News about Whooping Cough
28 June 2010:It has been in the news: there is a definite whooping cough epidemic going on in California.
Whooping cough (Pertussis) tends to be endemic (always existing at a low level) in the Greater Sacramento region. I first got whooping cough when I moved to this area in the late 1980’s. I have had whooping cough 3 times and it seems that the bacteria mutates enough that immunity is not established for life. So you can get the infection again if you have been infected with whooping cough, and you can get the infection if your immunizations are old because they do not provide life long protection.
So what are your options during an outbreak?
1- You and your family could get a booster vaccination. If you choose to do this, please remember to take homeopathic Ledum 30c, 1 dose before and 1 dose after the vaccination. Homeopathic Ledum is available at most Health Food stores. Ledum will reduce the swelling and soreness of the injection site and provide some protection against vaccine side effects.
2- You or someone in your family may already suffer from eczema. If that is so, getting a vaccination (any vaccination) is a tough decision. Vaccination can cause eczema to flare up because it puts the immune system in a hyper alert state. But eczema is a sign that the immune system was already in a hyper alert state, an allergic state. Thus you have a Catch-22 decision to make.
3- If you or someone in your family suffers from asthma, getting infected with whooping cough needs to be avoided. Period. But once again the immune system is already in a hyper alert state with the asthma and a vaccination could aggravate that. Still, whooping cough can lead to asthma and make existing asthma much much worse. Another Catch-22 decision.
4- If you or someone in your family suffers from a retrovirus (AIDS or possibly CFS), getting a vaccination is another Catch-22. Vaccination causes T-cells to multiply and that also means the retrovirus multiplies in those T-cells. Then again, getting infected with whooping cough is not good either.
5- If your child suffers from Asperger’s or Autism you may be reluctant to vaccinate. A very tough decision. Children under the age of 2, can suffer from ‘shaken baby syndrome’ from the violence of the Pertussis cough.
So what other things can you do?
1- Eat well. This is the time to throw the processed food in the trash. The chips, the cookies, the candies, the unnatural ice cream, the processed salt, the power bars with their soy isolates, the sodas, the low calorie or low fat this and that. Into the garbage. Wasn’t that easy! Then pee on the garbage so you don’t raid it in a moment of weakness. Cause all those flavor enhancers are addictive and you and your family can suffer from withdrawal.
2- Seek constitutional homeopathic care. Improve your immune status.
3- For my clients, I do provide adjunctive homeopathic care if you are infected with whooping cough. Your acute case must be individualized. Give me a call sooner rather than later.
Do I provide homeopathic vaccinations?
Only to established clients and only under certain conditions. I do not believe that homeopathic vaccinations give full protection; but then again, in truth, neither do the allopathic vaccinations. And the homeopathic vaccination can ‘push’ the immune system. Years ago I took a dose of homeopathic Pertussininum 30c for the residual effects after my 3 bouts of whooping cough. My nose ran steadily for 3 days and then my breathing was clearer. Now, knowing more about ‘vaccine clearing’ (used for children within the Autistic spectrum) I might take more doses, but I would know that the immune system can react strongly.
First published 28 June 2010