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Vaccines and Autism

2008-08-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

It is a huge debate on whether or not Vaccines cause Autism, and the answer is simple, we really

don’t know yet. It is possible, and maybe not, but then again until there is substantial research completed, here is what is known so far.

“In the 1970s one in 10,000 children was diagnosed, whereas now it affects one in 150,” states the Know Vaccines website. In the 1940s and 1950s autism was a problem for the upper and upper-middle socioeconomic classes, basically only those who could afford healthcare and vaccines. (Know, n.d.) In the 1970s the government started developing programs that would make vaccines obtainable to everyone and autism was no longer restricted to the wealthy. (Know, n.d.) Know goes onto discuss how vaccines contain mercury at an amount that is over the limit for an adult according to EPA standards. Another factor that supports the theory that Autism is caused by vaccines is to compare Autism to the affects of mercury poisoning. (Know, n.d.) Both Autistic patients and mercury poisoning victims exhibit the exact same symptoms. (Know, n.d.)

The problem with the claims that Autism is caused by the mercury in vaccines is the simple fact that mercury has been removed from all vaccines in 2001 and still there is an increase in the number of Autism rates. (Wallis, 2008) In the recent case of Hannah Poling, a nine year old little girl diagnosed with Autism after receiving five vaccines at once, the CDC is claiming that her rare mitochondrial disorder was the cause of her Autism. (Wallis, 2008)

In my opinion I don’t think that there is enough evidence to support either the theory that vaccines cause Autism or whether they do not. We need more research. As for me being a mom though I can’t help but worry about my child’s well-being. I do get her vaccinated, but I do not stick to the recommended regimen that her pediatrician prescribes. Instead I only allow one to two vaccines at a time, just in case. For parents who wish in some states it is legal to opt out of getting their child vaccinated.

References

Know the Autism Vaccine Connection. (n.d.)

Retrieved August 16, 2008 from Know Vaccines website:

http://www.know-vaccines.org/autism.html

Wallis, C. Case Study: Autism and Vaccines. (March 10, 2008)

Retrieved August 16, 2008 from Time website:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1721109,00.html

Triclosan

2008-08-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

According to the 1.Wikipedia, Triclosan is used in toys, deoderants, household cleaning products, toothpastes, and quite a few other products, over 140 according to the 2.Environmental Working Goup, as an antibacterial. The Environmental Working Group went on to say that, after it is ingested, the chemical ends up in a mother's breast milk and could potentially harm an infant or a fetus.

The EWG isn't quite sure just what effects the chemical has on the body because the Environmental Protection Agency failed to test it before giving the go-ahead to the FDA to allow manufacturers to use it. (2)

Wikipedia stated that triclosan can combine with chlorine in tap water to form chloroform gas.

Well now that we have uncovered the truth about just one more chemical that the FDA let slide, lets review some common sense.
1. Read labels
2. Don't buy products containing Triclosan
3. Join the mailing list of the EWG to keep you informed of all the horrors that you may be subjecting your children to.

Effective Statements

2008-08-04T15:56:00.000-07:00

Using I Statements instead of You Statements and owning your feelings can increase understanding and decrease arguments when communicating feelings.

For example:
You Statement: You make me mad.
I Statement: I feel upset when you don't remember to take out the trash.
You Statement: You are so selfish.
I Statement: I feel like my opinions don’t matter to you, when you don’t ask what I think.
You Statement: You never help me around the house.
I Statement:I feel like all the housework resides on my shoulders and I was hoping that you might agree to clean the dishes after dinner when I cook.

Just by taking the time to reword what you are saying can make the other person more responcive and less hostile improving your communication.

Utilizing Metacommunication to Diffuse an Argument

2008-07-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

Metacommunication literally means communication about communication. For example: If you were to ask someone, "What did you mean by that comment?" That question would be communication about communication.
Some arguments start out as simple disagreements and then turn into a competition to see who has the last word. In such cases nothing is accomplished by the argument. To get to a place where there can be a compromise or an understanding simply stop and ask yourself and your partner, "Why are we arguing?" Once you re-establish the problem take a deep breath. Continue asking your partner questions like, "How does/did that make you feel, what were you thinking when I said/did this," and so on. Eventually you and your partner will reach an understanding of where the other is coming from and then you can make a compromise.

Deenky Deenky

2008-07-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

I have a 15 month old little girl and she is just learning how to talk. Well every time she fills her diaper I call her, "Stinky." Today I was reading a textbook when she came up to me, crawled up on my lap and said, "Deenky, Deenky." I knew instantly what she was trying to say from the smell and she continued saying it until after she was changed.

Preventing Premature Aging of the Skin

2008-07-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

The number one cause of premature aging of the skin is the sun. So here are a couple of quick tips to keep the sun at bay.

1. Avoid going out in the sun when the rays are the strongest, usually around noon
2. Wear sunscreen
3. Don't deliberately tan
4. Use a daily facial moisturizer with at least SPF 15

Quick Tip to Help Lose Weight

2008-07-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

An article in Yahoo news written by Will Dunham suggests keeping a detailed food diary that includes everything you eat and drink along with the calorie count. According to Dunham, a study was performed using over 1600 women and those who used a diary lost twice as much weight.

Oxybenzone, An Ingredient Found in Sunscreens is Hazardous

2008-07-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

A study performed by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2008, showed that 96.8% of urine samples tested for oxybenzone tested positive. (3)
Oxybenzone is an organic compound made from benzophenone, and is known for absorbing ultraviolet rays, but what isn't well known about the compound is that it is actually absorbed by the skin. (3) Upon absorption into the body, oxybenzone attacks the DNA in cells causing damage and interrupts hormones in the body. (1) According to Pitman (2008), "Another study found that baby girls whose mothers were exposed to the chemical during pregnancy had a lower birth weight."
Oxybenzone is found in over 588 sunscreens in the United States. (1) What this really means, is that in order to stay safe, everyone needs to pay attention to what they are purchasing when they buy a sunscreen. Always read the labels and look out for the ingredient oxybenzone. Another way to protect yourself and your family is by joining a group like the Environmental Working Group that sends out e-newsletters to keep you informed on the latest chemicals and research.
One last thing to think about, the FDA does not have any restrictions regarding sunscreens, so just because the bottle says that it has an SPF of 40 does not mean that you are adequately covered. (2)

Resources
1)Pitman, S. (2008, March). EWG campaign highlights study on sunscreen ingredient
Retrieved July 3, 2008 from
http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/news/ng.asp?id=84232

2)Downs, J. (2008, July). Most Sunscreens Either Useless or Unsafe
Retrieved July 3, 2008 from the Environmental Working Group Website:
http://www.ewg.org/node/26803

3) Oxybenzone (n.d.)
Retrieved July 3, 2008 from Wikipedia Website:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxybenzone

Diabetes on the Rise

2008-06-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number of patients with diabetes has increased by 3 million in two years.
To read the entire article at CNN click HERE

Little Things

2008-06-26T07:16:00.001-07:00

I was told by a psychology professor that after two years of being with someone the butterfly feelings disappear. So you no longer have that feeling of being "In Love" with the person. My thoughts are simple, the "In Love" feeling is nothing more than your bodies hormonal response to another person and that real love is putting forth the dedication to making it work through the good and the bad. I have also come to find that the "In Love" hormones do come back from time to time, just by doing little things to surprise the other person. Sometimes my husband brings me flowers just because and sometimes I make him breakfast in bed just because. The butterflies can comeback as long as the two in the relationship make it a point to be spontaneous.

Headaches

2008-06-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons why people get headaches, and those who have had them wish that there was a way to avoid them altogether. Here are a few preventative methods:
1 Exercise regularly
2 Get enough sleep
3 Sit up straight and stand up straight
4 Take it easy on the caffeine
5 Eat on time
6 Watch your chocolate intake
If you still have headaches a natural approach to dealing with them is to add alfalfa, vitamin B, and/or a vitamin E supplements.1 Alfalfa is known as an anti-inflammatory especially for sinus pressure, vitamin B balances hormonal deficiencies, and vitamin E increases capillary blood flow.1

For more information on supplements click HERE

1. Wilmore, M. Nutritionist. COMMON AILMENTS Headaches
Retrieved June 25, 2008, from Doing Life Intentionally Together
www.healthyfiles.com/DLITFiles/Headaches/Natural%20Approaches%20Program/
COMMON%20AILMENTS%20Headaches.pdf

Environmental Protection Agency: Recycling Facts and Figures

2008-06-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

According to the EPA, "The United States recycles 32.5% of waste including: 52% of all paper, 31% of all plastic bottles, 45% of all aluminum beer cans and soft drinks, 63 percent of all steel packaging, and 67 percent of all major appliances are now recycled." The EPA then goes on to state that in 20 years we have gone from just 1 curbside recycling program to 8,660.

I think that it is wonderful to see the progress that we have made in 20 years. There is so much that has yet to be done to help our environment. I know that plastic is a great invention, but it does not have a half life, so every piece of plastic thrown in the dump stays there forever.

To Read More on Recycling Click HERE

Vitamin B6 to Help Morning Sickness

2008-06-24T19:59:00.001-07:00

In a study women who were less than 16 weeks pregnant were given either vitamin B6 or a placebo every 8 hours for a period of 72 hours.1 It was concluded that the women taking vitamin B6 experienced a significant decrease in nausea and vomiting as opposed to the women who were given a placebo and didn't experience any difference.1

1.Ginger, Vitamin B6 and Nausea in Pregnancy (2004)
Retrieved June 24, 2008, from Healthy Files
http://www.healthyfiles.com/DLITFiles/Pregnancy%20and%20Lactation/General%20
Information/Ginger,%20Vitamin%20B6%20and%20Nausea%20in%20Pregnancy.pdf

The Truth About Talc

2008-06-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

Talc is a mineral that is commonly found in makeup, baby powders, deodorants, and many other household products.1 According to the Cancer Prevention Coalition, " Talc is closely related to the potent carcinogen asbestos, and there is a strong correlation between talc and tumors in human ovaries and lungs."
To protect yourself and your loved ones the Cancer Coalition urges you to read the ingredient lists on the back of products and not purchase anything containing talc.

For information on talc free makeup click HERE

1. Risks of Talcum Powder. (n.d.) Retrieved June 24, 2008.
From the Cancer Prevention Coalition University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health
http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/cosmetics/talc.htm
To Read This Article Click HERE

Environmental Action Blog: The Sad and Unfortunate Truth About Wasteful Spending

2008-06-24T05:54:00.000-07:00

Environmental Action Blog: The Sad and Unfortunate Truth About Wasteful Spending

Living In A Toxic World: Buy Less and Buy Smart

2008-06-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

Living In A Toxic World: Buy Less and Buy Smart

Preventing In-Home Poisonings

2008-06-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

According to the Home Safety Council (2008), "More than 92% of the poisonings reported last year occurred at home." For me it is more a reality than a statistic.
I have a beautiful 14 month old daughter. She is everything to me. A couple ofweeks ago, I was cleaning the bathroom, while she was roaming around the house, or so I thought. Little did Iknow, she was in the bathroom with me. I briefly turned around to grab the cleaner that I was going to use to remove the scum from around the bathtub, and I discovered that it wasn't where I had left it. My daughter had a hold of it, and her mouth was around the nozzle of the spray bottle. I thought that I had placed it far enough out ofher reach, but I was wrong. I have never been so scared in my life. I called poison control at 1-800-222-1222. The guy on the other end of the line had to calm me down. He informed me that household cleaners have a bitter taste and if she had swallowed any, it wouldn't have been much. I then called her doctor. I came to the conclusion that she hadn't actually swallowed any, but even with that I decided to switch all of our householdcleaners to non-toxic, organic, biodegradable cleaners. Now I have the luxury of knowing that it will neverhappen again.

To read the Home Safety Council tips click HERE
For more information on non-toxic cleaners click HERE

Reducing Friction in Personal Relationships

2008-06-23T19:47:00.000-07:00

When you are in close contact with someone, you are bound to argue. It's the little things that you didn't notice at first about the other person that slowly begin to drive you nuts after a while.

My husband and I hardly ever argued until after we were married for over a year, and then it seemed like we were always fighting over small insignificant things. It wasn't until a few months ago when we spent an entire day arguing over an empty cereal box that he had left on the counter, even though it takes a total of two seconds to put it in the recycle bin, that I decided to make a change. Instead of nagging him to death about small things, I realized that if I reminded myself that he is a hard worker, good provider, great husband, dedicated father, and altogether a selfless person that the little things do not bother me as much. It has worked wonders. I have also recently taken this idea and applied it to the other people in my life and just by looking for the good in people I feel not only better about others but I also feel better about myself.

Why Weightloss is Difficult

2008-06-23T19:36:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight knows just how difficult it can be. Weightloss is a mathematical equation, burn more calories than you eat. Simple, right? Not exactly. When you reduce your caloric intake, your body thinks that it is being starved and starts attacking your muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat and with the loss of muscle, your metabolism drops. (Shier, Butler, Lewis, 2006) So the only way to continue to lose weight, and to keep from regaining the weight, is to protect your muscles.

Leucine, an amino acid not synthesized in the body, according to Wikipedia, "slows the degradation of muscle tissue by increasing the synthesis of muscle proteins."

So very simply put: To lose weight, reduce caloric intake, exercise, and take a supplement with leucine.

Resources
Shier, D., Butler, J., Lewis, R.,
(2006). Hole's Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology.
New York: McGraw-Hill
Leucine, (n.d.)
Retrived June 23, 2008, from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leucine