Amanda Ross
Editor of Nutrition & Healing

After noting that rates of allergies have increased dramatically over the years in proportion to the prevalence of vaccinations, researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, decided to put their theory to the test. Specifically, they chose to examine the rates of allergies among children who had been vaccinated against measles versus those who had been infected with the virus.

They examined the records of over 12,000 children between the ages of 5 and 13 and found that 73% of them had been vaccinated against measles, 20% had had a case of the virus, and 14% hadn't had the illness or the vaccine.

According to the researchers "allergies were less likely in children who had had a bout of measles, but not in those who had been vaccinated against measles."

Of course, I have no doubt that most mainstream medical authorities would argue that the benefits of the measles vaccine outweigh the risk of allergies. Unfortunately, that's just not true.

The first thing to keep in mind in regard to the measles is that it isn't the potentially lethal infection it was hundreds of years ago. In fact, research done in the 1920s concluded that death from measles is entirely preventable with a single, good-size dose of vitamin A. This simple, completely natural technique cut the death rate from measles to zero in treated children.

But aside from simply being unnecessary, the measles vaccine has a much darker side as well…

Before vaccination became the norm, nearly all children got the measles. The kids had the measles rash and fever for a few days and then recovered with a very strong anti-measles antibody response, a response so strong that it would last a little girl throughout childhood and well into adulthood.

When that little girl grows up and becomes pregnant, her unborn child is automatically protected by her antibodies against measles. Not only that, but those strong anti-measles antibodies are "passively transferred" from mother to her newborn child. The infant is then protected by the mother's antibodies from getting the measles until age 4 or so, and the cycle can repeat itself over and over, with no loss of life.

Today's vaccination programme has altered this natural cycle and not for the better. A vaccinated little girl gets a much weaker anti-measles antibody response because the vaccine contains a deliberately "weakened" (attenuated) form of the virus. So when a vaccinated little girl grows up and becomes a mother, any anti-measles antibodies she has left to transfer to her infant are too weak to provide much protection at all.

Regular measles infection is much tougher on infants than it is on older children and poses more risk of complications (although, vitamin A will still prevent death).

The bottom line here is that the fear that has been built up around measles over the past several centuries is unwarranted. In the long run, vaccinations against this infection may do children much more harm than good, and battling a case of the measles may do them much more good than harm.

Why your diet could be giving you a yeast infection
by Dr Jonathan Wright
Nutrition & Healing

Q: Do you have any information on natural treatments for candidiasis?

Dr. Wright: Candidiasis is basically a chronic yeast infection, which can be localised, topical, or systemic. One of the reasons this condition is becoming so common is the all-too-common sugar-laden diet so many South Africans consume. Sugar feeds yeast. Also, individuals with compromised immune systems- women who are pregnant or taking birth control pills or people on antibiotics are more prone to yeast infections. And that's quite a significant portion of the population.

Luckily, there's a lot you can do about it. First, cutting out refined and simple sugars, alcohol, fruit juice, and refined carbohydrates is a must. Also, food allergies need to be investigated, as they can cause imbalances in the system that invite yeast infection as well. Also, some individuals who experience an overgrowth of intestinal yeast significantly under-produce hydrochloric acid in their stomach. This affects the acid-alkaline balance of the entire gastrointestinal tract, leaving it lopsided on the alkaline side, which encourages the growth of yeast. For both of these conditions you should work closely with a natural medicine physician to remedy the underlying cause.

Incorporating probiotics and digestive enzymes into your diet can also produce "good" flora in your system which will help balance the yeast. Pro biotic supplements are available in most natural food stores and vitamin shops.