What Would Emily Do (7/8)

Homeopathic Vaccines – Diet for Gout – Treating Thrush – Natural Birth Control – Sensitive Skin – Receding hairlines

My inbox runneth over with questions from readers wondering – What would Emily do – about Real food and holistic health topics. I’ve created this Q&A to get your questions answered and for other folks to benefit from the answers too.

But before we get started today…

SB277 ALERT:

If are concerned about the recent bill passed in California that eliminates personal and religious belief exemptions for childhood vaccinations, you may have noticed that I've been a bit quiet on the subject.

Not speaking out has been a challenging decision that I made for the privacy of my family and my own need to not engage in conflict.

That said, the passing of SB277 represents a huge loss in personal freedom that I know has left many people disgusted, saddened, and confused about what to do next.

While I will mostly likely not be publicly writing on this subject, I will be addressing questions and concerns about the aftermath of SB277 in an upcoming email for newsletter subscribers only.

If you are not currently receiving my newsletters – click here to subscribe now.

Who am I to know the answers to your questions?

I’m a holistic-minded mom, a sometimes beach bum, a real food foodie, a curious health researcher, and I’ve been practicing holistic and Chinese medicine for over a decade. That said, the answers here are only my opinion, and shouldn’t be construed as medical advice.

If you read something here and have your own wisdom or opinion to add, by all means, please leave a comment so we can all benefit from your experiences and perspective.

Okey dokey! Let’s dive in…

Question 1: Homeopathy and vaccines

Kristine needs help…
I have two biological children ages 3 and 7 that have never been vaccinated. They are very healthy! The dilemma is that I'm a foster parent. In our state (Arizona) we cannot be licensed to take in kids under 5, because our children are not immunized. What really stinks is that there are nearly 8,000 kids in the foster system under the age of 5. Is there a homeopathic “immunization” that might qualify us?

Hi Kristine, thanks for your question. Homeopathic nosodes are not actually immunizations and there is no “system” that would recognize them as an alternative to standard vaccines so this puts you in a tough position as you’ll need to decide whether to vaccinate your kids in order to take on the foster child, or not.

Because they are healthy and a bit older, they may be able to handle the vaccines. If you do decide to get them, I would advise spreading them out as much as possible. There are also measures to take that can reduce the side effects and generally strengthen the body before and after vaccines.

The late Dr. Lauren Feder recommends the following protocol when you are exposed to vaccinations:

On a daily basis for 7 days before and after the shot, give your child the following:

• Black Currant alternating days with Briar Rose (Gemmotherapy)
• Vitamin C (less than 2 years of age: 100 mg two times daily – over 2 years old, 250 mg.two times a day)

On the day of the shot homeopathic remedies as follows,

• Ledum palustre 30C: 1 hour before shot, and 2 doses after shot (every 12 hours)
• Arnica montana 30C: 3 pellets twice a day for 1-2 days, as needed for soreness..
• Thuja occidentalis 30C: 3 pellets twice a day for 3 days following shot
• Chamomilla 30C 3 pellets twice a day as needed for fussiness following shot.

Wishing you the best with this challenging decision.

Question 2: Gout and dietary changes

Amy needs advice…
My father has gout and is on blood thinners. My mother is so overwhelmed by all the dietary changes she must now make. Any suggestions on foods and remedies to help?

Hi Amy… Conventional diets will tell you to avoid saturated fats, eat plenty of veg and fruits, and avoid inflammatory foods. I would modify that to suggest that you not worry about saturated fats as long as they are coming from high quality sources (grassfed, pasture-raised animals).

Your dad should avoid polyunsaturated vegetable fats such as canola oil, sugar, in particular anything that has high fructose corn syrup, and eliminate alcohol – all of which will exacerbate inflammation. Many claim that a tart cherry juice can be an effective natural remedy.

Overall,  it is really all about getting healthy. It could be an issue of being overweight, or about being super stressed. Have him do some detective work to discover why his body is creating the imbalance, and then take measures to restore the balance.

Question 3: Treating thrush from the inside out

Terry wants to know…

What can I do for thrush? I was previously misdiagnosed and not treated properly. I have tried everything and it's been 3 months. This has been accompanied by burning tongue syndrome and I am so tired….

Hi Terry, you can read about treatments for thrush here. Be sure to keep in mind that as with any chronic condition, it is important to treat your body from the inside out to bring complete and natural healing.

Question 4: Natural birth control options

Ariel writes…
I am currently on the pill. I absolutely hate my mood swings and believe that the hormones I am taking must be horrible for me and worry what it will do long term. I wish I could do natural family planning, but it is just too unreliable. I have been researching different methods that could be better. My doctor suggested the NuvaRing, but it is still putting hormones into my body. I love reading up on things, but I would love your opinion.

Hi Ariel, thanks for your question. In my opinion, unfortunately there is no perfect form of birth control.

Natural Family Planning (NFP) can be really reliable if you have regular menstrual cycles and/or you are very diligent about monitoring and paying attention to your body's signs and symptoms. If done properly, NFP is also least likely to have unwanted side effects.

The copper IUD (no hormones) can unfortunately cause irregular bleeding and painful periods. If had to name the best hormone-based birth control option, based on the experiences of my patients and midwives, the NuvaRing gets the best reviews for minimal side effects, ease, and efficacy.

I wish I had a simpler answer for you! Click here to read the side effects of using hormone related birth control, and how you can try to mitigate its effects.

Question 5 – Heat rash or or skin sensitivity?

Erica wants to know…
I've been breaking out in what looks like heat rash, but I can't recall ever having heat rash before. Each time I was in direct sunlight for a while, but I also wore sunblock, and the only areas that broke out were the ones covered in sunblock. I know heat rash isn't serious, but it's a little frustrating not knowing why it keeps happening and how I can prevent it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Erica, thank you for your question. It sounds like you may have a sensitivity to the sunblock and many conventional options are filled with toxic junk. Click here to get an easy recipe to make your own sunscreen. If you want to buy one, this brand uses safe, high quality ingredients.

I also recommend that you address the underlying imbalance which is allowing your body to have this sensitivity in the first place, looking first to digestive health and the state of your nervous system (over-stressed lately?). Take measures to de-stress, avoid any inflammatory foods (processed junk and fake foods), and consider probiotics to support healthy digestive function.

Question 6 – Postpartum receding hairline

Anonymous is concerned…
I have recently noticed that I am “balding” or have a “receding hairline” on both sides of my head in the same spot (right on each side from my middle part). I have very thick, wavy hair and this does not run in my family. We eat a traditional diet but not perfect, I have two children under the age of 2 and am breastfeeding the youngest. I don't know if diet, hormones, or activity could potentially play a role. Please help me if you can. It makes me so self-conscious as I am sure it would most women.

Hey Anon, though not fun, postpartum hair loss is quite normal.

During pregnancy, women don’t always lose hair at the same rate as they do when not pregnant. After baby, receding hairline or bald spots are common. There isn't really much you can do but ensure you have a nutrient dense diet to support postpartum recovery and healthy hormone balance. Well-sourced animal fats along with a traditional real food diet will all contribute to your recovery. Try to include as much bone broth as possible along with other gelatin rich food  – this book is a great resource.

Read this post to make sure you're hitting all the essential of a real food diet.

Got questions about real food or holistic health and wondering W.W.E.D.?

If you have a question for me, please first use the handy dandy search bar at the top righthand corner of this site. If that doesn’t give you the answers you need, email [questions at holisticsquid dot com].

I can’t guarantee that I will get to every single question, but I will do my best (with a priority for questions that will serve the most of the Holistic Squid community).

Also, keep in mind that I cannot and will not give you medical advice over the internet. It’s inappropriate and unethical. If you want my medical opinion about a health or nutritional issue for you or your child, I take virtual patient consultations on a limited basis via phone or Skype. You can find out more about my distance consultations here.

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