Get the Vaccine or Risk Getting Sick?

Whooping cough is a bacterial illness that at the start mimics the common cold, and through the course of a couple of weeks can develop into a serious illness involving thick mucus in the respiratory tract and long spells of coughing.  In the past, whooping cough brought several thousand people per year to their death.  For that reason, authorities for decades have advised vaccination as a preventative measure against the disease.  And though antibiotics do little or nothing to lessen the severity of whooping cough, doctors routinely prescribe them because they believe they may reduce the contagious period and prevent others from becoming ill.

In recent times, America has seen a resurgence of whooping cough.  As of this July, there have been 18,000 reported cases of whooping cough in 2012.  Washington State reported 2,520 cases of whooping cough in June 2012 alone — a 14-fold increase from 2011.  Even though 80% of new whooping cough cases are in individuals who had been vaccinated, if you read any mainstream news article on the whooping cough outbreak, you will hear that unvaccinated children are a major culprit.  Most articles will discuss the possibility that the vaccine may “wear off” through time, but rather than entertain any alternative to an inept vaccine, most of these articles suggest more of what isn’t working — booster shots for everyone!

This was the model of healthcare I was raised on, like most of you.  I had well-meaning parents who did a lot to ensure my health and well-being.  But I got all my vaccines on schedule, took  antibiotics for ear infections, spent hours a day in front of the TV, ate at fast food restaurants multiple times per week as a teen,  and experienced a variety of modern-day epidemics such as eczema, bed-wetting (until age 5 or 6), chronic migraines, teenage and adult acne, and autoimmune disease that left me partially-disabled and washed up at age 24.   I believe there was some connection.

Emboldened by the “big guns” of vaccines and antibiotics and trusting the medical system to protect us, many of us in the U.S. abandoned the building blocks for health.  Millions of us, though, through hard experience have learned to go back to the basics.

I believe that this whooping cough resurgence is a sign of things to come.  Our reliance on vaccines and antibiotics to fight infectious disease, along with our imbalanced lifestyle, have spawned the problem.  Except in going to the doctor for shots and pills, we have been taught to feel powerless against such diseases as whooping cough.  But from everything I can see, the only long-term solutions to this whooping cough epidemic (and any other epidemics that may arise) are common sense measures that require a high degree of personal responsibility and changes in lifestyle for many.  We have much more power against disease than we have been led to believe.

In my last article, I discussed the failure of modern medicine and depicted eight foundational elements of health that will maximize a person’s ability to ward off and successfully cope with infectious disease.  Here those eight elements and how they can help with whooping cough –

Foundational Elements of Health & Whooping Cough

Sanitation –

Modern medicine has done a fantastic job with one foundational element for protection from infectious disease in promoting good hygiene and sanitation.  Nothing can replace the importance of frequent hand-washing and covering the mouth when coughing in reducing exposure and preventing illness.

I do recommend people stay away from the antimicrobial soaps on the market, however, because they appear to be contributing to antibiotic resistance.  I like our naturally antimicrobial *Thieves soaps, *Thieves spray, and *Thieves waterless hand purifier enhanced with essential oils to boost the effectiveness of soap alone.

Hydration –

We were designed to thrive on plenty of water.  I recommend ditching ALL sodas — diet or otherwise — and replacing them with pure water.  Adding a couple of drops of lemon oil to the water will not only add a refreshing flavor, detoxify the cells, and dissolve excess fat, but it will also help boost the immune system naturally.  I also like including various herbal teas in the diet.  Peppermint and rooibos are two of my personal favorites.  Proper hydration helps the body clear toxins and boosts immune function to protect from infectious disease such as whooping cough.

Nutrition –

Ask a group of 10 people what they think the “ideal diet” consists of, and you’re likely to get 10 different answers.  Just about everyone can agree, though, that it’s important to eat foods as close to nature as possible — such as fresh produce as opposed to canned, whole oranges as opposed to orange juice.

If you and your family are healthy and rarely get sick, have plenty of energy, have clear and beautiful skin, and are at a healthy weight, then keep doing what you’re doing!  If you, like many Americans, struggle with chronic health problems including obesity, allergies, diabetes, heart disease, chronic pain, fatigue, depression, behavior problems, digestive issues, and more, then I can tell you right now your diet is likely a major culprit.

If this sounds like you or your children, I highly recommend the GAPS Diet for at least a year or two to reset the body.  I know of no other way of eating that will do more for more people than this system.  It will make your immune system robust enough to ensure a speedier recovery even if you contract something like whooping cough.

Healthy Gut Flora –

One thing the GAPS Diet addresses is correcting an imbalance in gut flora – the bacteria that live in our intestines and play key roles in digestion, mood, immune function, and much more.  The vast majority of people in our nation – especially those who have been on multiple rounds of antibiotics, have taken vaccines, and eat the Standard American Diet – have a severe imbalance in their gut flora.  This makes them susceptible to a wide variety of ills, including infections such as the whooping cough.

I take care of my gut flora by supplementing with a high-quality probiotic.  I like Life 5.  I also make an effort to eat fermented foods.  In the past I’ve made homemade kefir and kimchi.  I’ve gotten away from that, but at least I incorporate organic yogurt, kombucha tea, or Bubbies sauerkraut in my diet almost daily.  This may sound like an unnecessary hassle to some, but I have learned that healthy gut flora is the most often overlooked key to health.

Exercise –

Everybody knows that regular exercise is essential for optimal health.  Research also shows that moderate exercise boosts the immune system.  Your ability to fight off infectious disease is at least partially related to your level of physical activity! To enhance motivation and physical stamina, I like to inhale peppermint oil before a workout.  Peppermint oil applied to sore joints will also help relieve pain and discomfort that some use as an excuse to be sedentary.

Rest –

I spent my high school and college years burning the candle at both ends, many times surviving on only 5 hours of sleep per night.  Years later after I had developed severe autoimmune issues I spent an entire year unable to sleep normally.  Sleep deprivation is no fun at all and takes a huge toll on the immune system, making a person more vulnerable to pathogens including whooping cough.

These days, I value my sleep!  Though I can always do better with getting to bed at a decent time, I make great efforts to get 7-8 hours of sleep most nights. I have no problem falling or staying asleep, but I used to.  Back in those days I switched between Peace & Calming and lavender oils on my feet to help.  I used valerian oil orally (way more concentrated than the herb itself) for severe sleep disturbance when I needed it.

Healthy Attitude –

Science is revealing more and more that we are what we think and what we feel.  Stress — something we can regulate through our thoughts and attitudes about life — is a major culprit in lowering immunity.  Cultivating a healthy attitude towards the challenges of life can do much more than make you happy — it can help you be much healthier too!  Meditation and spending time around positive and empowered people are two tools I use personally to help me have an upbeat attitude.  I also love Stress-Away essential oil for those moments when I need some extra help!

Mother Nature’s Medicines –

Debra Raybern, a holistic nurse who uses Young Living Essential Oils at her clinic, has a protocol for dealing with whooping cough that she has seen great success with.  She recommends the following:

• Lemon oil in the water, 2-3 drops per glass — helps cut mucus production;

• RC oil on the chest – helps with coughing;

• Thieves oil diluted in olive oil (or garlic oil) on the chest – kills the bacteria;

• *Ledum oil on the throat – antibacterial and helps the body clear infectious disease more efficiently.

Also, she recommends using Thieves and oregano oil on the feet for further antibiotic effect, and diffusing Purification, *Citrus Fresh, Lemon, RC, or Raven in their room. Peace & Calming should be used on the feet at night to promote restful sleep.

She remarks that her whooping cough patients have a full recovery in 10 days on average, rather than 3 months like many people experience.  I would also recommend doing a hot compress with frankincense oil on the chest at least once daily (wait at least 1-2 hours or more to do this after applying Thieves or oregano, especially on children).

*Products with an asterick are available here

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As you can see, 7 of the 8 major areas to address for helping a person avoid or overcome whooping cough are imbedded in one’s daily life.  Full-spectrum protection from infectious disease is not an event, and it does not come in the form of an injection, a pill, or even an essential oil.  Developing a healthy immune system that will not easily succumb to an illness such as whooping cough is something that may take effort, but more often than not, rewards the seeker with a long, healthy life.

Last updated by Julie Behling-Hovdal at January 11, 2013.

Tagged as: emergency preparedness, essential survival, natural antibiotic, survival oils, Thieves