being dishonest. They were only trying to make sense of the observations. Stepping up the immunizations is the only thing they could see because, "it's all we've got". They just don't know.

What I find interesting is comments they made about the outbreak occurring in the "suburban white middle class, who had private insurance and excellent access to medical care". They suggested it may be biased due to reporting. The culture shouldn't even be considered since they were vaccinated, if vaccinations work. May I suggest it might have to do with what the white middle class may be eating or doing?

I'd like to hear your comments on the article and now it's your turn to present an article supporting your point of view on vaccinations.

1) I never recommend aspirin/tylenol for reducing fever. I never use them myself, even for a headache. Fever is the body's method of fighting the illness. By reducing the fever, you are reducing the body's natural defense, and working against the immune system. Reducing the fever may be more comfortable, temporarily, but the body will take more time to recover from the illness.

2) I know a doctor who tried to clear a "dead" rattlesnake off the hot summer road. It had been run over, and appeared dead. It wasn't. It bit his hand. Mature rattlesnakes are considered less poisonous than the very young ones, because the latter have not learned to meter their poison and inject most all of what they have. However, an injured rattler gives more too. The hospital administered two doses of the antivenin. The antivenin is just as poisonous as the venom, something like sodium and chloride both being toxins when separate. So the hospitals do not want to overdo the antivenin. In addition, the antivenin is precious (both in terms of cost and supply).

The doctor's arm swelled magnificently and turned purple, to say nothing of the pain. Rattlesnake venom destroys muscle tissue, among other things. After a night's stay in hospital, and deciding not to request more antivenin, the doctor returned to his own office where he experimentally self-treated his arm with an I.V. of high-dosage Vitamin C. The antivenin had seemingly had only a mild effect on the swelling and pain, but the Vitamin C worked much more quickly on it, almost immediately reducing both. The doctor repeated this again the next day, and another time or two after that. A week or two later his arm was back to normal, with no apparent lasting damage.

Of course, Vitamin C is not a drug any more than a lemonade is a drug. After this experience, the doctor knows what he will recommend to patients who come in with rattlesnake bites.

3) Antibiotics may not have been included in Mrs. White's definition of "drugs." Not every pill, serum, cream and elixir is a "drug." There are substances which are not considered drugs, but rather "medicines." Even these should only be used if absolutely necessary.


Here in Taiwan, the culture is of such a nature that doctors always prescribe plenty of drugs. If you go to the hospital seeking help for a painful sore on your skin, or perhaps you need stitches for a deep gash, they will likely load you up with a list of drugs to take home: an antibiotic, an anti-viral medication, a pill to reduce swelling, one or two for pain, and possibly an antiseptic cream to boot. They will tell you to take each of these pills at least three or four times a day, and you are to pick them up at the dispensary on the way out of the hospital. If the doctor does NOT prescribe a lot of medicine, the people here are led to believe that it was not a good doctor!

As for me, I have several times accepted the in-hospital treatment, and then thrown the drugs away (or am simply very selective in which of the prescriptions I use--and I never use one that I do not know what it is, which is most everything since I don't read Chinese).

Well...those are my principles. It is my firm conviction that each of us should act as "doctor" over our own health. The doctor may recommend some things, and I respect the doctor's recommendations, but I have the final say. After all, I am the one who must live with the results and who knows my body's condition and needs best.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Double Hmm.. I have a 3 month old son, and steer clear away from plastics, and use glass bottles, and silicone (for nipple).
After doing the research which I spent a week on prior to making an informed purchasing decision I went with bottles, and do not use plastics in the home or at work.
Here is another study:
BPA2

God Bless,
WIll

Kland,
Case in point.. You just asked me if I eat meat, that makes it three times, and flying under the guise of our Health Message is being attacked.
Where is exercise in what you are proposing? This is what I am talking about, you say our health message is being attacked, but fall back to meat eating.
This is soooo boring, and cliche, and just outright tired that it loses its meaning and appears more of broken record, or hobby horse.. Been there done that, bought the T-Shirt.
Come up with something more meaningful for today. something that makes one wonder what is really going on, what should we do, and how can we be healthy.. I personally do not associate veganism with being equal to having my name written in the Book of The Lamb, and if you plan on going down that road you will be sorely disappointed.
THe church I use to attend, had alot of vegetarians, but all these health issues, only a handful really made a difference cause they incorporated so many different aspects, such as exercise, knowing what was healthy to purchase in the vegetable aisle, knowing how to clean their fruits and veggies from the toxins sprayed on them, and they bought eggs from the farmers.. Yes Eggs, not EggPlant.
Thats what I'm talking about, not tired information.. We live in a brave new world my friend, its time to use what we have and make the most out of it.. Its called Wisdom.
God Bless,
Will

GreenCOchoa,
Is there a point when reducing a fever might be a good idea in the form of cold water or an ice bath?
A cousin of mine is a physician and she mentioned years ago about the dangers of the body temperature going to high that can cause convulsions, and in order to prevent that you need to put the person in an ice bath, or cold water immediately.

When do we know the threshold of such a case? I forgot the context in which she mentioned this, and it was years and years ago.

God Bless,
Will

Will, I hope your wife nursed at least the first week so the child got the colostrum that helps with immunity! "This liquid contains a lot of immunological factors, which are passed to the neonate and provides the first protection against pathogens. The passive immunity from mother gets transferred to the newborn."

They don't use the "Barefoot Doctors Manuel" in Taiwan!

Hi Crater,
Oh yes our son got colostrum even when I had to feed him myself
I bought the glass bottles just in case for some reason I had to bottle feed him.
There is a list at the maternity ward with a side by side comparison of the nutrients in Colostrum & Formula. The chart is around 5 feet in height with Colostrum going all the way down, and the formula only filled about 1/8th of the chart if that..

I learned a lot and am still learning lots.
God Bless,
Will

Thats great! Is this your first?

Yes, Will, there is a point at which it is appropriate to bring the fever down. Cold water is a harmless way of doing so, but putting a feverish child into ice water will seem like cruel treatment to the child.

The point at which a fever is "too high" is about 105 degress Fahrenheit or above. A fever of up to 104 is generally considered safe. I have had fever as high as 104 more than once in my life. I vaguely remember once as a child going closer to 106...though I would have to ask my parents if they remember how much it was. At that point, I did become delirious, and I think they were putting cold water on me.

As far as I understand, it is the head which should not get too hot. There's little damage to the rest of the body that can happen, but the brain should not get overheated. No matter how high the fever, a cold wet cloth on the forehead or around the neck can be very comfortable (and I like to soak my hair in cold water).

However, it is rare that a fever ever goes too high. Almost all fevers will be well within reasonable limits. Of course, it is always good to monitor the fever, to know where it's at, just in case. If you need to see a physician, the fever temperature data will be helpful in the process of diagnosing the illness.

Many doctors, parents, and school nurses, etc. will advocate using Tylenol or Aspirin to reduce any fever above 101 degrees, but this is simply not necessary. Above 104, I would use cold water. If cold water would not bring it down, I might consider using the drugs. At that point, you weigh the risks of the side-effects of the drugs against the risk of the loss of brain cells from the temperature. But ice water should be adequate if used properly.

NOTE: I am not a doctor, only well-versed on health issues due to experience and background. Any comments here do not substitute for professional medical advice. In an emergency, seek a physician.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.