Category Archives: Health and Wellness

Stuff written by my nurse persona who makes a cameo from time to time.

1000 Bloggers Writing About Compassion – #1000Speak

Posted in Health and Wellness, Special Needs and Sensitivity by

On February 20, 2015 One Thousand Voices will be simultaneously blogging for compassion – in an effort called #1000Speak.

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I’m very excited and proud to be participating in this virtuous effort.

While Extreme Mom is for the most part a humor based forum, I often use my voice to advocate in the areas of mental illness and special needs: Two variables that have influenced my life profoundly and have prompted me to view life with an open mind, in what I often refer to as Fifty Bazillion Shades of Grey.

Herein lies the serious, truthful root to my madness which incidentally keeps me focused and driven.

So no, I’m not giving up chocolate or Facebook for lent – I’m doing THIS.

The intent is to flood the Internet with positive energy through inspirational stories. ❤️

My favorite compassionate links and heart-felt postings from the Extreme Mom archives.

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Compassion and Depression-
https://extrememom.net/2014/08/13/the-nature-of-depression-my-uniquely-honest-first-hand-perspective/

Compassion and Special Needs –
https://extrememom.net/2013/11/08/marching-to-the-beat-of-a-different-drummer/

https://extrememom.net/2013/07/07/attack-of-the-clothing-tags-sensory-integration-dysfunction/

Compassion and Body Image/Teens-
https://extrememom.net/2014/08/01/i-met-a-girl-with-anorexia-and-she-stole-my-heart/

Compassion and Diversity –
https://extrememom.net/2014/08/14/people-are-like-snowflakes-no-two-are-exactly-alike-dont-be-judgy/

https://extrememom.net/2013/11/27/maria-kang-part-2-oh-no-she-didnt/

 

Practical Tips for Surviving Flu Season

Posted in Health and Wellness by

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Because…  common sense isn’t so common.

•Wash your hands frequently, says Captain Obvious. This includes but is not limited to before eating, after using the bathroom, after sneezing, coughing and/or picking blowing your nose. Practice this fun soap, water and friction exercise long enough to sing the Happy Birthday song all the way through. That’s right, sing it with me… HAAAPPPPY BIRTHHHH…. Use extra time for long fingernails and rings. DAAAAAAYY TO YOUUUUUUU!!!!

•Use hand sanitizer diligently – especially after contact with frequently fondled handled objects like door handles, railings, elevator buttons, gasoline nozzles, ATM keypads, e-pens used to sign for credit card purchases. Keep a travel size bottle of hand sanitizer in your purse, pocket, car, your child’s lunch box and/or backpack.

•Keep your hands away from your face – especially your eyes, nose and mouth. Sick germs most often sneak into the body through these 3 easy-to-access portals. Most people infect themselves. This is a biggie. Always be mindful of your hands.

•Stay out of crowded places – Think about it; hundreds of people walk through commonly traveled places like Starbucks or convenience stores daily – coughing, sneezing and touching. Most public places are flu farms. It’s simple statistics…. The more people you’re exposed to, the more likely you are to contract the flu. Stay home.

•Stay home and keep your children home when they’re sick. Your personal quest for perfect attendance effects everyone. Working 8 hours with bronchitis does not qualify you for super dedicated employee status, it makes you inconsiderate. Keep your germs to yourself.

•Stay hydrated – Drink at least 64 oz/day of non-caffeinated, nonalcoholic beverages. The dry dehydrated state that throws your bodies essential electrolytes out of whack, also makes you a more susceptible host to the latest community shared illness. Get your drink on.

•Get enough rest – Step away from the computer, log out of Trivia Crack and hit the hay. Go to bed at a decent hour, nap when you can, sit down and take deep relaxing breaths every chance you get. Stress invites illness.

•Slow down – Just say no. Don’t over-schedule your life. Cut back on commitments or enlist help. Your kid doesn’t have to attend every single birthday party, Brownie meeting, ballet class or sporting event. If you’re feeling run down, modify their schedule or enlist help. 

•Eat right. If you admittedly have a poor dietary practices take a multivitamin daily. Additional supplements such as vitamin c, zinc and echinacea are also thought to help build immunity.

•Cut back or quit smoking – Every cigarette counts. Smoking has been proven to lower your bodies resistance to illness. Tobacco smoke has chemicals and particles that irritate airways and lungs making them more susceptible to assault, injury and illness.

•Get a Flu Vaccination – Many people have strong opinions regarding the flu vaccine. Fact -The Flu vaccine cannot give you the flu. It is also highly recommended for children, the elderly, and those who are immunocompromised or have chronic health conditions like asthma or COPD. If you’re a healthy adult, it’s your prerogative whether or not to receive the vaccine.

Stay well.

Be an advocate and SHARE this message!

Ten Foolproof Resolutions for Dummies and People with no Willpower

Posted in Everything Extreme, Health and Wellness by

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Yes… you can claim a happier and healthier you in 2015!

No willpower required.

Honest.

Follow these ten extremely easy steps –

1. Laugh. Find the funny in life’s toughest moments. Inappropriate humor is better than no humor, and it almost always trumps stress and aggravation. You can rant, internalize, suppress, cry or choose to giggle it off.

2. Eliminate as many chemicals from your diet as possible. If you can’t pronounce it, don’t put it in your mouth. Try to consume food that comes from the Earth and isn’t created in Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory. Eliminate soda and/or anything with so many preservatives it remains exactly the same after one month.

3. Walk and move your body more. You don’t have to commit to Crossfit or join Richard Simmons big girl harem, just move more than you did yesterday. Park your car a little further from the store or take the stairs.

4. Drink more water. It’s the only pure form of hydration. If a drink contains artificial sweeteners or caffeine, it’s likely causing more harm than good. My approach to a happy medium is drinking my coffee with REAL sugar, then drinking more plain water throughout the day. Baby steps are positive steps in the right direction.

5. Radiate positivity. Deliberately squelch all thoughts of jealousy, envy, anger, injustice – as they are catalysts to toxic energy that will inevitably cause stress, leading to illness and overall unhappiness. Fight bad thoughts off with a pointy stick or pirate sword.

6. Breathe deeply. Take deliberate cleansing breaths every single day. This activity has been proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure. Plus, you may feel better simply by cooling your jets.

7. Read. Anything. It’s brain candy. An engaged brain is a healthy brain.

8. Don’t compare yourself to others. Comparison is the biggest thief of JOY and the largest hurdle in reaching personal fulfillment. Know that someone will always one up you, and that’s okay. Focus on your own awesomeness.

9. Love unconditionally. Don’t be judgy. Everyone messes up sooner or later and everyone deserves a second chance. Offer support instead of judgement – it feels better.

10. Never underestimate the power of a good nights sleep or a 10 minute nap. Things are almost always more manageable when you’re freshly rested.

Staying Healthy During Flu Season- Flu Prevention and Treatment

Posted in Health and Wellness by

Note to regular readers-

The following is informational material penned by my school nurse persona as a guide for college students. While it’s not in sync with my usual comedic posts, it’s factual information worthy of being shared. Regular whacky posts will resume immediately following.

Thank you for your patience and stay well!

 

Protect yourself from the FLU!!!

The flu is caused by the influenza virus.

imageAntibiotics are therefore ineffective as it is a viral infection.

The most commonly prescribed medication for flu relief is called Tamiflu.

Tamiflu does not cure the flu, but it may lessen the symptoms and shorten the duration.

Roughly speaking, flu season runs from October to April, reaching it’s peak in mid February.

Your best defense against the flu is prevention. You can arm yourself against the flu by observing the following measures-

Wash your hands OFTEN with soap and water or an alcohol based hand rub.

Wash your hands for at least the length of time it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song twice.

Seriously… sing the Happy Birthday song.

ALWAYS wash your hands before eating or preparing food, after using the bathroom and after blowing your nose or covering a cough.

Make it a habit to carry hand sanitizer during flu season.

Don’t share drinks or cigarettes.

Replace your toothbrush after you’ve been ill or sanitize it using boiling water. Keep your toothbrush isolated from other family members toothbrushes when you’re sick and vice versa.

Use disposable hand towels in your home or dorm room when you or others are sick.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. This is how germs ENTER the body.

Avoid close contact with sick people and stay out of crowded places.

Frequently sanitize shared items in your home and office like phones, computer keyboards, remote controls, game controllers, door handles, refrigerator door handles and sink knobs.

Wash your hands or use sanitizer immediately after having contact with frequently touched surfaces in the community such as door handles, ATM and elevator buttons, hand rails, the check-out conveyer in stores and even the pen used by God-knows-how-many-people for signing credit card transactions.

Get plenty of sleep, exercise, eat healthy and DRINK PLENTY of fluids. *Limit caffeine and alcohol as they act as a mild diuretic causing your body to actually LOSE FLUID.

Stop or at least cut back on smoking. Smoking makes you more susceptible to illnesses like pneumonia, bronchitis and the flu, as well as increasing the intensity and duration of illness. Seriously. Cut back by one or two cigarettes per day. Yes, you CAN do it and it will help.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing or use the crux of your arm.

If you have a flu-like illness stay home for 24 hours AFTER you’ve been fever free without the use of fever reducing medicines.

Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of receiving a flu vaccine. 

What’s the difference between the common cold and the flu?

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What do I do if I get the flu?

Treat each symptom individually. For instance, if you have a fever and cough you treat exactly that.

Treatment of FEVER-

Drink plenty of non-caffeinated fluids to prevent dehydration. *Jello, Popsicles, broth and Italian Ice are considered fluids.

Take fever reducing medicines as needed- Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or Naproxen Sodium (Aleve)

Rest.

Dress in light clothing.

A tepid bath should be considered for children with a high fever to prevent febrile seizures. Never use cold water, ice or rubbing alcohol. This may actually cause your temperature to rise through shivering.

When to CALL YOUR DOCTOR or REPORT TO URGENT CARE for FEVER-

Temperature over 103 F

*Always report a fever over 100.4 (rectal) – in babies under 3 months of age*

Fever lasting more than 72 hours

Fever unresponsive to fever reducing medicines

Stiff neck or severe headache

Severe abdominal pain

SORE THROAT-

Most SORE THROATS are caused by viruses and are usually accompanied by other cold symptoms (runny nose, cough, red or watery eyes or sneezing) This type of sore throat is self limiting and is not helped with antibiotics.

Only CONFIRMED cases of STREP throat caused by the streptococcal bacterial are treated with antibiotics. You can have a rapid strep test done in your physicians office or an urgent care facility. Do not go to the emergency room for a sore throat unless you have difficulty breathing.

The emergency room is for emergencies only. If you’ve had the same sore throat for 4 days, it does not become an emergency on Friday at 5pm when your doctors office is closed. Call your doctor, (someone is always on call) or report to an urgent care facility.

Symptoms of STREP throat include SEVERE sore throat which usually comes on QUICKLY, SEVERE pain with swallowing, fever over 101 F, red swollen tonsils sometimes with white patches or streaks, tiny red spots (petechaie) on the back or roof of the mouth, headache, nausea and vomiting, swollen lymph nodes, body aches and rash.

TREATMENT of sore throat symptoms–

Take a pain reliever like Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or Naproxen Sodium (Aleve)

Use throat relieving sprays like Chloraseptic or throat relieving lozenges like Sucrets. They have a temporary numbing effect and will diminish pain.

Drink warm beverages like tea with honey, hot cocoa or broth. *Never give honey to children under one year of age. It can cause botulism and/or death.

Gargle with warm salt water.

Drink cold beverages, suck on ice chips or Popsicles.

When to CALL YOUR DOCTOR or REPORT TO URGENT CARE for SORE THROAT-

SEVERE sore throat that comes on QUICKLY

SEVERE pain with swallowing

Fever over 101 F

Red swollen tonsils sometimes with white patches or streaks or tiny red spots (petechaie) on the back or roof of the mouth

Nausea and vomiting

Swollen lymph nodes/glands

Accompanying rash

TREATMENT of COUGH accompanying a cold or bronchitis-

Drink plenty of fluids to loosen the mucous. Warm fluids are best.

For a DRY HACKING cough add HONEY to warm water, tea or lemon juice. *Never give honey to children under 1 year of age as it can cause botulism and/or death.

Use a HUMIDIFIER in your bedroom and keep the door closed to keep the steam in.

For a severe coughing attack turn on a hot shower, close the door and breath in the steam.

Don’t smoke. If you do, quit or at least cut down. Every cigarette makes a difference. Yes, you can!

Limit exposure to second hand smoke, dust, strong chemical fumes and perfumes.

Cough drops and/or hard candy can soothe or moisten throat and prevent coughing.

Elevate the head of your bed or use extra pillows.

Take cough medicine- being mindful when choosing the correct type as stated below. Suppressant vs. Expectorant.

*Take a cough SUPPRESSANT for a dry nonproductive cough. Acts to decrease coughing. Cough suppressants are products containing DEXTROMETHORPHAN.

*Take a cough EXPECTORANT for loose productive cough. Acts to thin mucous making it easier to cough up. Cough expectorants are products containing GUAIFENESIN. (Mucinex)

Read the label.

*CALL YOUR DOCTOR or REPORT TO URGENT CARE for –

Coughing up mucous that is thick green, yellow or brown

Coughing up blood

Wheezing or experiencing shortness of breath

Have tightness or pain in your chest

Have difficulty breathing

Cases of SEVERE asthma or bronchitis may require steroids and/or nebulizer treatments which are only available through your health care provider, urgent care or emergency room.

Difficulty breathing is considered an emergency.

BRONCHITIS is an inflammation of the bronchial passages that causes narrowing and the production of phlegm. It’s essentially treated the same as any cough (see above) with the exception that you should NOT take a cough suppressant for bronchitis.

Treatment of CONGESTION-

Increase your fluid intake. Drink at least 64 Oz (8 cups) per day. Warm fluids tend to have a better effect than cold. Fluids help to liquefy thick mucous. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.

Use a warm mist humidifier or breathe in warm mist from the shower. This will help to open airways, moisten and thin mucous. You can add ginger, eucalyptus, menthol or Vicks ointment to the water for maximum benefit.

Fill the sink with hot water, drape a towel over your head and breath in the steam if you do not have a humidifier or shower available to you.

Take a DECONGESTANT- Sudafed.

Take NSAID pain relievers to help with pain and swelling- Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or Naproxen Sodium (Aleve).

For nasal stuffiness try saline irrigation (Neti pot) or saline sprays. This helps to thin mucous, moisten mucous membranes and may remove virus or bacterial particles.

For INSTANT and TEMPORARY relief from nasal stuffiness consider DECONGESTANT NASAL SPRAYS like Afrin or Neo-Synephrine. *It is very important not to use these for longer than 3 days, as this type medication can cause rebound nasal congestion. (Chronic nasal stuffiness) I cannot stress this enough. *Alternate nasal spray with plain saline spray for best results.

Apply warm compresses (warm wash cloth or sock filled with rice and heated in microwave) to your face to relieve sinus congestion and pain.

Keep your head elevated with pillows or sleep in a recliner.

Spicy foods can help alleviate congestion. Pepper, garlic, hot curry powder, ginger, chili peppers.

Hot CHICKEN SOUP thins mucous, improves the function of cilia (hairlike projections in nasal passages that protect the body from foreign bacteria and viruses) and may also improve the motion of disease-fighting white blood cells.

Massage your sinuses.

How to… http://m.wikihow.com/Massage-Your-Sinuses

*When to CALL YOUR DOCTOR or REPORT TO URGENT CARE for congestion or sinus related problems-

Fever 101 or greater

Sudden severe pain in face or head

Double vision or change in vision

Confusion or difficulty concentrating

Swelling and/or redness around one or both eyes

Stiff neck

Shortness of breath

Remember to consult your doctor or report to an urgent care facility if your symptoms are not an EMERGENCY.

The emergency room should be reserved for actual emergencies like difficulty breathing, chest pain, seizures, unbearable pain or traumatic injuries that must be treated immediately.

Immediately means symptoms that are potentially life threatening and cannot wait.

A sinus infection, cold or cough (without difficulty breathing) are NOT emergencies. Wounds requiring sutures can usually be treated in an Urgent Care facility, but may be case sensitive.

Use your best judgement.

*Disclosure- this guide is in no way intended to replace the advice of your physician. This is not medical advice. It’s purpose is to aid in managing your symptoms and to guide you in making prudent health decisions.

Stay well!

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Marching to the Beat of a Different Drummer

Posted in Everything Extreme, Health and Wellness, Special Needs and Sensitivity by

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As a parent of four young adults- two faced with special life challenges, I’m often presented with rude comments on how I should handle certain situations.

Let me explain and hopefully open your eyes to a corner of the world that you’ve probably never visited.

An exercise in enlightenment, understanding and vast open-mindedness.

Chronological age is not the only indicator of where and what a person should be doing in regards to life’s milestones. This seems obvious, but trust me, it is not.

Many young adults are affected by invisible conditions which prevent them from reaching their full potential and may also make them appear lazy to the rest of the world, putting even more pressure on their already fragile self esteem.

Invisible condition (my definition)- a condition/disorder that is not necessarily obvious to the general public and may not even be detectable in a first hand social interaction with said individual. The person may appear completely normal. However, underlying condition(s) may be absolutely crippling thus preventing this person from being anything from marginally functional to ultimately meeting their full potential.

Examples- ADHD, autistic spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, bipolar, post traumatic stress disorder, dot. dot. dot.

I live with two excellent examples of said invisible conditions, which in their cases are (at the present time) pretty debilitating. We get through life ONE DAY AT A TIME.

I love my SPECIAL children with all my heart.

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My children, whom I happen to know are misunderstood by society, certain close friends and family members, whom I will stand up for until my last dying breath and probably continue to protect in the afterlife.

Hell yeah.

It goes something like this-

My 19 year old son has pretty profound ADHD. *Note- There’s the ADHD where you take a pill and <<poof>> life is good, functional and manageable and there’s the ADHD where every waking moment is a challenge. I mention this to make you aware that ADHD is not the same on any two people. It’s a spectrum disorder. Your nephews ADHD may be a completely different animal than my sons ADHD. On a similar note, the higher your chronological age, the higher societies expectations become of you, making coping often more challenging as time passes.

KNOW that, APPRECIATE that and most importantly, RESPECT that.

As it rolled out for my guy, he did not grow out of his ADHD, nor did he learn to completely compensate. Every day is a challenge. He has chosen not to take meds, which at age 19 is his prerogative. My feeling is that he needs to manage his life in a way that feels right for HIM.

It’s a slow steady process in which there is no deadline.

I stand supportive pretty much… forever.

In addition, this same adult-child falls on the autistic spectrum. Aspergers presents an infinite number of social hurdles every single day. Add sensory integration dysfunction- another spectrum type condition and you amplify the same challenges by like ten fold.

Despite starting sensory integration therapy at the young age of five, being in sync with the outside world continues to be an every day struggle. Everybody’s brain is different. One of his major sensory challenges include a struggle with proprioception and spatial relationships- knowing how hard to press the gas/brake pedal in a car or how far to turn the steering wheel.

An example of how ordinary tasks that may almost seem second nature for most, may not in fact be simple for everyone.

This is REAL life stuff.

*For anything and everything related to sensory integration, check out the book “The Out of Sync Child” by Carol Kranowicz. Excellent read. My sister and I actually attended one of her conferences awhile back and she was lucky enough to be chosen to be part of the human sandwich exercise. I think she was the lettuce.. which figures because she’s teeny. I would’ve definitely been like the quarter pound burger.

Anyway, if you’ve absorbed the significance of the above challenges, you will most likely be able to better appreciate that things like driving a car, attending college and working are equivalent to an obstacle course within an obstacle course for some young adults.

On a completely different, but equally significant note, the oldest love of my life is afflicted by severe anxiety and panic attacks. No, we didn’t break her, nor did she ask for this or bring it on herself. She’s smart, beautiful and exceptionally talented, but doesn’t accept or acknowledge any of these things.

The current plan is to chip away at the anxiety, so that we may eventually step up the ladder rung to higher level challenges like college course work, getting a drivers license, maintaining a job and nurturing close relationships.

One step at a time.

This is not the portrait of a lazy person. This is a person who is struggling.

So, when you add your two cents that sounds something like- “You drive them to college??? They need to get jobs!! If you don’t force them to take responsibility they’ll never learn… use TOUGH LOVE or I would never tolerate THAT from adult children blah, blah, blah… ” you most likely have no idea what you’re dealing with and/or how unfitting your unsolicited advice actually is.

Let me say to you, in addition to treating those you love with much needed understanding, compassion and respect, first and foremost and even if it means simply just being there, a parental figure or caregiver must most importantly do no harm.

Let that sink in.

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The Gardasil Vaccine… Just say NO

Posted in Everything Extreme, Health and Wellness by

How safe is the Gardasil vaccine?

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*Gardasil is a relatively new vaccine that was approved by the FDA in 2006 for use in the US as a preventative against the HPV virus which can sometimes lead to cervical cancer.

To date, 57 million doses have been distributed. There have been 139 deaths and somewhere in the ballpark of 22,000 adverse reactions reported.

The question is- how essential is this vaccine and more importantly, do the risks outweigh the benefits?

The answer is unclear and unfortunately, it’s become even more muddied by predictably irresponsible media coverage.

Sadly, we’ve come to expect a certain degree of biased media interference in almost all facets of our lives, due to the saturation of self serving special interest groups in this country.

The result of this never ending flow of biased opinions is that eventually it becomes background noise.

We start to ignore it.

Thank you, over-the-top whack jobs who dispute anything and everything.

I’ve long concluded that most news is nothing more than a smoking train wreck of opinions.

It’s difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Which is precisely why I feel compelled to research and validate almost everything I read.

It’s exhausting.

“Ain’t nobody got time for… ”

Never mind.

That said- anyone who forms an opinion after reading ONE article or story is a complete moron and liability to society.

I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

So wake up if that describes you. The world is full of self serving liars.

It seems as if almost everything has an underlying agenda these days, which may not necessarily be in the consumers best interests.

As a result, I honestly hadn’t paid too much attention to the hoopla regarding the Gardasil vaccine.

Until recently that is, when I stumbled upon a link on Facebook that lead me to do further research.

What commanded my undivided attention on this particular topic were reports of Dr. Diane Harper- leading international developer of HPV vaccines and former Merck scientist’s very unexpected public address where she voiced concerns regarding the vaccines safety, during what was supposed to be a promotional conference.

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It motivated me to dig around.

The evidence left me in a state of hopeless disbelief and validated something I kind of already suspected.

Pharmaceutical companies do in fact RULE the WORLD.

More specifically, money rules the world.

You knew that.

We both did.

The story goes something like this.

The Gardasil vaccine manufactured by Merck Pharmaceuticals is being strongly recommended (pushed) by health care practitioners as a seemingly pseudo insurance policy against cervical cancer for the 9-26 year old demographic.

*Note- It’s also starting to be recommended for boys as a preventative against penile warts and throat cancer.

The “Be One Less” campaign launched by Merck attempts to frighten or guilt young girls and their consenting parents into receiving the vaccine, so that they will subsequently be ONE LESS victim of cervical cancer.

It’s being pushed by your trusted pediatrician without question.

Cancer is bad… get the vaccine and live happily ever after. Right?

Not so fast.

Sure, it lowers your risk of cervical cancer, but first let’s explore a few things.

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*How EFFECTIVE is this vaccine against cervical cancer?

*What are your ODDS of actually being diagnosed with cervical cancer in the first place? Essentially, how many HPV infections actually turn into cervical cancer?

*And most notably, what is the MORTALITY rate for cervical cancer?

A Few Fast Facts.

FACTS on Incidence- 14 million HPV infections are diagnosed in the US each year.

The Gardasil vaccine only protects against four out of over a dozen viral strains thought to cause cervical cancer.

More Perspective- There are over 100 types of HPV viruses out of which 40 are sexually transmitted and only a dozen are thought to cause cancer.

Also, scientific evidence has shown that 90% of all HPV infections clear up within two years all by themselves WITHOUT treatment.

Just WOW.

“Cervical cancer is the easiest cancer to prevent with regular screening tests and follow-up.” *Excerpt from the CDC’s web page on Gynecological Cancers- http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/basic_info/screening.htm

In other words, regular PAP screening is more than sufficient in preventing this disease. All by itself.

FACTS on Mortality- 3.5 out of 100,000 women will DIE from cervical cancer in the US annually. (12 out of 100,000 women will be diagnosed)
*2013 statistics – American Cancer Society

Pay attention here- That’s LESS than a 1% chance that a woman will actually contract cervical cancer in her lifetime and LESS than one quarter of 1% that it will lead to death.

To put that into perspective, out of every 100,000 women, 11 will die in a car accident. Therefore, you’re twice as likely to be killed in an automobile accident.

People don’t generally lose sleep worrying about losing their life in a motor vehicle accident.

Reputable professional organizations endorsing the Gardasil vaccine include; American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Cancer Society.

I mention this to clarify that YOUR physician is most likely promoting this vaccine.

The question is… WHY?

This vaccine seems far from NECESSARY.

Sure, it’s obvious that nobody wants cancer or sexually transmitted warts, but if the likelihood of this is already relatively low, why get injected with something that’s currently under scrutiny for causing serious ill effects and possibly death?

The Adverse Effects can be deadly. The Vaccine Adverse Effects Reporting System (V.A.E.R.S) reports there are currently139 known deaths associated with HPV vaccinations.

There have also been at least 22,000 reports of adverse reactions, which may be quite fluid as many reactions are never reported.

Serious reactions reported include-

Seizures
Convulsions
Coma
Hemorhages
Guillane Barré Syndrome and Paralysis
Pancreatitis
Blindness
Cerebral Vasculitis (swelling of the brain)
Lupus-like immune disorders
Blood clots
ALS-like schlerosis
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)

Take another look at the reactions. They are NOT your run-of-the-mill generic side effects like- nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, upset stomach, constipation or diarrhea. These effects are quite serious and potentially life threatening.

The victims stories are horrifying. I’m attaching links to several victim web sites for you to review and form your own conclusions.

The intention of this writing is not to persuade you one way or another, but to merely to encourage you to question your choices.

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Ethical Concerns-

One might ask WHY there’s an URGENT push to vaccinate?

Why all the media hype, the boisterous campaign- Be One Less… ?

Also, why was this vaccine fast tracked for approval by Merck after only being tested on 1,200 girls under the age of 16?

Most likely it’s the almighty dollar.

MONEY MONEY MONEY… MONNNEEEEEY.

The vaccine is expected to reach one billion dollars in sales next year. Wall Street analysts predict that sales could reach four billion dollars over the next five years.

Is Merck using young girls as guinea pigs for profit? It’s very possible. The bottom line always seems to lead to the inner lining of the corporate world’s pockets.

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Cervical cancer is not an imminent threat if you diligently have PAP screenings. This is NOT something that sneaks up on you and suddenly takes your life.

“The rate at which invasive cancer develops from dysplagia (atypical cells) is usually slow, measured in years and perhaps decades. (1)

1. Holowaty P, miller AB, Rohan T, et al: Natural history of dysplasia of the uterine cervix. J Natl Cancer Inst 91 (3) 252-8, 1999

The choice here seems obvious.

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Please do not lose sight that throughout history, certain vaccines have been integral in eradicating deadly mass epidemics such as small pox, diptheria, measles, rubella, tetanus, polio and whooping cough.

These advances in medicine have absolutely changed the world and saved millions of lives.

This is not about THAT.

This is about creating a questionable nonessential vaccine with a sketchy safety margin that’s seemingly being marketed purely for profit.

Parents –

Question it.

Do your own research.

Stay informed.

Make your own decision.

Do not be bullied by your practitioner.

Higher education was the precursor to their fancy degree.

Common sense and conscience were not necessarily a factor.

PASS IT ON- Even though this vaccine has been on the market and in the media since 2006, does not mean the majority has been properly informed. Every day thousands of new young people become age eligible for this vaccine.

Please spread this important information.

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http://www.gardasilandunexplaineddeaths.com/facts

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/stress-and-health-dr-lind/2013/apr/10/us-court-pays-6-million-gardasil-victims/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/24/hpv-vaccine-victim-sues-merck.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/16/unproven-hpv-vaccine-safety.aspx

http://www.pop.org/content/merck-researcher-admits-gardasil-guards-against-almost-nothing-985

Click to access Death-after-quadrivalent-human-papillomavirus-vaccination-full-paper.pdf

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cervicalcancer/detailedguide/cervical-cancer-key-statistics

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/February-2012/Dr-Joseph-Mercola-Visionary-or-Quack/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Harper

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/vac-faqs.htm

Click to access cervical_facts.pdf

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancerbasics/lifetime-probability-of-developing-or-dying-from-cancer

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2964337/

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/anti-therapeutic-action/vaccination-hpv-gardisil

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568997214000664

http://onemoregirlmovie.com/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gardasil-researcher-speaks-out/

Click to access BSEM-2011.pdf

 

 

The Witch Doctor is in

Posted in Everything Extreme, Health and Wellness by

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The question is… can a sinus infection  be cured with cayenne pepper?

I read this on the interwebs, swear. to. God.

The jury’s deliberating.

What exactly drove this chronic sinus sufferer to research homeopathic alternatives, you ask?

I’ve freaking had it. Up to here! Pointing to the tippy top of the mucous mans top hat, that’s what.

After a solid week of rest, fluids, pain relievers, decongestants, diligent sinus irrigation, warm compresses and steam.

I. give. up.

And… NO, I’d rather not visit my primary care physician to be put on antibiotics.

Just no.

I’m a nurse for fucks sake. Nurses cure themselves. Plus, they tend to use a smarter more practical approach.  

I dove into the interwebs and researched homeopathic sinus remedies, with great hopes of putting this current green monster to rest. 

RIP Mucous Man! 

In a nut shell, the three top homeopathic choices were apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper and hydrogen peroxide.

Here are the suggested dosages and methods if you’re interested.

I decided to go with the cayenne pepper. Mostly, because I like it HOT HOT HOT!!

Apple cider vinegar via inhalation- 1 tsp/cup of steaming water or 1/4 cup/vaporizer (average size) tank. Breathe it in.

Taken orally (drinking <–clarified, because you never know) the reccomended dose is 1 tsp/1 cup of steaming water. *Honey may be added to make this more palatable. 

*Unfortunate note- I almost barfed after a few sips. 

This may work out better, if perhaps you took a shot of Jack Daniels first. You already feel like total shit or you wouldn’t be considering drinking ACV in the first place, so it certainly couldn’t hurt.

The hydrogen peroxide option is for irrigation only. (via Neti pot or other system. I use the Sinugator by NeilMed. The Sinugator kicks ass. Plus, I like the cool name. Sinugator… RAWR!) Approx. 3ml/50ml distilled or sterile water. I keep approximating, because in witch doctory everything is approximated or ‘ish’, I assume. 

I just made that up, because this is obviously not an exact science. Plus, I’m the boss of this post.

The cayenne pepper option can be snorted (the word snort makes me giggle madly) or taken orally. Oral- 1 tsp/cup of hot water- ingested 3 times per day. To snort, (giggle) put a TEENY (I can’t possibly stress this enough) pinch between your fingers and sniff it up. 

Did I mention this is NOT for wimps? That part gets very very important here, as some people may find themselves running to the ER.

If you’re one of them, do not try this. Go directly to your physican and get a wussy antibiotic, you whiny baby. In fact, I think I hear your mommy calling you.

You’ve been warned.

Here’s a little blurb I wrote while conducting the CP experiment. For authenticity’s sake.

OoooooEmmmfuckinGeeeee!!!!

Lawd Jesus, it’s a FIRE….  in my nose!

Someone grab a cold pop. I’m ready to stick a Popsicle in each nostril.

This is NOT for wimps.

Things that have gone numb… nostrils, lips, tongue and most of my nose.

Possibly my eyes, but who could tell through the tears.

Do not try this at home.

The Internet experts swore this wasn’t unbearable and would only burn for a few minutes.

The Internet people are fucking liars liars… my nose is on FIRE!!!

I should’ve YouTubed this stunt, because then maybe I could get an endorsement from the cayenne pepper people instead of continuing to seek a normal boring day job.

Normal day jobs suck.

Yes, I’d absofuckinglutely be willing to turn myself into an inferno for cash.

Cha ching$$

Fifteen minutes and counting.

My glasses are fogging up for real and that has me LMAO and crying all at the same time.

Look… I’m a dragon!!

Bahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

If this works I may never have to go to the doctors ever again.

The burn is starting to subside.

Breeeeeeeeathe.

Official study results- It’s been approximately 24 hours and I’m elated to say that I’ve seen a considerable improvement. The symptoms aren’t 100% gone, but I believe I’ve won the battle.

The Battle of FIRE!!!

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