Our son had a cold coming on recently and was wondering why?

After some thought, he found solace in his answer and named a couple of buddies at school with colds.  He must have ‘caught’ it from them…  Mystery solved.

It’s instant for us to look outward for a solution.

In our son’s mind, it was nothing to do with him.  Fair enough.  Because without thinking twice, it’s how we’ve been conditioned or taught i.e. to look to others to help us recover, to give them the responsibility.

In this instance;

1.  He blamed his class mates for his cold.  Was it really their fault?

2.  He ‘caught’ the cold.  As though it was inevitable.  Or was it?

Both thoughts cast blameexternally and weren’t to do with him.  Rather he was a victim of an external force outside his control.  A sickness, definitely unrelated to the lollies he’d got into the previous weekend with his buddies, or his preference for sweeter foods over savoury!

As a generalisation this ‘external’ way of viewing illness is what we’ve been taught to believe over many, many years.  Yet is it valid?

It’s a view that’s come about with our acceptance of ‘germ theory’ i.e. the germ is to blame for making us sick.  The germ must be eradicated or targeted for us to be well.

But do germs make us sick?  Or do we ‘catch colds’? … Maybe not.  It’s worth questioning.

 

A quick visit back in time. 

Specifically, 1822 – 1895 when Louise Pasteur discovered ‘germ theory’.  Prior to this the theory of disease was known as Miasma Theory, caused by ‘a noxious form of “bad air”.

Miasma theory had been around for hundreds of years and needless to say, germ theory was dismissed by the establishment when it was discovered and took many years to be accepted.

A transitional period began in the late 1850s.  By the end of that decade, the miasma theory was struggling to compete with the newly accepted germ theory of disease.

Germ theory explains our current way of thinking about illness i.e. certain diseases are caused by the invasion of the body by germs / microorganisms. French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur, English surgeon Joseph Lister, and German physician Robert Koch are all given the credit for popularising the theory & our common acceptance of it.

Germ theory says to treat the cause / the invasion, the germ must be targeted and eradicated, commonly with medication.  To be well an external solution is required, with barely if any, responsibility necessary by the individual.  Makes sense.

However this theory raises some questions e.g.;

You will have noticed this difference in susceptibility or immunity in your own family.  Some get sick and others don’t.  Like my son last week.  He was the only one of us who ‘caught’ his cold.

We’ve seen it with Covid-19 too.  While people have died and any loss of life is devastating, approximately 96% of the population to date, conservatively, who contract the illness will recover, with many people showing no symptoms.

How does germ theory explain these questions?

Another theory, terrain theory can help explain them better.

‘Terrain theory’.

If you haven’t come across it – terrain theory arose around a similar time to germ theory but at the time, was discarded to the rubbish bin!

Antoine Béchamp (1816–1908) was a contemporary of Louis Pasteur.  While they were contemporaries, history also shows they had major differences in their views on biology and disease, which lead to a long rivalry!

Béchamp’s discoveries led him to conclude that our bodies are, in effect, “miniecosystems.” And when our internal ecosystem becomes weakened—whether due to poor nutrition, toxicity or other factors—it changes the function of the microbes that are naturally present in the body, and as a consequence, produce disease, (and linking in with all the current research on the microbiome).

In other words, Béchamp’s research showed that microorganisms only become pathogenic AFTER environmental factors cause the individuals cellular “terrain” to deteriorate or weaken.

Answering questions.

1.  It answers the question, why some people fall ill and others don’t, even when exposed to the same germs.

2.  It goes a little way to explain WHY some of us have a stronger immune system than others and therefore a greater capacity to ‘fend off’ disease more easily.

3.  It works at allowing us to understand potential root cause, rather than symptom identification alone.

With terrain theory, responsibility for illness lies within the individual, NOT an external force i.e. with the virus, the illness, bacteria OR the child with the cold.   However, just like when germ theory was first discovered, this theory can be hard to accept, and hasn’t been popularised, but is gaining momentum.

Terrain theory is preventative medicine. When the terrain is healthy, we don’t succumb so heavily to illness.  It means true health IS in our hands – nobody elses.

And given all that we’re learning about the microbiome and virome–  it makes sense.

It raises another question, why if both theories arose at similar times, did germ theory become so readily accepted over terrain theory?

I don’t know for sure. The cynic in me thinks of the neat fit of a hand in a glove…

Hand & Glove. 

There were a couple of other events that happened at around the same time these theories were discovered, that fit like a hand in a glove with germ theory;

1. At a similar time i.e. 1880’s  – 1920s the split between allopathic and alternative medicine occurred.

2.  In the mid 1800’s the industrial production of medicine first occurred, producing patented medicine from 1842, and the world’s first factory for producing only medicines was in 1859.

In today’s world, just 150 years later, the pharmaceutical industry is one of the world’s most lucrative with alternative medicine being a poor, second rate cousin.  It never used to be this way.  My understanding is these two forms of treatment ran along side each other for hundreds of years.

At the same time, today as a race we have never been sicker, especially our children.  1 million children in the USA alone with autism.  Chronic illness, auto immunity, mental health issues all on the rise. Why?  Is it time for a fresh perspective on sickness?

Has  ‘germ theory’ and the consequential eradication of germs come at an incalculably high price?  Has it;

Terrain theory might make sense but it doesn’t make cents.

A cynical view, yet maybe at the time of these discoveries in the mid 1800’s, the lure of a potential ‘quick fix’ along with the financial and economic reward outweighed the idea of prescribing patients with some healthy lifestyle advice?

Food and lifestyle choices are powerful and cost effective, especially those that give us the most bang for buck.  For example;

Things aren’t always what they seem.  

It’s our instinct to trust what we consider ‘normal’ or the science, to outsource responsibility but as shown above perhaps there’s another story worth exploring & that may in fact give us more control than we realise we ever had, and is better for our vitality, happiness and our bank account in the long term?

There are no doubt many explanations science is yet to consider in regard to why we get sick.  This is my personal research and I hope in sharing it, helps you discover which choices work best for your families vitality, health and happiness.  I invite you to do your own research.  Question everything, (even the above), because things aren’t always what they seem or what we’ve been lead to believe.

p.s. happy to say our sons’ cold didn’t eventuate.  He was a bit snuffly for a day and that was it.  No runny nose or cough developed and no-one else ‘caught’ his cold! I share all about how I keep our family healthy & thriving in my next event, ‘Why kids get sick’. Details   https://www.katebarnes.com.au/no_more_sick_kids_workshop come along LIVE or ONLINE.  Join me. 

Some of you reading this probably won’t agree. I understand and if you feel compelled to unsubscribe I respect your decision but what I’m learning concerns me deeply, particularly for our well-being and our very humanity. At the same time I have great hope in humanity and for a world more beautiful than we can possibly imagine.

Even if there’s an inch of truth in the dystopian, global domination, new order that’s well documented and quickly coming to life… that’s not the future I hope for or what humanity requires for our ongoing evolution. In 6 months time or sooner, you may wish you’d had an alternative perspective.

I invite you to keep reading with an open mind and an open heart.

Why question Covid?

As Dr Lissa Rankin says, ‘rigorous science requires us to be curious and ask good questions. To put blind faith in the advice of ‘experts’ is fundamentalism, not science… ‘

However, we are seeing that those publicly questioning the mainstream narrative, are being attacked, demonised or censored (on all global media platforms).

My intention in this article is to be willing to question the dominant narrative respectfully, while sharing some ‘good science based on good questions’.

Much of what I’m sharing can no longer be found on mainstream media sources, it’s being censored or pulled down from google, social media channels as quickly as it’s being shared and as far as possible, re-shared on independent platforms (shared further on).

So to hear or read sources that question the narrative, and without discrediting, is now almost impossible.

Which begs the question, Why…?

How the media manipulates the narrative.

Our primary source of information in regard to Covid comes from mainstream media.

Can it be trusted?

What if the global media are controlled by a small minority that have their own commercial interests or agenda in play – not humanity at large? What if the story the media is sharing is inflated, geared for fear or wrong? What if the media’s role is to inflame fear and keep us in a state of mind that doesn’t question the narrative?

What if…

In this eye opening 10 minute TED talk by Sharyl Attkisson, a former correspondent for CBS News for twenty years and in 2013, received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Investigative Journalism.

Sharyl shows how astroturf, or fake grassroots movements funded by political, corporate, or other special interests very effectively manipulate and distort media messages, (especially in regard to health).

As Sharyl Attkisson concludes, ‘become a wiser consumer in an increasingly artifical paid for reality’.

And this…

‘The most powerful weapon of all time is not a gun or bomb, it is the control of information. To control the world’s information is to manipulate all the minds that consume it’

 

Even though the above image is for the USA, most of the world is following their lead and the WHO in response to the pandemic.

IF the narrative is manipulated or censored… Why?

What IF it’s because the narrative being hidden derails our long held belief in ‘the systems’ we have trusted our entire lives to protect us. That it’s actually a narrative of immense conflict of interest supporting the astronomical wealth and incredible power of a psychopathic minority with no interest in what’s best for the planet or humanity.

That if we learnt it, there would be an uprising that would have us ‘shun’ the lies and the power structures we’ve been conditioned to believe.

A shocking, unbelievable and an incredibly hard ‘pill’ (narrative) to swallow. But… What If?

What if there is another agenda?

Anthony Fauci and his team, along with the WHO, is directing the global pandemic response.

In 2017 Dr Anthony Fauci, publicly said, ‘That there is no question … there will be a surprise outbreak’ in the next Presidents administration… (1.14 min video) here

In October 2019, ‘Event 201’ was held. Event 201 was a high-level simulation exercise for pandemic preparedness and response, in New York, USA, on Friday 18 October, 08.45 – 12.30 EDT. Hosted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in partnership with the World Economic Forum and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. All of these were institutions Bill Gates owns, funds or works with closely, and ‘gifts’ millions and at times billions of dollars to.

There is a patent for the coronavirus owned by The Pirbright Institute, a biological research organization based in Surrey, England. The institute is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation source here.

The Gates foundation has an agenda based on delivering vaccines and medicines, rather than building resilient health bodily systems.

His global health model is;

It’s little wonder Bill Gates doesn’t speak to nutrition – it’s unprofitable and enables health freedom (as opposed to control)…

The fact is immunity improves within days, covid-19 cases treated with nutrient therapy e.g. zinc, vitamin c, oxygen or the drug hydroxy-chloroquine that’s been used for over 70 years, have an almost 100% success rate. Yet we aren’t hearing this in the mainstream, it’s not reported or supported. Despite it bringing some much needed good news and less fear into our lives.

Or let alone the tried and tested biological function of herd immunity which has worked for millennia against disease. Then again, it costs barely nothing.

A deep conflict of interest.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation directly funds heavily, almost every global health policy making institution in the world (image below) – including the development of every vaccine for Covid-19. The foundation is committed to finding a vaccine before we can return to ‘normal’.

So with one extremely powerful person funding the entire global health policy is there scientific rigour? or is it even possible? Why is THIS unquestioned in the mainstream?

Bill Gates appears to be involved in every aspect of the pandemic – can his global agenda to vaccinate every person in the world plus newborns, which he intends to be mandatory, that comes with a nano/micro chip to monitor our every move – be trusted?  (A similar ‘chip’ is already in development at MIT, funded by the Gates Foundation).

Bill Gates has said, “Short of a miracle treatment,” the only way for people to return to some sense of normal is through a vaccine’. This is the narrative the globe is dutifully following.

Even though many esteemed scientists, politicians and doctors contradicting the statistics, the modelling, the agenda and the response;

Dr Annie Bukacek, ‘Covid 19 death certificates manipulated’. (17 mins)

Dr Ericsson Covid-19 Briefing. (50 mins)

Italian Parliament. Deep state, Bill Gates, Agenda 21 (6:52 mins).
(Turn on sub titles / translation inside the video settings – ‘wheel’ logo).

Germany.  Forensic Dr, ‘Noboby died of Covid without previous illness’  (5 mins)

Paris.  Nobel Prize Winning Scientist.  ‘Coronavirus leaked from a lab’. (2 mins)

Immunologist, Dr Judy Milkovic interview (25 mins), Plandemic.

‘De-bunking’ the narrative, Dr Dolores Cahill interview (1 hour) or watch here.

Note: If you google these doctors their credentials will be discredited and may already be removed by the time you go to watch.

 

 

What if it’s not about saving the world?

Bill Gates has also said, “The world has 6.8 billion people and that’s headed up to about 9 billion. Now if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could LOWER that by perhaps 10 – 15 percent’!

What? How do vaccines, health care & reproductive services LOWER population? No thanks.

Perhaps he’s alluding to the statistic, that as of October 2019, $4.2 Billion has been awarded to claimants in the United States National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

The program was set up in 1986 i.e. approx. $127M / year) in payouts! And pharmaceutical companies have no liability when it comes to vaccine injury, which means if the vaccine is unsafe or harms, there is no liability?! A vaccine for Covid-19 will fall under the same legislation.

(fyi I’m not anti-vaxx – I’ve had vaccines, they have a very real part to play when they are safe, especially in our children).

Bill Gates, a software developer and global health philanthropist, dictating global health policy (… monopoly) yet has no education in immunology or virology, a very DEEP conflict of interest and an agenda to dramatically lower global population. For one person or conglomerate to have total control and ‘dictatorship’ over our health seems very wrong and to be honest, damn right frightening and … well, why is it not illegal?!

The question is, can Bill Gates be trusted with our personal well-being and that of our families?

I don’t think so.

Esteemed Doctors and Scientists have cheaper, effective, quicker and less damaging to the economy response plans e.g. within a week as Dr Dolores Cahill outlined. And potentially we can be a lot healthier, while creating natural immunity and stronger, more resilient bodies against the next virus or pathogen the following year.

Or do we continue waiting for a safe vaccine (potentially years), remaining in isolation with social distancing, living in constant fear of viruses, (and necessary for a healthy state of being) as the dominant narrative?

The loss of life across the globe has been devastating, there is no question, and particularly the virulent nature of the virus and it’s attack on the elderly, yet across the population, are the draconian measures implemented globally the real answer to protecting humanity?

Is the cure (& proposed cure) worse than the virus itself?

Is it time to start following the money rather than following orders?

Is it the perfect time to be taking true responsibility for our health?

I think THAT’s worth questioning.

Be curious. There is nobody who cares more about your and your families health more than you.

If I’m honest, while I’ve enjoyed the slower pace of these Covid_19,  I’ve actually felt a bit sad.

Everyone is experiencing these times differently and the ‘slowness’ is a gift however I find the uncertainty & a sense of a loss of freedom – saddening.

It’s on my heart, especially having just recognised our Anzacs and all that they stood for and did for our freedom.

The inability to ‘hug’ loved ones or those going through difficult times … is wrong.

Touch is one of our most basic human needs – especially during a crisis.  It’s something I miss greatly.  

Covid-19 – a lifestyle issue.

What I’m sharing in this post may be contrary to your belief or what’s being reported in mainstream.  Yet in my personal experience and scientific knowledge of  what is healthy, it offers some answers amongst the many questions I have.  So if you’ve also had your questions I hope it helps and if not, at least offers another perspective to consider.

‘A healthy lifestyle is the key to warding off the most serious and fatal cases of Covid-19’ ~ Dr Aseem Malhotra, Cardiologist.  

This isn’t being reported in mainstream media, yet the research of Dr Malhotra & others is coming out.

While the number of fatalities is devastating it seems hard to imagine lifestyle could be so preventative.

Cardiologist and Author of the Pioppi Diet, Dr Aseem Malhotra, in European Scientist publication last week links the consumption of ultraprocessed foods, the 60% rate of overweight and obesity in the UK and the US with the severity of illness from COVID-19.  Calling obesity—and metabolic syndrome more generally—the “elephant in the room” amid the scramble to prevent more deaths’  (and in Italy 1 in 10 or 10% of population and 1 in 2 men are overweight).

He says that the ‘message needs to be loud and clear… that to reduce morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 people need to be getting the message right now to be cutting out the ultraprocessed junk food,”  “Eat real food, protect the NHS, and save lives’.

And the following;

‘Improving our metabolic health could help ward off future medical, economic and social calamities from whatever pathogen next comes down the pike’?  ~  New York Times, April 20. 2020

‘Poor diet is now the leading cause of poor health in the USA and the cause of more than half a million deaths / year‘ ~ ‘Report of the 50th Anniversary of the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition & health’, March 2020

fyi characteristics of metabolic disease include; excess fat around the middle, hypertension (high blood pressure), high blood sugar etc. conditions that suppress the immune system and increase the risk for infection, pneumonia and cancer.

As a generalisation, as a race of people we have never in our history been sicker.  As described in a previous post, ‘What’s happening to our kids?’

There is more chronic illness, obesity, cancer, auto immunity than ever.  It’s not going away, rather each year it escalates globally.

We have more sterile / ‘cleaner’ water, sterile / ‘cleaner’ environments, more easy food available, more conveniences, more medications & more vaccinations than we’ve ever had.

Why then as a race are we not thriving?

Despite countless global charities and millions of dollars raised to support cancer research annually, we are getting sicker (generally).  Does that not mean the current ‘health’ model is also sick?  

In comparison, perhaps Covid-19 is the least of our worries.

Lifestyle Matters

Within weeks, even days of changing food and lifestyle choices, we feel better, can dramatically change our health and our predisposition to dis-ease, which is also the premise of epigenetics, (i.e. genes are switched on and off depending on the influence by environmental factors).

A healthy lifestyle is not just a protection against covid-19 it’s to protect against most, if not all illnesses and dis-ease.  BUT who’s talking to this publicly?  The Government?  Corporations?  The media?  I’ve heard very few in mainstream – with a predilection to dispensing fear and panic and the stress that goes along with it.   Why is mainstream media not sharing just a bit of the good news that’s happening in Sweden or the success rates being seen using Vitamin C or oxygen therapy?

And most healthy lifestyle choices are FREE!  Almost certainly THE reason they don’t get the ‘airplay’ they deserve – there is little if any corporate financial gain to be made from adopting a healthy lifestyle.  The pharmaceuticals industry is one of the biggest globally.

All of the above aside, we need not worry about it, because we don’t have to wait for public policy or the media to change, because it’s not about them,  it’s about us and we can change ourcellves today.  It’s up to us, noone else.

IF we choose.

Natural beauty.  Western Australia’s South West, image @katiemitchellphotography

Some ‘facts about Covid-19’.

I’ve been seeking independent research and came across this report, ‘Facts about Covid-19’  ‘fully referenced facts about Covid-19, provided by experts in the field, to help readers make a realistic risk assessment’  It appears independent.

It’s comprehensive, quoting a wide range of scientists, professors and more.   Below are a few highlights from the report, (fyi you can  view the whole report here).

I’ve had many questions myself in regard to the pandemic and try to search out any good news, (which also shows my own bias).  But I find it interesting to hear other reflections and perhaps you will too.

For details view the full report.  

Overall;

Could the the cure (lockdown & isolation) actually be worse than the disease?  

“The oldest woman in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen died last week at the age of 109. She survived the „Spanish flu“ of 1918, was not corona-infected and „for her age she was doing very well“. The “corona isolation“, however, had ‘very much affected her’ She faded without the daily visits of her family members.

The leading cause of disability world wide is mental health.  I believe I’m mentally and physically strong but have still felt sad, I can’t imagine what it must be like for those in nursing homes, living on their own or suffering mental health concerns.

“In the US state of Indiana, calls to the mental health and suicide hotline  have increased by over 2000% from 1000 to 25,000 calls per day due to the lockdown and its economic impact”

In France, there are more and more  reports of suicides  out of fear of the coronavirus or out of fear of having infected someone with the coronavirus.

The world has been watching what happens in Sweden, where like Japan and South Korea, a different model has been adopted with no lockdown and relaxed measures. From the report;

Anders Tegnell, Health Minister of Sweden, has also said their data shows ‘children neither get it or spread it’. Their schools remained open.

Is the data accurate & are we hearing all of it?

It’s conflicting to what’s being reported in mainstream.  Why?  I don’t know.  But if you’re curious, do your own research / investigation with independent journalism.   There are many sources unearthing new data that’s not being reported, and strangely some of it is quickly being censored?

The conflict of interest.

As we know the WHO (World Health Organisation) is leading the pandemic response, and one of its largest funders is Bill Gates, ex founder of Microsoft along with GAVI – the vaccine alliance (also funded by Bill Gates).  However, Bill Gates whose charitable foundation is primarily supporting vaccination programs & contributes to GAVI, puts the WHO in a serious position of conflict.

How could the WHO advocate existing drugs, nutrient therapy that’s almost 100% effective or lifestyle choices that are mostly free, when two of their biggest funders advocate pharmacy / vaccination?

Bill Gates investment is deep and committed e.g. ‘…Mr. Gates appeared on “The Daily Show” and said his foundation would fund factories for the seven most promising potential vaccines’, New York Times.

This conflict in information raises many questions for me;

I’ve shed light on conflicting data and information, which I also wonder why there is so much data not being shared or in conflict?  Who is the most disadvantaged in ongoing lockdowns?  And WHO stands to benefit?

In Summary

So many questions and I don’t expect answers, but there is good news in that countries are coming out of Covid-19, the large majority of the population exposed i.e. over 90% are building immunity naturally and a healthy lifestyle makes an important difference.

I also know THE best thing I can do right now is to keep nourishing myself and my family, strengthening our immunity, learning all the incredible lessons that are coming at me in these strange ISO times, to keep enjoying the natural beauty of this amazing world we live in and give out some massive HUGS when it’s over.

Note:  I’m not anti medicine, Bill Gates, vaccinations etc. I am just curious and perhaps a bit suspicious (where there’s money to be made) about the motives of those in power, the health of our natural world and my children’s future.

And if you want to join me on an incredible journey of health freedom, join me in Our Happy Children – in times of Covid!  A 28 day online program for busy families who want to thrive – for life!   We start Monday, May 4th and are already gathering.  I can’t wait.  Details https://www.katebarnesschool.com/p/our-happy-children  

‘Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less’ ~ Marie Currie

Something that’s been on my mind is WHY one of our kids, nobody else, had gastro last week & in Covid-19 isolation?!

I was telling a friend, and they mentioned that family members in the UK had come down with chicken pox…  in isolation!

How can someone get sick if they’re not exposed to a ‘bug’?   Why do some people not get sick at all despite being exposed to the same ‘bug’?  Why do some people recover in a day and others a week?   Is it luck?  No.

It’s their immune system.  

And why is it the only people I hear talking about creating strong immunity are my health practitioner colleagues?  It isn’t reported in the media. We don’t learn about it at school.  We no longer learn it from our parents or our grandparents. Strong immunity doesn’t make a lot of corporate ‘cents’ either, mostly because – it’s free.    It’s little wonder ‘we’ don’t give a strong immunity the high regard it requires.

Strong immunity is fundamental to living a long healthy, active, vital life.  There is an innate knowledge that somehow we’ve disconnected from and when we know how, I promise, we know we do not need to fear dis-ease.  And if there’s one thing we all want now … it’s security – but really, its immunity.

So in this post I explore what immunity really is?  Why the human virome is key, why germs aren’t the cause of sickness & what is?  how to create a strong immunity including for Covid-19, nutrients and supplements to help & lots more.  

And it’s not hard… but perhaps invites an open mind, especially if you fear illness, as many of us have been taught. 

1.  How the immune system works.

Very simply, our immune function determines our susceptibility to infection.

If the immune function is compromised e.g. existing infection, illness, acidity, toxicity, stress, sleep deprivation etc. then the body has the environment (susceptibility) for infection or dis-ease (I wrote about different stressors affecting the immune system here 13 guises of stress & why it affects our entire body).

Think of the immune system being like the bodies operating system, with food, emotion & environmental exposures as the code.

Correct code (healthy food & lifestyle), creates a healthy immune system, strong enough to ward off dis-ease.  Bad code, corrupts the operating system i.e. creating an unhealthy / weakened immune system.

The terrain (body, gut, blood, hormones, organs, brain, mind etc.) determines disease i.e. susceptibility.   Depending on the native immune system and health of the terrain that’s what determines if or when we get sick.  Remembering the terrain changes, depending what it’s exposed to.

Which might explain why our child got sick last week. I don’t know for sure but there were a number of stressors at play i.e. it was difficult transitioning to online schooling, they were missing school & friends, not eating as well, more sugar than usual plus I suspect there was a growth spurt & hormonal changes.  And it only lasted a day.  Their strong immune system enabling them to ward off the bug and get well.

It’s a superficial understanding of how the immune system works but helps me to understand the WHY?  And then this…

Immunity & The Viral Link. 

With all the research done on the microbiome, we now know a healthy population of bacteria are essential for our health.  Amongst many things, bacteria help us digest and metabolise foods & nutrients necessary for our vitality, well-being & strong immunity.  Without them our immunity and wellbeing suffers.

Just like the microbes forming the microbiome, we have a population of viruses forming our virome!

This term is new to me, yet it’s so important to know.  The virome is the total collection of viruses in and on the human body!  AND… we have up to 380 trillion viruses on and within us at any time.   And I also only recently learnt, viruses are not alive!

So… it makes sense then that we can, get sick, even if we’re not exposed to a contagion.  THAT sickness relates more to the STATE of the immune system.  It doesn’t relate to the virus or the ‘bug’ as these live within and around us ALL the time.

There are ALWAYS going to be viruses, some more virulent than others,  like Covid-19.  Is it feasible to lock down the world each year and as viruses evolve?   No, I don’t think so.

It’s time to turn our attention from fearing germs to strengthen the immune system.

I know… it can be a bit of a mind shift!  Yet, just like we’ve only recently understood the vital importance of the microbiome or the link with gut health and the mind – perhaps there’s more to immunity than we really know.

One thing that’s more and more clear is that germs are not the enemy.  They are a necessity.

This is shown even more with the link to our Mitochondria.  Mitochondria are microscopic organelles that are our primary energy source & found in all living cells!

It’s interesting to learn these microscopic energy factories help turn food and oxygen into cellular energy which we use for everything e.g. walking, breathing, pumping our blood, even thinking and… have been found to be derived from bacteria!

Like the microbiome, does the human virome have an important evolutionary link to our well-bing that we are yet to discover too?

Germs aren’t the cause of sickness.

Which also explains why 80 – 90% of those who pass, with covid-19 have one or more co-morbidities i.e. one or more acute or chronic illnesses and therefore compromised / corrupted immunity.  And perhaps it’s WHY so many are infected is due to the low immunity many people have these days, refer to my posts ‘5 reasons we’re de-evolving.‘ and ‘Are we malnourished?

“According to the (US) National Institute of Health, up to 23.5 million Americans (more than seven percent of the population) suffer from an autoimmune disease—and the prevalence is rising.'”

Can we change immunity?  Yes.  And quickly …

‘The intestinal lining regenerates every 5 – 7 days.  70 – 80% of immune tissue lies in the gut. With the right food & exposures, immune health can improve within days.’

The incredible, mutually beneficial (vital) relationship the human body has with ‘germs’ has to honoured and respected – not feared.

This is an oversimplified explanation to an incredibly intelligent and complex system, yet having this basic level of understanding has helped alleviate some of the fear I’ve had around germs and shift my energy to strengthening our immune systems i.e. a healthy lifestyle.   I hope it helps you & your family too.

 

2.  How to create a healthy immune system & in regard to Covid 19.

If you’re not doing this already, then this is the chance.  It WILL create a robust immune system which is the essence of life.  I go into this in detail in my online program, ‘Our Happy Children – Strong Immunity & Healthy Tummies for Families‘, (now open for registrations).

​​​​​​​Here’s a very simplified overview.  Perhaps choose something to start improving and notice how it affects other areas of your life too…

First, the fun (& free) stuff;

The simplicity, yet potency of healthy food and lifestyle choices has been far too quickly dismissed for too long.  My personal experience is that in adopting this lifestyle;

It’s not luck.  A healthy lifestyle creates a healthy immune system.  If you’d like to you can read more of our story here.

Specific Nutrients.

Generally, we just don’t get enough of the nutrients we need in our food and water anymore.  In addition we’re exposed to a vast array of toxins and stressors that quickly leave us depleted of vital nutrients.  Good quality supplements can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Covid-19

And there are key nutrients that are commonly being shown to help protect the body against covid-19 including;

Choose good quality brands in the most absorbable forms eg liquids or powders.

Other – A well oxygenated body.  

Something to consider are the reports coming out of NYC showing that Covid-19 is more similar to a blood disease, where the blood is unable to uptake oxygen.

For example, when Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister was in ICU, he was treated with oxygen, not a ventilator. Thankfully he is now out of ICU and on the mend.

Breathe work, good quality exercise / movement, good quality water, sprouted foods are all foods to help with the uptake of oxygen.  Peppermint essential oil and the ‘Cell food’ supplement can also help.

Summary

Good food and lifestyle choices cost very little and most of them are free e.g. sunshine, movement & quality sleep.

Perhaps this is also why they are not promoted on TV, advertised or widely discussed in the general arena as they are uneconomical in a corporate business model.  Yet having this innate knowledge & education missing, brings poverty / poor health to individuals, families and consequently our communities and the global population.

What is financial is mass produced, cheap foods & medicines with large margins.  Products we’ve been lead to believe CAN help us.  But can they really for the long term?

And perhaps THIS is the reason simple, potent, food and lifestyle choices are NOT more widely regarded.

As Maya Angelou famously said, ‘Do the best you can until you know better.  Then when you know better, do better’.

Our best chance of survival is a strong body and a strong mind always.   Our health really is in our own hands.  No-one knows what’s good for us better than we do.

The only person or thing that can protect you is you.

To be truly healthy, to feel less fear about illness & dis-ease, we simply must protect and nurture a strong immune system.

And remember, as a generalisation, the majority of the population are NOT living health promoting lifestyles i.e. are NOT supporting a healthy immune system.

Please ask your own questions and when you need, work with your health practitioner together, to discover what’s best for you.

 

Additional resources fyi

​​​​​​​My website has a lot of ebooks, programs, information, recipes and remedies to help create a healthy lifestyle / immune system.

Including blog posts;

How we saved Easter. A blog post giving the protocol and approach we used for an ear infection.

Are we malnourished? A look at 4 reasons many of us are not getting the nutrients our bodies need.

5 reasons we’re de-evolving.

What’s happening to our kids?The acceptance of a new level of ‘normal’ for children’s health that’s NOT normal?

5 ways to fight cold & flu

And many more

e-books & online programs;

‘Why Kids (& families) Get Sick & Keeping them thriving’ e-book – 50% off.

Our Happy Children – 4 week online program – 33% off.

Podcasts on Covid-19 & immunity;

Bruce Lipton, Cell Biologist & Author on London Real TV, ‘Coronavirus, Epigenetics & immunity – most dangerous part of Covid-19 is fear.

Dr V.A. Shiva, scientist, entrepreneur & inventor of email, interview with Pete Evans

Sally Morell, Co-founder, Weston A Price Foundation, on Covid-19

 

And for a short time longer all my programs, courses and ebooks with up to 50% off, including Our Happy Children – beginning 28/4/20.

 

Health freedom begins within.

Zinc is essential for strong immune function and essential to our diet i.e. it must be consumed in the diet for sufficient requirements.

Zinc helps with 100’s of enzymatic reactions, necessary for chemical reactions, facilitating protein folding and in regulating gene expression!  It’s critical for healthy development & maintenance. 

And unfortunately … most people are chronically deficient, making them susceptible to viral infections & disease.   I explain why, along with the link to covid-19.

‘… As many as 2 billion people around the world have diets deficient in zinc, and studies are raising concerns about the health implications this holds for infectious disease, immune function, DNA damage and cancer.’ ~ Dr Joseph Mercola.

Zinc & Chloroquine.

You may have read about a drug that’s being used in some countries e.g. China and South Korea to treat covid-19 with almost 100% success rate – Chloroquine.  It’s a drug that’s historically used to treat malaria and other infections for 75 years or more.

The efficiency of chloroquine is based on it’s ability to efficiently transport zinc into the cell.  Once in the cell, zinc works to block / prevent the viral replication.

This treatment is working successfully against covid-19, as are cases of high dose vitamin C!

Several studies (cited below) show zinc has an antiviral affect i.e. blocking or preventing viral activity within the cell, including respiratory infections and pneumonia.

Sufficient levels of the nutrient zinc, are important for a healthy immune system and the ability to ward off viral infections, including pneumonia.

Signs of zinc deficiency;

10 more important reasons for zinc;

  1. Nutrient absorption. Zinc is an active agent in our body’s ability to metabolise food and nutrients. If zinc levels are low we won’t absorb food / nutrients effectively.
  2. Metabolism. It is also involved with triggering over 100 differing internal enzymes required for many metabolic actions. Zinc is critical for a healthy metabolism.
  3. Immunity. Zinc is also crucial for the health of our immune system.
  4. Healthy muscle growth. Zinc aids cell division and cell growth so it’s necessary for maintaining muscles and our skeletal system. It’s therefore particularly important in pregnant and lactating women and for growth in children.
  5. Wound healing. Zinc plays a role in the body’s ability to heal itself after an injury. It’s important for our sense of smell and is commonly linked to healthy eyes, skin and hair.
  6. Eye health. Zinc is needed to convert vitamin A into its active form and to maintain good vision.
  7. Balances hormones and supports reproductive health. It’s needed to help produce estrogen and progesterone. It also increases testosterone naturally, which has many roles for both men and women.
  8. Balances blood sugars. Zinc helps balance insulin, the main hormone involved in the regulation of blood sugar.
  9. Brain health. Zinc may act as a kind of sedative mineral on the central nervous system, acting as a calming agent and helping us to manage stress better.
  10. Promotes a healthy gut. One of the cornerstones of a healthy gut is strong stomach acid. Zinc is needed to help in the manufacture of our stomach acid. If you or your children suffer from reflux, consider zinc.

Depleted soils, stress, poor diet, chemicals and chronic illness are just a few of the many factors that deplete our zinc exposure and absorption. The body doesn’t store zinc so we need to make sure we get enough in our diet.  

Other factors competing for zinc & leading to malabsorption;

Note:  Infants, children, adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women have increased requirements for zinc and are most at risk of zinc depletion.
​​​​​
Top 10 foods high in zinc.

Having protein, in particular animal protein, helps increase the uptake of zinc.  Plus consuming animal foods (e.g., beef, eggs and cheese) helps improve the bioavailability (absorption) of zinc from plant foods.

How to know if you’re zinc deficient?

It can be difficult to test for zinc levels accurately.  Try adding in more of the foods above first or if you need to supplement opt for a good quality liquid or colloidal form which is most absorbable, and a trusted brand.

Testing:  Zinc can be tested with a blood test, a urine test or a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA).

Zinc is just ONE nutrient, of many many nutrients the human body requires for optimal function.  Eating a clean, whole food diet incorporated with a healthy lifestyle is a big step forward in optimising our well-being.

And always discuss concerns or questions with your health practitioner first.

To learn more about how you can improve your wellbeing and get to the root cause, please contact Kate at hello@katebarnes.com.au

Some of this information came from a post I wrote awhile ago, ‘Life Force. 11 health benefits of zinc’ & why minerals are our life force.

References;

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2973827/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC353050/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3724376/

Last weekend I spent time scrolling social media & watching the news coming through on the virus …

I got so caught up and consumed by the ‘pandemic panic’.  I was full of fear and felt horrible!…  (maybe you can relate)?   I finally shut it all down and after a good sleep and my run on Sunday morning, outside with the DOSE crew,  I felt like my self again.

It’s a fearful & stressful trap that’s easy to fall into.  If you’ve been feeling this too, remember the simple things that lift your vibe.

Other than turning off the media, moving your body and connecting with others who help you feel good, remembering the following 3 things are also helping me.  I hope they help you too.

Remembering these 3 things;

1.   Panic, fear or stress affects my brain. 

It’s actually said to kill brain cells and can even reduce the size of the brain! It affects memory and learning. Not what I/we want at this time.

And…

2.  There’s one thing our immune systems hate as much, if not more, than any virus….  FEAR (… & sugar)!

Fear, stress or worry is not WHAT I need to keep my immunity strong and vibe as high as possible.  Fear is debilitating to the nervous system, which in turn debilitates immunity.

Yet how I feel is my choice. 

Not to understate the seriousness of world events in any way … yet in this very moment I have the power to choose fear, worry or stress, OR to choose to enjoy and appreciate all that I have i.e. clean air, sunshine, outdoors, good food, to be able to move my body and appreciate the beauty that surrounds me.  Simple pleasures, that instantly give perspective and make me feel good.

When I diffuse my fear I help to collectively diffuse fear for my family and those around me.

This quote helps me, ‘What I think, I create. What I feel, I attract. What I imagine, I become’.

Whether we believe it or not now, doesn’t matter.  Work on believing it anyway.  It will make us feel better and that’s a good thing. 

Then remembering;

3.  There are viruses around me & my family everyday.  

My children have just got through colds (after their birthdays i.e. a sugar overload)…  How strong our immunity is will depend on how susceptible our systems are to a virus.  Yes?

(I know there have been anomalies reported in regard to who’s contracting COVID-19, however the large majority of people are recovering). 

Along with social distancing which is super important, being proactive about supporting our immune systems is too. However it’s always important, especially through the change of seasons (and with Easter around the corner).

‘How to Strengthen Immunity & Diffuse Fear in Turbulent Times’. 

A FREE online event tomorrow, Sunday 22nd March,

2:00pm – 3:00pm (WST) or 5:00pm – 6:00pm EST.

Tomorrow, Sunday 22nd of March I’m delighted to be chatting with Dr Talia Steed in a special conversation for calm & care in stressful & challenging times.  If you’ve been feeling the turbulence OR want more information on how to support your family, Talia and I are sharing exactly what we’re doing to strengthen immunity and create more calm. 

Talia is a Medical Doctor with an extensive background in General Practice, Preventative Medicine, Mental Health, specialising in Wellness and teaching Yoga  She regards herself as a Wellness Medical Doctor.  Talia is also very at ease with world events.  She has a calming energy I can’t wait to share with you.

We are using simple, practical demonstrations, practices, recipes & remedies with everyday home ingredients.  We’ll be showing you how to work immunity magic and diffuse any hint of fear, including meditation, yoga and remedy making demonstrations.

These practices are wonderful life skills. Skills that not only allow us to navigate these turbulent times healthily, without relying on others, but optimise our mind and body for a fabulously, healthy, less stressful lifestyle – for life.

To join Talia and I simply register at https://www.katebarnes.com.au/how-to-kickstart-family-immunity

Can’t join us or the timing doesn’t work?  All good.  Register and I’ll send you the recording as soon as it’s available   I hope we see you.  

 

 

Another perspective.

With a strong immune system we fear germs less.

Bear with me…  It’s said we are 10x more microbe than human cells.

With this in mind, there’s a life giving symbiosis we MUST nurture between our humanness and the microbial world.

It gives me peace of mind knowing this. Because, the concern needs to be more about our inner strength (resilience) and our personal vitality (well-being) as a species, and this we, as individuals, mothers and carers can change, rather than the idea of ‘going to war’ with germs? ⠀

Generally, across the globe in western societies, our well-being / immunity is being marginalised for many reasons which I won’t go into here.  However it’s making us more vulnerable to dis-ease, as I’ve shared why in a number of previous posts e.g. 

Yet, as soon as we start adding in the right tools and fuels our body immediately adjusts & returns to balance or homeostasis i.e. a well-being!

There are always going to be far more germs in our world than humans and we will NEVER be able to control Mother Nature…  Perhaps now is the time to learn how we can create the terrain to LIVE better with them, and not against (or in fear of) them?

We spent some of the January school holidays in Denmark WA where we went on a stunning 10km hike.

There were remnants of a bush fire going through a year or two earlier, yet the regrowth was vibrant and thriving (pic below).  It reminded me of how unforgiving, yet remarkably tough and resilient the Aussie bush (native flora) and people are.  It’s this resilience we’ve seen in so many aspects already with those confronted by the devastation of the Australian bushfires.

I hope it’s this incredible resilience that helps life return back ‘to normal’ sooner than later for everyone.

Although…  is ‘back to normal’ really an option?

 

 

As Albert Einstein said, ‘in the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity’.

It’s hard to imagine opportunity within the devastation.  However so often when a devastating crisis, a dramatic event or a debilitating symptom is experienced, there’s a corresponding action taken, lesson learned or incredible opportunity realised IF we allow it.

I see parallels with the scale of the bushfires and more frequent natural disasters, alongside the rapid escalation we are witnessing in chronic disease, neurological and auto immune conditions globally.

The rates of disaster, disease and conditions being witnessed have never been experienced before in our history.

As a species the statistics indicate we are degenerating;

(Statistics are courtesy of the MINDD Conference 2019 & Dr. Luis Rojas Marcos Psychiatrist).

YET we are more sterilised with ‘cleaner’ water, ‘cleaner’ environments, more convenienced, more medicated & more vaccinated than we’ve ever been before.

WHY as a race are we not thriving?

It’s clear the way we are living and how we are interacting with the environment is at play and how we are ‘playing’ needs to change – quickly – for the sake of our children and future generations.

We need a NEW normal.

A normal that naturally strengthens the fabric of our being, rather than weakening it.  THAT is the opportunity.

Simple choices make a BIG difference.

With simplicity comes greater awareness and understanding of the environment we are living in, what our bodies are being exposed to and what they need for health – naturally.

For example, after only a few short weeks of implementing / upgrading the following we can transform health and happiness and feel remarkably better – the key is to not disregard the potency in the simplicity e.g.:

  1. Movement.  Movement that’s enjoyable, varied, incidental and preferably outdoors.  We are born to move.  In the book, ‘Go Wild’ by John Ratey MD, he refers to humans as the pocket knife of movement i.e. we easily adapt to any and all forms of movement.  There is no other species on the planet so adept.  We need to move.
  2. Sleep.  Quality, not quantity e.g. getting more hours before 12am improves hormonal health, metabolism and so much more.
  3. Nutrition.  Refer to the image below for deep healing and restoring energy.  It can be confusing knowing where to begin but one things for sure when we clean out the junk, the body has efficient cellular communication and returns to homeostasis (balance).
  4. Sunshine.  Spending time outside, especially in the elements, stimulates all of our senses, boosts immunity and so much more.  When we feel we heal.
  5. Stillness.  Stillness allows us to listen to our body and what it’s quietly telling us every day.  Stillness helps us to breathe deeply and restoratively.  Importantly it allows us to hear our intuition – our very own internal navigation system.
  6. Connection.  We are social beings.  We need to connect with others, especially with our children with an intimate, undivided presence.  It gives a sense of safety, feeling heard, validation, worthiness, confidence, happiness and so much more.  It cannot be undervalued.
  7. Play / EnJOYment.  It’s when we can be creative, learn well and instantly reset our nervous system.  The chance for play and fun is sadly lacking in our modern world.  Add some more play in the day!

There’s more but these are a great place to start and most of them are ‘Free’ needing very little to implement, cost nothing, accessible AND reconnect us to Nature.  Our true nature.

It’s motivated me even more to live by my tagline, ‘Nourishing families with Natures’ Medicine’.

When I connect more with the outdoors and Mother Nature, I enjoy and respect her more.

With the modern day disconnect from Mother Nature how can we possibly appreciate, respect or understand the value she offers us?   We need to know her to love her 😉 



It begins with us as individuals.  In our hearts, in our homes and at our tables.

Is this not the opportunity for healing our planet and our species?

Before this happens.

There are SO many distractions, interventions, technologies and (in)conveniences in our lives, it’s too easy to dismiss the importance of these simple, often enjoyable and potently restorative choices.

Without realising it we can easily miss the opportunity to spend time outside, connecting with nature e.g. driving to work with the windows down, walking or bike riding to the shop, leaving the windows open when we sleep – whatever the weather.  It all helps.

Along with this, it can feel overwhelming.  There is so much information, especially around WHAT to eat!  And we just don’t seem to have the time / make the time.

My suggestion.   Start with the FREE medicine that FEELS good.  And it may not be the food you eat but it WILL start at home.  

So as big as these global health issues are, remember these simple things that we can all do in our homes to quickly elevate our health and lifestyle today!

It’s easier said than done, I know.   I’ve found it helps so much having community, family support and/or accountability.

Find your tribe and lift your vibe.

Let’s transcend ‘the norm’ for a healthier future, especially for our children and the generations to follow.

OR let’s do it together.

I love working with my clients taking them on an incredibly empowering,  energising and transforming lifestyle journey that benefits the entire family.

My programs are the perfect place to begin.

I have a number of different formats ensuring there’s something for everyone e.g.;

Learn lots more about my online programs, ebooks and VIP coaching over here. https://www.katebarnes.com.au/work-with-me/

I think of salads a bit like smoothies!

Not quite… but I am able to add in (sneak in) a few extra ingredients to amp up our nutrition – just like a green smoothie & the rest of the family hardly notice and it still tastes great.  And … I’m happy!

If your gang eat everything you place in front of them – fantastic.   Unfortuatnely it’s not often the case, and it’s important to enjoy diversity in our food and on our palate both for our well-being and our microbiome (microbial population).

Plus there are a few more good reasons to transform your humble green salad;

So HOW do we add these amazing foods in without creating world war 3?!

Our kids are 12 and 14 and I reckon they’re still happier with a plate of cut up veggie sticks!  However, it’s much harder ‘upgrading’ a plate of veggie sticks!!  If the kids ask what’s in the tossed salad I’ll tell them, otherwise ‘Mums’ the word to avoid potential disagreements & world wars…

Before you dismiss the idea because there’s NO way your kids will eat it, (and it might be the case) stay with me, here are some tricks to try if you haven’t already.

With your leafy greens as a base e.g. lettuce, english spinach etc. try one or more of these ideas;

  1. Adding a sweetener.  Add your (or the kids) favourite seasonal fruit or dried fruit e.g. mango, peach, strawberries, raspberries or blueberries in the Summer months or dried fruit e.g. mango, apple, strawberries.  Preferably keep it low sugar e.g. berries are perfect.
  2. Adding a carbohydrate. If preferred, use a complex carbohydrate as a base e.g. cold cooked brown or basmati rice, GF pasta or steamed potato with the skin on.  With time you can start to reduce the amount of carbohydrate and increase the veggies and herbs.
  3. Cutting it fine.  Chop the herbs or bitter foods very fine and when you’re getting started don’t add too much of them e.g. I often add in kale, coriander, parsley, sprouts, basil, thyme, fennel, radish and / or spring onion, very finely.  Our kids are older now and I’ve been doing it for awhile so are used to the stronger flavour / bitter foods.  Start moderately.
  4. Boosting the fats.  Adding in healthy fats help with the absorption of fat soluble nutrients such as A, D, E and K. Fats are also tasty and give sustaining energy, helping maintain steady blood sugars, avoiding crashes and irritability, leathary or tantrums!   For example add in avocado, feta, bacon, chicken, egg, home made mayonnaise or oils such as avocado, macadamia or sesame oils – whatever you feel like adding in and goes with the salad you’re creating.
  5. Adding extra sweetness. Try adding in cooled, baked vegetables such as pumpkin, cauliflower, beetroot, sweet potato, tomatoes, onion or garlic!  The baked veggies add extra sweetness too.
  6. Grabbing a pickle. Every now and then I’ll add in a pickle flavour to zest it up e.g. capers, olives, sun dried tomatoes, gherkin or stir through a sauerkraut or kim chi depending on what we’re eating the salad with.  (By the way the pickle flavour wouldn’t be so good with fruit or sweetness so probably go one or the other, not both flavours together)…
  7. Dressing it up.  When you’ve got all the ingredients in that you’re wanting to add, garnish with more goodness & dress it up e.g. edible flowers, roasted pumpkin seeds, nuts, caramelised pecans(or any type of nuts or seeds), sesame seeds or seasonal fruit.  Or whatever the family enjoys.

Toss through your favourite dressing e.g. using one or more of these ingredients;  lemon juice, crushed garlic, dulse flakes, apple cider vinegar, tahini, olive oil, himalayan salt, grated ginger, cumin powder etc. and your good to go!

Remember to pick and choose the ingredients you know work for your family and experiment adding in new ingredients along the way.  Whatever you do will be perfect.  As mentioned we’ve been having salads like this for awhile and it still makes me feel good knowing the kids are eating a wide variety of herbs, veggies and spices.

Variety really is the spice of life!

What are your favourite ways to add in some variety?   Let me know in the comments below.   I’d love to hear.

 

More articles like this;

‘I’m Hungry’! 12 tricks to fill them up.

9 deep issues of a healthy lunch box

Breakfast. The food that makes billions.

In 14 years, 1 in 4 children (25%) will have autism (graph below). 

When I came across this graph recently, probably like you – I was alarmed…  I’ve shown it to friends and family and the reaction of concern and disbelief has been the same.

The statistic is for rates in the USA, however rates in Australia aren’t slowing down.  

Our children are our future.  Why aren’t these statistics more commonly shared?

Image courtesy Mindd Foundation

 

I’ve worked for a number of years in the area of autism in a Board role.  I understand the gifts these children bring into the world.  At the same time they require care that other children do not.  Autism not only impacts the child or person it impacts the whole family unit, especially primary carers. 

The graph not only shows Autism escalating at an alarming rate, it shows;

It also means;

The impact on society at large will be devastating.  As mentioned above, children and adults with neurological conditions such as autism often need more care and assistance, (they’re commonly dealing with other disabilities too).  The impact on families is emotionally, financially and physically draining.  

However it’s not just autism – ADHD & other neurological conditions are all on the rise. 

‘Today, there are some 21 million children (almost 10% globally) who have been diagnosed with severe attention, behavioural, or learning problems… ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, tourette syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar, or other frightening conditions that confirm something is not right in the brain’ ~ Dr Robert Melillo, author of Disconnected Kids.

There’s more;

A 2019 report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows in Australia the percentage of children with 1 or more chronic conditions;

Why are our kids no longer naturally strong, vital & healthy as nature intended?

Some might say, it’s always been this way and now there’s better diagnosis or understanding of symptoms. 

I don’t think so.

How many children did you know with neurological or chronic conditions when you were a child? Were there any?   Fast forward to today and it’s likely you have a family member or a close friends’ child dealing with one or more of them.

It’s personal

It’s a story that’s close to my heart, as we too have done a lot of work with neurological conditions in our family.  When I was told by experts and specialists ‘there was nothing we could do’, I trusted my intuition that there was something we could do and there was! We found answers.  It’s taken a number of years with minimum intervention.  If you know that feeling – trust it. 

Hope.

Neuroplasticity gives hope for these neurological conditions.   

For those who may not know this term, it’s the brains ability to change continuously through life… 

In my personal experience & research neuroplasticity works, along with good food, detox, movement, sleep and other lifestyle ‘interventions’ can do a vast amount to nourish, detoxify, rewire and protect our childrens’ developing brains. 

I understand autism is far more complicated and extremely challenging  –  I worked for a number of years with Autism West here in Perth.  However there are many great stories of improvements and recovery being made e.g. Kirsty Wirth, founder at Kultured Wellness is an amazing example – read her story here and the Mindd Foundation shares recovery stories here 

There are many wonderful functional doctors and practitioners doing amazing work in WA and across the world.  These are a few I’m most familiar with in Western Australia;

Why is there an epidemic?

We don’t know why specifically, yet when I consider what’s changed in the past 100 years in the way we live there are some dramatic changes that all impact neurology (brain function).  

Some thoughts;

  1. Disconnected.  As a society we are living further and further away from our natural world and what our biology needs nutritionally, physically, emotionally and spiritually to develop and thrive.
  2. Toxic.  Children born today are carrying a heavier toxic load than ever before, both inherited at birth and that they’re exposed to throughout their daily / weekly routines.
  3. Symptomatic/intervention.  Compared to 50 – 100 years ago there is a reliance on pharmaceuticals to fix illness and conditions, however a symptom is a signal the body is out of balance or deficient either nutritionally, emotionally or physically.  Fixing a symptom doesn’t fix the condition but instead often only disguises the root cause.   Until the root cause is addressed symptoms continue to manifest. 
  4. Misaligned. The design of modern life has changed the posture and structure of our physiology, with too much time sitting, neck craning and cramping / stunting our precious nervous system & ultimately brain function. 

Children’s’ developing brains are particularly susceptible to their environment, especially toxins.  Toxins store in fatty tissue e.g. the brain, which is 60-70% fatty tissue.  Any assaults that aren’t biologically compatible can impair brain development.  

In our personal experience and as the stories of recovery show, it can take time, but the body returns to homeostasis (balance) and can thrive with the right tools and fuels unique for each individual person.

The younger children are when they get the support they need, the ‘simpler’ the recovery can be.

 

What next?

To be honest I’ve questioned if any type of intervention is necessary, for our family and for these kids?  Is it their own path to learn from and offer their uniqueness to the world. 

Often these children are gifted in other areas and do have so much to give – just as they are e.g. Greta Thunberg, the climate activist who has Asperger’s syndrome, OCD and selective mutism. Which in her words, ‘means I only speak when I think it’s necessary. Now is one of those moments.” 

I think the answer is, if our kids are happy and are going to be happy, and as their parents, we are happy then THAT is what matters.

This aside, our children today are a long way from their evolutionary blueprint, and returning them to their most natural biological state has profound affects.  There is  much we can do as parents and carers to protect and nourish our childrens minds, brains and bodies, it starts at pre-conception, and as we now know, can be enhanced at any age.

Until we see these figures diminishing and we know we are on the right track, if you intuitively feel there’s something ‘not quite right’, I  encourage you to act now e.g. to begin;

Complacency?

These illnesses and conditions are already common-place in children, but not common knowledge.   Are we becoming complacent in accepting a new level of ‘normal’ for our children’s health that is not normal?  

Here are my tried and tested, quick tips for maximising fun and minimising monster meltdowns at Halloween;

1. Celebrate.

2. Tricks. Help the kids with ideas for ‘tricks’, not just treats.

3. Trade. Before the big night begins, depending on the childrens’ age, chat about the affects of sugar & the additives & about ‘trading’ for something they love e.g. a sleepover, play date, out for dinner or a visit to the toy shop etc. (more expensive alternatives, but… better than a monster meltdown or worse,  an immune system meltdown & days off school with sickness)!

4. Fill them up e.g. a big dinner before they go out & hopefully they won’t eat so many lollies?! Infact make dinner afternoon tea.

5. Water. After school and through the day fill them up with filtered water.  It’ll fill them up & help their bodies process the sugar.

6. Investigate.   For the older kids investigate (read) the ingredients / numbers.  Download the ‘Chemical Maze’ app.   Search the number(s) listed & then together read the symptoms & the effects specific chemicals have on their body  – it works but it can be scary, so investigate yourself first, and before doing it with them – our kids are 12 & 14.

7. Enjoy the festivities. And the fantastic opportunity it creates to be outside, move their bodies, bring community and neighbours together. It’s a reason I enjoy Halloween, because it brings our street and neighbourhood together & the kids love it! #loveourstreet #loveourneighbours

And if the kids do go crazy you can support their immunity for a few days afterwards e.g.;

🍋 a vitamin c and zinc supplement.
🍋 early nights.
🍋 lots of nourishing, healing, real, whole foods. Eliminating sugary, processed and refined foods.
🍋 Add in a green smoothie or two.
🍋 essential oils if you use them.

And hopefully they won’t get sick, but if they do or if their behaviour is ‘off’, give them a loving reminder WHY.

Most of all have a fun night!

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