Cutting Out the Clutter; January 2012 Newsletter
The Meaning of Giving; Dec. 2011 Newsletter
To Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate (or Maybe Something in Between?)
By Dr. Denise Ingrando
Before I was pregnant my view of vaccines was quite lackadaisical. As a child, my parents immunized me and I succumbed to the medical theory, because I did not know otherwise. I figured it was par for the course to get immunized, expect to feel feverish and sick for a while and then get over everything and be immune! However, the minute I held my child and watched him develop and grow, my entire view of the world changed.
I questioned everything! Were vaccines really safe and the responses to them “normal”? What about an alternative approach to immunity? How could I protect him? I spent hours upon hours using my research skills acquired in graduate school to dig up any research I could find on the topic; both pro- and anti-vaccine. Personally, I found that the risks of vaccinating outweighed the benefits. As a graduate student at Palmer Chiropractic College in Florida, I attended many lectures regarding the Germ Theory- of the body’s ability to heal itself and that GERMS DON’T KILL; but rather it’s the body’s inability to respond to these germs properly due to nervous system interference that can cause symptoms and illness.
I absolutely believe in the body’s ability to heal itself and feel that injecting a potentially deadly or neurotoxic substance into the body unnecessary. In fact, research performed by a medical doctor at the New York Medical Institute concluded that people under regular chiropractic wellness care have immune systems that are 200-400% stronger than those not under regular chiropractic wellness care(1)!
Think about it- if the nervous system regulates immune system function, and nervous system interference is removed by way of the chiropractic adjustment, then the immune system is getting the message from the brain at 100% function and is able to perform optimally. This increase in immune system function is extremely important, especially knowing that the body may bring in the virus through several lines of defense- the skin, the mucosa of the nasal passages, the acidity in the stomach as well as the beneficial microorganisms that line the intestines, mouth and upper respiratory tract. No matter how the body is exposed to an infection the immune system will be able to take care of the body if it is given the chance to be optimally functioning.
In children, the immune system is not mature until about the age of seven years old (2). This is why natural immunity stemming from the mother’s body passed on to the baby in utero via the placenta is key to immune system function as is any added immunity given through breast milk (2,3). This passive immunity, is wonderful but unfortunately short lived. Active immunity, on the other hand, is long lasting and is acquired through exposure of the various microorganisms we encounter day to day (2,3). Whether or not you develop symptoms of a particular organism depends on your body’s ability to handle what it has been exposed to.
Family Wellness Chiropractors like those at Healing Hands Chiropractic specialize in educating patients on the various lifestyle choices that may cause nervous system interference and work with each individual and family to eliminate those causes by giving advice regarding proper posture, good nutrition and stress management to name just a few.
Deciding to vaccinate is such a personal decision, but whatever your choice may be, why not give you and your family the chance to have your bodies working optimally and fighting off infection more efficiently through chiropractic care?
To learn more about how chiropractic can boost your family’s immune system, as well as additional information on vaccines, alternative solutions and/or immunization schedules please feel free to book an appointment with our doctors. Scheduling an appointment can be done by calling the office at 603-434-3456 or conveniently online.
Healing Hands Chiropractic- A Family Wellness Center also offers massage therapy, reiki therapy, acupuncture and Chinese herbs, yoga & meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. All of our practitioners are more than happy to help you and your family in exploring the many options to achieving health and wellness!
(2)http://www.whatreallyworks.co.uk/start/kidszone.asp?article_ID=559
(3)http://www.answers.com/topic/immune-system-development
(1)http://www.caryleadsgroup.com/article/Chiropractic_and_the_Immune_System#fn3 (and articles that follow)
Korr IM: “Andrew Taylor Still memorial lecture: Research and Practice a century later.” J Am Osteopathy Assoc 1974 73:362.
Murray DR, Irwin M, Reardon CA, et al. “Sympathetic and immune interactions during dynamic exercise. Mediation via a beta 2 adrenergic-dependent mechanism.” Circulation 1992 86(1): 203
Pero R. “Medical Researcher Excited By CBSRF Project Results.” The Chiropractic Journal, August 1989; 32.
Brennan P, Graham M, Triano J, Hondras M. “Enhanced phagocytic cell respiratory bursts induced by spinal manipulation: Potential Role of Substance P.” J Manip Physiolog Ther 1991; (14)7:399-400.
Selano JL, Hightower BC, Pfleger B, Feeley-Collins K, Grostic JD. “The Effects of Specific Upper Cervical Adjustments on the CD4 Counts of HIV Positive Patients.” The Chiro Research Journal; 3(1); 1994.
Felton DL, Felton SY, Belonged DL, et al. “Noradrenergic sympathetic neural interactions with the immune system: structure and function.” Immunol Rev. 1987 Dec;100:225-60.
Related articles: The Winsor Autopsies; The Story of Masha & Dasha
New Research Shows: Chiropractic Care for Children is Safe and Effective
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
September 16, 2009 Jeanne Ohm, DC info@icpa4kids.com
New Research Shows:
Chiropractic Care for Children is Safe and Effective
The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association’s (ICPA) ground breaking study, The Safety and Effectiveness of Pediatric Chiropractic: A Survey of Chiropractors and Parents in a Practice-Based Research Network, was published this month in the prestigious, biomedical journal, Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. The objective of this study was to describe the practice of pediatric chiropractic, including its safety and effectiveness.
The results of the study determined that “ the indicated primary reason for chiropractic care of children was “wellness care.” With respect to condition-based presentations, musculoskeletal conditions were the most common, in addition to nonmusculoskeletal conditions of childhood. Treatment-associated complications were not indicated by the chiropractic and parent responders. Chiropractor responders indicated three adverse events per 5,438 office visits from the treatment of 577 children. The parent responders indicated two adverse events from 1,735 office visits involving the care of 239 children. Both sets of responders indicated a high rate of improvement with respect to the children’s presenting complaints, in addition to salutary effects unrelated to the children’s initial clinical presentations.”
Dr. Joel Alcantara, ICPA Research Director and presenting author said, “ This paper shows the preliminary results of the ICPA’s Children’s PBRN – Phase One. Phase two is well under way and we have initiated similar research pertinent to pregnancy. We are pleased that a major CAM Journal respects the importance of chiropractic care for children and we foresee greater collaboration with the CAM community on the importance of chiropractic care for children.”
Dr. Jessica L. Caruso of Healing Hands Chiropractic in Londonderry, NH, family chiropractor and member of the ICPA says, ” I am pleased to be affiliated with an organization dedicated to chiropractic family wellness research. It is wonderful to see research substantiating the safety of chiropractic care for children and the overwhelming satisfaction of parents with children under care.”
The ICPA is the oldest and largest pediatric organization in the chiropractic profession. Their mission is Research, Training and Public Education on behalf of family wellness. To find our more about chiropractic and children or to locate a doctor who cares for children visit www.icpa4kids.org
Visit the ICPA practitioner website to view the abstract. www.icpa4kids.com
Copyright © 2009 International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) all rights reserved. All or part of this message may be retransmitted for information purposes, but may not be used for any communal purpose, posted on a website, or used in any non-ICPA publication (other than that of an ICPA affiliate) without the permission of the ICPA.
Got Fever Phobia? Bring Your Child to the Chiropractor!
Fever Phobia
Our society is inundated with numerous commercials pushing fever -suppressing products. Parents are bullied into thinking that if they were good parents- they’d have their cabinets stocked with these products at all times to administer at the first sign of their child’s fever. Following these commercials’ advice is negatively affecting their children’s built-in natural mechanism to fight disease.
Fever phobia is escalated by “urban legends” of children who were severely harmed by having a high fever that caused seizures and/or brain injuries. In reality these problems are never caused by the fever but rather the illness itself is what caused the injury.
Pediatricians who are prescribing drugs to reduce fevers are doing these children a great disservice. Reducing the fever will do nothing to make the child well. In fact our bodies have an innate mechanism that prevents an infection-induced temperature from reaching dangerous levels. Please note that in cases of heatstroke, poisoning, or other externally caused fevers this innate mechanism does not operate correctly and immediate medical attention must be sought.
In cases of a child having an infection induced fever it is important to trust the body’s natural process and understand the importance of childhood illness and the necessity of fever as an important aspect of immune system growth and development.
We invite you to make a new patient chiropractic visit for your child today to learn how chiropractic care can help increase your child’s immune system by up to 200%.
Ref: Pathways to family wellness, Issue 22, Summer 2009, pp 12-13.