Positive Health Online

Urgent Communications from Health Freedom NZ - Your Action Requested

The Natural Health and Supplementary Products Bill is about to undergo its third and final reading with broad support. We doubt that there is an MP in the house that realises the harmful consequences of this Bill. In its current form the Bill delivers the opposite of that which was outlined and agreed to by the Minister of Health in 2009 in the Joint Industry Proposal.

The Bill is drafted with a pharmaceutical mindset, implementing a list of permitted ingredients, despite all but a tiny minority of ingredients used in natural health products posing dangers. Current supplement regulations have proven perfectly capable of restricting this minority, a method known as the ‘black list’ approach - everything not on the black list is permitted.

The current bill proposes the opposite - a ‘white list’ of permitted ingredients, which renders every ingredient not on that list forbidden. The list size is woefully inadequate by comparison to the range we currently access, and given there is no history of harm from the current system, there is no reason to change.

This will wipe multitudes of natural health products off the shelves in NZ, unbelievably products which include essential nutrients which the body must get through food or supplements, and which many choose as a safer and more effective option than pharmaceutical drugs. We will no longer be able to purchase a wide range of health products that we rely on in NZ for our health conditions*.

The continued actions of behind-the-scenes bureaucrats in pushing this agenda to both injure the natural health industry and restrict New Zealanders from making their own healthcare choices is winding back the clock to 2007, when their last attempt was defeated at the 11th hour.

The human body is the last bastion of sovereignty. We must make our elected leaders ensure these bureaucrats do not infringe on our health freedom by again making it clear that this corporate agenda is not made law.

Please help us by:

• Sharing this message, and our subsequent communications, to everyone you can via Email, Facebook, Twitter and any other forms of social media you use.
• Write, fax, call and visit your local MP’s and opposition MPs and ask them the question WHY is the government attempting to ban the sale of nutrients which are ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN HEALTH?
• Talk to your friends, family, work colleagues and associates, tell them this information, forward them more info if you can.

This attempted infringement may affect you or your family one day. We need to again send the message that health freedom shall prevail in New Zealand now and forevermore.

Regards,

Health Freedom Team

* In just one example, the essential amino acid Methionine (or L-methionine) is only permitted for external use. This is one of eight essential amino acids which are not synthesized in humans and must be ingested through food or supplements, hence the term essential amino.

Individuals with a condition called Histadelia have high-histamine levels due to a genetic metabolic imbalance. As a consequence, these individuals overproduce and retain excessive levels of histamine, resulting in a wide range of adverse effects. Methionine offers a safe, drug-free way for Histadelics to achieve normal histamine levels.

Under the proposed Bill, any product containing this essential nutrient will be prohibited.

Health Freedom Incorporated Charitable Trust

PO Box 31665

Milford   Auckland   0741

www.healthfreedom.co.nz

Source: Klaus Ferlow <klausferlow1@gmail.com>

Freedom4Health: Vital Information re the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)

F4H is dedicated to ensuring freedom of healthcare choice for the public, complementary therapists and those providing natural medicine. In recent years non-mainstream approaches to health are being adversely affected because they are faced with arbitrary hurdles put in the way by self-appointed regulatory systems that are institutionally biased in favour of the large food and pharmaceutical companies. For further information on us click here and visit our website: http://freedom4health.com/

Dear Practitioner,

Freedom4Health has been raising understanding on the subject of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for over a year now. Why? Because the ASA generates an unsafe climate for practitioners to work in and attempts to place unnecessary restrictions on how you can promote your services. It’s part of the unnecessarily restrictive environment that natural health therapies have to operate in.

This is the first of a series of articles on the subject where we will gather together for you key points you should know about the ASA and the actions that they do.

1. What is the ASA?

The ASA It is a private company that has no statutory authority (a body set up by law to regulate) to take you to court. It might seem from their communications and their website that they are some kind of official government body - but they are not. They have no official legal authority to take you to court or to impose any sanctions. It is nothing more than a private body created by the advertising industry to regulate advertisers. They are funded by advertisers who agree to give a small percentage of the cost of their advertising to the ASA.

2. Why is it biased?

We can all agree that non-one should make claims they cannot substantiate and that when any claims are made these should be supported by some kind of evidence.

But what is evidence? The ASA has no legal grounds to reject honest verifiable evidence that you have gathered whether that be the list of clients you have treated and helped successfully or other evidence of the efficacy of a treatment. However, the ASA usually requires (at least for natural health practitioners) some kind of randomized control trial to support a claim when adjudicating on a complaint. (More on this in later information letters.)

When someone makes a complaint about a practitioner it is, in the first place, more often than not done by someone who is negative towards natural health therapies. Their motivation is to close you down. The ASA usually acts on that one single complaint (in itself disproportionate) and sends it before their own panel. The expert they have listed on their site to look into complaints against natural health practitioners is no expert in the natural health field at all. To our knowledge they have never used any trained and qualified natural health expert to assess the validity of a claim (but as they are secretive and will not tell you we don’t know for sure).

The ASA’s procedure to determine whether your claim is sound is also very biased. The ASA are prosecution, defence, judge, jury and executioner all in one. You can provide input to support your claim but they make the final presentation to the adjudication panel (and are known to leave things out that you have presented to them). There is no right to any direct involvement. It is a very unfair process which is not at all independent.

3. What can you do about it?

Don’t let them walk all over you!!! Of course, you should be sure that your website or promotion is sound. There are ways to do this (see below). However, what we need to do is pull together as a group and each of the professional associations responsible for natural therapies needs to take a firm stand against the ASA. Unfortunately, a number do not so we strongly suggest you write to your professional association and tell them that you want them to take a firm stand against the ASA and not succumb to their requirements when there is no legal obligation whatsoever to do so. It is just not in your interest.

So, please contact your association and provide them with this information and get them to take a firm position against any ASA bias and stand up for you.

Website Certification

If you have any concerns about your website or promotional materials the General Regulatory Council for Complementary Therapies (GRCCT - one of the two ‘regulatory bodies’ of natural health therapies) has an Advertising Certification body - which will assess your website or advertisement for a fee (Freedom4Health gets no financial or other return from this procedure). It goes before a panel of experts that includes someone who is qualified in your therapy, as well as legal and academic experts; if they are confident your statements are correct they will certify your site or promotion. They will even provide legal support by providing expertise should you be taken to court because of any action taken against you because of your promotion. Go to www.grcct.org/advertising-certification/  for more information.

Best regards

Freedom4Health Team

Further Information

For further information please contact us at contact@freedom4health.com and visit our website at www.freedom4health.com .

Please visit and join us on Social media

https://www.facebook.com/F4HPractitionersUK

https://twitter.com/F4HUKGroup

Don't Vaccinate without Vitamin C

by Helen Saul Case

My husband and I chose to have our children vaccinated. We think some immunizations are worthwhile. We are not in favour of others, but the law is not set up in such a way where doctors and parents can make decisions together about which particular vaccines children receive. Only with our continued insistence did our children's paediatricians separate the administration of the shots. Otherwise our kids would have been exposed to as many as seven diseases at a clip. And unless your child has a sound medical reason not to get a particular shot, such as a known allergy to certain vaccine ingredients or he or she has a compromised immune system, it is unlikely a doctor will allow a medical exemption. So in many cases a reaction must occur first, and only then might a child be excused from further dosages of a particular vaccine. That's like putting up a traffic light at a dangerous intersection only after people are seriously hurt. Right now, it's a ready, fire, aim approach. It feels like a game of trial and error-of wait and see. That's simply not good enough, and that's why I give my kids vitamin C, and lots of it.

Vitamin C and Vaccine Reactions

At fifteen months old, hours after she received two shots for four diseases, DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus) and Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), my baby daughter was screaming, falling over and uncoordinated, and spiked a fever that registered as high as 103.5 degrees on our temporal thermometer. Knowing that in large doses, vitamin C is an antipyretic (fever reducer) in addition to being an antibiotic, antiviral, and antitoxin,[1] I acted fast and got the fever under control with very large doses of ascorbic acid and calcium ascorbate, or buffered vitamin C, to bowel tolerance, and a tepid bath. At bowel tolerance of vitamin C, she was no longer screaming and uncoordinated. Within the first hour her fever was down by a degree; in the second hour, another degree. For the remainder of the evening her fever hovered around 100.5°.

"When it happens to your child, the risks are 100 percent." - Barbara Loe Fisher, National Vaccine Information Center

Her severe reaction was not recorded in her medical record by her doctor. It simply stated "Called service last pm withh fever"- misspelling and all. None of her other symptoms were recorded. During the call, they recommended that I give her children's Tylenol (acetaminophen), especially if her fever went above 101 degrees. Seeing as her fever was below 101, I put her to bed and continued to monitor her temperature each hour. Her fever fluctuated inversely with her intake of vitamin C, so I continued to give her regular doses, (250-500 mg every two hours or so), keeping the Tylenol handy just in case. By the next morning, her temperature registered normal and she was a normal, happy little girl again. While a mild fever indicates the body's natural immune response is in good working order combating vaccines, a high fever that spikes during a vaccine reaction is very serious and must be brought down right away. Acetaminophen can do this, but so can high-dose vitamin C. We watched it work.

It would be years later before we were told which vaccine was to blame for our daughter's severe vaccine reaction at fifteen months of age. Her third, and hopefully last, paediatrician determined based on my detailed written record of her severe reaction (the only record we had) that it was due to the pertussis component of the DPT shot.

Vitamin C makes Shots Safer and More Effective

I believe every doctor should be telling parents to give kids vitamin C when they get vaccinations. In addition to vitamin C's antitoxin properties (for example, its ability for "neutralizing the toxic nature of mercury in all of its chemical forms") Thomas E Levy MD, says "there is another compelling reason to make vitamin C an integral part of any vaccination protocol: Vitamin C has been documented to augment the antibody response of the immune system. As the goal of any vaccination is to stimulate a maximal antibody response to the antigens of the vaccine while causing minimal to no toxic damage to the most sensitive of vaccine recipients, there would appear to be no medically sound reason not to make vitamin C a part of all vaccination protocols."[2]

Over forty years ago, Archie Kalokerinos, MD, found that giving infants doses of vitamin C stopped them dying from complications of inoculations.[3] Over forty years ago, Frederick R. Klenner MD recommended children under ten take daily "at least one gram [1,000 mg of ascorbic acid] for each year of life."[4] In preparation for immunizations, Dr Levy recommends "infants under ten pounds can take 500 mg daily in some fruit juice, while babies between ten and twenty pounds could take anywhere from 500 mg to 1,000 mg total per day, in divided doses. Older children can take 1,000 mg daily per year of life (5,000 mg for a five year-old child, for example, in divided doses)."[5] A sick child, or one suffering vaccine side effects, would require much more.

"Ideally, the vitamin C would be given prior to vaccination and continue afterwards", says Levy. "For optimal antibody stimulation and toxin protection, it would be best to dose for three to five days before the shot(s) and to continue for at least two to three days following the shot.... Even taking a one-time dose of vitamin C in the dosage range suggested above directly before the injections can still have a significant toxin-neutralizing and antibody-stimulating effect. It's just that an even better likelihood of having a positive outcome results from extending the pre- and post-dosing periods of time."[6]

As for the kind of vitamin C to give little ones, our children have done well with a mixture of about 80% ascorbic acid crystals buffered with 20% calcium ascorbate powder added to their favourite juice. As infants, we gave it to them using a dropper.

"When I was in active paediatric practice, I wish I had known what I know now about vitamin C's ability to greatly modify vaccination side effects. The 103 degree fever worried me much less than the screaming and unsteadiness, which are markers of cerebral irritation." - Ralph Campbell, MD

Giving Vitamin C before, during, and after Vaccinations

My kids take vitamin C every day, and always have. Now, in preparation for shots, they receive numerous, regular doses of vitamin C before, during (yes right at the doctor's office), and for weeks after administered immunizations. This is what experience and our daughter's vaccine reaction has taught us. While we had given her vitamin C all along, we weren't nearly as diligent about frequent, timely dosing at vaccination time. We thought we were doing enough. As many folks come to find out, what they think is ‘a lot’ of vitamin C isn't always enough vitamin C. You take enough to get the job done.

To avoid vaccine reactions and side effects, days before, the day of, and for days after vaccination, we give our children enough vitamin C to get them just to the point of saturation. After immunizations, their immune system needs all the help it can get. They will get C as often as every hour until they get gassy, a tell-tale sign that they are getting adequate amounts. The goal is to get them to the point just before ‘bowel tolerance’, or loose bowels. For example, when our daughter was four, we started her with a relatively large loading dose in the morning, 2,000 mg or so, then gave her 1,000-2,000 mg every couple of hours throughout the day. We wait until there is a rumbling tummy or softened or loose stool. Once that point is reached, we throttle back the dose. We continue to give C, but give less. The next day, we do it again.

Amazingly, the day of and for several days after our four-year-old daughter's last vaccination, the first shot she had received since her severe reaction years before, she comfortably held fifteen to twenty grams, that's 15,000 to 20,000 milligrams, of vitamin C each day. She had no reaction whatsoever to the vaccination. No swelling. No fever. No redness. Nothing. She was happy. We were happy. That may sound like a lot of C for a child who only weighed about 33 pounds, but it got the job done. Perhaps your child won't need that much.

You might be surprised how much vitamin C a three-month-old can hold after a couple of vaccinations. I was. We don't allow the kids to get diarrhoea and dehydrate, but we do want them to have the vitamin C their bodies require when tackling sickness or immunization side effects. Since gassiness comes before loose bowels, it's a helpful indicator. If bowel tolerance is reached and stools become frequent, liquid, or, as was the case for my breastfed three-month-old, frequent and greenish in colour (since they are always liquid-like), we reduced the frequency and dose, but continued to give it regularly, ramping the frequency and dose up and down as the situation requires. This takes a little practice, but we know we're not hurting our children with extra C. It is a very, very safe vitamin.

Vitamin C Works

Vitamin C is incredibly safe and effective. We are very comfortable giving both of our kids high doses of C. Older, bigger children may hold more C, and younger ones not as much. Saturation becomes a helpful indicator of how much your child can hold.

I don't believe it is fair to let children get vaccines without vitamin C. I also do not believe it is it fair to let them acquire natural immunity through exposure to disease without vitamin C. Always give C. As to the quantity of C to give, when in doubt, give more.

Dr Levy is convinced of vitamin C's safety. He says, "Except in individuals with established, significant renal insufficiency, vitamin C is arguably the safest of all nutrients that can be given."[7] And it works. Over forty years ago, Robert F Cathcart MD, discovered that bowel tolerance of vitamin C resolved illness more quickly.[8] Neither of our children has yet to need an antibiotic. We use vitamin C instead.

For any parent worried about vaccine reactions and side effects, knowing about vitamin C should provide some real comfort. It sure does for us.

References

1. Orthomolecular Medicine News Service. "Antibiotics Put 142,000 into Emergency Rooms Each Year. U.S. Centers for Disease Control Waits 60 Years to Study the Problem." (Oct 13, 2008.): www.orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v04n14.shtml  (accessed Oct 2015). Also: Saul, A. W. "Notes On Orthomolecular (Megavitamin) Use of Vitamin C." www.doctoryourself.com/ortho_c.html  (accessed Oct 2015).

2. Levy, T. E. "Vitamin C Prevents Vaccination Side Effects; Increases Effectiveness." Orthomolecular Medicine News Service (Feb 14, 2012): http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v08n07.shtml  (accessed Oct 2015).

3. Kalokerinos, A. Every Second Child. Thomas Nelson (Australia) 1974.

4. Klenner, F. R. "Observations on the Dose and Administration of Ascorbic Acid When Employed Beyond the Range of a Vitamin in Human Pathology." Journal of Applied Nutrition, 1971, Vol. 23, Nos. 3 and 4, pp. 61-87. www.doctoryourself.com/klennerpaper.html  (accessed Oct 2015).

5. Levy, T. E. "Vitamin C Prevents Vaccination Side Effects; Increases Effectiveness." Orthomolecular Medicine News Service (Feb 14, 2012): http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v08n07.shtml  (accessed Oct 2015).

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.

8. Cathcart, R. F. Vitamin C, titration to bowel tolerance, anascorbemia, and acute induced scurvy. Medical Hypotheses, 1981 7:1359-1376. www.doctoryourself.com/titration.html  (accessed Oct 2015).

About the Author

Helen Saul Case is the author of The Vitamin Cure for Women's Health Problems and co-author of Vegetable Juicing for Everyone. Portions of this article are excerpted from her new book Vitamins & Pregnancy: The Real Story: Your Orthomolecular Guide for Healthy Babies and Happy Moms, with permission of Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Nutritional Medicine is Orthomolecular Medicine

Orthomolecular medicine uses safe, effective nutritional therapy to fight illness. For more information: www.orthomolecular.org

Find a Doctor

To locate an orthomolecular physician near you: http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v06n09.shtml

The peer-reviewed Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is a non-profit and non-commercial informational resource.

Editorial Review Board:

Ian Brighthope, M.D. (Australia)

Ralph K. Campbell, M.D. (USA)

Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D. (USA)

Damien Downing, M.D. (United Kingdom)

Michael Ellis, M.D. (Australia)

Martin P. Gallagher, M.D., D.C. (USA)

Michael Gonzalez, D.Sc., Ph.D. (Puerto Rico)

William B. Grant, Ph.D. (USA)

Michael Janson, M.D. (USA)

Robert E. Jenkins, D.C. (USA)

Bo H. Jonsson, M.D., Ph.D. (Sweden)

Peter H. Lauda, M.D. (Austria)

Thomas Levy, M.D., J.D. (USA)

Stuart Lindsey, Pharm.D. (USA)

Jorge R. Miranda-Massari, Pharm.D. (Puerto Rico)

Karin Munsterhjelm-Ahumada, M.D. (Finland)

Erik Paterson, M.D. (Canada)

W. Todd Penberthy, Ph.D. (USA)

Gert E. Schuitemaker, Ph.D. (Netherlands)

Robert G. Smith, Ph.D. (USA)

Jagan Nathan Vamanan, M.D. (India)

Atsuo Yanagisawa, M.D., Ph.D. (Japan)

Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D. (USA), Editor and contact person. Email: drsaul@doctoryourself.com  This is a comments-only address; OMNS is unable to respond to individual reader emails. However, readers are encouraged to write in with their viewpoints. Reader comments become the property of OMNS and may or may not be used for publication.