Mothers, Will You Unite With Me?

Today is 9/9/09 and the voices of our children are about to be heard. I invite you to advocate for the one out of 100 children that are diagnosed with autism. I invite you to be the voice our children do not have. I invite you to be the straw that got the nation to listen!

Nothing ruffles my feathers more than when mothers start to ostracize each other because they have different perspectives on the etiology of autism. Instead of getting into heated debates we should be reaching out and saying, “We agree to disagree, now let’s get things done.”

Let me share with you my perspective.

I find that to say autism can’t be caused by vaccines because your child doesn’t have autism and is fully vaccinated a ridiculous statement. I think that for you to say it can’t be the RhoGam shot because your grandbaby is ‘normal’ and that your daughter got the same shots as I a close minded response. When people say statements like this to me I want to scream, “You are missing the point!”

Let me take a different angle... I started smoking when I was eighteen, and I tinkered with smoking throughout high school and was an avid smoker by the time entered college. For the next ten years, I consistently smoked… sometimes up to two packs a day (graduate school all nighters will do that to you). However, I do not have the dis-ease called lung cancer; why? I smoked and smoking causes cancer. So, is it logical for me to conclude that smoker must NOT cause cancer?

My point is this… just because your child didn’t regress into autism doesn’t mean that the risk and dangers aren’t there. I am not against vaccinations; I oppose the toxins and second most dangerous substance known to man being willingly shoved into our children and expectant mothers. Do you know what your child would be like it he hadn’t been vaccinated? Maybe he would have been even more extraordinary!

Most mothers I know would go to the ends of the Earth for what she believed to be the right thing for her child. I am asking us, mothers, to unite together and use this energy to create a shift. Not just on your home front but nationally.

Demand that the government, scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and media admit we have a national crisis among this generation of children. Demand that fetus, infants, toddlers, and children are no longer subjected to mercury. Demand that we get 3^rd party research from unbiased scientists. Demand that we get the tools we need to see that our children can live productive and healthy lives.

Hydrating Your Body Without Draining Your Wallet: Money Saving Tip #5

The best water of choice is artesian— complete with salts and minerals of the earth.

Lourdes (natural artesian water from France) is considered a miraculous water source and widely recognized as Holy Water among Catholics. This Holy Water has been known to cure sicknesses… I assume this is in relation to artesian water having all the electrolytes the body needs to maintain health. The chemical compounds of artesian water are most conducive with the chemistry of the human body. No wonder it is deemed miraculous.

However, when you are on a budget (and most families these days are), artesian water can be costly. If you ordered Lourdes water online it would cost approximately $132 per 1 1/3 gallon! (OUCH!)

Other artesian water sources that most people are familiar with are Fiji, Evian, and Perrier. You can expect to pay well over $1.00 for a 12 ounce bottle. However, some may argue that obtaining clean water with all the vital electrolytes necessary for the human body may be worth the extra cost.

We consume, as a family of four ,over 15 gallons of drinking water per week. That is over $150 per month just for water… again, if you are on a budget, this is difficult to manage.

If you opt out of the artesian water industry and go for spring water you can expect to pay near $1.00 per gallon. Although, that seems to be a more reasonable price, I do not think you are paying for quality. In order for a label to read ‘spring water’ it only needs to contain 10% spring water. As for the other 90% my best guess is it is probably from a municipal source.

But, even if you make this compromise you are still spending nearly $60 per month for 10% spring water. You end up paying 100% more than the water is really worth. If you read some labels closely the will even say ‘from a municipal source’. In this instance, you end up paying almost $.75 per gallon for something you could get straight from the tap. (That doesn’t make logical sense.)

While depriving the body of the essential electrolytes found naturally in the water extracted from deep within the earth, we compromise our health. Is that really worth it? I cannot answer that question for you— that is a personal decision you will need to make. I do know that in our current economy many families are faced with financial cut backs and unfortunately sometimes that means eliminating things that are good for us.

Another option is to purchase a filtration system for your home. This will purify the water from harsh chemicals like Chlorine which is commonly found in home drinking water. When we moved into our current home, we went from well water to city water. I was astonished that our water straight from the tap smelled like a pool.

Your body absorbs during a 10-15 minute shower the same amount of chlorine you would consume in 8 – 8 ounce glasses of city water. Prolonged exposure to chlorine has been said to cause skin and eye irritation, lung disease, and even cancer.

Other contaminants removed through a filtration system are mercury, lead, and pesticides. Although a whole house filtration system is ideal it, too, can be costly— costing thousands of dollars. A quick cool shower is the best way to reduce toxic exposure without a filteration system.

A filter on the kitchen faucet or even a Britta Picture Filteration System can be well worth the investment. You can economically purchase a 10 cup picture for $21.99 after a $10 coupon from Bed Bath and Beyond. Each filter is good for 100 gallons and is less than $8.00 to replace. With the cost of city water averaging .02 cents per gallon our family can safely consume and cook with filtered water for $1.20 per month plus filter costs.

I am currently looking into how to replace those electrolytes we are missing from true artisian water. I am sure that maybe even supplementing this charcoal filtered water with a bottle of Evian would help... But this seems to be the best economic choice and a step in the right direction towards clean drinking water.

Artificial Dyes in Our Foods, Medications & Cosmetics...

I went to the grocery to purchase hot dogs for our first seasonal cookout… I was shocked when I read the label of a popular brand of dogs that read “Red #40”.

I put them down and went to the pasta aisle. My daughter had been begging me for some real Mac-n-cheese. (Now mind you, her definition and my definition of real differ quite a bit.) I thought this popular side dish would be an okay rare treat to go with the rare dogs, but…

Upon reading the label of the Mac-n-cheese I, also, found yellow dye #5 and #6, as well as monosodium glutamate (MSG) on the box. Having removed all foods containing artificial dyes some time ago from our diets, I just couldn’t do it. So, I left, knowing she was going to be heart-broken… no dogs or Mac-n-cheese!

I suppose that was a small price to pay for her health—Let me explain…

Our foods are laced with millions (yes, millions) of pounds of artificial coal-tar and petroleum based dyes (Red #3, Blue #1, Blue #2, Green #3, Yellow #5, Yellow #6, and Red #40).

Americans consume more than 17.8 million pounds of dyes through food, medication, and cosmetics each year. Your child is expected to consume between 1-3 pounds by the time he/she reaches the age of 13! I am perplexed that the average person doesn’t question some of the food practices we have in this country.

While some dyes are used to make the product look more appealing to the target consumer (blue and pink yogurt) others are used to cover up the beginning stage of spoilage of products such as meat. And yet, other dyes are being used as a procedure to make under-ripe foods look ready to eat as in apples and strawberries. We also have dyes in our pet food, pill coatings, cosmetics, shampoos, ice creams, and popsicles—really the list is endless.

According to Dr. Feingold dyes are toxins to the human body:

Red #3 – Linked to thyroid tumors and chromosomal damage – FDA tried and failed to ban it.

Red #40 – Linked to Lymphomas (lymph tumors) - Banned in European Economic Community (EEC)

Blue # 1 – Linked to chromosomal damage – Banned in France and Finland

Blue # 2 – Linked to Brain tumors – Banned in EEC

Green #3 Linked to Bladder tumors – Banned in EEC

Yellow #5 – Linked to allergies, thyroid tumors, lymphocytic lymphomas, chromosomal damage – Banned in Norway

Yellow # 6 – Linked to allergies, kidney tumors, chromosomal damage – Banned in Norway and Sweden

Isn’t this an awful large risk to take to change the natural color of the foods we eat?

Other findings I came across linked the use of artificial dyes to Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Is it not logical to look at what we are fueling our children with as a possible link to some of the violence, behavior, and developmental issues that are running ramped in today’s industrialized world? I urge everyone to read every label of food that crosses your lips, of products that touch your skin, and more.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest asked the FDA to ban the most common artificial dyes or at least put a warning label on the food packaging: "Warning: The artificial coloring in this food causes hyperactivity and behavioral problems in some children." Yet, the FDA maintains these additives are generally safe.

I cannot tell you what will or will not happen if your child (or you) consumes the globs of artificial dyes in our products, but I can say educate yourself! And If you are concerned with the use of petroleum and coal-tar additives in your foods, meds, and cosmetics here is a few suggestions on how to protect yourself:

1. Write your congressperson and senator and ask them to become more proactive in the government regulation of food safety.

2. Keep a food journal to see what reactions or behaviors your child exhibits after consuming foods laced with these ingredients (with any ingredients, really). Eliminate the foods of suspicion and see if behaviors change.

3. Avoid all foods containing artificial dyes and colors or U.S. Certified Colors.

4. Eat organic certified fruits and vegetables or shop at a local coop/farm.

5. Avoid cosmetics and toiletries containing these ingredients.

Rebounding Beneficial to Adults and Kids

Rebounding can be considered of the best modern day exercises; especially because of its convenience, ease of use, and achievement of a multitude of optimal health results.

The lymphatic system is the garbage collector of the human body. It is full of fluid and toxins. It relies on movement to effectively purge the toxins from its system. The best ways to achieve this movement is through massage and jumping up and down (rebounding). When the lymphatic system is regularly activated, the human body processes toxins naturally, A lymphatic system that is not performing optimally may contribute to

Headaches
Cancer
Heart Disease
Chronic Fatigue
High Blood Pressure
Infections (Viral and Bacterial)
Low Energy
Obesity
And More

Rebounding reduces body fat, provides an aerobic effect on the heart, and increases your energy even when you are tired. If you are too tired to rebound, that is when you need to rebound. When you obtain more energy who have more opportunites for a more gratifying life.

In addition to the health benefits of this exercise— rebounding has a positive effect on children with ASD and ADHD. It can be used to stimulate those with a low energy and it can be used to ground those with hyper-sensitivities. Try having your child jump before meals, bed time, transitions, table work, and car rides.

A crisis in America and it's not the economy!

I have decided to start blogging in order to reach out to others and educate them about things that seem so obvious to me, but not to others. For instance, did you know there is a crisis occurring in America? No it has nothing to do directly with the current condition of our economy. But worse, it does have to do with our children.

Our children are becoming more sick, disconnected and violent than ever before in our history. At alarming numbers they are being diagnosed with autism, ADHD, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and the list goes on. Instead of doing something about this, infrastructures are masking it and cashing in. Have you ever wondered what would happen if we started finding cures for these health crisis's?

I remember vividly in the 7th grade my English Lit teacher telling my class they were on the verge of finding a cure for cancer. Now, it is 25 years later and the condition of cancer continues to claim lives daily. What would happen if a cure was discovered? A more intense economic resession would be occuring. Why? Think about all of the Oncologists, Radiologists, Nurses, Doctors, Pharmacists, Janitors, Receptionists, Lab Workers, Nutritionists, Ect. that depend upon the cancer industry. I propose that it would cost us far too much in dollars and jobs than the people in charge are willing to pay.

When my dad died of pancreatic cancer in 1996 I realized that this system was not as it seemed. I, in turn, became proactive in my health -- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Now that I am a mom I am even more vigilant about our daily habits and mindful about what we put in and on our bodies. I challenge others to become more proactive in their health and the health of their children!