54% of Kids Have Chronic Disease

54% of Kids Have Chronic Disease

This statement was made in relation to a movement asking for vaccines to be studied before continuing to push them on babies. Did you know that a study has yet to be done on their safety? If you want to click off of this page because you think I'm a nut, please watch this quickly first:
https://www.facebook.com/HighWireTalk/videos/825831454418159

The reason I am paying attention to this is not that I've been into good health for the entertainment value. It is because I have a sick child. If I'm being honest, I have two sick children. But only one has reached a critical level with symptoms affecting day to day health.

My sick child is 16 years old and has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. It took a few months and a visit with a functional medicine doctor to face where this whole ordeal started, and it wasn't recent. I realized that it came from antibiotic use from ages 3-7 when she had chronic urinary tract infections. Then, I realized it went even further back than that, because why in the world would a three year-old have chronic urinary tract infections?

She was breastfed for 27 months, and all her baby food was homemade from organic vegetables and fruits. Her first food was avocado! She wasn't given baby "cereal" because I had learned how bad it was in the 19 months between my son's and her birth. But it didn't matter. Because what no one had told me yet was that I should question what's in the vaccines she received from 0-6 months.

The reality is that her body responded to vaccines by breaking down, and her first urinary tract infection was on her third birthday. The antibiotics given created even a bigger problem for her tiny body, and despite giving her yogurt to rebuild her gut biome each time, it was not enough. By the time she was seven, even though she was no longer getting urinary tract infections, she had episodes of heartburn from time to time. The process of autoimmunity was well underway, and eight years later, she would end up hospitalized with gastrointestinal pain and chest pain. A year later she was hospitalized with severe head and neck pain, fever and vomiting, following a year of weird symptoms and extreme fatigue. Thankfully from this hospital stay, she ended up with a great neurologist who followed up with more blood work and sent her to a rheumatologist.

I can honestly say that my daughter is the best eating teenager I've ever met. She loves vegetables and fruits. This was not a kid neglecting herself or the result of anything she did. She was dancing twenty hours a week when everything fell apart.

If any of this resonates with you, I suggest you get the book The Autoimmune Fix by Dr. Tom O'Bryan. It is eye opening. We were already following a lot of his advice under care with her doctor at Riordan Clinic, such as a grain-free, dairy-free diet, and she was drinking green smoothies we learned about from Dr. Brooke Goldner who healed her own lupus.

My daughter is doing better, but not completely healed yet. I'm sharing her story to encourage you to find a path that does not include allopathic medicine, where the only solution is lifelong pharmaceuticals. Also, please do not wait to see if your child's heartburn will turn into something major. No child should have heartburn. I wish I had taken it more seriously at the time, and possibly prevented her from getting worse eventually.

Vitamin D for Flu Prevention

I've read multiple times over the years how good Vitamin D is for flu prevention. While everyone around me has had colds that last for weeks, as well as flu, I'm still healthy as a horse. (Where does that saying even come from?) Currently, the severity of the flu epidemic around the country is the most popular topic of discussion everywhere you turn. Our state is one of the worst, and I keep hearing of people who were hospitalized and even died from influenza (or influenza related illness). Why am I still so healthy?

I'll get to that in a minute, but first I want to share something I just learned. In the article I wrote (link below) about Vitamin D, I mention the low Vitamin D status of myself and my kids. My mom told me years ago that her Vitamin D is always low, despite working outside in her garden everyday. I filed it in my brain, but didn't think anything of it. Then my kids and I tested low, and I thought it was curious. I recently  found out why. I'll make a really long story short and say that my kids have a connective tissue disorder, and I'm almost certain my mom does as well, and I'm figuring out that all the odd symptoms I've had in the past lead toward the same diagnosis (it is hereditary).

Connective tissue disorders are weird, because they can be mild or very debilitating; you can live to be 80 or die in infancy. They are quite rare (until you start researching, and then it seems everyone has one!) Some examples are Marfan Syndrome, Ehler's Danlos Syndrome (there are many forms), and Loey's Dietz Syndrome. One of the main symptoms is hypermobility, and one of the most serious symptoms is found in the heart (aortic root enlargement).

If you are "bendy" or people have called you "double jointed," AND you have mitral valve prolapse, and problems with other connective tissue (dislocations/sublexations, retinal detachment, collapsed arches, etc) then you fit somewhere on the spectrum of hypermobility syndromes. This is important because...

Another symptom is chronically low Vitamin D.

I don't know why this is, but it's been discussed on facebook groups that people who have connective tissue disorders also frequently have chronically low Vitamin D. This explains why I have been getting sick in summer- because I've been relying on the sun for Vitamin D, but it hasn't been working that way in me. From now on, I will be taking Vitamin D all year.

I suggest getting your Vitamin D level checked in August. That will determine if you are getting enough Vitamin D during summer. If you don't spend much time outside in summer, then by all means, take a supplement!

I posted about Vitamin D on my facebook page recently and many friends spoke up about how healthy they have been as well, from taking 10,000 IU Vitamin D each day. It works!
Here's my original article on it with more info:

Preventing Colds and Flu

Optimal Vitamin D levels also help prevent cancer, so there's a bonus. Just take it!

Mattress Wrap for a Stinky Mattress

My daughter recently wanted to upgrade from a twin size bed to a full, but funds were limited. We happened upon a free mattress from someone on facebook, but were disappointed to find that the mattress was a little bit "smoky," and it seemed like they tried to make it smell better by spraying it with Febreze.

Fortunately, we were able to cover it with a No-Chem Mattress Wrap and it completely "covered" the smell. My daughter can't stand smoke smell, and it makes her sick. But she's been using the mattress since this past summer, and has absolutely no complaints.

If you get a hand-me-down mattress that is stinky, I suggest using the No Chem Mattress Wrap, too!

Does the Ketogenic Diet Work?

Yes. The ketogenic diet does lead to weight loss.

A friend's 13 year-old daughter dances with my daughter and I've known them for two years. She dances approximately 15-20 hours per week. She would be considered "overweight" by practical standards. It is weird that she dances that much and still struggled with weight. Let me be clear, she DANCES. She doesn't just show up and give it 50%. She comes out of every class sweating and I see her give it 100% in every class I see. Mom decided to try something to help her lose weight, and came across the ketogenic diet. The transformation has been amazing. I don't know how much weight she has lost, but she looks amazing. She is still maybe 10 lbs away from a realistic goal, but sticking to the ketogenic diet has made the weight just fall off of her. I want to add, also, that she had been eating sugar-free candy as a treat, and when she stopped, she lost weight even faster.

I would not encourage this diet for full time use, as avoiding fruits and many vegetables will lead to other problems more severe than obesity. But it does work. It has also worked for my friend, the mom, and her son, who is also an athlete.

If you choose to follow the ketogenic diet, please do so carefully and under your doctor's care if you have other health problems.

The Chemical Imbalance theory - officially proven false!

I remember it like it was yesterday. I'd been feeling really tired and achy, so I went to a doctor my sister had recommended to see what might be going on with me. It was a female doctor near Atlanta, Georgia, and she spent about 15 minutes poking me and doing a general exam before writing me a prescription for Prozac.

I was stunned.

I had already seen the stories on "Oprah" to know what Prozac could do to a person, and I was smart enough to question this action, even if she was a doctor. Even more alarming was that she requested no follow up visit. I could have taken the Prozac, gone out and killed someone (or myself) and she had no concern about whether or not the drug was going to work (or make things worse).

I never took the Prozac. A few weeks later I ended up quitting my job, and miraculously, my symptoms went away.

Now I've come across this article and I'd like to share it with the world! Please share widely.

The Chemical Imbalance theory - officially proven false!

Protocol for Autoimmune Disease Prevention

Below I share a great article, which came across my facebook feed a few days ago. It's everything I support at Eve's Best, and things that I've figured out in my own life just by listening to my body. The article doesn't define or list autoimmune diseases, so I'll provide that here. I'm not promising this is an exhaustive list, but a great start so you know what she's referring to if you don't have one of these diseases!

Alopecia Areata
Anklosing Spondylitis
Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Autoimmune Addison’s Disease
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
Autoimmune Hepatitis
Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease
Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative  Syndrome (ALPS)
Autoimmune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ATP)
Behcet’s Disease
Bullous Pemphigoid
Cardiomyopathy
Celiac Sprue-Dermatitis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Immune Deficiency Syndrome (CFIDS)
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
Cicatricial Pemphigoid
Cold Agglutinin Disease
CREST Syndrome
Crohn’s Disease
Dego’s Disease
Dermatomyositis
Dermatomyositis - Juvenile
Discoid Lupus
Essential Mixed Cryoglobulinemia
Fibromyalgia – Fibromyositis
Grave’s Disease
Guillain-Barre
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP)
IgA Nephropathy
Insulin Dependent Diabetes (Type I)
Juvenile Arthritis
Lupus
Meniere’s Disease
Mixed connective Tissue Disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Myasthenia Gravis
Pemphigus Vulgaris
Pernicious Anemia
Polyarteritis Nodosa
Polychondritis
Polyglancular Syndromes
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis
Primary Agammaglobulinemia
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Psoriasis
Raynaud’s Phenomenon
Reiter’s Syndrome
Rheumatic Fever
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sarcoidosis
Scleroderma
Sjogren’s Syndrome
Stiff-Man Syndrome
Takayasu Arteritis
Temporal Arteritis/Giant Cell Arteritis
Ulcerative Colitis
Uveitis
Vasculitis
Vitiligo
Wegener’s Granulomatosis

One word of caution before I send you to read the article. Don't even look at her vitamin protocol. It is outrageously expensive and you can do just as well putting together your own protocol for much less money. (Here's what I take).

Read The Rise of Early Autoimmunity & How to Avoid It by Dr. Amy Myers

Do Vaccines and Pet Food Shorten Lives?

Having been a pet mommy since I was a little girl, pets have always been a part of my life. We always  had a dog and numerous cats, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I realized how involved the care and keeping of a pet was! The truth is, it has gotten more expensive and surreal in the last couple of decades, as I've noticed “pet insurance” popping up, animals dying before their time of liver and kidney disease, and “teeth cleaning” becoming a thing. (I don't remember our dogs ever having their teeth cleaned when I was young!)

Back in the “good old days” dogs lived 15+ years and then they died of old age. Not anymore. What is different?

It might be obvious only to me, but as I've watched people's diets go downhill and watched people getting bigger and bigger, I've also noticed dogs' health decline at the same time. I believe two things are factoring into this problem and they are vaccines and inadequate food.

In Veterinarian says pet deaths caused by over-vaccination by Vicki Batts, Batts says of veterinarian Dr. John Robb: “Robb says that he has seen yearly rabies vaccines make pets vomit, become ill, develop immune disorders, cancers, and has even seen the shot kill the pets of unsuspecting owners. One of the largest problems with veterinary vaccines is that these inoculations are of the one-size-fits-all variety. A 5-pound Chihuahua will receive the same dose of vaccine as a 100-pound bulldog. Does that seem logical to you?”

Some cities only require a rabies vaccine every three years, while most require a yearly booster, despite the fact that the vaccine lasts much longer than a year. And this is only one vaccine; there are others that dogs get as puppies. Most people don't think about the vaccines when their dog becomes sick early in life, and probably write it off as bad luck or something, I don't know.

They also probably don't think about their pets' food. More people seem to have waken up regarding pets' diets, but the majority still don't want to feed their pets what it really takes to keep them healthy. Part of this is because a lot of pet owners just love animals, but can't afford the food that they need. So that cheap bag of kibble is perfect, because they really believe if it was bad for their pets, it wouldn't be on the shelf! (Isn't that why people eat chips, cookies, and ice cream?)

I feel strongly that food is an even bigger issue for pet health, because you can skip vaccines, but you can't skip feeding your pets! Many pet owners who realize this make their own pet food each day, and they have animals that live into their 20's. That is just too much work for most people, so most will still settle for a kibble that they can pour out of a bag. We are currently there, using Life's Abundance dog and cat food. We also give our pets foods that are healthy for them (like pumpkin for the cats, and carrots and apples for the dogs). But the majority of their food comes from Life's Abundance. I was just opening a new bag this morning and caught a glimpse of the ingredient list. Sad to say, it is healthier than a lot of the snacks I buy my kids. Life's Abundance has recently acquired Flint River Ranch, another pet food company that closed down, so Flint River Ranch customers will be able to find those products again. Both companies are reputable, make their food in the US, and best of all, when you order from them, should they find a problem with a batch of food, they will know how to find their customers and warn them. This doesn't happen, but the chain is there if it does.

I don't have pet insurance, but I do invest in my pets' health each month by purchasing them healthy food. We also delay vaccinations and go without when possible. I wonder if people spent a little more money on their pets' food rather than insurance, would they have healthier pets? I think so. I mean, it's the same with humans...eat right and you are much better off, insurance or not!

Unplugging Appliances to Save Money

I don't remember why I did it, but about a month ago, I decided to unplug all the electric appliances that don't get used frequently to see what it would do to my electric bill. The weather in both months was comparable, so there wasn't really a difference in the heater coming on periodically (gas furnace, but electric blower). The difference was a 25% decrease after unplugging everything. The things that I did not unplug included my PC, wireless router, washer/dryer, fridge, lamps, and a second PC. I have since unplugged more after seeing that it saved some dough. The washer and dryer are unplugged and I'm going to start unplugging my PC and wireless router for not only money reasons, but also health reasons.

Last year our electric company installed a smart meter. We do not have an opt out option where I live, so I've been pretty ticked about the whole thing. Many people have reported skyrocketing electric bills with the smart meter, not just in my city, but across the country. That is entirely a different issue, but my main concern is that people smarter than me are saying it's a health hazard. Now, I admit I have a microwave in my house (GASP!) and use it sometimes. So I feel kind of hypocritical worrying about the smart meter and its health implications. But I guess what gets me is that I can choose to lose the microwave if I wanted, and the smart meter has been forced on me. I did move the microwave to the end of the kitchen which is just opposite the outside wall which holds the smart meter, so at least the offenders are together now. But I've unplugged the microwave, so hopefully 99% of the time, it's like it isn't even there.

If you are wondering what in the world I'm talking about, read 17 Ways to Minimize Exposure to Dirty Electricity & EMFs, by Lloyd Burrell.

Whether you do it to save money, or save your health, I think it's common sense to unplug things that aren't being used. I've read in forums people stating what a pain it would be, and it just hasn't affected my day to day living at all. This is mostly because I do laundry in chunks of time, hardly ever watch television, and just don't use a lot of electronics everyday requiring me to plug stuff back in. Give it a try and see what happens to your bill! And remember that even if it only goes down a little bit, it's probably helping your body as well, so that is definitely worth it!

Chris Beat Cancer Offers FREE Square One Cancer Coaching

THIS IS HUGE PEOPLE.

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If you don't know Chris Wark, today is your lucky day. He is a cancer survivor (surgery, but no chemo) and health advocate who coaches others on how to beat cancer naturally.

His website is chrisbeatcancer.com and you can gain a wealth of info from him and his blog posts.

And NOW... you can view his Square One series for FREE beginning February 15 (TOMORROW!)

Take a look!

Frozen Shoulder Remedy and Trigger Points

This is a remedy for frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, that you can do at home by yourself.

After painting the inside of my rental house a couple of years ago, the shoulder that had been nagging me a bit became excruciatingly painful. I couldn't do much with my arm at all, and my chiropractor offered no advice. I did change chiropractors, and my new one sent me to have it checked out after an x-ray looked odd. Eventually the orthopedic surgeon diagnosed me with adhesive capsulitis and I kind of got the feeling that since I wasn't a surgery candidate, I was a disappointment. But he was glad to stick a needle in my shoulder! While the cortisone shot was painful, it did help a LOT. Physical therapy helped with stretches, but after I returned to the orthopedic surgeon for a follow up, he took me off physical therapy out of fear that I was being pushed too hard. He offered me another shot, but I turned it down and wanted to wait and see if it got bad enough to warrant it again. I was on the bubble at the time, and the pain of the shot was not worth it at that point. And I'm glad, because I never needed a shot again!

Here is what helped relieve my frozen shoulder. I wish I had learned this at the very beginning! In this video, you can jump to 1:11 for the specific instructions of what to do.



An excellent video explaining trigger points:



The most useful video by far about trigger points:



I hope this answers some questions for you. I'm sure this information will save you a little in doctor visits for unexplained pain! Also, if you are in pain but don't have any trigger points that you can find, remember that nutritional deficiencies can cause pain as well. If you aren't taking vitamins, you have deficiencies!

What makes a healthy home?

I was doing some research for my website, Eve's Best, when it suddenly occurred to me that many people may not know what a "healthy home" really is. Of course we all have our own opinions, but I feel a healthy home encompasses these qualities:

1. The air is clean. Unless we have a sick child, we may not realize how poor our air quality is. We often hear of sick buildings or sick schools, and we neglect to realize the danger occurs in our own homes. Whether we have abundant off-gassing, mold or mildew, or allergens floating around in the air, most homes do have poor air quality. We solve this by using Airwise air purifiers in our home.

2. Safe cleaning products are used. The majority of products on the market are NOT safe. You can find safer alternatives at your local health food store, or make your own non-toxic cleaning products. Both alternatives will help you avoid volatile organic compounds (VOC's) which are given off, even by closed cleaning containers.

3. Fresh fruits and vegetables (preferably organic) are on hand for snacks. People who say their kids won't eat these are usually providing their children more junk than fruit. Of course children will choose a twinkie over a banana! So leave the twinkies at the store and you avoid the battle completely. My kids get fruit out of the refrigerator bin without me knowing it because they know that when they're hungry that's what they should eat. They are 4 and 5, and we have sweet teeth just like everyone else. But we also have brains that we try to use daily, and most parents out there just don't feel the same way, apparently.

4. Safe personal care products are provided. Everything you put on your body or use to clean your body has an affect on your body. Just like cleaning products, personal care products have not been created with your health in mind. Cost has been the most important factor, and many mainstream products

Triclosan Concerns

Antibacterial Compounds In Everyday Products May Affect Fetuses' Lengths

By Shweta Lyer, Aug 10, 2014

From hand sanitizers and body washes to detergents and dish soaps, we love everything that comes with the antibacterial label. But is the overuse of antibacterial products doing more harm than good? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certainly thinks so, as it's considering a ban on common antibacterial compounds that are also known to harm the environment. What’s more, scientists have found that the chemical compounds in antibacterial products have found their way into fetuses in pregnant mothers.

Researchers reported their findings at the 248th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

"We looked at the exposure of pregnant women and their fetuses to triclosan and triclocarban, two of the most commonly used germ-killers in soaps and other everyday products," said Dr. Benny Pycke, a research scientists at Arizona State University, in a press release. "We found triclosan in all of the urine samples from the pregnant women that we screened. We also detected it in about half of the umbilical cord blood samples.”

Triclosan was first registered as a pesticide back in the 1960s. But with a potential to be used as an antimicrobial ingredient, it began being manufactured into antibacterial products. Recent studies have shown the serious health implications that triclosan and triclocarban present in animals, and possibly in humans, too. In the lab, these compounds were shown to disrupt hormones essential for neural and reproductive development and produce drug resistance in bacteria.

While its true that the human body can flush out these compounds, constant exposure may still leave traces inside the body. "If you cut off the source of exposure, eventually triclosan and triclocarban would quickly be diluted out, but the truth is that we have universal use of these chemicals, and therefore also universal exposure," lead investigator Dr. Rolf Halden said in the release.

While scientists have not been able to replicate lab results showing the effects of these compounds on people, State University of New York's Dr. Laura Geer found another interesting outcome during the study. The study showed that women with high levels of the antimicrobial compound butyl paraben, found in cosmetic products, gave birth to shorter newborns. It's yet to be seen how these compounds will affect people in the long-term. But if their findings are confirmed in larger studies, it could mean that widespread exposure to these compounds may cause subtle, but large-scale effects on birth size.

Currently there are more than 2,000 over-the-counter products that contain these compounds, including toothpastes, soaps, detergents, carpets, paints, school supplies, and toys, the researchers said. Besides harming the human body, these dangerous compounds are no good for the environment either. Our ecosystem, especially lakes, accumulate large amounts of triclosan due to the release of sewage water. In turn, marine life is harmed.

Because of these implications, several governments have considered banning products that use these compounds. Minnesota became the first state to pass a ban on the use of antimicrobials in certain products. The ban is expected to take effect in January 2017. The Canadian Environmental Law Association has also urged the Canadian government to ban these two compounds. Meanwhile, companies like Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble have also announced the discontinuation of these compounds from some of their products. At the federal level, the FDA and Environmental Protection Agency have recommended a scientific review of these compounds, and with sufficient evidence may consider banning them.

Source: Geer L, Halden R, Pycke B, et al. Human biomonitoring of prenatal exposure to triclosan and triclocarban in a multiethnic urban population from Brooklyn, New York. At The 248th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society. 2014.

Lead Poisoning in United States

Nearly 3,000 US Communities Have Higher Rate Of Lead Poisoning Than Flint, MI 

By Whitney Webb

Last year, the community of Flint, Michigan was thrust into the national spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Children were being diagnosed with lead poisoning at previously unheard of levels and the town’s water supply was later found to be the culprit. City officials, not long before, had switched the city’s water supply from the Detroit water system to a polluted and corrosive nearby river in order to save money. Though several of the city officials responsible have now been criminally charged for their role in the disaster, nearly two years have passed while residents of Flint remain without clean drinking water.

Though Flint is the most recent example of lead poisoning in the United States, a new analysis by Reuters has found that it is just the tip of the iceberg. The study found that nearly 3,000 communities throughout the country recorded incredibly high rates of lead poisoning, over a third of which were quadruple that of Flint at the height of the water crisis. Pockets of major urban centers like Baltimore and Philadelphia were the locales found to suffer the most from lead poisoning. In many of these communities lead poisoning has been a problem for generations. There, the rate of elevated lead tests has hovered between 40 to 50% for at least the past ten years. Other communities are more rural, like Warren, Pennsylvania. 36% of children living in Warren, a town of under 10,000 along the endangered Allegheny river, had elevated levels of lead in their blood.

The study used previously undisclosed data from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments to arrive at its conclusions as both groups track poisoning rates among children in a variety of locations nationwide. Reuters reporters found that lead poisoning was so widespread it spanned across economic class and race, though poverty was often predicted a higher likelihood of lead exposure. Though the CDC officially estimated that 2.5% of children nationwide in the US suffer from lead poisoning, some say the number is likely far higher. Ultimately, the report strongly highlights the failure of government attempts to eliminate such high exposure to such a dangerous toxin. Dr. Helen Egger, chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Longone Medical Center’s Child Study Center, told Reuters that “Where lead poisoning remains common, many children will have developmental delays and start out behind all the rest.” For that reason, any child whose lead blood level is above 5 micrograms per deciliter warrant a “public health response” as the slightest elevation can result in a reduced IQ and stunted development.

This study raises the possibility that lead poisoning could be to blame, in part, for the rise in autism. Lead poisoning has already been pinned as a cause of autism as a 2014 study in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology found that lead and mercury can lead to autistic disorders. That same year, one in 68 children in the US were diagnosed with autism, a 30 percent increase in just two years. However, mainstream health news, such as WebMD, claim that the causes of autism remain “a mystery.” Children throughout the country have now been proven to have high levels of a heavy metal known to cause autism in their blood. The real explanation for the dramatic jump in autism cases is right in front of us, if only we would see it.

Toxic Carpet Solution for Babies

If you've never heard about the numerous problems that carpet can cause, please Google it! I don't want to re-hash old news here, as there are numerous excellent articles on-line about the dangers already. In a nutshell, new carpet is bad because of the off-gassing of chemicals, and old carpet is bad because it contains decades of everything that came off of shoes, as well as layers of dust, dust mites, and any other bug carcasses that died under fibers hidden from the vacuum cleaner's suction.

Cleaning your carpets is good, but has mold started growing due to the wetness from being "shampooed"? There is ALWAYS SOMETHING with carpet. I'm so glad we only have carpet on stairs (which we are removing) because my son was recently diagnosed with allergies to numerous things, including dust mites!

But what do you do when you have a baby you want to lie down on your floor? Or what if you take your baby to a friend's house and the only option is a carpeted floor? (And you know it's not clean...)

This solution is a no-brainer and it's so simple, it's crazy that others haven't already thought about it. It's the No-Chem Tummy Time Mat, a piece of food-grade plastic that is put between the baby and floor.

Now you can put your baby down, literally anywhere, because the plastic keeps any fumes, toxins, dirt, and dust mites away from your baby, keeping her healthy and free from harmful chemicals.

I also suggest using this mat on top of foam pieces, even if they are made for children. Some children's padding/ foam flooring is chemically unhealthy for babies and should be avoided as well.

This product would make a great gift for new moms who aren't aware of the dangers in carpet.

Wrapping a Mattress That's Making You Sick

I just spent quite a bit of time reading about people discussing online how sick they are from their mattresses. And I feel guilty, because instead of yelling from the rooftops how I can help, I've been busy raising my kids and trying to also get enough sleep to survive. I might be currently dozing off from time to time, but I will try to get my point across.

New mattresses contain more chemicals than ever before. It doesn't matter what they are called or why they are in there if you are getting sick from your mattress (you aren't the only one!) You are probably here to figure out how to fix that, while skipping the education that gets you nowhere...

If your mattress is making you sick, here is the easiest, most affordable, and most sensible solution available:

Purchase a No-Chem Bed Solutions Mattress Wrap, a "pillowcase style" cover made from food grade polyethylene.

Yes, it feels like plastic, and yes, you can do something about it. First, I would see how much it really bothers you. Then, try different solutions. The more padding between you and the plastic, the less the plastic is noticeable (duh, right?) A down or poly-fill comforter that fits under the fitted sheet might make a big difference. (Do not lay a baby on this!)

If you are still bothered by the plastic, you might need to move onto another solution. You could purchase a non-toxic foam pad to go under the fitted sheet (and under a mattress pad if you choose). My son's entire bed is made of non-toxic foam pads and his bed is absolutely heavenly. That is the more expensive route to take, but if you are watching pennies like most Americans, one thinner pad would probably do the trick.

I would also want to wrap an older mattress, because let's be honest, we don't know what's in there. You can find that info on other sites, but I'm going to do you a favor just in case you're on your lunch break and say, "Trust me..."

I do want to say in closing, that if you seem to be getting more sensitive to chemicals, do some liver-friendly things like adding some good veggies to your diet and taking herbal supplements for liver health and de-toxing. Because Your Health Matters!

Sharp Stabbing Pain in the Head

We had just finished dinner at a restaurant I won't mention, when my son suddenly scrunched up his face, rubbing the front right part of his head (near the temple). I immediately thought he had an ice cream headache, but this was different. It lasted about 10 seconds, and he told me that he had been having these kind of headaches for about a month. They were growing in frequency, and I could tell they were starting to concern him.

I did the first thing I could think of, which of course was to Google this type of pain to see what I could learn on the internet. I quickly learned that he was having "ice pick headaches" which could be caused by something serious, or something completely "normal." At our next chiropractor's visit, we were advised to make a visit to the doctor for further investigation. We were able to get an appointment the next day.

After asking some questions, a urinalysis (which I later found out was a drug screen!) was done and blood was drawn. A few days later, a CT scan was taken of his head.

It didn't take long to find out that the CT scan was normal, he wasn't on drugs or alcohol (which I already knew), and his blood showed a low Vitamin D level (AGAIN). But it also showed that he had markers for allergies, so they wanted to take more blood to run a panel to find out what he's allergic to. There were many allergies, both food and environmental. The doctor said that this could certainly be the cause of the headaches, and while we wait to see the allergist, he should take Claritin daily.

I had already done some reading about ice pick headaches, and wasn't convinced that allergies were the likely cause. I got online again to find an article written about Mayo Clinic and how they had used melatonin in a study for these headaches. A couple of parents of teen boys had followed the same study and tried the melatonin with success. Because he had been having trouble sleeping for over a year, I decided that adding it to our regimen couldn't hurt.

His headaches stopped completely. A week after having none, he suddenly had one for no apparent reason. But after having five a day, one per week was an amazing improvement. The only problem is, we don't know if it was the (generic) Claritin or the melatonin that did it. And frankly, I don't care! I'm not a fan of medication, but I also started taking the (generic) Claritin and it's made the scratchiness in my throat go away as well.

If you (or your child) has ice pick headaches out of the blue, try melatonin first. We used 1 mg and it made an immediate difference in my son's ability to sleep at night, and was enough to work for his headaches (presumably). I know these are common for people who have migraines or cluster headaches, and I would suggest to search for the cause of these as well. Pain is the body's way of communicating something, and we just need to figure out what that is.

History of Cancer Cures

This is an amazing documentary outlining the cancer industry and how messed up it really is. I love the beginning, as it speaks about technology in other areas and how far we have come, yet we still use the same old unsuccessful cancer treatments (and think they work!) I am still surprised to come across comments in forums or in reply to articles that scream about how chemotherapy works and "alternative" therapies do not. I mean, everyone has the same internet and all the information at their fingertips, but we have been so brainwashed that we don't see what's right in front of us. In this documentary, you will see cases of men who fiercely fought against doctors with "natural cures" until they needed the treatment themselves...

CDC Hiding Statistics Related to Autism

What's going on at the CDC?! Not that I ever trusted them, but... here you go:

Waterwise 8800 SALE

Now through September 2, save $50 on the purchase of a Waterwise 8800 distiller! I don't know when the prices will ever be this low again, so now is the time to act if you have considered making the smartest purchase EVER. We have been drinking home distilled water for almost a decade and feel very satisfied with our choice in truly pure water. For more, visit http://www.waterwise-distillers.com .

Do Inversion Tables Really Work?

I started having back problems at the age of 11. I was a competitive swimmer, and couldn't stand to hold my kick board out in front of me during kicking sets because of the pain I felt in my back. But nobody really listened, because I was so young. When I was in my mid-20s I received free chiropractor visits from a new office opening up, and found out that I already had degenerating discs in my lower back.

I got married, had babies, and even though my back problems were really bad before I had kids, for some reason they went away for years after having them. Then out of the blue, they were back. Now I am 43 and it's something I have to stay on top of, or stay in bed. Here is what I have learned...

First, the more I sit still, the worse my back hurts. I discovered this while under chiropractic care, when I moved to a new house. We took a month to move, since it was just a few miles away. I couldn't believe my back was causing me no trouble with all the lifting and moving, and I reported to my chiropractor what was going on. He was not surprised, as he knew that sitting, or not  moving much, is what leads to most people's problems.

Another thing that I've learned is that chiropractic care does work. Almost every time I've gone in, I've come out with almost complete relief. I remember suffering for three weeks before I finally went in with a "crick" in my neck, where the chiropractor fixed it immediately. I felt so stupid for waiting!

Another thing I've learned is that I can't afford chiropractic care like what I need. I had to find a way to stay out of the chiropractor's office as much as possible. I couldn't afford to move every month so I had to find another way! At some point, the inversion table came across my path. It made sense to invest in it without ever trying it, because if it could help me avoid chiropractor visits, it would pay for itself in a couple of months.

So I got a Teeter Hang Ups Inversion Therapy Table and put it together. Yes, it worked. Not only did it feel really good while on it, it also felt good afterward. Sometimes I can feel little "pops" in my lower back, which are less painful than the "pops" experienced at the chiropractor. Sometimes, just the expanding and opening up of the spine is enough to provide relief. I've also had problems with my neck, which have been relieved while using the inversion table as well.

During the past couple of days, I've been walking on a concrete floor, which always promotes leg, foot, and back pain for me. After five hours of this, I went home with horrible back pains, believing for sure I would have to make a chiropractor appointment. I got on my inversion table, and the pain was gone ten minutes later!

Now, I'm not going to pretend that the inversion table is all fun and games. Some days, I can hardly do it because it's so uncomfortable to my head and eyes. There is a danger of popping blood vessels in the eyes of some people. Most days, it is fine, but other days are just not good. I'm not sure what controls this. On the difficult days, I go back less, or work up to more and more as my body adjusts. But on other days, I can go right back and completely vertical with no problem.

If you are in the same boat as me, I would give the inversion table a try. Or better yet, see if you have a friend that has one so you can try it out before you buy your own. My goal is to live pain-free as well as avoid surgery. And thankfully, it looks like it's saving me money. I still go to the chiropractor from time to time, but I'm hoping one day it won't be necessary at all. As long as I avoid surgery, I'll be happy!

P.S. I can't believe I forgot to mention this! If you are having back or neck pain, try this: Get a sandwich bag, put in 8 pieces of ice (I'm not sure why, but it does specify EIGHT). Apply to the painful area, directly on skin, for 20 minutes EXACTLY. Repeat every hour as needed. It works, better than Advil!