Chickenpox Parties Need to Make a Comeback
I remember getting chickenpox as a child in the early ’80s. Due to the highly infectious nature of chickenpox, all the kids in the neighbourhood got it. None of our parents blinked an eyelash because they knew that chickenpox was a harmless disease if acquired during childhood with a very low risk of complications.
Before the introduction of the chickenpox vaccine in 1999 here in Canada, it was fairly common for parents to hold “chickenpox parties.” A chickenpox party involves the deliberate exposure of children infected with the chickenpox virus to other children who have not yet been exposed to the disease. Parents willingly expose their children to the disease in order to grant their children life-long immunity to chickenpox. These “chickenpox party” parents know that chickenpox is a mild disease if acquired during childhood, but infection is riskier when acquired by teens or adults.
What Changed?
Before the introduction of the vaccine, chickenpox (varicella) was considered by almost everyone to be a mild disease, and parents were not concerned if their children were infected with it. Now, most parents are horrified by the idea of chickenpox parties. So what’s changed?
Relatively Benign Disease in Childhood Becomes Risky in Adulthood
In general, complications as well as fatalities from chickenpox are more commonly observed in adults than in children. Case-fatality ratios (deaths per 100 000 cases) in healthy adults are 30-40 times higher than among children aged 5-9 (WHO). Each year from 1990 to 1994, prior to the availability of varicella vaccine, about 4 million cases of chickenpox occurred in the United States. Of these cases approximately 10,000 required hospitalization and 100 died. After the introduction of the vaccine in 1995, overall US chickenpox deaths plummeted to 66 per year in 2001 and hospitalizations declined significantly. However, death rates from chickenpox did not decline for those aged 50 or older (NEJM).
A Decrease in Chickenpox Infection Leads to an Increase in Shingles
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a debilitating, painful skin rash acquired in adulthood. After a child has been exposed to the chickenpox virus, the virus remains latent in the body. The varicella virus can later be reactivated as shingles later in life. If the varicella virus infects the nerve cells, it can cause an extremely painful condition called postherpetic neuralgia. Nerve pain caused by postherpetic neuralgia can last for months and in some cases even years. Approximately 200,000 adult Americans are afflicted with postherpetic neuralgia every year.
There is scientific evidence that adults who are regularly exposed to children infected with the chickenpox virus have increased protection against the shingles (Thomas). Thus, natural exposure to the chickenpox virus boosts adults’ immunity against shingles, acting like a natural shingles vaccine. Since chickenpox infection rates are now so low in Canada and the US, chances of adult exposure to the virus is also low, thus scientists expect an eventual shingles epidemic to emerge in the coming years (Brisson).
Since the beginning of the mass chickenpox vaccination campaign in the US, deaths and hospitalizations did decrease, but studies also showed that shingles increased over that same time period (Yih; Mullooly). A recent MacLeans article quotes several scientists who admit that more varicella vaccine coverage has already sparked an increase in shingles in Canada and the US, plus it is shifting shingles incidence to a younger population.
Introducing the Shingles Vaccine
Merck, the manufacturer of the varicella vaccine, is forcing a shingles epidemic on the American (and Canadian) population. But they cleverly “fixed” the problem that they created when they invented a vaccine for shingles in 2007. Now they are trying to push the shingles vaccine on the elderly population of North America.
What Next?
The chickenpox vaccine is decreasing the incidence of a mild disease, and in exchange is increasing the incidence of a more debilitating disease: shingles. Now what? Once the entire elderly population starts vaccinating against shingles, what new problem will that create?
Time to Bring Back Pox Parties
Big Pharma companies like Merck have profits, not your health, in mind. It’s time to take your family’s health into your own hands. Have a pox party. Build your child’s immunity naturally instead of relying on vaccines. Adults should attend these parties as well because natural exposure to the chickenpox virus boosts their immunity to shingles.
Organize a Chickenpox Party in Vancouver
Join this yahoo group to find other like-minded parents to organize pox parties with: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/chickenpoxinvancouverbc/
Still concerned about the chickenpox? Read about homeoprophylaxis, a natural way to boost the immune system.
Enjoy this article? You might enjoy this one as well: Fear the MMR Vaccine, Not the Measles
References
Ways to Naturally Boost Your Immunity
It’s that time of year again. People are now getting colds and flus and are wondering how to boost their immunity.
Many people opt for the flu shot, but since the flu shot is not effective, this is not the best decision. For example, with young children, the flu vaccine does not decrease influenza-related hospital visits, as published in the October 2008 Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. A study in a 2008 issue of the Lancet as well as study published in a 2008 issue of American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine show that risk of pneumonia in the elderly is not affected by flu vaccination. And this should also tell you something: 60% of health care workers in the US refuse the flu shot every year!
Once you get a cold or flu, traditional pharmacies carry various cold and flu medications. These medications only suppress your symptoms, they don’t actually strengthen the immunity in any way. A recent article in the BBC deemed many cough and cold medications ineffective and unsafe for children. Though I’m not against giving the recommended dose of Tylenol to a sick child so that they can sleep through the night. Never underestimate the healing power of sleep!
Most healthy people get a couple colds a year. It is the body’s natural way to rid itself of toxins, and since we live in such a toxic environment, it makes sense that most people would get colds. For those of you who get many colds and/or flus per year, you need a bit of help to strengthen your immunity.
When I say “natural ways to increase immunity” most people think of things like Vitamin C, echinacea, oregano oil and garlic. None of these things are harmful, but I have not found them to be particularly helpful either. The smell and taste of oregano oil and garlic are a bit of a turn-off as well.
For people with low immunity, the #1 thing that I recommend is constitutional homeopathic treatment. The constitutional remedy strengthens your immunity naturally so that you don’t get as many flus and colds. There are other things that help, but constitutional treatment is the foundation for building a strong immunity. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about constitutional homeopathic treatment.
Lately there has been a lot of talk about the health benefits of Vitamin D. People do have a lot less colds and flus in the summer months, so I think there is some truth to this. A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine links Vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk for upper respiratory tract infections. The best way to get Vitamin D is moderate exposure to sunlight (without sunscreen), and in the winter months use a sun lamp.
A cold or flu is nature’s way of cleansing the body of toxins. Why not help nature along by cleansing your body yourself so that a cold or flu doesn’t have to? There are a few different cleanse kits on the market. At some point I would like to write up a review of them on this blog.
The cleanse that I have found to be the cheapest and most effective is fasting. They say that the best time to fast is spring and summer months. Part of the reason for this is practical: your body temperature decreases when you are fasting. The only exception to this rule is when you actually get a cold or flu. I find that my recovery time from a cold or flu is a lot quicker when I am fasting. The body is able to heal itself quicker because the digestive organs are resting, they don’t have to digest food. Make sure that you drink plenty of water so that you stay hydrated! The science of fasting is called Natural Hygiene. Stay tuned for upcoming blog posts about this simple cheap way to rid the body of toxins and extra weight.
I have also found the Schussler Cell Salts, also referred to as Tissue Salts, to be helpful with colds and flus, especially with my kids. Unlike herbal formulas, the cell salts taste great, kids will be begging you for more. In Canada, Hyland’s sells the cheapest brand. At the first stage of inflammation, use the Ferrum Phosphoricum cell salt. When the mucus becomes clear and profuse, use the Natrum Muriaticum cell salt. After the mucus becomes thicker and white, the Kali Muriaticum cell salt will help break up the secretions.
Something else that has been most helpful for myself and my family during cold and flu season have been the homeopathic colour remedies, first potentized by American homeopath Ambika Wauters in 1990. You guessed it, I will be writing more about these amazing remedies in the future. Basically it’s like colour therapy but in sugar pill form. It’s a great way to cleanse the chakras, and is yet another way to rid the body of toxins.
Feel free to comment if you feel that I have left anything out that has worked for you. I am always open to new methods of healing.