Is the Vaccine-Autism Link a Closed Case? Not According to this Scientist

A lot of people assumed that the vaccine-autism link was completely debunked a few months ago when there was a concerted effort to drag Andrew Wakefield through the mud and completely destroy his career over his mere suggestion in one small 1996 study that there may be a link.

The hoopla, the media hype, and frankly...the psuedo science.  It was clearly a PR campaign lead by a man, Brian Deer, who had very obvious financial ties to the vaccine manufacturers who were indirectly writing his checks.

The autism-vaccine link case is still wide open and being discussed by parents and scientists alike.

Enter in Helen Ratajczak, surprisingly herself a former senior scientist at a pharmaceutical firm.

She has conducted a review of the body of published science since autism was first described in 1943. Every theory ever pro ported - that of thimerosol, measles, and now a new shocking theory has emerged.

Did you know that human tissue is currently used in 23 vaccines?  Human tissue from aborted fetus's. 

Ethical arguments aside, what does that have to do with autism?

"She discusses the increase in autism incidence corresponding with the introduction of human DNA to MMR vaccine, and suggests the two could be linked. Ratajczak also says an additional increased spike in autism occurred in 1995 when chicken pox vaccine was grown in human fetal tissue.

Why could human DNA potentially cause brain damage? The way Ratajczak explained it to me: "Because it's human DNA and recipients are humans, there's homologous recombinaltion tiniker. That DNA is incorporated into the host DNA. Now it's changed, altered self and body kills it. Where is this most expressed? The neurons of the brain. Now you have body killing the brain cells and it's an ongoing inflammation. It doesn't stop, it continues through the life of that individual."

Another interesting passage from this CBS article is this:

A number of independent scientists have said they've been subjected to orchestrated campaigns to discredit them when their research exposed vaccine safety issues, especially if it veered into the topic of autism. We asked Ratajczak how she came to research the controversial topic. She told us that for years while working in the pharmaceutical industry, she was restricted as to what she was allowed to publish. "I'm retired now," she told CBS News. "I can write what I want." 

That's quite a black eye for the pharmaceutical industry.  When you want people to trust you, you don't go around silencing everyone who questions you.

To learn more about vaccines, please visit Birthologie.com

Birth in the U.S.: A Look at the Numbers

<br />Via: Ultrasound Technician

The Greater Good: A Movie You HAVE to See

Despite the maker's best efforts, the controversies surrounding vaccines just aren't going away.

There's a good reason.

There are a lot of gray areas when it comes to vaccines, and parents easily get overwhelmed with information, and oftentimes pressured into making a decision they don't feel completely confident about.

Luckily, the decision of whether or not, or how to vaccinate is about to get easier.

Put the film, The Greater Good, on your must-see or must-buy list.   You'll be glad you did.

To find out more about vaccines, visit Birthologie.com

The Hidden Risks of Using a Crib

When talking about infant sleep and making it as safe as possible, few people think about what may be traps in their baby's crib.  Yeah, they used to be painted with lead paint.  And the slats used to be placed too far apart so the baby's head could get trapped.  And there used to be a discrepancy between the mattress size and the crib frame so there was a gap that a baby could get stuck in.  But all that has been fixed right?  Just make sure you get the right bedding and you're good to go.

Not so fast.

–There is an average of 9,561 crib, playpen, and bassinet injuries a year in American children under two.

–More than 9 million cribs have been recalled by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission since 2007 because of safety issues.

–An average of 113 children died a year from crib-related deaths.

The study authors suggest because of lack of reporting the number of crib-related deaths actually might be much higher. 

This according to a new study, which was just published in the March issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.  To listen to the AAP and JPMA, you'd think that the biggest factor in death and injury during infant sleep was from bed sharing, but according to this study, it looks as if parents need to step back and asses risk through a different lens.

To learn more about infant sleep, please visit Birthologie.com

Preventing Allergies With Something Besides Breastmilk

While breastfeeding is still the number one way to curb allergies in babies and children, new information is emerging about other factors that can contribute to a healthy, balanced system.

...children and adolescents with low levels of vitamin D were found to be sensitive to an average of 11 of the 17 allergens, which included environmental allergens like ragweed and oak, and food allergens like eggs and peanuts. Children with less than 15 nanograms per milliliter (Ng/mL) of vitamin D in their blood, which was the threshold of deficiency used in the study, were 240 percent more likely to have a peanut allergy than children with 30 Ng/mL of vitamin D or higher, for instance.

The findings confirm those of a 2007 Harvard University study that claimed increased sunlight exposure could reduce the onset of both allergies and asthma in children.

Apparently your liver plays a huge role in the onset and severity of allergies.  Having adequate levels of vitamin D makes a huge difference!

So, how do you get adequate levels of this essential hormone?  From Birthologie.com

Pregnant women should definitely be getting at least 4000 IU’s of Vitamin D, although most experts agree that 10,000 IU per day is what we should be shooting for.

What’s the best way to get this amount?  Ideally you should be getting 15-40 minutes of sun per day to get enough vitamin D.

Recommended time in the sun to produce about 10, 000 IU of vitamin D:

Light skin = 15-20 minutes daily
Medium Skin = 25-30 minutes daily
Dark Skin = 40-45 minutes daily

Additional Vitamin D Sources

But what if it’s winter, or you live where the sun is not out that often?  Then, you need to make sure your diet is high in vitamin D and even consider taking cod liver oil supplements, preferably a fermented cod liver oil free of PBC’s and mercury, or organic.

Other naturally occurring sources of Vitamin D are brewer’s yeast, mushrooms, wheat bran, eggs, fish, and raw milk.  Pasteurized milk alters the levels of vitamin D, which is why they have to add synthetic vitamin D in the processed milk.  While these foods are great, it is nearly impossible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from supplementation or your diet alone – the sun is essential to build adequate vitamin D levels.

Most people think that Vitamin D3 is a great source of Vitamin D, but in fact, it is derived from sheep’s wool and isn’t all that assimilated once you take it.

Getting the Most out of Your Sun Exposure

• Even weak sunscreens (SPF=8) block your body’s ability to generate vitamin D by 95%. This is how sunscreen products actually cause disease — by creating a critical vitamin deficiency in the body.
• Ideally exposure should be to prime midday sun (10:00 AM to 2:00 PM) when the UVB rays are strongest; UVB are the kind of sun rays that produce vitamin D on the skin.
• Don’t shower after sun exposure. Natural skin oil is critical to the absorption process since vitamin D is only formed on skin that has enough natural oil formed on its surface and if it stays on the skin long enough after exposure to the sun.

To learn more about Vitamin D and Children, please visit Birthologie.com